First-timer Helen Martin today achieved a lifelong goal as she trotted down the centre line at Badminton Horse Trials, presented by Mars Equestrian, with a huge smile on her face.
Helen, 46, was making her five-star debut, after her original plan of Pau Horse Trials last autumn fell by the wayside. Lorna Soames’ now 17-year-old Andreas didn’t feel on good form after an equine herpes vaccination and so Helen withdrew.
“He felt flat and I didn’t want to take him all the way down to the south of France when he wasn’t himself,” she says.
“It may seem strange to choose Badminton to make my five-star debut, but the horse is fit and well now, and I thought it would be better going and weather for an older horse than at Luhmühlen Horse Trials – where it could be 30ºC and hard ground. And I’m local – I live just half an hour away, so I have lots of friends here.”
Andreas was beautifully turned out with a coronation-themed crown quarter mark – designed by Helen’s arty groom, Cindy Powell – while Helen sported glittery gold nail polish.
‘I told myself to relax and enjoy it’
Helen did a geography degree and worked for five years for the Countryside Agency – now Natural England – in Bristol, before switching to horses full-time. She is the daughter of a local farmer and they were able to use an EU grant to diversify the farm and build an equestrian centre.
“I was very career-driven and wanted to make a good business out of horses, so I had a lot of liveries and teaching,” she explains. “I was spending about 80% of my time teaching, and only 20% riding. When I got married nine years ago, my husband really encouraged me to follow my dreams to compete at top level. A lot of this is down to him; he’s my greatest supporter.
“I wondered if fulfilling such a long-held ambition would be detrimental, so I told myself to relax and enjoy it – and I did.”
Helen’s husband Phillip Martin is working at Badminton himself, judging the best shod horse. He is also responsible for finding Andreas, having spotted him at a yard where he was shoeing horses. Andreas has a showjumping background and was competing up to 1.30m.
Helen’s enjoyment of her first competitive Badminton experience was matched by her performance and the pair scored 32.8.
“I’m really pleased because although he’s a good mover, he is a chestnut and can be quite hot,” she says. “He was quite wired yesterday and so he’s had a lot of work today. But for me in this atmosphere, I think that’s a really good grounding to build on if we can keep him in one piece for next year. I know he’s an old horse but he’s only just learnt his changes!”
Helen has left no stone unturned in terms of his prep.
“He’s as fit as I can get him, and I was lucky to get a run in at Poplar and in Holland this season,” she says.
“I’m also really grateful to Jeremy Naylor, a vet who previously had his racing licence. I have been doing some fitness work with Andreas on Salisbury Plain with a heart rate monitor and he’s the fittest he’s ever been in his life.
“The big thing with him is how he reacts to the crowds – I hope he’ll be listening not spooking – but he’s genuine and it will be fun to see what tomorrow brings.”
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