About Rebecca McNair
Rebecca is a Trainee British Dressage Judge, rider and trainer who specialises in the breeding and producing of quality Dressage horses. But unlike many within the industry, Rebecca did not originate from an equestrian upbringing. It was a friend of the family who took Rebecca for her first riding lesson at the age of six years old. That first feel of the reins on a chestnut pony called Sylvester began her journey. Dressage has not only become part of Rebecca's life, it has become her true passion.
Despite the constant pleading with her parents, Rebecca did not get a pony. Instead, she would do everything possible just to be around horses. This would include spending all her free time helping out at Landlords Farm and sneaking a bareback canter on the hunters that had been turned away for the summer in a field nearby to her childhood home in Lostock, Bolton.
In 2001 her parents finally caved in and bought her Hollinhurst Rebel, a very green five year old IDxTB, as a Christmas present. At 18 years of age she finally had her very own horse! Hannah, as she is known in the stable, is the true inspiration that later became Logwood Dressage. She took Rebecca to her very first Regional Championships, gained a place on the Inter Regionals North West Team and produced Rebecca's first homebred by Pro-Set, JetSet Rebel.
Rebecca quickly discovered an intense interest in the sport of Dressage. While Hannah was in foal, she took on a gangly five years old chesnut mare called Grace du Rezidal with an aim of producing her for sale. However, it soon became apparent that Rebecca and Grace shared an extremely strong bond and in March 2007 her Dad, Steve Watson, bought Grace from her breeder as a surprise! That year the partnership went on to qualify for the Winter Nationals at both Preliminary and Novice level, but unfortunately they were unable to attend due to Grace developing an injury to her suspensory ligament in November and then undergoing emergency colic surgery in December. However, Rebecca's bond with Grace and the faith she had in the partnership drove her to fight to get the mare back to fitness and they have not only attended the Regional Championships at every level up to Medium, but they have also been selected to represent England and the North West at the Home Internationals. Grace is now ready to come out at Advanced Medium and Rebecca's aim is to get her to top hat and tails!
In 2009 Rebecca decided to take a gamble and purchased her first 'real' dressage horse, a black KWPN mare by Houston, from Julie Lockey. Bolana was very different from Rebecca's other horses, but despite an initial rocky start Rebecca soon learned how to influence a senstive horse and achieve the best possible results. This is a talent that Rebecca continues to refine with each and every horse she works with and is what makes her the trainer and rider she is today.
In 2008 and 2009, Rebecca had a huge success with JetSet Rebel at the BEF Futurity. He gained the highest score overall at the venue and was placed 13th in the country. Following this, in 2009 Rebecca leased Woodlander Winnona (Weltmeyer x Eisenherz I x Maigraf) and put her in foal to the leading Dressage stallion, Broere Jazz. This filly, Fiji CDS, was given to her Dad as a 60th Birthday present as a thank you for all he has done and will contend the young horse class and future competitions under Rebecca.
The insight into British Breeding became a real interest and in 2008 Rebecca and her parents started to look for a potential site to build a purpose built stud facility. By chance, they came across Logwood Stables, an empty property with several derelict chicken barns in a real state of disrepair and so began the lengthy task of purchasing the property.
Due to various setbacks, the build was delayed until June 2013 but as the spade (or more aptly the digger) broke ground the dream became a reality. A purpose built american barn, full sized arena complete with mirrors and 18 acres of individually fenced paddocks would be completed by Autumn and ready for its first residents.
With the build in progress, Rebecca looked to purchase three foundation broodmares for the stud. These were quickly sourced, all of whom had proven themselves within the sport, but then a phone call from a show jumping neighbour soon saw the three foundation mares turn into four and Logwood Dressage was born.
Rebecca was fortunate enough to acquire a promising young stallion, Eton UDH. Eton went on to sire the first four foals for the stud but in August 2013 Eton fractured his sesamoid bone and was sadly put to sleep. He left a true legacy in his progeny who will continue to be involved in Logwood Dressage. One of the fillies will be retained for the breeding programme and the colt, Etonian Hit LDS, has been purchased by Carol McNair and is being retained by the stud as a future breeding stallion and sport horse.
In May 2014, Rebecca purchased a very special young stallion named Casanova LDS from Gamblethorpe Hanoverians. He is by Contendro's Bube out of a Lauries Crusador x Rubenstein mare and will be put forwards for grading later in the year. He will be standing at public stud from 2015 with his first foals due in 2016.
Outside of Logwood Dressage, Rebecca has a beautiful daughter called Tabitha who was practically born in the saddle. Rebecca went into labour trying to control Grace du Rezidal's flying changes, so it is no wonder that Tabitha is as besotted with the horses as her Mummy.
It is an exciting time for Logwood Dressage and Rebecca is determined not only to make her mark as a Dressage rider, but also to fulfill her dream of becoming a recognised breeder of international dressage horses.
