An ex-racehorse who was bought out of a dealer’s field for a few hundred pounds and went on to become one of the most successful ex-racehorses in the world of Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) dressage has bowed out of competition.
Tapaidh Frankie was officially retired in the main arena at The Jockey Club Retraining of Racehorses National Championships this week, alongside her owner/rider Tracy Thirlwall.
It comes 12 months after the pair were crowned national champions and claimed the Hamilton Tarmac RoR Elite Performance Award for Dressage.
For their final appearance in the arena on Wednesday (20 August), Frankie entered the arena wearing a blanket of her winnings to their signature freestyle music, “I’ve had the time of my life”.
After the last salute, Tracy dismounted and led the mare out of the arena.
Bucking fits and broken tack
The 16-year-old mare ran five times during a brief racing career with trainer Simon West but never won.
She then found herself in a dealer’s field in Yorkshire, where she spent six months “getting fat and feral”, before Tracy bought her in November 2015 as a project to sell on.
It wasn’t an easy start. Tracy recalls bucking fits, broken tack, and “more air jacket canisters than she cares to count”, but she persevered.
Over the past eight years, Frankie’s accolades have included winning the RoR Scottish Regional Dressage Championships at novice and elementary level, nine British Dressage Area Festivals at advanced medium, Prix St Georges, and Inter I.
The mare also topped the British Dressage (BD) Associate Championships for Thoroughbreds at advanced medium on two occasions, as well as multiple BD regional leagues and RoR Winter Championships.
‘Frankie has changed my life’
“She’s my first Thoroughbred, and I’m totally hooked,” said Tracy.
“Frankie has changed my life in so many ways, I really do owe it all to her. I’d be incredibly lucky to ever find another like her.”
While Frankie will no longer compete, she will remain in light work and take part in RoR demonstrations.
“I want to thank the Retraining of Racehorses team for their incredible support, and Aintree’s dedicated crew for giving us so many magical memories,” added Tracy.
“But the biggest thanks goes to the fabulous Frankie — my best friend, and the horse of a lifetime.”
Main image supplied by RoR
