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Find out all about this weeks winners, their horses and inspirations as well as learning what will be in their celebration ‘Chicken Dinner’.
If you have a win this week, we’ll help you shout it from the roof tops so get in touch at events@thegaitpost.com to be featured or tweet us @thegaitpost using the tag #TGPwinnerwinnerchickendinner
All disciplines welcome.
Pictured at Skipton Horse Trials
We did our best ever dressage score of 29, had a pole down in the SJ which was annoying but she loves XC and did a foot perfect round well within the optimum time.
What are your aims for 2018/2019 for this horse?
I bought Cally as a 4 year old and she’s now 11. She had only ever hunted but I kept her at a professional eventing yard while she was young and then got the eventing bug. She will hunt from now until Christmas, have a holiday and then I need to work on the consistency of my dressage. Now we have a RF for Badminton Grassroots I need to focus on that, it has always been my dream to get her there. I know she is completely capable, but at 52, I just need to keep myself fit and focussed!
Is this your first time at this event, or are you a regular? If a regular, what keeps you coming back? If a first timer, will you be back?
I did my first ever BE80 at Norton Disney when I was starting out. It’s a really lovely event, well organised, very friendly and quite a forgiving course if you are a novice.
Who is the biggest influence in your eventing career to date?
It has to be Mary King, I have always followed her and recently did a ride across Dartmoor with her. Mary started from nothing and I have great admiration for that. She has in fact become a personal friend and stayed with me over Burghley this year which was a great honour. I walked the course with her early on XC day, which was fascinating, she made it sound so simple and told me to ride every jump on a XC course as if a gold medal was hanging on it … so I do!
Who is the unsung hero of your team and why?
My husband. He is totally non – horsey and very long suffering of the cost and time involved in eventing. I do point out that at least my mid life crisis only involves a love affair with a horse!
What is the one thing you wish you’d known before you started eventing?
The addiction to purchasing all the latest kit. From the latest stud kit accessory to the bamboo numnah, to the snuggly hood – essential for a grey), my horse is definitely the best dressed member of our family and my children constantly remind me of that.
Describe the funniest “blooper” you have experienced eventing
I didn’t walk a XC course to the very end. I could see the last fence and it looked straight forward but I didn’t realise the finish line was a lot further on and I incurred loads of time faults, giving away a second placing … I’ll never do that again.
Which is your favourite event & why?
I like Horse Heath, the XC is a good test of a horses endurance as it’s a long uphill course, there is an interesting selection of colourful fences and everyone is very friendly.
What will be in your “Chicken Dinner” and what will you wash it down with?
Probably a Thai Chicken Curry and a good bottle of champagne. I have a very sweet tooth, so on eventing days I feel like I’ve earnt a pudding too.
What is your current favourite lorry karaoke song?
Pumped Up Kicks – when my kids aren’t monopolising the music selection!
Abby’s little sister Lucy also won a BE90 section. Lucy is just 14 and has just started eventing with her horse Penny.
Pictured at Skipton Horse Trials
I am an amateur rider and I produce my horses myself with an eye cast over from my Mum. I work part time in an equestrian store and the rest of my time is spent helping other people with their horses and backing and schooling horses, alongside helping my Mum with running our livery yard. Both my horses have had a slow start to this season due to me breaking my arm last year and they have both had small injuries this summer, but gladly they are both on good form again.
What are your aims for 2018/2019 for this horse?
I am aiming to compete Blue at 100 level again and if all goes well, I would like to try and step up to Novice. The Real McCoy (Smurf) will be also aiming to do 100 level and I will also be affiliating to BSJA to jump some Newcomers classes.
Is this your first time at this event, or are you a regular? If a regular, what keeps you coming back? If a first timer, will you be back?
This was my first time competing at Norton Disney and it was such a lovely event, a great course and friendly organisers – we will definitely be back!
Who is the biggest influence in your eventing career to date?
My Mum and Neil Fox, Mum is just 100% supportive and always there to help if there is any problems and Neil has helped me make a huge breakthrough with Blue in the dressage and the XC phases.
Who is the unsung hero of your team and why?
My Mum, she is a complete hero, she is the organiser and the one keeping an eye on everything and she travels everywhere with us, she’d never miss me compete!
What is the one thing you wish you’d known before you started eventing?
I wish I’d have known how hard it is to compete at that level of XC from the Isle of Man, we only have one course here so training for that phase is so hard.
Describe the funniest “blooper” you have experienced eventing
Probably forgetting to turn my stopwatch on in the start box for the XC at Frenchfields earlier this year, I was in the lead after the SJ and I got to XC fence 3 and realised, so I spent the whole course guessing how long I had been and trying to add it on to the time on my watch! I was 2 seconds over the time, it also cost me the win!
Which is your favourite event & why?
I think I’d have to say Skipton Horse Trials as it’s fairly close to where we stay when we are on the mainland and I love the course. However Norton Disney might give it a run for top spot as it was so lovely and proved to be successful for me.
What will be in your “Chicken Dinner” and what will you wash it down with?
A full roast with all trimmings if possible, washed down with usually an orange juice.
What is your current favourite lorry karaoke song?
This year we have bought a Disney CD so we have listened to that a lot!
