Final SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Qualifier results

By Amanda Stevenson

Event diary

19 September 2008 11:50

The final South Essex Insurance Brokers’ Racehorse to Riding Horse qualifier was held at Burghley Horse Trials, Lincs, on September 7. Twenty ex-racehorses took part, despite the difficult going on the final day of a very wet Burghley Horse Trials. The horses coped amazingly well with the deep, muddy ground. 

South Essex Insurance Brokers, a leading specialist equestrian insurer, instigated this competition to support the retraining of racehorses and to provide a platform to show how a correctly re-schooled racehorse can become a top class show horse. The SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Show Championship has become hugely popular and the competition, supported by the charity, Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), is open to Thoroughbred ex-racehorses which, although they need not have raced, must have been in training.

The class may include hack, riding horse or hunter types and the standard is high, with the best of type being judged the winner. Richard Ramsay was the conformation judge and David Bartram the ride judge. 

“Despite the weather, I found the day at Burghley judging this class extremely enjoyable. The class was very well supported and the quality of the ex racehorses was superb at this venue,” said Richard Ramsay.

Fourteen-year-old bay gelding, Fergal, owned by Peter Richmond and ridden by daughter, Lizzie, won this class in fine style. He is no stranger to the limelight having been a HOYS finalist for the past two years. Fergal was in training with Peter in 2003 and 2004, never actually getting to the race course, but since his change of career he has proved himself very adaptable. As well as hunting regularly, Fergal is frequently involved in filming for the TV series, Emmerdale, and is a firm favourite with Purdy actress Georgia Slowe. The Richmonds have been very successful in producing Thoroughbred horses for the show ring.

Second in this class was Emma Boardman’s four-year-old ex-racehorse, Bidders Itch. He was trained by Alan Berry and ran seven times, his last outing being at Ripon last October. Since buying him, Emma has been trying to put condition on him and Burghley was their first outing. 

“I bought Bidders Itch as a show hack and am aiming to compete at HOYS with him in the Small Hack Class,” says Emma. “He has such a lovely nature and has a very good brain although he finds travelling in the lorry quite a nerve-wracking experience,” she continues.

“Thousands of horses come out of training each year and this class illustrates how, with time and patience, these horses can be re-schooled to compete successfully in other spheres,” says SEIB Marketing Manager, Nicolina Mackenzie. 

For more information on the Racehorse to Riding Horse Show Championship or Performance Championship, visit www.racehorse2ridinghorse.co.uk or call 01708 850032.

Photos: Flash Harry Photography