Wonderboy returns home to his former rider

The great showjumper Wonderboy III has returned to Great Britain to his former rider and producer Georgie Crumley – four years after she last rode him.

The grey gelding was originally produced by Adam Cove before Georgie (then Strutton) took the reins and competed in young riders.

In 2008, then then nine-year-old Wonderboy was sold to Ben Maher and Quainton Stud. Ben rode Wonderboy to many great successes, including the Rolex grand prix in Zurich and the Christmas Masters at Olympia. They were consistently placed at five-star shows.

In 2010, Syrian teenager Ahmad Saber Hamcho took the ride and together they competed at the 2012 London Olympics, going out in the second round. Ireland’s Denis Lynch bought the gelding in August in a part-exchange deal before Georgie and her husband Ryan snapped up the 13-year-old son of Flamenco De Semilly.

“We’d followed his progress and seen him doing brilliantly, so were delighted to be able to buy him back,” said Georgie. “He should never have gone in the first place.”

Georgie and her husband Ryan collected Wonderboy from Denis’s yard in Germany last weekend and brought him back to their yard in Surrey. Georgie hopes to compete Wonderboy at Arena UK this week.

“He’s in really good shape and it’s absolutely brilliant to have him home,” said Georgie.

“He walked straight into his old stable like he’d never been away.”

Jennifer Donald

H&H showjumping editor

Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.