DRESSAGE DAYS.
DRESSAGE DAYS Q&A MEET TRACY ORMROD At the AGM in October 2021, we welcomed Tracy Ormrod to the BD Board as she took over the mantle from former Para Director, Julie Frizzell. Alongside her background as a business analyst and project manager for government and blue-chip organisations, Tracy’s life is interwoven within the sport as a para and BDCC level 2 coach, chef d’equipe for under 21’s teams, and as a successful competitor herself up to Small Tour. Tracy lives on Anglesey with her husband James, three dogs and about 10 horses of all ages! Their two daughters have flown the nest, but both still ride whenever they’re at home.
HOW AND WHEN DID YOU START RIDING AND WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO DRESSAGE? I started my riding career on the back of an armchair at my grandmother’s! I used to ‘ride’ the races that I had watched on television. This progressed to being taken for lessons aged nine at the local riding school and the purchase of a pony. I became interested in dressage aged 12 due to my jumping pony developing anaemia and having to have a quiet time for a few months. Once I realised I could win, the interest developed. With the same pony I was selected for the British team and went to European championships in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, and Germany with another pony.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, which was the start of software development for personal computers in the late 1980s. These days it’s application development for mobile phones as well as traditional computers that I get involved in. James and I founded our current company in 2017 with the aim of developing apps for
the equestrian market. TestPro ill al ays be our rst lo e and is now the leading dressage and eventing test learning app across the world.
WHERE DOES YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN PARA DRESSAGE STEM FROM? My mum was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and started riding as a form of physio. Once she moved to Wales we were able to nd er a orse t at s e could keep with me. I started training her and it all snowballed from there. I did the para coaches pathway and taught a number of others. Since then I’ve supported er at di erent international and national competitions.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO NOW BE INVOLVED IN PARA DRESSAGE AT SUCH A CENTRAL LEVEL? I feel honoured to become Para Director, I’m also slightly nervous following on from Julie’s brilliant management! But I’m also mega excited as there are so many athletes now compared to a few years ago, this is a great time to be starting as Director.
HOW DOES YOUR EXPERIENCE AS PARA REP FOR WALES HELP
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SHAPE YOUR VISION? Wales is a very strong para region but it su ers fro so e of the same issues you see across the UK. The region is large with a tra elling ti e of o er e ours from North to South. Bringing everyone together for team events and helping everyone to feel included was a big task.
WHAT DO HOPE TO ACHIEVE OVER THE COMING YEARS AND MONTHS? I want to improve communication with athletes and their supporters in all forms, as not everyone uses social media, and not everyone reads their emails! BD is good at collaborating with other organisations and I want to continue to expand the work with RDA, and other para organisations such as para driving and showjumping so that we can pool knowledge and learning opportunities. There are always the basics to keep
on top of like having venues and competitions for paras in the right place at the right time, and supporting the para reps with their roles at regional level. This is in addition to being a good Board member and assisting colleagues with my experience in technology which I feel will add value.
SIX FAMOUS GUESTS AT YOUR DREAM DINNER PARTY! Nuno Oliveira, Reiner Klimke, Steve Jobs, Jilly Cooper, Min Jin Lee (author of Pachinko) and Miranda Hart.
DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS Supportive, determined, positive (glass half full!)
