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 Rosemary and Rockie
Name: Rosemary Sharpe
Horse’s name: Canadian Rockie
Class entered: Class 3 90cm Progressive 3DE
Why you have decided to enter the Championship?
I decided to enter the Championships because at the lower levels of this wonderful sport there aren’t that many opportunities to compete over three days. I was also tempted by the extensive prizes on offer, which are real incentives to work hard and aim for a place.
But that’s not why I love to event: I love it because of the time I get to spend with my horse and my mum, which is very special time. One-day events are a lot of fun but they are over almost as soon as they begin and I can’t think of anything better than three whole days of eventing on the trot.
What you are most looking forward about the championships?
The thing that I’m most looking forward to has to be the cross-country. I absolutely love going cross-country, as does Rockie. He is such an incredible horse over fences. When we gallop through the finish I feel great because we have achieved something together; however there’s often a small part of me that feels quite sad, knowing I have to wait several weeks, or more, to do it again. As the cross-country course is going to be much longer than usual at the Horse & Hound Championships it means that that feeling won’t be so bad.
What is your must-have stay away show item?
Mine is a corkscrew. My mum likes a glass of wine (Montepulciano d’abruzzo, of course). Once we forgot our corkscrew and it was very embarrassing to hear her asking other people in the lorry park if they had one. Stay-away shows are so much fun and I’m very lucky that my mum happily gives up her time to take me, so in return I think it’s very important that she is allowed to have a nice big glass of wine whilst we are there!
Do you have a secret weapon?
I do, but it’s a secret!
Tell us a fun fact about your horse?
My fun fact about Rockie is that he was born in Kentucky, America. He came to England when he was less than a year old and is closely related to Secretariat.
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.
