Charlotte Phillips modestly credits her remarkable FEI World Cup Pacific League Final performance with CP Dresden to “being in the right place at the right time”. Truth is, it was also a case of being the right person on the right horse at the right time.
Charlotte Phillips and CP Dresden go back just over two years to when Charlotte was 18. Alycia Targa had brought Dresden up through the ranks for owners Jane and Maurie Bruce, but decided after eight years it was time to concentrate on her own horses. Not everyone was suited to the eager Warmblood gelding, but Alycia and Jane had noticed an up-and-coming local young rider who “clicked with Des from the first ride”. That rider was Charlotte Phillips and she and Des have never looked back.
“Dresden is the star here, he truly is,” Charlotte graciously declares fresh from their 74.275% win in the CDI-W Grand Prix freestyle at Willinga Park’s Dressage by the Sea – a win that gives them an invitation to the FEI World Cup Final in Omaha, Nebraska, next month. “His absolutely amazing work ethic and trainability is beyond imagination,” says Charlotte. “Words cannot explain his willingness and enjoyment in work… I know that sounds corny, but he truly gives his all, and when he feels pressure at a competition, when his blood gets up, he simply trusts me as I do him and away we go! It’s fun! Simply fun, and the freestyle we produced to win was the funnest!
“That was a high. A real high, and what an international grown-up horse he has become. I am so grateful to be the one that was in the right spot at the right time.”
The story of CP Dresden – before and after teaming with Charlotte – will seriously inspire everyone’s hopes and aspirations. This little, unassuming bay gelding, with the work ethic and the demeanour of an unassuming champion, will warm the hearts of every horse owner. His attitude and will to please is something special.
Under expert eyes, and empathy for him and his consistent work, this honest willing horse made his way slowly and steadily to far surpass his owners’ expectations. He believed in himself. He offers all his energy, mentally and physically, and tries every day to be the best he can be. To see him in training is a treat. Des thinks that every day must be power-packed and full-on. His willingness could easily be misread as being tense and hot and wild, but all he wants to do is to help. What a great attribute and to be recognised and kept in perspective. Jane Bruce has again found a horse to represent us at a World Cup Final, this time at Omaha, Nebraska.
GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES
CP (Callum Park) Dresden, or Des as he is known at home, was bred in the ACT by Susan Elekessy and was by the famous sire Damsey, who represented Germany at the Olympics, then ridden by Helen Langehanenberg. The mare, CP Regardless, was by Regardez Moi from a Thoroughbred mother who was by Switch In Time. Regardless was sold after producing three foals. The first was Don Rubin by Don Frederik, the second Freya by Falsterbo and the third, Dresden by Damsey. All three foals were pleasant enough; not anything to rave about but they all had a real will to work. Susan, who was going overseas to train, decided to sell the two older progeny as three- and four-year-olds just broken. She also decided to sell Regardless, and for $1000. The three foals from Regardless have all gone on to be successful at Grand Prix. Freya was originally owned by Liza Carver and trained by Denise Rogan, before being sold on as a young rider mount and competing under-25 Grand Prix and open Inter II with Brooke Mance.
Susan recalls that Des was always willing and full of life, and in fact jumped 1.5 metres clean out of the round yard. “He was energetic, to say the least, and was bucking around the foal box with so much enthusiasm that he forgot his bearings and ended up half over the stable door (by the way, all that mare’s progeny had that bucking streak and did it for fun). Russ (Jarrett, the trainer) was at the back end trying to get him over and I was at the front end. He decided that he could help by grabbing hold of my inner thigh and using my thigh as leverage with his mouth! To this day I have a totally numb section on my thigh! It’s a constant reminder of dear Des, who we all loved dearly.”
On asking Denise Rogan about Freya and her attitude to work, she said: “Freya was my soul horse with a brilliance that I never fully tapped into. She had a work ethic that made the journey from Novice to Inter A/B so valuable and interesting.”
WATCH Roger Fitzhardinge’s interview with Denise Rogan at Willinga Park’s Dressage by the Sea here.
A learning experience about tapping energy and willingness to great work. For Liza, who owned her, it was a journey that started with champagne at an auction and acquiring a hot, expressive chestnut mare that she would even occasionally sit on herself. Liza enjoyed her every test along all the levels at all the major competitions.
She was offered for sale because the Mance family saw her as a perfect fit with their daughter Brooke who had great feel and empathy. Liza and Denise realised that she had reached a peak at Medium Tour and to let all her training filter down to help a young rider would be so perfect for this outstanding mare. In fact, Brooke took her on and competed to Inter II and the success in young rider classes was quite incredible. She was a mare that was trained well and then allowed the privilege to strut her set stuff with an enthusiastic rider who simply adored the vibrancy and went along with her, encouraging her to be better in herself every day.
