Portia Taylor-Wilson riding Ballybur Oh Jessie in THE MINI STAKES during The London International Horse Show at ExCel in London on the 17 December 2022
It was an emotional moment for Portia Taylor-Wilson as she and Ballybur Oh Jessie took the London Horse Show mini stakes.
Not only was it 10-year-old Portia’s biggest win to date, and in her first year of competing at this level having been jumping 80 and 90cm last year, it was her 24-year-old pony’s swansong before her retirement.
“I’m so happy,” sobbed Portia, overcome with the combination of the emotional win and the fact it was Jess’s last show. “She’s the best pony in the world; you couldn’t have a better pony.”
It was a tough track for the 128cm ponies; only Portia and Isabelle James-Wright on Murphy Spartacus had gone clear of the 11 starters.
First in the jump-off, Isabelle set a fast pace but Portia’s tight turns meant she and Jess finished two seconds ahead.
“I never, ever thought I’d win; I didn’t think I’d even get to the jump-off!” Portia said. “She will always try to jump clear but it was only when I was coming to the last line, I thought I might do it. I heard everyone cheering but it was only when I looked up at the screen and saw ‘Rank 1’, that I knew. It feels amazing.”
Portia’s mother Becky Clay said the aim had always been to retire the pony after the London Horse Show mini stakes.
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“She’s old now,” she said. “She loves it so much and I wanted her to go out still loving it.
“I’ve got no words – it hasn’t really sunk in yet but we couldn’t have asked for a better way for her to bow out.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
