The Road to HOYS by Lucy Burton

Lucy Burton, 14,  has no fear. She is widely known in both the Bicester and Grafton Hunt country as the bravest young thruster in the field, and most usually you will find her leading at the front, side saddle on her trusty steed, Maria.  She features regularly in Horse & Hound, and this week is photographed winning the gate jumping at the Bicester Hunt Team Chase.

Lucy kept a diary for The Gaitpost chronicling her journey to HOYS. 

“The Ponies Association UK Summer Championship show was probably one of the best shows of my showing career! It was one of the biggest courses that I have ever jumped and finishing the class as the only clear round was an amazing feeling, this feeling only grew when Maria the diva finally behaved in the conformation! To win at such a prestigious show was amazing even without the HOYS qualification. I couldn’t believe it. As I looked around, admittedly through lots of tears, I could see my sister Annabelle crying, my whole support team was crying, my head groom, I mean,  my mother, was shrieking lots of *!^$ words and then crying, and that is when it sunk in… WE WERE GOING TO HOYS! The only dampener on the day was when I got back to the lorry and took a drink out of my can of San Pellegrino and found a still alive wasp in my drink, which then decided to be very unsociable and sting my tongue!

The run up to the Horse of the Year Show had begun!

Departure day had finally arrived, after many threats of not going after not behaving myself, and even at one point being chased around the yard with a lunge whip for being too calm, we were finally leaving home. It was Thursday the 9^th of October and we arrived at Louise Bell’s amazing yard for my one o’clock lesson, after which Maria received the full five star pampering that she deserved. Bathed in the finest of shampoos and conditioners, followed by a half hour spin in the solarium (which we had trouble removing her from!) she shined like a trophy, a final touch of hoof oil and she was set, primped and pampered, eager to go….

Now, navigating from Edgehill to Birmingham, with deceased batteries on phones and a map book from 2009 was quite the struggle, especially seeing as we needed to find the nearest fuel station toot sweet! Nevertheless, after many heated discussions and endless u-turns in the middle of single-track roads, we had the N.E.C in our sights.

We avidly followed the signs to the biggest showing event of the year. Directed by very helpful men in fluorescent jackets, we pulled into the holding bays, with hearts in our throats that Maria’s passport would be approved and that we would be allowed in. To be declined at this stage would be devastating but thank goodness, we passed through with no qualms at all! (PHEW!) Next was stables, we were parked reasonably close to our stables which was a saviour as we weren’t exactly very close to anything else. Maria was originally in one stable, but due to a very worried horse next door, kicking a plank of wood (with four rusty nails sticking out of it) through into Maria’s stable, we ended up moving to the next one down.

At 5:45pm on Thursday night we made the lengthy trek to the Caldene arena for a practice session in our ring. I have to say that this was the first time that this whole thing felt completely real, as Maria jogged about beneath me and we were surrounded by my various friends and competition, it was a weird experience to see them all in hoodies and jeans. We have only really ever seen each other looking severe and unapproachable in our show gear with our game faces on. A sense of camaraderie filled the air as we all regarded each other with respect; we had all fought to be here. Jokes and jibes were made in good humour between us all, mostly about how our ponies were reacting to the immense atmosphere!

A freezing night ensured that we all woke at five am freezing and moaning. Nevertheless, as soon as we were up all stations were full steam ahead. Firstly, Maria was tacked up and worked for around three quarters of an hour in the stable arena to make sure she was not stiff from her journey the day before, we worked on pace changes and lengthening and shortening of her strides. She responded perfectly. Next, it was breakfast for Maria and a course walk for me with Louise as she would not be able to walk my class with me because she was in the lightweight hunters. The course looked amazing, many jockeys who would be competing in my class were walking this one, the course itself does not actually change, only the height does. Therefore, we walked this one and then checked heights and striding when we walked our class. The next step of our plan was for Maria to be tarted up by mum (aka awesome groom!) while I dashed back to the lorry to get myself changed.

We finally faced the trek to the Caldene arena from the stables for the final time, this time it really counted. The tension was so thick you could almost see it between some people. There was no rush for us so I slowly and gradually warmed Maria up making sure she knew that today really was the big day. There were around ten people left to go so I decided to go and see how the course was jumping and bumped into my fabulous ponies’ owner, without Susie Gee of Paulersbury none of this would ever have happened. Gradually we worked our way down the list of people to go before me, with thrills and spills during every round.

OK this was it. Breathe. We cantered in, conveying an air of confidence that I have to say I was not feeling right at this moment in time. As we approached the first all nerves and worries disappeared as Maria arced over the roll top over, soaring, like a free bird. We landed and pressed on to face the rest of this amazing course. Fence two, two strides, fence three, turn left, fence four, down to the skinny oxer, fence five. Things were going great, we were over that oxer, and you had to be so accurate to jump that fence. Six the wall, which side seems right to jump? Right or left? Left or right? Ummm! Ok go left…. Perfect we were flying, seven the planks. Oh! They come clattering to the ground and we finish the course, jumping the last three fences perfectly. Just one down.

Photo by www.esphotographers.com

The conformation phase of the class was perfect. Maria finally behaved! Throughout the season the conformation has been Maria’s weak point, she finds this too stressful and constantly fidgets meaning we got a low manners mark. We finished ninth over all and we were so proud of my amazing diva princess, she was amazing and I couldn’t have asked for better results considering we had a pole down.

The 2014 showing season has been my greatest showing season to date and none of it could have happened without:

The best Mum in the world (Head Groom)

The Gee/ Oakley-Pope family for continually supporting us and for supplying the diva princess that got me to HOYS

Louise Bell for providing me with the skills and knowledge that I needed to take on the Horse of the Year Show

Caroline Stewart for providing her black box service and helping me to keep Maria chilled and my Mum relatively sane!

Last but not least my amazing pony!!!!

Thank you so much, Lucy x”