Felicity Collins OIu21 winner and runner up at South of England
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Find out all about this weeks winners, their horses, their plans for the season 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.
OIu21 winner RSH Contend Or with Felicity Collins © Spidge Photography
What are your aims for 2017 for this horse?
He will aim for Houghton Young Rider Championships in the CCI**, with Blenheim 8/9yo CIC3* being our Autumn aim.
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’m a regular – we live 45 minutes away so it makes a really nice change not having to travel 4+ hours for once! Friendly volunteers and supportive regular helpers makes a huge difference. Some of the people there have seen me grow up, from being pushed round at a buggy at the event to riding there myself, so it’s always nice to catch up with them.
5yo Mexican Sunrise in the BE100 with Felicity Collins © Spidge Photography
Who is the biggest influence in your eventing career to date?
Definitely my mum. She rode successfully to 4* level with her own homebred & produced horse, so this is why i’ve pretty much always produced my own horses. I attended all the events with her as a toddler so it always seemed a given that I’d go down the same route!
Who is the unsung hero of your team and why?
My brilliant owner and family friend Avrina Milton, she owns half of RSH Contend Or (Mickey) and half of one of my younger horses. She is so supportive and doesn’t put any pressure on me, and without her I wouldn’t be able to get results like these with a horse like Mickey.
What is the one thing you wish you’d known before you started eventing?
I wish I’d known that everyone makes mistakes no matter how experienced, and that I should focus on myself and my own preparation and let good results follow – and try not to compare myself to others too much. It’s really easy to worry you’re not doing ‘as well’ as others, but everyone has different circumstances and horses so I wish I’d thought about that more from a young age. It would have saved a lot of unnecessary self-criticism!
6yo Billy Memphis in the BE100 with Felicity Collins © Spidge Photography
Describe the funniest “blooper” you have experienced eventing
I had just come 2nd in the CCI1* at Osberton International 2015, behind Kitty King out of a huge field of competitors, on my horse Just Amazing. We started the lap of honour (there were lots of people watching) and as I got half way round I cantered past a large group of friends who all cheered loudly as I went by. This terrified my horse and she whipped round and galloped sideways into one of the showjumps, smashing the whole thing down! Not quite the reaction intended…
Which is your favourite event & why?
Osberton. It has a real International atmosphere, lots of friends are always there so the parties are such good fun, and the courses are brilliant to ride round.
What will be in your “Chicken Dinner” and what will you wash it down with?
Any kind of pizza, with Diet Coke.
What is your current favourite lorry karaoke song?
I never have the energy for that before or after an event, my favourite thing is to sleep!
Just Amazing came 2nd in the OIu21 with Felicity Collins © Spidge Photography
Saffron Cresswell
What are your aims for 2017 for this horse?
I am aiming to be re-selected for the Pony European Championships with my pony Cuffesgrange Little Ric, and successfully compete at Intermediate level with my 7yo horse Quality Rose.
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’m a regular. I have competed there at least once if not twice every year for 3 years now and it has got to be up there with my favourite events. A great atmosphere with both testing SJ and XC tracks. I love it!
Who is the biggest influence in your eventing career to date?
My biggest influence in my career to date has got to be my pony Cuffesgrange Little Ric, we started our eventing career 3 years ago and we moved up the grades together. He has taken me to 2 European Championships and has won me 2 European Medals. He has been the pony of a lifetime and I am scared to see this season end when I will be out of ponies and he will have to be off to teach a new little jockey everything he has taught me!
Who is the unsung hero of your team and why?
My unsung hero has got to be my mum. Although mum has never competed BE Eventing herself, she has been the one to get me into this amazing sport, getting up and driving at stupid times in the morning, working until late on the yard and being by my side as support. Without her, following my dreams would not be possible.
Saffron Cresswell
What is the one thing you wish you’d known before you started eventing?
It’s not going to be easy!! The early mornings and late nights seem to be a regular in our household!
