It’s a month today since Irish Olympic event rider Jonty Evans suffered a serious brain injury when he had a fall at Tattersalls riding Cooley Rorkes Drift (Art) — the horse he secured through crowd-funding. With Jonty still unconscious, four-star rider Alice Dunsdon had the idea of riders and connections wearing green — Jonty’s cross-country colours — to show their support for him and so, with website Eventing Worldwide leading the campaign, #WearGreenForJonty was born.
Riders, friends, parents and people connected to equestrianism in every way got into the green spirit last weekend. Here are some of your photos of #WearGreenForJonty…
Linda Robertson’s daughter, Flossie, stencilled green stars on her pony, Ricky
Dot Dot Dash competing with Alison Cartwright at Eland Lodge
Stasi Grosvenor sent in these pictures of her nieces in Australia. On the left is 11-year-old Seanna New at her weekly lesson, while on the right is Shaye Peters, 16, and Grumby the Brumby. Stasi says: “Shaye has autism and only wears purple. I told her the story of Jonty and at her weekly lesson and at pony camp this month in Young Australia she joined in with #WearGreenForJonty”
Andrea Moxey watches her daughter Maddie at Area 9 Horse Trials at West Wilts
Brenda Gallacher’s Cinnamon. Brenda says: “From a good Scots lad to a good Irish lad. We want to see these Irish eyes smiling again”
Eleanor Lunn and Galahad join in the spirit while schooling at home. Eleanor says she’ll definitely be wearing green next time she competes
Emilie Lyons riding Varo Two Chips (Coco)
Pippa Dixon and Barnadarrig Boy competing in the CIC* at Great Witchingham. Picture by Peter Nixon
Emma Wallace rides at Glaslough, Ireland, with a borrowed green numnah
Estelle Turner and Archie enjoy the sun in Frodsham, Cheshire
Frankie Zatouroff on Foxi at Holkham Beach, with her sister, Ella, sporting her Willberry Wonder Pony T-shirt in the background on Pebbles
#WearGreenForJonty details — Nicola Watson’s nails, done by The Beauty Lodge, Julia McQuigg’s shamrock, Janice Hawes’ shirt, Cathy Tapp’s pony, made by a friend, and Alison Coldicott’s wristband
Grania Haigh shows her support with a green T-shirt
Hayley Ward trades pink for green riding a young ex-racehorse at home in Hitchin
Indie Vaughan-Jones and Arrrowmands Diamond on the way to sixth in the CIC* at Great Witchingham. Picture by Peter Nixon
The start team at Offchurch Bury: Janice Hawes, Sue Trim and Jean Jennedy
Jessica Leroy and her Irish thoroughbred Baz at Priory Court Farm taking part in jump cross
Zoe Harris and Fudge head out cross-country schooling
Natalie O’Donnell, 12, sent us this picture of Team Quest team The Island Fling wearing green for Jonty in Stornoway, in the Isle of Lewis
Julia Whittle and Kobito contest the BE80(T) at Offchurch Bury
Katie Barber and Diamond Mine on the way to 10th in the CIC* at Great Witchingham
Thomas Goffe giving Sedgemoor Crispin a kiss before the start of their first one-day event together, Near Dursley in Gloucestershire. Plus here are Rosie Goffe, Thomas Goffe and Daisy Johnson Jones all aboard Stan the Man in Warwickshire
Anna White, 12, at Glaslough Horse Trials in Ireland on Jimmy. “Her contribution to the crowdfunding for Art was Anna’s 12th birthday present, and he is her absolute hero,” says Anna’s mother Lisa
Dom Watson, Albie and mum Lorene Watson at Pony Club Area 13 dressage qualifiers at Eashing, Surrey
Hints of green with team colours at a riding club area qualifier for Louiz Hughes
Lucy Turner says: “Get Ready Freddy (Fred to his friends!) looking distinctly not ready, having a snooze in the shade prior to the BE105 cross-country at Offchurch Bury Horse Trials. But he does have a little green bow to support his buddies Jonty and Art!”
