Childéric Saddle UK - Tricia Bracegirdle

Childéric UK's Story

The Childéric range of bespoke saddles and accessories is now an established brand throughout the world. Tricia has been the sole distributor of the brand throughout the UK and Ireland for 10 years. She has surrounded herself with a team of trained and approved Childéric saddle specialists to help support the ever-growing demand.

Team Childéric understand how horses and riders work and how to match their products with the combination in front of them. Their in-depth knowledge and ability to relate to any rider at any level means they will give a unique service.

"When you're trying or buying a Childéric saddle you're getting a part of us. Our clients range from free-time riders to well

know professional international riders. We are passionate about achieving the best for every partnership."

Whether you have a firm idea of what you want for you and your horse, have problems to solve or are simply looking for the best, the Team Childéric can help. And if you have no idea where to go, they can put you on the right road.

The Childéric range are not just saddles – it’s a combination of a bespoke product and service which ensures you can make an intelligent decision about what’s best for you and your horse.

Aftersales service is not treated lightly – the team’s ethos is to work with their customers for as long and as much as required.

M E E T T H E T E A M

Childéric Saddle Specialists

Tricia Bracegirdle

07886 802 553
tricia@childericsaddles.co.uk

Tricia became the UK distributor for Childéric Saddles in 2010 and is now director of Childéric Saddles UK and Senior Saddles Specialist with Childéric Saddles.

Tricia covers the the South West, West Midlands and Ireland.

Tricia has competed to Intermediate level eventing, kept horses, and run her own yard, for many years. Having worked in the equine business sector for the past 20-years, Tricia understands the pressures of being a being a rider looking to succeed, and also being a working mother.

Qualifying for the Gatcombe Novice Championships (The Festival of British Eventing) was a personal milestone and to finish without disaster was the icing on the case. Dissatisfied with the security offered by the saddle she was using at the time, Tricia set about finding a new saddle which lead to a career change and then later on meeting Luc...the rest is history so they say.

Tricia lives in Oxfordshire and has a team of experienced Childéric Saddle Specialists, distribution, marketing and PR people working with her. Tricia is a hands-on horsewoman who takes a holistic and synergistic approach to saddle fitting and sales and customer service, but there is no hard sell - thats one thing she is insistent upon with all her team.

Helen Dunning

07786 796 457
helen@childericsaddles.co.uk

"I began training with Tricia in August 2013, working with Childéric is the most rewarding and enjoyable job. I feel being able to combine my knowledge and feel as a rider with experience as a saddle fitter works brilliantly when I'm working with riders and therefore offers a unique service."

Based in the North of England, Helen covers the Northern counties, Scotland and North Wales.

Helen has a long and glittering equestrian career that goes all the way back to starting out as a show rider with Team Hollings, where highlights included HOYS and The Royal International.

From there Helen made the switch to eventing, where she went on to represent Great Britain on numerous occasions. First up was at Necarne Castle in 2006 with Bletchendon Fanfare, then onto the National Pony Championships with Glenayre Bay Surf in 2007 and 2008. The same year saw Helen finish 10th at the European Championships held in Avenches, Switzerland.

Eventing success kept coming for Helen, first with Mossfort in the Young Rider National Championships, then with Pebbly Flux at the 2010 European Championships in Germany. From there Helen gained the ride on 'Keep Your Options Open' and together they won the CCI***-S at Gatcombe, the CCI****-U25 Championship and the ProAM pairs with Caroline Powell at Bramham in 2011.

More recently Helen made the switch to pure dressage and has also competed successfully at Prix St George level, winning the Petplan Area Festival and finishing 3rd at the National Championships.

Michelle Nichols

07896 971937
michelle@childericsaddles.co.uk

Michelle met Tricia in 2014 when she was working as a Dressage rider for Prestige Liveries based at Kilbees Farm in Windsor, and she's ridden in Childeric ever since! Soon after Michelle joined Team Childeric on a more permanent basis and covered the South and South East area from 2015 to 2019 before taking some time out to start a family. Fast forward a year and she's back as part of the team and will resume looking after part of the Home Counties, South and South East.

Michelle started riding at age 3 and has worked in the equine industry for over 15-years. Her passion for dressage started at a young age with ponies whilst training with Ian Woodhead. Michelle moved up through the levels, competing at Prix St George level as a Young Rider.

Michelle started her professional riding career as a working pupil for Ferdi Eilberg and has been lucky enough to work for, and train with, several Olympic riders and top trainers within the sport.

Perry, the rather handsome orange pony, has been with Michelle since a 5-year-old and is currently competing a Small Tour level and is working towards Grand Prix. Together they have had many successes at Regional and National level.

Georgina Beesly

07519 868131
georgina@childericsaddles.co.uk

Georgina joined the team earlier in 2020 prior to the COVID-19 outbreak and is now pleased to take over the East of England, and parts of the South East area.

George's passion for horses began long before she could remember, from a very young age! Her family primarily had show horses, and she started competing on the showing circuit, mainly showing in the working hunter rings. Her second pony, a 14.2hh gelding called Tinsel Town, took George through the showing world and then onto dressage and eventing.

Going into her teenage years, George's interest turned more towards dressage and eventing, and she still regularly competes in this area. She currently has three horses to ride; Chalky, an amazing Irish sports horse hunter who she also events. Hugo, who is being produced as an eventer. The third horse is called Cheese who loves his hunting!

Georgina and Tricia met at the British Dressage Nationals when she was looking for a saddle for the very 'odd-shaped' Hugo. Intrigued by the number of options for an oddly shaped horse like him, George instantly fell in love with the saddles from the moment she sat in them. She was so happy and impressed with the level of service she received that she approached Tricia to find out who if there was an opportunity to become part of Team Childéric. Fast forward, intensive training with Tricia, time spent shadowing the team, saddle fitting and problem-solving under Tricia's guiding eye and Georgina is now proud to call herself a member of Team Childéric UK.

In her spare time George enjoys working her Hungarian Vizsla on the shooting field. She also has a passion for running and regularly participates in running events.

Jess Bracegirdle

Jess rode when she was younger and went on to work for Charlie Hills for several years.

Jess joined the Childéric UK team, when she moved in her with partner, as Personal Assistant/Driver to Tricia. Jess now ensures that the team is organised and enables Tricia to respond to clients whilst on the move.

Luc Childéric - Sellier

Being passionate about the equestrian world, Luc Childéric embarked on becoming an established master saddler in 1978.
In 1991, he created the `Manufacture Childeric` which produces and markets beautiful and bespoke, made to measure, saddles. It is by being in constant contact with sport horses and their riders that Luc forged, and obtained, his expert eye. When watching horses moving freely he understood the necessity of making a saddle that would enable the horse to move as loosely and unrestrainedly as possible.

He creates a variety of saddle styles that allow the riders to achieve a perfect balance between equilibrium and comfort. They are made to free the horses’ movements and actions, and are designed for all equestrian disciplines. Riders then discover that working with their horse is much more about giving than receiving and their communication becomes as graceful as a dance.