Katie Magee piloted Treworra into 11th place at the Mars Badminton Horse Trials today (11 May), a feat that earned her the accolade of highest placed first timer.
“This is my second five-star, but I’m 43 now so it’s taken me a little longer than most people to get here,” said Katie, who is based in County Durham.
“It’s a lifetime ambition to get [to Badminton], I’ve watched it every year since I can remember.”
During the prize giving, Katie was presented with the Laurence Rook trophy, which is awarded to the highest placed British rider who has not previously completed Badminton.
Katie hails from a non-horsey family and studied physiotherapy at Teeside University but doesn’t practice the profession. Instead she makes a living out of horses.
“I’m pretty much full-time teaching and riding. Over the years it’s kind of evolved,” said Katie, who revealed that she married a “non-horsey” man, Ciaran, who has since learned to ride and now competes.
‘A proper, old-fashioned cross-country horse’
With the 11-year-old Treworra (‘Wilf’), whom she has partnered for six years, she made her five-star debut at Pau last year and finished 13th.
“I’ve ridden Wilf’ since he was five and he’s just a beautiful horse,” said Katie, who has a son and who trains with the former European Champion and Your Horse Live star Nicola Wilson.
“From the minute he walked on the yard we all fell in love with him. He’s big — over 17hh — so we’ve taken our time strengthening him up.
“We’ve found he’s needed a bit of time to get the dressage and showjumping, but he’s a proper, old-fashioned cross-country horse.
“He’s three quarters Thoroughbred and I wouldn’t want to be on anyone else.”
Katie was aiming for a low thirties score in the first phase and the pair nailed it, recording a 31.8 dressage score.
The duo went on to smash the cross-country phase with a confident clear round with 5.2 time-faults to add — on a day when only six horses achieved the optimum time — and went to pick up 9.6 faults (two fences down plus 1.6 for time) in the final showjumping phase.
“I couldn’t have asked any more of him this week,” added Katie. “It’s been an incredible few days here.”
Main image by Tim Wilkinson
