Ruby Hughes Withdrawn from British Junior Team Contention

Dressage

Great Britain

Ruby Hughes has withdrawn herself from British team contention for the 2025 European Junior Riders Championships. She was short-listed with Fire Kracka.

The 17-year old Hughes is a four-time British team rider at the European Pony (2021, 2022) and Junior Riders (2023, 2024) Championships. This year she debuted a brand new ride, the 8-year old Hanoverian stallion Fire Kracka at international junior level.

Fire Kracka is a 2017 born stallion by Fidertanz out of Diva (by Diamond Hit x Rubinstein). He is bred by Philipp von Thaden and was initially owned by Pia Gutnerlet, Lara Brosseder and Mina Platzek before selling to John and Denise Mitchell of Gamblethorpe Hanoverians in the UK. They sold him in the summer of 2019 to Claire and Shelia Wyatt of Bromson Stud. He was trained and competed by Henry Boswell and Virginie de Senneville before Ruby took over the ride in September 2023.

Ruby and Fire Kracka made their CDI debut at the Aachen Festival 4 Dressage in April, scoring 69.394% in the team test. They competed at the CDI Addington at the start of May where their team test score was 70.960%. At the CDI Wellington Heckfield they retired from the team test.

"I’m absolutely devastated to say that I’ve had to withdraw from the 2025 European Team selection after Fire Kracka picked up a suspensory injury at the selection trials at Wellington CDI," Ruby stated. "He warmed up incredibly and felt amazing, truly highlighting his talent for the future. Then upon entering the arena, he suddenly became very lame — it was such a shock to all of us … it was so unexpected."

Ruby added, "He’ll now be getting all the time, care and love he needs to recover properly — we’re totally focused on getting him back to full strength. He deserves the absolute best."

Seven riders are still short-listed for British junior tealm selection: Sofia Games, Ella Glennon, Myles Graham, Abigail Gray, Madi Haerr, Demi Howard-Cartwright, and Isla Sully.