Twenty-year-old Erin Nichols returned to DIHP to compete in her first-ever international event, and it was a winning weekend for her as well, topping both the CDI3* FEI Grand Prix, sponsored by It’s A Good Life Podcast, and the CDI3* Grand Prix Special with Elian Royale, owned by Premiere Sport Horses.

Photo:  Erin Nichols (USA) and Elian Royale at the FEI World Cup Grand Prix. (Photo by Terri Miller)

On Friday, in the CDI3* FEI Grand Prix, sponsored by It’s A Good Life Podcast, Nichols and Elian Royale scored a personal best of 66.478%, and things just kept getting better as the week went on, scoring a personal best of 69.404% in the CDI3* Grand Prix Special just one day later.

“This was a great milestone for my horse and me and a great introduction to the international level,” Nichols reflected on her wins. “To be able to step into the big tour at 20 years old is really special, and I’m really grateful for the opportunity to learn all about this level at such a young age. And I’m really excited for what’s coming next now.”

Having competed in both jumpers and dressage, Nichols is well versed in the horse show world, but stepping into international competition presents something new no matter the discipline, and she welcomed the changes.

“At the CDI we had five international judges; they had such a super panel this weekend. They are the same judges you would get anywhere else in the world. It’s judges I know from Europe, and it just gives you that experience without having to travel to Europe to have them judge you. It’s such a unique opportunity to be able to compete in a CDI for these judges in California,” Nichols explained.

Erin Nichols (USA) and Elian Royale. Photo by Terri Miller

Desert International Horse Park has always aimed to raise the level of the sport on the West Coast, and Nichols sees the efforts paying off.

“It’s really special,” she said of having CDI competition in her home state. “I’ve been coming to Desert Horse Park for around 10 years, back when I started as a jumper, so I’ve seen all the improvements they’ve made and it’s turned into one of my favorite facilities. It’s incredible to see each time I come there’s something new that’s a fantastic improvement. They’re always trying to do better. It’s a really cool atmosphere when you ride, the footing is always fantastic, and the arenas are just gorgeous.”

Elian Royale is still a growing partnership with Nichols in the irons, having brought the horse to the states from Europe to be her newest partner. With their training under David Wightman, they’re learning the ropes of the higher levels of dressage. Nichols and the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Johnson TN x Amidou) are more than hitting their stride, they’re proving to be ready for the big leagues.

“I think we’ve both grown tremendously as a partnership,” she said. “We’re starting to trust each other more and I’m trying I’m starting to learn how to manage his fire. He’s so hot. He just loves what he does, so it’s about managing his excitement and his love for what he does. I’ve never met a horse that loves what he does more than him. The more I go into this level, the more I see how easy it is for him. I feel I can take a step back and just let him shine and let him do his thing and just help him be his best, and in turn, do my best as well.”