Describe the funniest “blooper” you have experienced eventing
I dont seem to of had any major eventing “bloopers” as of yet, however i am sure there will be some on the way! Although in 2015 at Aldon International, I was competing in the BE1003DE and managed to make myself look a complete fool when I jumped an intermediate combination instead of my slightly easier 100 combination on my 14hh pony Edenwoods Indiana.
Which is your favourite event & why?
My favourite event has got to be Gatcombe. It has such a lovely atmosphere and my Ponies always seem to thrive on it! The showjumping is normally up to height and I just love everything about the venue!
Saffron Cresswell
What will be in your “Chicken Dinner” and what will you wash it down with?
Unfortunately I take the unhealthy “chicken” option. You cant go wrong with a KFC Boneless Banquet!! However at my age, I feel its only appropriate to order a Coke alongside it.
What is your current favourite lorry karaoke song?
I don’t actually have a radio in my lorry, so me and mum take the time to have a chat about the horses and the day.
Saffron Cresswell
Amber Franklin
What are your aims for 2017 for this horse?
The mare (Lazy Acres Black Ice aka Wendy) had last season off due to a kissing spines operation. The aim for this year is to get her back up to novice/intermediate.
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’m a regular at Aston, it’s probably my most local event and we use it for xc training and competition throughout the year, Nigel always makes an effort with the ground and the courses which is always going to make competitors return.
Who is the biggest influence in your eventing career to date?
My mum Naomi, she has given me endless support, drives the lorry and helps me with the majority of the training alongside running a livery yard at home.
Amber Franklin © Blackheart Imagery
Who is the unsung hero of your team and why?
There’s more than one! Of course my mum, my best friend Olivia Mcdonagh who was 5th in my section at Aston and Dawn Blackwell who has helped me with my confidence after a string of some bad runs and results made me question my path in eventing.
What is the one thing you wish you’d known before you started eventing?
That no matter how well you prepare and how much effort you put in you won’t always get the result you want! You just have to keep pushing on – it helps that it’s so addictive!
Describe the funniest “blooper” you have experienced eventing
Probably tripping and falling over at a prize giving – luckily I saw the funny side!
Which is your favourite event & why?
Barbury Castle for sure – there’s always some sun, I get to see a lot of my eventing friends and have a good party and the views and atmosphere are incredible.
What will be in your “Chicken Dinner” and what will you wash it down with?
Unfortunately there is no McDonald’s between Aston and my house so it would have to be steak and chips with an orange Fanta.
What is your current favourite lorry karaoke song?
Anything that’s loud enough for my mum to drown the catlike screeching that I call singing!
Amber Franklin © Adam Fanthorpe
She also jumped her first open on him at Bury Farm the week before having only had him 3 days before. He will be staying with her to do some open workers on this year.
She also won the BSJA British Novice at Addington on her new 6 year old novice worker for this year, Giolga owned by Emma Gausden. She had never jumped a fence under saddle until they got her 4 months ago!
Katie Gilsenan on Atlantic Slim (aka Jim)
What are your aims for 2017 for this horse(s)?
My aims for this year are to balance my horses and my A levels, jump my first season of open workers and hopefully qualify and compete at RIHS and HOYS! I’m really hoping that 2017 will be a break through year for me to gain a lot of experience and to get noticed! Also, competing against Dad this year, I’d really like to beat him! We’re so competitive and it’s definitely an aim of mine! I have a chance in the opens on Jim and in the novices on Gloria! But it doesn’t matter what happens, we always have fun and enjoy ourselves!
Katie Gilsenan on Atlantic Slim (aka Jim)
Is this your first time at this show, or are you a regular? If a regular, what keeps you coming back? If a first timer, will you be back?
Myerscophe isn’t a regular for us as it’s such a long journey but if there’s an early qualifier we’ll be there! Dad and I always like the crack, abusing David Norlander about his courses too!
Addington is a regular because it’s so local to us, it has great facilities and it’s efficiently run. It’s a great show for young horses because it’s not too spooky and it’s very open!
Who is the biggest influence in your riding career to date?
