Joanna Potterton, 73, topped 70% to win an elementary qualifier in her first competition for 18 months.
SOUTH-WEST West Wilts | King’s Sedgemoor, Somerset
“I had my second hip operation last summer and have found riding difficult since. I took my pills and gritted my teeth as I was determined to compete for the horse’s owner, Margaret Abbott,” said Devizes-based Joanna.
Riding the graded Trakehner mare Holme Grove Blin — whose sire is Holme Grove Prokofiev, the Lloyds Bank black horse — Joanna swapped from trainer to rider and won a hot elementary qualifier at West Wilts.
“It was important to me that it worked and on the way out I thought, ‘Goodness, there’s life in the old girl yet,’” said Joanna.
“I love the teaching and I had to retire as a BHS examiner at 65, so I’d like to think there’s a few more outings for me. I’ve been teaching Margaret for 15 years and so we’ll have fun together.”
Alex Harrison headed the novice qualifier and an elementary on the Contender five-year-old Hero VII at
King’s Sedgemoor.
“I bought him with Jonny Clarke-West as a three-year-old when he had just arrived from the Netherlands. He was supposed to be a pony jumping stallion but kept growing,” said Alex.
“He’s 16hh, but such a dude when you take him out. I think he must be part-Shetland as you can do anything with him.
“Physically, he’s very mature and finds the canter work so easy. He’s almost a bit more positive in the ring than he is outside.”