New rider for Lloyd-Davies horse

Don Giovanni II, the four-star horse of the late Vanessa Lloyd-Davies, has a new home with event rider Caroline Moore, to whom she bequeathed the horse. Caroline, who is based at Melton Mowbray, Leics, was one of Vanessa’s good friends.

“Vanessa and I started three-day eventing together and had known each other about nine years when she died,” says Caroline, who is 10 years Vanessa’s junior. “She really loved Don Giovanni and I have to make sure he keeps going as she would have liked. I sat on him once, years ago.

“I hope to take him to Saumur, although he’s a bit short of canter work, so it depends what happens — I’ll need to work hard before then. He may also go to Burnham Market or Weston.”

Vanessa produced Don Giovanni through the grades from pre-novice to four-star level. The partnership’s first four-star event was Burghley in 2002, where they finished in 38th place. They also successfully completed Badminton in 2004, before the horse moved to Matthew Wright for the second half of the season.

Don Giovanni joins Caroline’s yard of several novices and one advanced horse, Belmont Independent, with whom Caroline entered her first four-star last season at Burghley.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (17 March ’05)

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