The third offspring was Dresden and we can see where he has gotten himself – the 2023 FEI World Cup Pacific League winner with a near 75% freestyle!
“Every day he had some
sort of mischievous happening.”
BUYBACK TIME!
When Susan realised the foals were showing such talent as younger horses, she purchased the mare Regardless back for twice what she sold her for, and has since produced CP Damascus who is now Prix St Georges and won the Advanced freestyle at Dressage by the Sea with ease.
When Jane Bruce went to Heath Ryan’s Auction of the Stars and rode both Freya and Dresden, she was looking for a horse that would suit her as a nice, trainable Elementary/Medium horse. Jane and Maurice Bruce had produced several international and World Cup winners and competed at European Championships. Both the horses Freya and Dresden were nice horses, but she preferred Freya. In the sale, Freya was up first and a bidding duel between Jane and Lisa Carver was on and Jane lost. It was some time later that Dresden was ridden and again Jane was the losing bidder to a phone bid from WA. It happened by chance that a few days later Susan contacted Jane in regards to Dresden as the WA buyer thought he was going to grow too big. Jane negotiated and purchased Des.
She picked him up from Bowral, a 60-minute drive away, and so the adventure began. Jane admits that he was sharp, especially if he was spooked, and had a few busters but there was always a good excuse for his bucking behaviour. Jane competed him for good scores but then one warm day at SIEC he took fright at a stroller being wheeled up behind him. Being sharp and fleet of foot, he reacted in a reasonable and hot way and Jane saw a soft piece of arena and bailed. When she dismounted, it was too close to the edge of the arena and she hit her head on the concrete edge. She spent a while in hospital and her daughters were quite over mother’s accidents – especially when it was always on the weekends – so they put a ban on her riding. She agreed, well, for a short while!
Alycia Targa had been doing some work with other young Neversfelde progeny and so she was asked to ride Des. Alycia jumped at the opportunity, and with Jane on the ground watching and helping at every ride, this partnership become one of huge relevance. Alycia was always very competitive and loved the training to Grand Prix and this was the first horse that she had taken as far. Des to this day still has to have a quick lunge before you put a leg over him; there were several occasions where the lunge was disregarded and the inevitable occurred.
Boneo Park on a bleak day was another famous adventure when Des decided it was game on and through sheer excitement could not refrain from showing his aerial prowess. He dumped Alycia and took of flat-out around the warm-up terrifying all in the arena. Captured eventually, he went off to do another great Grand Prix test. Alycia says Des was not scary, but you really had to be wary as he was simply so athletic.
‘LONGEST STANDING BOYFRIEND’
Alycia rode and trained Des under supervision from Jane and early on from Maurie as well. She rode him mostly five days a week for eight years at the Bruces’ property in Berry on the South Coast of NSW. She jokes it is her “longest standing boyfriend and relationship to this day!”
In 2012 he won the Novice Championship at the State and Nationals. The following year he won Medium and Advanced Champion at the State Championships and was the winner of the six-year-old class at the Sydney CDI and third at Dressage & Jumping With The Stars.
It was in 2013 that he went on to Prix St Georges and was third in the PSG Cup. He spent 2015 competing well at Small Tour and training all the Big Tour movements. He had a light time at the end of 2015 as Alycia had a child, Bethany. In 2016 he competed and won at Medium Tour and in 2016 he had his first Grand Prix start. He won the Medium Tour Championship at the State Championships and was reserve at the Nationals to Alexis Hellyer when she rode Bluefields Floreno.
It was interesting that at his first ever freestyle he came third at the Sydney CDI indoors at night with so much atmosphere; first was Aristede and Shannan Goodwin, and second was DP Weltmieser with Brett Parbery. That year at the CDI there were 20 in the Grand Prix. Alycia remembers it well.
“There were so many highlights in the eight years,” says Alycia. “Every day with Des was a highlight, every day he had some sort of mischievous happening. I was grazing him at the Nationals at SIEC and he decided to roll on the lead and I let him – big mistake. On getting up, he was gone like a bat out of hell around the whole venue. He went as fast as he could and of course around the horses competing in the arenas outdoors. Jane was walking back to the stables when Des flew past, did a right-hand turn and parked outside his stable. Jane saying to her friend as he fled past, ‘I think that was my horse!’
“Another time was at a squad clinic and I was tacking up in the stable and he decided to start bucking with excitement, tied up in there, and managed to remove a shoe, which Tor Van Den Berge kindly put back on. I loved that horse and we had a great relationship and I have a lot to thank the Bruces for, as not only did I get the represent Australia on their horse Kudu in Frankfurt at the Young Rider World Cup, but then training Dresden to Grand Prix and competing. Their knowledge and help over all those years was amazing and set me in good stead to proceed with my own business. It was a wonderful time and experience for which I will never forget,” says Alycia.
WATCH Roger Fitzhardinge’s interview with Alycia Targa at Willinga Park’s Dressage by the Sea here.
