Eventer Emily King is looking forward to her move to Cheshire, to base her operation with her boyfriend, fellow event rider Sam Ecroyd.
Since making the decision to ride professionally, Emily has been based with her mother, top rider Mary King, in their Devon yard, but she is due to make the “big leap” this summer.
“He’s got a business up there so I’m setting up at his yard,” she told H&H. “I’m going to be taking on the northern circuit!”
And although Emily said the change will be a big one for her, she explained that she and Mary have always done “everything separately” with their horses in Devon, despite the fact they share the same yard, so it will not be as much of a difference as some might have thought.
“The only real change is that we won’t be travelling together to competitions any more,” she said. “Everything will be the same at home and we’ll still be at all the same events. It’ll be a different location, but everything else very similar!”
Emily said the aim is to make the move towards the end of July.
Continued below…
‘I’m humbled by the support’: Emily King’s crowdfunding secures ride
The rider is to donate all the horse’s future winnings to charity
Emily King launches crowdfunding campaign to buy ‘horse of a lifetime’
Emily said all those who contribute will be able to meet the horse at all his competitions and walk the
Throwback — Badminton first-timers: Emily King — ‘It’s surreal to be riding, not watching Mum’
If it hadn’t been for the coronavirus outbreak, we would be gearing up for Badminton Horse Trials, which was due
Sam, 21, has enjoyed international success up to three-star level, including riding on teams for Britain.
He was on the gold medal-winning team at the 2010 pony European Championships, following this up with team bronze and individual silver the following year.
Emily cited the move as one of the reasons the previous owner of Langford Take the Biscuit had to sell the six-year-old gelding, which sparked Emily’s successful crowdfunding campaign. Donors contributed the £40,000 necessary to buy the horse to allow Emily to keep the ride.
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
In this week’s edition, out on 24 May, don’t miss our “cob special”, including how to find the perfect cob, meet champion cob Our Cashel Blue and more.