Over this festive season, we are shining a light on up-and-coming talent across the equestrian disciplines. These are riders you really need to keep an eye out for during the 2021 season...
Last month, 21-year-old showjumper Joe Stockdale made his senior Nations Cup debut wearing his father Tim’s British flag on his jacket.
Joe jumped round on the nine-year-old mare Cacharel for just four faults and a time-penalty and hopes the experience will act as a launchpad for further success under the Great Britain banner in 2021.
“I have a really good string of horses at the moment,” says Joe. “I’m back home for a couple of months then will probably do a similar sort of trip to Spain at the start of the year just to get the horses up and running again.”
His Nations Cup partner, known as Cash at home, is just a nine-year-old and a very exciting prospect according to Joe.
“She’s going to be a very special mare and hopefully one that will take me to another couple of teams — with some good results I hope!” assesses Joe.
Christian Matthews owns the 11-year-old gelding Don Diego De Plata (pictured above), who was ridden by Joe’s father Tim before he sadly passed away in 2018.
“He was the horse I took to the young riders Europeans [in 2019] where I was the fifth man,” says Joe. “I jumped him in all the grands prix actually at the start of this year and he was double clear in both the grands prix he jumped.”
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Ann and Colin Garratt were huge supporters of Tim over the years and have continued their involvement with Joe, buying the 10-year-old Kandleford — who was bred by David Broome — for him to ride last year.
“He’s really starting to come on — I took him to Spain [in November] which was a massive step up for him because I brought him as my second horse and he jumped a few 1.50m rankings classes. Now, he’s now looking to be a really useful asset in my top string of horses.”
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