Cooley Cross Border

The ‘opinionated’ slow burner who fulfilled his promise at Blenheim

“HE's an incredible jumper and a real athlete,” was Kim Severson’s initial response when asked how best to describe her Blenheim winner Cooley Cross Border, or Cross as he’s known at home.

“He’s also unbelievably elastic, which has almost worked against him when trying to teach him flying changes — he just doesn’t see the need for them as he can canter round in a circle perfectly balanced on the wrong leg he’s so supple,” she adds.

Kim bought Cross from Richard Sheane’s Cooley Stud on a visit with agent Yvonne Monaghan back in 2011. Cross returned to the Cooley Stud this year, from where Katie O’Sullivan helped Kim prepare him for Blenheim.

“I didn’t initially plan to buy him,” says Kim. “When I saw him he was a recently backed four-year-old so I didn’t ride him. I bought him on the basis of how he free-jumped and moved.”

Richard adds: “I bought him as a three-year-old colt from over the border in Crossmaglen, hence his name. He was always athletic and inquisitive — he always wanted to come to you.

His weakness, however, was that he was very opinionated in his early days and not the easiest to

train. When he got something, he got it; it just took him a while to get there.”

Kim concurs: “It’s been a slow road with him, he was initially really bad at holding the bit when I put my leg on and this is still work in progress. He’s not strong but we have had some communication errors and issues with triple brushes in the past. He can also over-jump fences across country as he’s so careful.

“Many people, including me, have wondered if everything would ever come together at the same time, but it did at Blenheim — that result was the culmination of a lot of hard work.

“On the ground he’s just the most chilled person — he absolutely loves people and is super fun,” adds Kim. “If he had his own way he’d have someone dedicated to entertaining him 24/7. He’s a lovely horse to have around and provided he goes well at Kentucky next year, I would definitely hope to take him to the World Equestrian Games.”