Meet Mikey, the 14.2hh 20-year-old supercob who jumped clear round Badminton.
Star X, as he is known for British Eventing (BE), and his owner Morven Ritchie travelled for nine hours from their home in north Ayrshire, Scotland, to compete in the Voltaire Design Grassroots Championships – and it was worth every minute.
“I came through the finish line and couldn’t keep the smile off my face,” Morven told H&H. “It was absolutely amazing.”
Morven was 13 when Mike arrived, eight years ago.
“I wasn’t looking for a pony but Mum saw his ad and said ‘What about this one?’” Morven said. “I said ‘For what’!
“We got him on loan for six months and it went well, and when he came up for sale, we bought him.”
Morven said she had not bought Mikey to event, or even compete at all.
“But he was this amazing wee pony,” she said. “We did Pony Club, and all-round things, and I started doing one-day events. He was quite good, so we did a couple of BE on a ticket, to see what it was all about.”
Morven and Mikey’s first full affiliated season was 2019 and they have since competed up to BE100, with a host of podium finishes. They qualified for Badminton by finishing second at Blair last August.
“I’d done a few qualifiers but never thought we’d do it; I didn’t want to get my hopes up,” she said. “It was amazing to come second, then there was the stress of making sure he was ok all winter!”
Mikey was fine, as proved by his and Morven’s fifth and ninth places at Kirriemuir and Forgandenny last month, then they set off for Gloucestershire last week, in their one saddle they use for all three phases, their snaffle, cavesson and bare feet behind.
They scored 32.9 in the dressage and the showjumping did not go entirely to plan, Morven said, they jumped clear inside the time across country.
“I wasn’t bothered about penalties or going inside the time; my aim was to finish,” she said. “So to go clear inside the time was just amazing. It was a challenging course and I’d thought we’d have issues but crossing the finish line felt surreal. He absolutely loved it too.”
Morven has since been deluged with messages of support, and from people she and Mikey have inspired.
“I got one message from someone who said all the girls at her riding school were so excited because a pony who looks like the ones they ride has gone round Badminton,” she said. “I think that’s amazing. All the thoroughbreds and warmbloods that go round, people can’t relate to and think ‘That might be me one day’, but now they can.
“Some cobs aren’t suited to jumping but take things on an individual basis; he’s amazing at it and if I’d said ‘No cobs’, it would have taken a massive opportunity away, for not wanting a horse who looks like that.”
Mikey will now have a holiday, then head to Hopetoun next month, but Morven has not planned more than that as her one goal was Badminton.
“I’m not bothered about qualifying again, although that would be amazing, as he’ll be 21 next year so we’ll just see how it goes and have fun,” she said. “That’s what I’ve always set out to do.”
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