BARNSLEY will have a competitor at the Paris Olympics after Becky Moody replaced the banned Charlotte Dujardin on the dressage team.
Dujardin, who was chasing the record of the most Olympic golds by a British woman, will not be competing in Paris after a years-old video emerged of her whipping a horse – sparking worldwide outrage.
So reserve Moody, from Gunthwaite, has been moved up into the team and will make her Olympic debut on her horse Jagerbomb.
Becky, 44, told the Chronicle: “It’s very strange circumstances and not how anyone would want to be called up. It’s really, really sad. But my main focus is on the next week and trying to show the world that our sport is amazing.”
Becky found out earlier this week that she would be competing in both the individual and team events.
“It’s been a rollercoaster. I was going to Paris as a reserve anyway and I could have been called up into the team up until the team test for the second competition. I had prepared and trained for it, but it’s obviously a major change in circumstances.
“I was expecting a nice couple of weeks in France but this is going to be very different and incredibly exciting.”
Becky was born in Scotland but moved to South Yorkshire aged six.
She left school at 16 and has worked with horses ever since – now running ‘Moody Dressage’ equestrian training centre in Gunthwaite with her sister Hannah. She has won various national titles and competed internationally.
“The Olympics will be very much a career highlight. It would be for any athlete. It’s really amazing.
“It’s something I have dreamt about all my life. I almost resigned myself to the fact that it wouldn’t happen.
“It’s not just about yourself, you have to have the right horse as well.
“Then there is only a team of three people at the Olympics.
“The beauty of equestrian is you can just keep going a lot longer than in other sports. It’s less about peak fitness than other sports but we try to be in as good a shape as possible. One of my team-mates is 57. It’s more about knowledge, experience and understanding.
“I would love to get through to the final in both events but it’s very hot competition.
“I am very grateful to my parents and sisters for all their support and the National Lottery and UK Sport funding.”
Becky also explained why her horse is named after a drink which is a mix of Red Bull and Jagermeister spirit.
“When he was born, ten years ago, it might have been a time in my life when I was slightly partial to a Jagerbomb. But we mainly call him Bomb and he’s also named after my granddad who has passed away now and was called Norman but, for some reason, everybody called him Bomb.
“He is an amazing horse. I bred him.
“I don’t think there will be that many people in the Olympics who bred their own horse at home.”
