Desi Dillingham is widely credited for playing an instrumental role in the rise of British Dressage from a near non-entity to double gold at the London Olympics. Canadian by birth, Dillingham has lived most of her adult life in England, but in accepting the role of special advisor for Dressage Canada’s High Performance program, she is returning to her roots. It is now one year since Dillingham agreed to do for Canada what she did for the British. In this exclusive interview, she speaks with candour and passion about the future of Canadian dressage at the elite level.
How would you define your role with Dressage Canada? Are you a volunteer, and is that the case for the experts you have brought in over the past few months?
My responsibility is to pull together a team of experts to help the riders. As of this past October, it’s a paid position and I have a contract up to the end of WEG 2014. With respect to the other advisors, Victoria Winter is not paid, but Cara Whitham and Volker Moritz are both paid for their time.
Whose decision was it to bring Volker Moritz, a retired FEI judge from Germany, on board for the Canadians [to provide technical support and advice]?
That was my decision. Stephen Clarke is a great friend and he helped me build British Dressage. I told Stephen that I needed someone who can help in the shortest amount of time, and with limited funds. A lot of the people who are no longer judging, and who therefore could help, already have a personal involvement with either teams or riders. What I needed more than anything is a trainer who has trained, ridden, and who has judged.
You have decided that Florida will be the main base for Canada’s team. Why Florida?
I took a very good look at the situation. All the top international judges go to Florida. Whether we like it or not, this is a European sport and that means being seen by the European judges. In Florida we have the opportunity to show in front of the top judges. There is no travel to shows once we are here, and we have beautiful weather.
If we take an honest look at the scores of those riders and horses who are aiming for WEG 2014, there is currently only one pair who are achieving the 70% minimum average score set out in the Canadian Team criteria. How likely do you think it is that we will not send a team to Normandy this summer? If not a team, will we send an individual?
I believe we have to be looking at the Pan Ams as the main goal right now. I am a non-voting member of the selection committee; if we have a combination that is really good, that stands to learn a lot, and we can afford to send them, I would very much like to see that happen. We have to have a showing at WEG, even if it’s only two individuals. We have people coming on, and horses I’m really excited about.
When you say the Pan Ams should be the focus, am I correct to assume you mean that Canada needs to send a team that will beat the Americans and win gold in 2015 in order to earn the single team spot for Rio that will be given out in Toronto?
Yes. I really believe we’ve got the wherewithal. I think there is a great deal of potential. I’m very encouraged by the horses and riders that are coming up.
How would you compare the situation with Canada today to Britain when you first began to work with British Dressage?
Canada is in a much, much better place. There are much better horses and riders, real talent that just needs to be helped and encouraged. That’s what Volker Moritz and the Florida Fortnight [two weeks of educational events from Jan. 19-Feb. 2] are for. I can’t do anything in the long term with WEG so soon, but with this team of experts we can support and help every rider and horse to achieve their personal best. We will eke out every point we can. We have the material; we just have to believe in ourselves, keep everyone positive, and keep moving forward.
What do you see as Canada’s greatest challenge right now?
We need to overcome the taste that we’ve left by our showing in London. Equine Canada is also not helping us on the world stage. Dressage is subjective, whether we like it or not. Impressions do matter. We’ve got to be sending a positive message. We need people to say “the Canadians are coming.” I have a goal and that goal is to give every rider the opportunity to do his or her very, very best.
How do you believe you can personally contribute to overcoming the obstacles facing Canada?
What I’m good at is leadership. I’m great at pulling a team together. I know all the little things that go together to build a positive mental attitude. If things go well, you watch; we will get money for a good horse here and there. I’m in this for the passion of the sport, not for my pocket. I would never buy and sell a horse, for example. If Canada was at the top I wouldn’t be here. I love the challenge.
You have touched on a critical element: getting and keeping top horses. Is it only about money?
No, it’s not. We need to make sure we get our riders in front of the European judges. The judges don’t need to be surprised when that horse comes down the centreline. They need to already know what that horse can or cannot do.
Canadian Dressage is in a crisis when it comes to young riders. We currently have no national program for identifying and nurturing talent. How important is it to create a system that makes sure we develop tomorrow’s top riders?
This is a very expensive sport. We have got to support our young riders – they leave us when they can’t afford to keep going. We need to do more for the under-25 riders. When they are 21 is when we lose them. We need to find breeders who will let them ride a talented horse.
Canadian Dressage has been criticized for not taking care of its owners. What needs to change so that our owners are better engaged?
We need to get them down to Florida to follow their horses, and to bring a friend or two so that we’ve got some future pockets to pick. This is why we are using the headphones [to hear judges’ commentary] at the Fortnight. We need to develop armchair experts. Once they learn the words and how to look at the movements, they will fall more in love with the sport.
When you look into the future, what do you see for Canada’s Dressage Team, say, at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics?
I cannot tell you whether we will go to Rio or not. But in Tokyo we will be right up there. I absolutely know that. We have all the basics, and the people who really want to achieve. Dressage Canada has really been moving forward. I believe we are going places. Dressage is a journey, and this is a journey for Canada.
