Brilliant competition in the spectacular Bolesworth setting was always going to be a recipe for cracking comments from riders. H&H takes a look at some of the best horse quotes from across the week…
“I can’t speak for all the other riders, but I know myself that there could be a million people here or there could be nobody here when I’m doing my round. I’m completely focused on myself and my horse. But the minute you hit the ground over the final fence, it’s like a rush of noise – it’s incredible” – Bolesworth grand prix winner David Simpson, on the return of crowds
“I’ll just keep doing what I do, train my horse to the best of my ability, put all the effort into my own preparation and just let all that effort take care of the performance” – Holly Smith, on handling Olympic selection and looking ahead to Tokyo
“At HOYS I’d be in the line up, waiting to do my show, and you overthink everything. Whereas here, you go in the ring, you get into a good canter and you can’t mess up – you’ve got to jump the jump that’s in front of you, and you actually forget everything that’s around you” – Michaela Wood, on switching codes
“People overlooked him and didn’t think he was good enough because he doesn’t actually go airborne and flash. He just does what he needs to do” – Adam Botham on Ebanking, the seven-year-old stallion eyeing the World Breeding Championships
“It’s always good to win, whether it’s a British novice or a puissance!” – Derek Morton, on his Bolesworth puissance win, which he shared with Guy Williams (Mr Blue Sky UK) and Elliot Smith (Flamboyant III)
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
