| Memorable sporting achievement |
Winning the 2018 U25 Grand Prix Dressage Championship in Taupo, New Zealand. (megsandsoph.com, 04 Aug 2019) |
| Sporting philosophy / motto |
"Dressage is pretty much the perfect combination of [dancing and horse riding]. And I love the challenge of it. No one has ever got 100% in dressage, so everything can always be better. The feeling you get when you're in complete harmony with your horse is really indescribable, and trying to reach that feeling all the time is what keeps me driven." (eurodressage.com, 31 Dec 2020) |
| Famous relatives |
Her father competed in wakeboarding at international level. (eurodressage.com, 31 Dec 2020) |
| Ambitions |
To compete at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. (eurodressage.com, 09 Nov 2021) |
| Other information |
MOVE TO EUROPE
At age 17 she left New Zealand to compete in Germany with trainer Hubertus Hufendiek. She spent a year in the country before starting her own business in Marlborough, New Zealand. In 2021 she returned to Europe, taking up an assistant rider role at Van Olst Horses in Den Hout, Netherlands. The move was facilitated by her coach, Vanessa Way. "We'd been talking about me going over there at some stage for quite a few years, but the most important thing was finding the right place. Because all my horses are Dutch bred, and also I could base my horses there, potentially ride for them and have a job, which is very rare, to be able to go somewhere and actually be paid, otherwise it's a very expensive thing to do." (eurodressage.com, 09 Nov 2021) |
FEI Database
www.facebook.com/melissa.parkes.39 
