Horse: Tankers Town, 12yo 16.1hh Irish-bred chestnut gelding, by Diamond Clover
Age: 28
Championship experience: Aachen will be Sharon’s first opportunity to represent her country at championship level.
Recent form
A fantastic performance at Badminton to finish sixth in the spring saw Sharon selected as a joint first reserve for the WEG squad. When Pippa Funnell and Primmore’s Pride were ruled out of Aachen, Sharon was called up to the squad. Sharon’s 2006 season didn’t start too promisingly when she broke her collar bone, but her physical and mental toughness saw her fit in time for Badminton.
Hopefully Sharon will have all her bad luck out the way before heading to Aachen, following a bizarre incident at Barbury Castle. Sharon and Tankers Town were in the lead going into the final cross-country phase, which is run in reserve order. Tankers Town got very upset about being left on his own at the start and it took all of Sharon’s tact and skilful riding to get him underway. Unfortunately they lost so much time that they finished well down the order.
Major results with Tankers Town
- 21st Barbury CIC*** 2006
- 6th Badminton CCI **** 2006
- Completed Burnham Market CIC***W 2006
- Completed Burghley CCI**** 2005
- 19th Badminton CCI**** 2005
- Completed Burghley CCI**** 2004
- Completed Badminton CCI**** 2004
- Completed Blenheim CCI*** 2003
- Completed Blenheim CCI*** 2002
Background
Unlike most of her team-mates, Sharon does not come from an equestrian family. She has produced Tankers Town herself from a green four-year-old to success at four-star level. Tankers Town nearly died as a four-year-old when he suffered a particularly bad case of strangles with complications.
