Promising young event horse sold to America

The promising young event horse Cooley Dream Extreme, previously competed by Britain’s Piggy French, has been sold for the USA’s Hannah Sue Burnett to ride.

The American was interested in the son of Cruising after he finished third in the prestigious six-year-old class at the young horse World Championships at Le Lion d’Angers, France, last year.

Cooley Dream Extreme had been owned by Kate Walls and Sara Fowler. However, he ran in their name for the last time at Le Lion as a sale had already been arranged to Piggy’s father, Wally, and long-term owner Michael Underwood, with the British jockey remaining his partner.

“He had a lot of potential and I wanted to keep the ride on him,” said Piggy.

However, circumstances have changed this year, including Piggy’s father deciding to step back from event horse ownership as he is buying a house.

“That helped me decide, as it’s nice to give something back for his support of me, but it was a difficult decision and leaves a hole in the stable yard,” she said.

Jacqueline Mars and Mary Ann Ghadban are Cooley Dream Extreme’s new owners and the horse has already left Piggy’s yard.

Piggy picked out Cooley Dream Extreme, who is out of a Ramiro B mare, in Richard Sheane’s Cooley Sport Horses yard as a four-year-old. He started his career with her in 2013, winning a BE100open and a five-year-old class.

Last year the horse topped a BE100open, a novice and an intermediate novice. He also finished fifth in his first intermediate, second at Hopetoun CIC* and seventh in the British six-year-old championships before rounding out his year with the bronze medal at Le Lion.

Hannah Sue Burnett, 28, is best known for her partnership with Harbour Pilot, with whom she won team gold and individual silver at the 2011 Pan American Games. She has completed the US four-star at Rolex Kentucky three times, finishing 23rd in 2007 on Keep The Faith, eighth in 2011 on St Barths and 15th in 2014 on Harbour Pilot.

She also jumped clear across country with 13.2 time-faults at Burghley last year on Harbour Pilot to lie seventh overnight, but the horse was withdrawn before the final horse inspection.

Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.