© Martha Lilly Photography
I was aiming for a confident double clear, and after discovering I was first to go in the dressage I was convinced I was already out of the placings never mind in for a shout at winning!
What are your aims for 2018/2019 with this horse?
He will be taking a well deserved holiday now before coming back into work and preparing for the season ahead, we will hopefully fit in a couple of runs at 100 if the weather lets us before the Mitsubishi Motors Cup, and then I hope to run at Novice for the rest of the season, aiming to finish 2019 confident and consistent at that level.
Is this your first time at this event, or are you a regular? If a regular, what keeps you coming back? If a first timer, will you be back?
We have been to Norton Disney three times now, it was actually Marty’s first BE event in 2016, so it is that bit more special to us because of that, however one of the major bonuses about this event is the fabulous ground! They seem to keep it amazing even when everywhere else is a bog.
© Martha Lilly Photography
Who is the biggest influence in your eventing career to date?
There’s so many amazing eventers out there, Yasmin Ingham is a firm favourite, being so successful in the horsey world after coming from the Isle of Man must have taken so much determination and hard work, but somehow they made it happen, and she’s shown us all on the island that it is possible to be successful if we’re prepared to put the work in. Then there’s Michael jung someone I aspire to be half as successful as! He has such an amazing ability to create a perfect partnership with his horses and is a master of all three phases. He is simply a world class rider.
Who is the unsung hero of your team and why?
Definitely my Mum. She gives her life to cart me and my horses up and down the country and across the Irish Sea to compete without even questioning it! My sister is also a huge member of the team looking after the horses we leave at home when we come to compete.
What is the one thing you wish you’d known before you started eventing?
How addictive the thrill is!
Describe the funniest “blooper” you have experienced eventing
Jumping round off all four’s in the dressage warm up at our first affiliated event, whilst the BE80 coach shouted she’d come and help once he’d calmed down… he didn’t calm down, we added a few moves to our test but managed to stay inside the boards! Thank god for neck straps!
Which is your favourite event & why?
It’s so hard to pick! Probably Weston Park, it’s quite a grand event, and the course usually has a few trickier combinations in it which suits my horse and makes it less of a dressage competition.
What will be in your “Chicken Dinner” and what will you wash it down with?
Lots of crispy roasties, carrots, broccoli of course the chicken and lashings of gravy, all washed down with a pink G&T!
© Martha Lilly Photography
What is your current favourite lorry karaoke song?
Usually the sound of me snoring down the motorway! Our radio’s broken so poor Mum amuses herself!
What are your aims for 2018/2019 with this horse?
So far he has been produced slowly with his future in mind, next season we hope to establish him at novice level and go from there.
Is this your first time at this event, or are you a regular? If a regular, what keeps you coming back? If a first timer, will you be back?
I have been to Norton Disney a couple of times, I really like the event. It’s always a educational course that’s good viewing for owners. Also the ground is good for the time of year.
Who is the biggest influence in your eventing career to date?
Three people have influenced me massively in my career so far. My mum, Jane Holderness-Roddam whom I worked for when I left school, and Duncan Smith who I currently work for.
Who is the unsung hero of your team and why?
The horses owners are the unsung heroes, because without them none of it would be possible.
What is the one thing you wish you’d known before you started eventing?
It doesn’t just happen.
Describe the funniest “blooper” you have experienced eventing
A couple of weeks ago I had a horse in the 100 at Weston, riding through the water he tripped up the step coming out, I ended up around his neck and there was a narrow log two strides after. The horse clocked it and kept jumping with me still around his neck. He was so cool. And luckily we got it on video!
Which is your favourite event & why?
Blair Castle is my favourite event. It is beautiful, like a fairytale.
What will be in your “Chicken Dinner” and what will you wash it down with?
We had fish and chips in the lorry on the way home.
What is your current favourite lorry karaoke song?
I’m not a great singer so I normally whistle, and ‘how much is that doggie in the window’ is a classic!
What are your aims for 2018/2019 for this horse?
I’m hoping to do a few more BE90s and if that goes well maybe do a BE100 to finish the next season.
Is this your first time at this event, or are you a regular? If a regular, what keeps you coming back? If a first timer, will you be back?
This was my first time at Norton Disney horse trials and it was a very friendly event and I will hopefully be back again next year.
Who is the biggest influence in your eventing career to date?
Definitely my mum and my sister. They help me with my horse now and helped me with my previous pony when I evented her.
Who is the unsung hero of your team and why?
My mum again, she drives us up and down the country lots of times during the eventing season and she also gives very good advice when I need it.
What is the one thing you wish you’d known before you started eventing?
How difficult it is travelling from the Isle of Man with it being too windy to travel the horses on the boat.
Describe the funniest “blooper” you have experienced in eventing
Fortunately I haven’t had any bloopers yet.
Which is your favourite event & why?
My favourite event is probably Kelsall Hill, the ground is always so good round the cross country and in the show jumping arena. This is another very friendly event that I love going back to.
What will be in your “Chicken Dinner” and what will you wash it down with?
My chicken dinner would consist of mash potato, carrots and gravy as I’m not a fan of chicken!
What is your current favourite lorry karaoke song?
Anything that my mum doesn’t know the words to so she can’t sing it!
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