My biggest influence has to be my parents, they’ve been with me every step of the way. They put me on a horse before I could walk and I never got off afterwards!
Also, my best friend Lottie Tutt, we’ve riding together ever since we were kids and our hacks were what kept me most interested when I was young!
Katie and her bestfriend Lottie Tutt
Who is the unsung hero of your team and why?
My Mum Vanessa Gilsenan, is definitely the unsung hero of our team! She works so much down at the yard and at shows as well. She’s the glue that keeps us all in place! Mum is also the organisation behind our team, Dad and I would forget our heads if they weren’t screwed on!
Katie and her dad (Rory)
What is the one thing you wish you’d known before you started riding?
Horses are always for sale, especially if your Dad is Irish! I used to struggle with selling ponies when I was young but I find it much easier now! However, I do have a bit of an attachment to my new novice worker though, Giolga (aka Gloria). I absolutely love the mare!
Describe the funniest “blooper” you have experienced competing/riding
To date, it’s probably when I was competing in the Novice workers last year at Onley Grounds on Edmond’s Willow. It was his and my first season and he chipped two strides into a spooky one stride double, this completely threw me and I demonstrated some of my gymnastics by landing in the splits right in front of the judges! They asked if I was okay and said yes thank you madam and then ran after my horse, Ed! I entered him straight into the resticted’s which followed and I jumped straight round, I was not going to lean forward or take my leg off to that double again!
Katie Gilsenan on Edmond’s Willow (aka Ed)
Katie Gilsenan on Edmond’s Willow (aka Ed)
Which is your favourite show & why?
Wales & West at the David Broom Event Centre is no doubt my favourite show of the year! We make a massive social thing of it because it’s the one show a year that we stay over at. I organise everyone to stay over, we park our lorries together, put the gazebo and deck chairs out, we have a barbecue and sit and chat for hours afterwards! I love the course as well, it’s a great one to watch and it has always been a dream of mine to jump around the open course there! It has a great atmosphere.
What will be in your “Chicken Dinner” and what will you wash it down with?
My mum is such a good cook and she makes her own chicken and prawn paella which is amazing! And I love cranberry juice or the occasional glass of rose wine every now and again!
What is your current favourite lorry karaoke song?
Our current lorry doesn’t have a radio so Dad and I sing all of the old Irish folk songs like Molly Malone and Wild Rover! But if we bring the radio we listen to Smooth FM. I love Adele, Tracy Chapman, and Ed Sheeran but ‘She’s always a Women to Me’ by Billy Joel has to be a favourite!
Jack Stancombe © Ultimate Images
What are your aims for 2017 for this horse?
The main focus is The Mitsubishi Motors Cup for now.
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?
Regular… The cross country courses are always very well built and the ground is always great! It’s just very open on a cold windy day!!!
Who is the biggest influence in your eventing career to date?
Kathryn Harris, I’ve worked and ridden for her for the last 9 years so she’s been hugely influential.
Jack Stancombe © Spidge Photography
Who is the unsung hero of your team and why?
It’s mostly just Kathryn and myself, but MGH Rococo has some wonderful owners, vets, farrier, chiropractor etc. They all play a big part.
What is the one thing you wish you’d known before you started eventing?
To not put yourself under pressure, it’s meant to be fun!
Describe the funniest “blooper” you have experienced eventing
Falling off at the first xc fence! At 2 events in a row! Although I didn’t see the funny side at the time!
Which is your favourite event & why?
I love Dauntsey Park, it’s very local, I’ve had a few wins there over the years, but also a few falls.
What will be in your “Chicken Dinner” and what will you wash it down with?
Pizza with a gin & tonic.
What is your current favourite lorry karaoke song?
No one would want to hear me sing… But I’ve had The Weeknds “I feel it coming” in my head for a while!
Jack Stancombe
Willa reflects on her season start 
#BehindBadminton preparing for 2017 
In The Start Box, Part 2 
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner Part 5 
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner Part 4 
Mark Beever, Nick’s groom, pays tribute to Nick Skelton and Big Star 
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