Teen showjumper riding high despite loss of his stirrups!
JOSH WINS NATIONAL EVENT THANKS TO TRUSTY MARE BUGSY
TEENAGE showjumper Joshua Bailey wondered if his chances of winning a national event had evaporated when he lost both stirrups at the first fence in the final jump off.
But his trusty mare, eight-yearold Bugsy, had other ideas and carried him to victory.
It was a tense moment for Joshua’s mum and keenest supporter, Fiona Bailey, who told the Mercury: “Neither horse or rider seemed fazed by an awkward landing at the first fence and were so focused they just carried on with the stirrups flying loose. I’m so proud.”
Joshua, 15, who lives near Coalville, is a pupil at South Charnwood High School, in Markfield.
The winter intermediate championship took place between April 22 and 24.
The successful event was at the British Riding Club’s National Winter Intermediate Championship when Bugsy and Josh achieved three clear rounds, in a total of 37.19 seconds, including the fastest jump off - during the drama of having no stirrups - in the entire three-day competition at Bury Farm Equestrian Village, Slapton, in Buckinghamshire.
They saw off their closest rivals with four seconds to spare.
Joshua said: “After losing the stirrups in the jump off, we just kept going and then I really thought we could actually win - and we did.
“Bugsy got extra carrots and her favourite horse treat mints after getting the fastest clear round.
“I woke up with a positive mindset that morning, which I think also played a part in winning.”
Fiona, 44, said: “No one could believe that Josh had just won the event with no stirrups. The praise he received at the end, particularly from the parents of other competitors, was overwhelming - they said he was ‘amazing’ to have stayed onboard.”
Joshua has been competing regularly with 15:2hh Bugsy, whose show name is Bughill Darcy, for four years. They have been successful in numerous events, including national competitions, across the country.
Fiona said: “Josh really took to riding lessons in a big way when he was about 10 or 11. He then had a pony on loan - before I spotted Bugsy being schooled at Newbold Verdon Equestrian Centre. I realised Bugsy had potential. Josh was over the moon when I bought her for him. They’re devoted to each other. Josh does all the hard work, including grooming, feeding and mucking out - and even plaits Bugsy’s mane himself, on show days. They’ve gone from strength to strength.”
Josh exercises Bugsy six days a week, which he says has helped them build a strong showjumping partnership, based on “mutual trust”. Josh said: “Bugsy is a very special mare, she’s very important to me, like a best friend. We bonded from the very first moment I rode her.”
On May 1, Josh and Bugsy achieved their fifth double clear round at Pickering Grange Equestrian Centre, in Ellistown, which qualifies them for a five-day event at Liverpool’s Aintree Equestrian Centre, in November.
They have also recently qualified for showjumping events at Hickstead and Stoneleigh Park later in the year.