Tales from Hickstead: Covid-19 isolation won’t hold back Royal International-bound junior

Stephanie Bateman's avatar
By
Published In Features
Holly Dilks is Royal International-bound with her first ridden pony Rookery Boomerang
Holly Dilks is Royal International-bound with her first ridden pony Rookery Boomerang
(Image credit: credit unknown)

DESPITE having to isolate for 10 days, 11-year-old Holly Dilks pulled it out of the bag to land a 2021 Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) qualifier for the Pretty Polly Heritage first ridden at the BSPS Heritage championships riding her pony Rookery Boomerang.

“This is Holly’s first ever time qualifying for a major show, and it was a really special achievement as she had only come out of isolation a day before the show,” said Holly’s mother Fae Dilks. “Holly’s dad was diagnosed with Covid-19 the week before, on Holly’s 11th birthday, and we had to isolate right up until the day before the Heritage championships. We weren’t going to bother going, especially as Holly hadn’t been able to ride the pony for the whole time she was isolating, but we decided to go and have a nice weekend with our friends, and not worry about the showing.”

Stephanie Bateman
Stephanie Bateman
Freelance journalist

Stephanie Bateman began her career working for Horse & Hound’s sister title HORSE magazine in 2009 after studying a BSc Equine Science degree at Hartpury university. After a few years working in-house for a national equestrian title, she went freelance in 2011, and now writes for a variety of print and online platforms, editing sections of national monthly magazines and contributing regular features and event reports to Horse & Hound. She juggles working with being a mummy and wife, and riding her coloured mare Matilda.