CHARLOTTE GETS THE NOD
“It was time to step away and work with my own horses and it was decided to give the ride to Charlotte Phillips, a young rider who clicked with Des from the first ride. She first rode him August 2020 when she was 18. Jane tried to get an exemption of some leniency for Charlotte not to have to go back to Advanced and the Small Tour then Inter II and then Grand Prix, as the EA ruling advises. EA refused and so Des had to go back to Advanced! As was expected it was in a great whirlwind and hurry as qualifications were needed for the following year’s comps, and within a few months they had achieved high 60% wins at the levels to then allow her to start in a Grand Prix.”
It was only a mere five months later that Charlotte rode Des for her first Grand Prix, at a training day at Willinga Park. Before riding Des, Charlotte was quite inexperienced only having shown part-bred Arabs at Arab shows, and with her first Arabian she’d ridden a Novice test only. Then with the next part-bred, they managed to get to Elementary and at that time she was getting help from Tibby Barbour and then Pamela Bice. Pamela gave Charlotte the chance at riding Advanced on Tinkerbell, a pony she had produced to Grand Prix, and Charlotte rode her in a few advanced tests. She also competed a grey pony, Koora-Lyn Serena, in the CDI Pony section for Pamela as well.
Charlotte lives in Cambewarra half an hour from the Bruces and attended clinics there. Jane had watched her ride under tuition at these clinics and was impressed with her natural feel and her ability to follow instruction. It was a big decision for Jane as she was thinking that she may take on the ride herself, but reality was that giving Des the chance to be a schoolmaster for Charlotte seemed a better option. Jane rode Des and kept him on track and to this day still does. Jane is there at every ride and at every competition. Her eye as an A level judge and a Grand Prix rider, coupled with many overseas trips competing and going to competitions, makes for the perfect place for Charlotte to be. Jane is passionate when it comes to all things dressage and knows her sport inside out.
Riding Des at competition had to fit in around her university course studying pharmacy. Charlotte had a year off during Covid and is now studying a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science specialising in pathology at Charles Sturt University. She works part-time as a phlebotomist and also for Pamela Bice with her dressage horses. She is also training a young gelding she purchased from Jane by Quando-Quando which is now at Elementary level.
“I am simply the luckiest one.”
WINNING STREAK
In 2021 at Dressage by the Sea, there were two competitions in a week and the first one was for Charlotte’s first competitive Grand Prix where she and Des scored 65%. At the second one they scored 66%, a pretty good start. Then at the Sydney CD-Lite they competed in the Under-25s and won the Inter II and the Grand Prix, and placed second in the freestyle with 69%. The following year at Willinga Park they scored in the mid to high sixties and placed mid-field. Then at Dressage & Jumping With The Stars they produced a 70% freestyle. Then Sydney CDI, 72.3% in the freestyle. At the 2022 Young Rider Championships, they won all three tests with a 73% freestyle. The winning streak continued, and they really were gaining confidence and competence and it was full ahead for the FEI World Cup Pacific League Final and a win to cap it off. Who is to know what the future will hold, but for sure they are still improving as can be seen in the scores.
To watch Des and Charlotte is a wonderful experience. Ask Charlotte what makes Des different to all the others she has ridden, and she says it’s that he was so well trained and knew his game very well before she sat on him.
“Of course, it’s easy to ride Grand Prix on Des, who is an expert,” explains Charlotte. “I simply sit up there and push the buttons. And with Jane there to help at every moment I really get to feel all the good. Des is amazing as he has taught me so much. What is awesome is that he tries so hard every day and has endless energy and enthusiasm. When Jane suggests riding him more like this or that, he absolutely is prepared to have a go.
“I am also one of the privileged ones to have also hit the deck from him! I guess the thing with me is, they say I am fearless, and that his enthusiasm I see as a fun thing and go along with it… to a certain degree! He is so great to train and to earn the right for him to be deemed the representative for the Pacific League at Omaha for the World Cup Final is only fitting for such a truly wonderful horse and also for all the time and effort Jane and Alycia and Maurie have put in to him. I am simply the luckiest one.”
Charlotte is a smart rider who is always at her happiest competing and that’s so evident when you see her face light up, especially in the freestyle competition. What an amazing journey each has had separately and now together.
Did Jane ever think he would make Grand Prix? No. Did Alycia think so… she’d probably say no. Did Dresden think he would? YES… he is never modest. He would actually say that he would try his heart out in training, and it was the eyes on the ground and the training that set his goals out clearly and made it as easy as possible to tread the steps to Grand Prix.
So, what is on for Des now? You can never put all your eggs in one basket and he will enjoy his grassy paddock next to the driveway and his stable in the evening and banging the stable door at 6am for food. He will also be hanging out for the next training session as he is all for practice! He really is a once in a lifetime horse. EQ
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