Not many horses take their jockeys from young riders to the Olympic long-list, but that’s what Cola has done with Bubby Upton.
“I count my lucky stars because never in a million years did we think he’d do what he’s done,” says Bubby. “He was bought as a potential young rider horse, won two medals at that level and has now completed five five-stars. I remember training with Caroline Moore in the youth system, jumping through a water complex, and she turned to my mum and said, ‘This horse will go round Badminton one day’.”
Bubby was 17 when she saw a picture of Cola on Facebook “jumping with his knees round his ears” and rang Andrew Williams at GHF Equestrian.
She explains: “I’d tried a couple of their horses, so they knew what I liked – he said, ‘Bubby, this is too weird, [my business partner] Vicky Tuffs just said I should get in touch with you about him.’ I tried him and loved him. He was only six but you could tell he had power and presence.
“Cola always had that class but as a young horse he was so spooky. I was in individual gold at the 2018 young rider Europeans and he spooked at the tradestands across country and ran out. It was gutting, but now we know how to make him tick – he’s grown up a lot but he’s still spooky at heart, so we cross-country school him before every run.”
Bubby Upton and Cola at the first trot-up at Badminton 2024. Credit: Peter Nixon
The pair’s early successes included winning the national seven-year-old championships at Osberton in 2017 and second in the young rider national championships at Houghton in 2018 and 2019. In 2019, they also put right their error from the 2018 young ride Europeans and took home individual silver and team gold.
Bubby Upton and Cola at Houghton 2018. Credit: Peter Nixon
Bubby Upton and Cola: stepping up to five-star
In 2021, the pair moved up to five-star, finishing 12th at Pau Horse Trials on their debut at the top level. The following year they were on track to nail a great cross-country round at Badminton Horse Trials when they had a gutting run-out at the final fence, finishing 36th.
Bubby said at the time: “He tried so hard, did everything I asked. I did something unforgivable – for a split second I went too fast to the finish line. I can’t believe I’ve done that to him.”
A strong Burghley Horse Trials debut followed that autumn when they finished 14th, despite the fact Bubby says the horse (by Catoki out of a Contender mare) doesn’t really have the breeding for this tough track.
“Cola doesn’t have much blood but he has a heart of gold. On paper he shouldn’t be galloping round Burghley, but he digs so deep and plugs away – and he keeps coming back and doing it again,” says Bubby.
Bubby Upton and Cola at Burghley 2022. Credit: Peter Nixon
In 2023, Bubby made amends for her error the year before at Badminton by piloting Cola to eighth. The pair were entered to return to Burghley when the rider suffered serious injuries in a fall at home. She made a remarkable comeback to compete Cola at Badminton again in 2024 – and would have won but for a broken frangible pin across country. The pair finished 10th.
“He’s been faultless all week – I’m proud as Punch of what he’s gone and done this week after everything we’ve been through,” said Bubby following the pair’s clear showjumping round.
Bubby Upton and Cola at Badminton 2024. Credit: Peter Nixon
The result earned Bubby Upton and Cola a spot on the British eventing Olympic entries for Paris 2024.
“I wish I had Cola as a six-year-old now – I know so much more and would have trained him so differently,” Bubby concludes. “He’s taught me so much for all my other horses.”
Bubby Upton and Cola at Badminton 2024. Credit: Peter Nixon
Groom’s view: ‘He’s left war wounds’
Bubby’s head girl Katie Dutton holds a special place in her heart for Cola as he took her to her first five-stars as a groom.
“He’s quite stable-proud and has bitten several people – I joke that if you’re one of his people you’re fine, but we have to warn new people,” she says.
“If he’s in one of his go-away phases and you need to do something, you have to say, ‘No, come on, I need to change your rugs’. Sometimes he’s all mouth and no trousers – he snaps away and nothing happens – but he has left war wounds on a couple of us.
“He can also be one of the most loving, cuddly, kind horses. It just has to be on his terms, not yours. He has a funny habit where if you tap under his mouth he sticks his tongue out and you can flap it around! He’s chilled at events and I think he prefers being away, especially when he has my undivided attention.”
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‘What a horse! I’m proud as Punch’: Bubby Upton seals comeback from serious injury with classy Badminton result
‘I’m gutted for him because he gave me his all’: cross-country blip drops Bubby Upton down the Badminton leaderboard
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