Event rider Clare Chamberlayne is “off games” at the moment, but she took my green painted fingernails to Sparsholt Dressage Festival, where she was acting as dressage commentator for the first time. She was also delighted that her youngest pupil — whose mother lent her the nail polish — not only won her first ever championship but also picked up a green sash!
Marcia Fairless and Melanie Watson fence judging at Chepstow
Nicki Robinson and Gartsherrie before their clear cross-country round in the BE100 at Brightling
Phil Howell and Fence Judgeberry score collecting at West Wilts
Ricki Wischmann and her pony Keira about to go out on a hack in the forest in the the USA. “Jonty is one of my favorite event riders — I wish for his recovery every day,” says Ricki
Samantha Hobbs sports a green headband at Great Witchingham. Picture by Peter Nixon
Sarah Johnstone and her youngster Hugo at Hopetoun in Scotland. Sarah says: “I love the campaign and it’s bringing to light how caring the eventing community really is!I usually wear burgundy so swapped for white with a green hat silk.” Picture by Dave Cameron Photography
Helpers at Chepstow Horse Trials get into the spirit: Elin Stenberg, the pole team, Berry ponies at the fence judge briefing, Jennie Smith, Kevin and Harvey, plus Jack Myszkowski
Sarah Godwin’s family ready for stewarding at the Beaufort branch of the Pony Club mini one-day event
Jemima Gray wearing her signature lime green
Clare Kavanagh in her green cross-country colours
Tory Robbins and Silver Skywalker at Offchurch Bury, competing in their first BE105
Sofia Guarnieri rides Bally Lennon Lola. “Jonty wished me luck for my first one-day event on the Facebook page for Art’s Amazing Family the day he had the accident,” says Sofia.
Susan Williams sent in this picture, saying: “My son was on the Pony Club Talent Pathway Camp at Solihull Riding Club at the weekend and they asked everyone to wear green for Jonty.”
Jonty’s goddaughter Bibi Zijlmans and her family, at showjumping at Moores Farm
Natalie Ireland and her mother Jackie Ireland out on Jackie’s first ever fun ride. Jackie rides 22-year-old Cherokee Brave (number 43), who events and, says Natalie, “donated his four-leaf clover that we found to Jonty and Art last year at Kelsall Hill where they were second in the open intermediate”. Natalie is on her five-year-old Clearbeck Elgar, who was also at his first fun ride
Tamsin Miall and Gloria III head to a cross-country clear inside the time in the CIC* at Great Witchingham. Picture by Peter Nixon
Una Morris and her horse Guiness from Dublin, Ireland. “He is 18 years old, I’ve owned him for 14 of those. Needless to say he will stay with me for the rest of his life too, says Una. “Guin is my Art, that special horse you come across once in your life.”
Aisling Hayes 17, riding John Steadman’s four-year-old Loughehoe Starboy in his first cross-country at Fernhill Sport Horses Kilguilkey International Horse Trials in Co Cork, Ireland. “He doesn’t much like dressage but he completed a test for the first time and was a total rock star over his fences,” says Una Hayes.
Jackie Harvey-Knight, Stephanie Knight and five-year-0ld Elle Harvey-Knight (complete with green hair) at Chepstow
Emma Golding and Lilly in Co Kildare, Ireland. “We’ll be Team Ireland’s representatives at the para World Championships in August,” says Emma. “I met Jonty’s mum Maggie at Cirencester last year when she and Jonty’s stepfather Arthur were there with the Griff tradestand. It was my first British Championships and she was so lovely asking how we got on after each phase. I’m thinking of the whole family.”
Finally, Jonty’s daughter Mia sent us this picture of her and her father — his original green cross-country colours the inspiration for the #WearGreenForJonty campaign. Picture by Lucy Hall
