Hancock’s great half-hour
An elite auction purchase and a native pony bought out of a field land titles, while Charlotte Dujardin showcases four of her mega mares
WINNING a bidding war led to a novice gold title for Emma Woolley and her exciting prospect, Hancock V. The Carlton Hill x Gribaldi gelding was bought from the Equine Elite Auction in Holland in 2016 and has more than justified Emma’s conviction that this was not a horse to let go.
“I’d taken a horse over to the auction to sell and I spotted Hancock,” said Emma. “I just loved him and although I’m still not sure how it all came about, I managed to put a syndicate together to buy him in 24 hours.”
The syndicate consists of Emma, her grandmother
Viki Powell, Lis Astall and Lee and Seonaidh O’Neill, and they were down to their last bid when the hammer fell.
“We were bidding against a member of the Moroccan Olympic team and we’d already upped our absolute final bid,” added Emma, who trains with both Charlotte Dujardin and Nikki Barker. “It was very tense and exciting — the relief when the hammer fell was immense. But when I got him home, I spent all of last year riding on the inside track of the arena because I couldn’t get him near the outside. He’s grown up massively now, and felt like an old pro out there today. I know there’s so much more to come.”
At the other end of the scale, Suzie Offley won section B of the prelim 17A with her Fell pony, Cliffhollins Mystry. The 17-yearold mare was bought out of a field five years ago, having spent much of her life as a broodmare and happy hacker.
“We liked her personality; she was pretty cute and, most importantly, a safe first pony,”
said Suzie, who trains with
Helen Dutton. “We affiliated at the beginning of last year and qualified for the Area Festival finals at the winter championships this spring. I knew regionals would be much harder, but she did the best she could and I knew that she’d gone well.”
Harriet Kipping won the silver section of the advanced medium with her own and her mother Catherine’s Camelot’s Black Knight. Now 11, he was bought six years ago through Harriet’s trainer Rhett Bird, although circumstances have meant lessons have been at a minimum lately.
“Mum has had a hip replacement and I can’t drive the lorry,” explained Harriet, who works as a business analyst. “Getting my lorry licence is on my list of things to do, but it’s so easy to keep putting things off.”
Luckily, Catherine got the all clear to drive just in time to chauffeur Harriet, a regular at the Somerford regionals, to the show.
‘THE SWEETEST THING’
ANNABELLA PIDGLEY and Ine won the silver section of the medium with a 6% lead, the Constantin x Handryk mare being one of two that Annabella has short-listed for the upcoming pony Europeans. The 12-yearold mare competed at the Europeans for Sweden in 2015, and was bought by the Pidgleys on Annabella’s trainer Cathrine Dufour’s recommendation at the beginning of last year.
“She was bought from a video and she is just the sweetest thing ever,” said Annabella’s mother, Sarah. “I’d love to get the horse version of her for the future.”
So far, the combination has been on great form, with an international victory in Compiègne earlier this year.
“She gave me an amazing
feeling today,” said Annabella. “I had the best feeling from a test — there are always bits you can improve on, but the way of going felt brilliant.”
Jess Dunn was fresh from her debut international win at PSG last week at Hartpury, and here she won the inter I with the same horse, Alicante Valley. Jess also had the added satisfaction of watching Katie Bagot, whose family owns the majority of Jess’ rides, win section A of the novice silver on Zomaar.
“I went with no expectations other than to enjoy myself,” said Katie. “I’d lost my counter-canter three days earlier, but luckily I found it in the working-in.”
Katie last competed properly back in 2009.
“I qualified for the nationals, but hurt myself and couldn’t go, so it is an absolute dream to get another chance to ride down the centre line there,” she added. “Ultimately I’d love to ride in top hat and tails, but we’ve a bit of a way to go yet.”