With little over a month until the inaugural Horse & Hound Grassroots Eventing Championships we continue to meet the riders taking part and find out their stories
The Horse & Hound Grassroots Eventing Championships, held at Keysoe (27 – 29 May) offers riders the chance to take part in a three-day event with their horse. This unaffiliated event has classes from 70cm – 100cm meaning there really is nothing to stop you and your horse living your dreams and completing a three-day event with a true championship feel.
Find out all you need to know about the championships >>
Entries close in under two weeks for all classes at the inaugural Horse & Hound Championships, so if you want to experience everything this event has to offer, hurry and make your entry before classes close.
Entries are open so enter now >>
In the run up to the competition we take a look at the stories of the entrants who can’t wait for the event in our new ‘championship contenders’ series.
Meet Laura and Mikey
Name: Laura Szuca
Horse’s name: Mikey
Class entered: 70cm
Why you have decided to enter the Championship?
This will be my first ever three-day event and as soon as I saw the schedule I knew I had to enter! We have only really dipped our toe into the eventing world before, and it’s not often at the lower levels that you get the chance to fully experience this type of event! The opportunity to compete in a CCI-format style competition is going to be amazing and so much fun.
What you are most looking forward about the championships?
Everything! Three days away with my four-legged friend, the extra-long cross-country course, the atmosphere, having a giggle with my friends, the prizes up for grabs (which look amazing), and if (pretty please!) the sun comes out, I cannot wait to crack open a bottle or two of Kopparberg in the sunshine.
What is your must-have stay away show item?
I will have to cheat here and say two things. I am always cold so having a nice comfy bed with big pillows and a super warm duvet is a must! I am keen on social media, so a fully charged phone to get some snaps of the show and allow me to update my friends on my progress is also high on my priority list!
Do you have a secret weapon?
A good support team! I am lucky enough to have lots of help and support from friends and my long-suffering niece, who has been to pretty much every show I have done in the past two years. An eye on the ground makes a huge difference when you are training at home, and on show day they help to keep me calm and get me ready to do my best.
Tell us a fun fact about your horse?
When I went to try Mikey for the very first time I fell off! I saw the colour drain from the face of the seller, who thought he wasn’t going to get a sale, however a pheasant had jumped out of nowhere and genuinely given Mikey a fright, so you couldn’t blame him!
Have you entered the H&H Championships and would like to feature as a Championship Contender? If so please email h&hmarketing@timeinc.com. Entries for this fantastic event are filling up fast, so ensure that you don’t miss out by entering today.
