Kate Shapland makes her Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials debut this week – and her mare Uris Cavalier has personalised shoes for the occasion.
The shoes were made by Kate’s boyfriend, national apprentice champion farrier George Dey, and say “Kate and Libby” – Libby or Little Libby being the Uris Cavalier’s stable names – and “Burghley 2022”.
Kate met George in Yorkshire, where she currently lives and says: “He’s been a big part of helping me.”
The 22-year-old rider has had Libby for eight years, since she was 14 years old.
“She was literally a £5,000 buy and my older brother Chris bought her because my parents didn’t have enough money,” says Kate. “I still remember the first time I took her cross-country schooling and she took to it like a duck to water. That’s what made me believe I could get there with her.”
Kate left home “as soon as I could, because I didn’t have any facilities there”.
“I just worked as a groom wherever I could and competed on my days off and gradually made it here,” she says.
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Kate worked for the Dumas family, then for Caroline Harris, then for French eventer Sidney Dufresne’s father in France.
“Then I worked for Chris Burton for a bit down on the Sunshine Tour, then came up with a Swedish client of his to Christopher Bartle’s. I really liked it at the Yorkshire Riding Centre, so I stayed there as a freelance rider,” she explains.
“Christopher has always had an eye out for me and even though we’re not having lessons every day, in the five-minute conversations you can gain so much from someone with that modesty and ability and knowledge.”
Kate Shapland and Uris Cavalier in the dressage at Burghley 2022.
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
Kate Shapland describes Libby as “feisty, sweet and intelligent”.
“What makes this whole experience easier of my first five-star is I know her so well, it’s like coming with my best friend and I can rely on her,” she says.
The pair scored 38.7 in the dressage and will set out across country at 1.50pm today.
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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.
