Business Women Celebrate Summer

Former international events rider Annabelle Rose inspired Lincolnshire business women to keep reaching for the stars, even when the going gets really tough.

Annabelle, who was guest speaker at Business Women’s Link (Lincolnshire) Summer Lunch at The Petwood Hotel, in Woodhall Spa, told her audience how she got back in the saddle and went on to launch her own business, after a life-changing fall.

Against all the odds, Annabelle recovered to ride competitively again and today, she also runs a highly successful dressage yard.

Annabelle began by revealing that her family originated from Gainsborough and were the owners of the famous Rose Brothers engineering firm. Her great-grandfather and grandfather, Alfred and William Rose invented the packaging machine used to wrap the famous Roses chocolates.

But, while they were busy inventing, her grandmother Ruth and Annabelle’s mum Sarah were more interested in introducing her to horses. Despite coming off a horse and landing in a watery ditch at an early age, Annabelle was soon hooked by the equine world.

Encouraged by the female line of her family – she became passionate about eventing - dressage, showjumping and cross-country – and represented England at pony and junior levels. Her enthusiasm and sheer speed led to a fall and Annabelle spent a week in a coma.

After dusting herself off, she later went on to become a working pupil to Cheshire-based events rider Neil Fox. However, at the height of a successful career, tragedy struck when she suffered another fall. This time Annabelle was devastated to learn that she had broken her back.

Paralysed, and in a wheelchair, the future looked pretty bleak. However, after eight operations and seven months in and out of hospital, she was determined to get back in the saddle.

After months of physiotherapy and rehabilitation, she did. Since then she has gone on to make her mark in the world of dressage. Annabelle has also done particularly well since being backed by Lincoln-based Greenray Turbines and has secured her place in the England and Northern team for another year.

Annabelle also runs a successful dressage yard at Ingham, where she is encouraging other riders to aspire to be the best in this highly-competitive field.

Sixty business women went along to the BWL Summer Lunch, where they enjoyed time out for networking, The event also featured a bumper raffle which raised Ł451 for the Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance.

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