A winter catch up with our sponsored riders!
We love catching up with our stable of sponsored riders in the middle of a busy competition season, when they’re out and about multiple times a week, but this time of year is interesting too. It’s fascinating to see how each rider approaches training and fitness for their horses as the season approaches, so we thought we would share some of it with you too.
Sara Bowe
Our eventing sponsored rider Sara Bowe has been busy getting both herself and her horses ready for the eventing season ahead. We’ve loved her updates on social media of her jumping horses and starting some youngsters, and in her ‘spare time’ Sara has been hitting the gym and swimming pool. Rider fitness is a key element to competition success, so we know Sara’s giving herself every chance of starting her competition season in the best possible way.
Hannah Barker
Hannah is our showjumping sponsored rider who is based just up the road in Northallerton, and Hannah’s busy with the indoor jumping season. January saw Hannah heading to the Winter Classic at Northcote Stud where both her horses went very well indeed. Indy picked up a first and second place, and Annie also took two top three finishes. Hannah is just 18 years old, so there are lots of exciting times ahead for her - and we can’t wait to be part of it!
Melissa Chapman
Mel bucks the trend and works hard competing and training virtually all year round, with just a few weeks off in late summer! Mel and her two event riders, Niamh and Holly Richardson, headed to Yorkshire Riding Centre with a whopping seven horses and scored seven wins and three second places across multiple classes. How amazing is that?
More recently Mel took two horses to Bishop Burton College for two regional qualifiers. TCE Koning finished fourth in a very hot Medium class yesterday and then had a crack at the Advanced Medium. TCE Jinte finished third in the Advanced Medium and Mel was delighted that this talented mare reproduced some of the amazing work she does at home between the boards. Mel’s heading to Scotland with five horses for five regional qualifiers in the next few days, so we wish her the best of luck.
Holly Richardson
Holly is a talented event rider who also works with Team Chapman Equestrian, home of our dressage supremo Melissa Chapman. As well as taking horses for their first cross-country schooling sessions of the year - essential with the new British Eventing season kicking off in just a matter of weeks - Holly’s been roped into partaking in some dressage competitions too. Holly rode the four-year-old DHI Event Horses Nestor to a win at the Yorkshire Riding Centre near Harrogate on a very busy and successful day for Team Chapman Equestrian.