We’ve been examining ways here at The Grassroots Gazette to give more coverage for people out competing across all disciplines and at all levels. So I pitched the idea to the GRG Management Team of doing a weekly round up where people use the hashtag #GRGRoundUp to tell us about where they were competing and how they got on the weekend. Doesn’t have to be a podium finish just a round up of how your weekend went and what you were most proud of.

With that in mind, we are starting our weekly round up content a bit late but it is worth it. Shane was going through social media early last week and found a post about the incredible Rachel Dowley and her performance that weekend at the Dressage Ireland Winter Finals.

After agreeing our Weekly Round-Up idea I asked him to reach out to Rachel so we could do an interview. So here it goes. Let’s have a chat with Rachel Dowley and see how she got on last weekend.

Who are you? Tell us a little about yourself?

I’m an Irish international dressage rider and HSI Level II coach, based in Co. Kilkenny. 

Tell us about the event and how you got on last weekend?

I brought 3 horses to the Dressage Ireland Winter Finals last weekend, and they each won a title. Showtime Willow won the prelim championship for owner Karen Bourke, GFL Nava won the novice championship and Insticator BS won the advanced medium championship. 

Tell us about your horse(s) last weekend? 

Showtime Willow is a 7yo Irish Sport Horse. She’s traditionally bred, combining Irish Draught and thoroughbred lines, and she exceeded expectations last weekend. Necarne was only the third dressage show of her career, and she produced very consistent 70+% tests.

GFL Nava is only 5 years old, by For Romance, and this was her first trip to the Winter Finals. She’s very athletic, and growing in confidence with every outing, and she also achieved 70+% scores.

If I’m honest, I was a bit disappointed in my performance with Insticator BS. He’s a 10yo, whom I’ve produced since he was 3, and for various reasons he hadn’t been to a show in the preceding 2 months. He produced some lovely work, but excitement got in the way of some of the movements!

How do you prepare for an event like this? 

Preparation varies from horse to horse, but I always try to learn my tests well in advance so that I can practice the movements in the sequence in which they’re required. I also try to schedule some lessons with my long-term coach Anne Marie Dunphy, and the Deane family’s Aqua Equine Treadmill is an important part of Insticator’s weekly programme.

You’ve had some incredible results the past 12 months. Can you tell us more about them?

In one way Necarne was a repeat performance of the 2022 National Championships, at which I also won 3 titles. Nava’s 4yo National title was particularly rewarding, because I bought her as a half-backed 3yo and the initial few months with her were very challenging. Insticator’s success at both the Nationals and the Winters have also meant a lot. Prior to last season he had 18 months off through injury, so getting him back into the arena was a success in itself!

What are you most proud of last weekend?

I was happy with each of my horses for different reasons, and so it’s probably the consistency of my performances with such different types of horses and across different levels with which I was happiest.

Did you feel pressure in the buildup to the event? How do you handle pressure?

Honestly no! I think competition is a reflection of what I do at home every day, and because each of these horses are currently travelling through the grades, their tests are at least partially educational experiences for them. For that reason I try to encourage them to gain confidence and enjoy it as much as possible, and keep pressure to a minimum. 

It takes a village to get prepared and get results. Do you have any people or sponsors you’d like to thank or give a shout out to?

It really does, and the population of this one is too big to name everyone individually! I have a great team at home, from staff and family to vets, my farrier and physios. My friends are generous with their time in helping out wherever they can, and TopSpec and Childeric are brands that afford me complete peace of mind in relation to my horse’s nutrition and saddle-fit.

What advice do you have for people wanting to achieve these kinds of results Rachel?

I suppose to be as consistent as possible in your training and preparation. As I mentioned earlier, what you do in the arena is generally a reflection of the work you do at home, so the goal should be to make that work as productive as possible in a horse-friendly way.

What is up next for you?

I’m hoping to spend some time in the UK training later this month, with a view to possibly competing at Addington Premier League. I also have some nice young horses at home who need to get their seasons underway. 

If you could compete in one event, what would it be?

I think most people would be lying if they said they wouldn’t want to compete at an Olympic Games!

What is your overall goal?

To keep sourcing and producing nice horses to the best of my ability and theirs.

Interview Ends.

What a wonderful chat after a really incredible weekend for Rachel. We are very excited to do more of these Weekly Round-Up Special Features. We hope you continue to have an amazing year Rachel and thank you for joining us. If you want to get a special feature done or want some media coverage use #GRGRoundUp or reach out to us on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok.