Entries are filling up quickly for the Horse & Hound Festival of Eventing in association with KBIS, so it’s time to get to know some of the contenders and hear their stories so far
Would you love the chance to compete in an unaffiliated three-day event with your horse? Now you can at the Horse & Hound Festival of Eventing, which are being held at Keysoe on 25-28 May 2018.
Entries are open so enter now >>
With unaffiliated classes from 70–100cm there really is nothing to stop you and your horse living your dreams and completing a three-day event with a true championship feel.
Find out all you need to know about the H&H Festival of Eventing >>
Each week in the run up to the competition we will meet one of the entrants who can’t wait for the event in our new ‘festival favourites’ series.
Ginny Thompson with The Unfamous Grouse and Turlghmore Star
The Unfamous Grouse
Name: Ginny Thompson
Horse’s name: Grouse and Star
Class entered: 90cm and 80cm respectively
What’s the story?
“I am a European HGV driver, so I spend a lot of my time driving 44 tonne trucks around the Continent. As a result I only manage to ride my horses at the yard in Malmesbury, Wiltshire once a week.
“I bought Grouse after my mare broke last year. A vet who bred him had him on the same yard and had previously competed up to British Eventing novice level before he sustained a suspensory injury. He’s nine and nicknamed Monster Munch as he is particularly grouchy when he has to do dressage, but he loves jumping and is very cuddly in the stable.
“My other horse, Star (pictured top) is 14 and he hunted his whole life in Ireland and England before mum bought him in November to do dressage with. Star quickly decided that he liked his jumping too much, so mum still does dressage on him, but I now event him too. They are both wonderful and genuine characters.”
Why have you decided to enter the H&H Festival of Eventing?
“I competed in the 90cm class at the H&H Festival of Eventing last year. As a child I always dreamed of going around Badminton and then as I got older I fancied having a go at the Mitsubishi Motors Cup and then the H&H event popped up. I loved every minute of it last year and I’ve entered it this time because I want to go and experience everything again. It sounds cheesy but I dreamt of doing a three-day event since I was a child, and the H&H Festival of Eventing gave me that opportunity.”
What are you most looking forward to about the H&H Festival of Eventing?
“I’m most looking forward to coming back to go around the cross-country — I adored it, and jumping the arrowhead out of the water last year was like my ‘Badminton moment’ — I love the photo I have of us jumping it. The feeling I got after my round was like nothing else.”
Do you have a secret weapon?
“My mum and my other half are my secret weapons. Mum is my owner, groom and coach. She does everything I ask and looks after and exercises my horses when I’m away working — she has put up with me for so long and I owe her everything. My other half is also wonderful. One day I was crying my eyes out after a terrible dressage test and he had no idea what had gone on as he’s not horsey, but he just gave me a big hug — he’s always there for me.”
Tell us a fun fact about your horse
“Star is partial to drinking a cup of tea straight from the mug, while both he and Grouse are good at taking carrots from my mouth!”
Have you entered the H&H Festival of Eventing and would like to feature as a Festival favourite? If so please email gemma.redrup@timeinc.com
Entries for this exciting three-day event are filling up fast, so to ensure you don’t miss out, secure your entry today
