The news was announced in a post supposedly from Art in the Facebook group Art’s Amazing Family, a group set up for the people who donated to the crowd-funding campaign (the group is currently closed to new members as the necessary checks for admission cannot be made without Jonty’s input).
“Since Jonty fell off me back in June I have been working on my tan in the field at home. I must say it’s been going rather well! You guys are amazing because I’ve also had an endless supply of Polos! This is all very good news but Jonty would not be happy to see the size of my tummy,” read the post.
“So in the last week I’ve been on a small road trip up to Staffordshire (where they all talk funny)! I’m up here to be with an experienced rider called Andrew Downes.
“Jonty knows and respects Andrew as an eventer and my team believe that Jonty would back this decision. I am not here to be competed but to be kept in work until Jonty is better. Andrew has a very nice yard and I’ve started making some new friends already.
“The plan will always be to get back home with Jonty and the team but until then this is the best place for me. Andrew is going to be super busy looking after me so please continue to monitor this Facebook page for updates on me.”
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“I really do miss him! You guys are an incredible family and I can’t wait to see you all at events again,” he concluded.
The Art’s Amazing Family Facebook group is currently not accepting any requests from people wanting to join it — the administrators tried to include everyone who had donated after the campaign last year, but issues with email addresses meant not everyone could be found. At present Jonty is not in a position to look through all the requests that are coming in to the page, so the group is closed until he is well enough to do so.
The Irish Olympian will head to the European Championships next week, having raised £500,000 through a four-week crowd-funding campaign
Jonty was injured in a fall from Art on the cross-country course at at Tattersalls on Sunday 3 June. Art was uninjured, but Jonty incurred a serious brain injury and is stable but unconscious in hospital in Ireland, although the latest update said he is showing “early signs of progress in regaining consciousness”.
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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.
