The 2025 Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials marks a five-star debut for 25-year-old British rider Heidi Coy.
She makes her first appearance at this level aboard the 13-year-old chestnut mare Halenza – known as Hallie at home, who Heidi owns.
“Riding at five-star level has been a long time coming,” says Heidi, who won team and individual silver medals at the junior European Championships in Fontainebleau, France, in 2018 aboard Royal Fury. She went on to win team silver and individual bronze at the 2019 Your Rider European Eventing Championships in Maarsbergen, The Netherlands aboard the same horse.
Heidi bought this mare, who is by Dutch Design. as a four-year-old, and has produced her from scratch.
“I’ve done everything with her myself – I got her when I was 16 and we’ve gone up the levels together,” says Heidi, who is based in Harby, in the vale of Belvoir, Leicestershire and completed A-Levels at Stamford High School, on the doorstep of Burghley. “So it’s nice to finally be here and just enjoying it.”
Heidi, who rides full-time and has several top-10 placings at four-star level, was entered at Badminton on this mare a couple of years ago.
“She just picked up a minor injury beforehand and so our preparation plans disappeared and meant that we didn’t get there,” explains Heidi. “We’ve slowly brought her back from that blip and last year she had three runs, including winning the CCI3*-S at Little Downham.
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“She’s come out on great form this year, jumping double clear in the CCI4*-S at Thoresby and double clear in the CCI4*-S at Belsay too, so I just thought ‘do you know what? Sometimes you’ve just got to go for it’, and so here we are.”
Heidi Coy on Halenza: “She tries so hard”
Heidi states that Hallie “isn’t built for the job at all”.
“But she tries so hard and one of the things I love about her is that when I get on, she’s so well behaved and so genuine and always tries her very best.”
This combination scored 37 at Luhmühlen to sit in 11th after the first day of dressage (Thursday 12 June).
“Even though she’s not built for dressage, she really tried today and I’m thrilled with her,” sates Heidi. “Jumping-wise she is really cool and just gets on with it. She’s very laid-back – sometimes too laid-back, but she can be a bit of a diva in the stable and she doesn’t really like other horses. But as soon as I get on her, her ears are pricked and she loves her job.”
Goal-wise this week, Heidi says that she wants to “have a nice time and finish”.
“The cross-country is decent out there, but there’s no reason why we can’t give it a good go, and then hopefully build on it in the future.
“It’s so nice to look back and think I did her first event on her and now we’re here – I know her inside out.”
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Former web features editor, point-to-point editor and digital racing editor
Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
