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Thoughts from Michel Assouline

by Betsy LaBelle | Sep 17, 2018, 10:00 AM

Mill Spring, N.C. - This year’s FEI World Equestrian Games™ includes four strong competitive nations including Great Britain, Holland, Denmark, and Germany. The U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team presented by Deloitte is prepared to fight for a spot on that podium this week.

Starting approximately a year ago, Michel Assouline, the former British gold medal-winning head coach, took on a role with the U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team presented by Deloitte and helped to set in motion a winning strategy on the road to the FEI World Equestrian Games™ (WEG) Tryon 2018. Assouline said, “Our aim is to get in, or near the medals in the top four teams. It all comes down to who will do the best on that day, on their top performing horses.” He continued, “We have some good combinations.”

In a short amount of time, a lot has been accomplished by the U.S. Para-Equestrian Dressage Team presented by Deloitte. Achieving some amazing results this past winter, and during the FEI WEG Test Event before international judges, each one of the top athletes has big-hearted support systems strengthening their determination. "We did not have as much in place when I started last year as we do now. It has developed very strongly. We have gotten some really strong horses, some great sponsors, and great athletes," Assouline explained. “I am really excited for this group. They have all been working really hard. All the riders have such a good mindset with their horses, in networking to find the help they’ve needed, and for asking me and the rest of the staff for added feedback.”

Many times this past year, Assouline traveled from his home-base of England, while also making himself available to the athletes through video technology. He said, "Dressage is nice for the horses, and it's a sport which includes patience and high technical skills, but it's very rewarding. The addition for me is the athletes with disabilities. I love it because working with an athlete with a disability, makes a coach into a more interactive trainer. One has to be extremely thorough in the training to make the horses more responsive when a rider who is physically weaker somewhere in their body." He continued, "Para dressage gives people a better life. It inspires me to help any person, because we all have so much to live for."

Importantly, he stated, “For me, para dressage is more than a sport. Dressage is a sport; para dressage has an added quality in that it gives people a better life. It’s a wonderful thing to see and be a part of.”

 

Photo by Taylor Pence/US Equestrian