Eventer Emily King has launched a crowdfunding campaign to buy a horse she believes could take her to “Badminton, the Olympics and beyond”.
The rider hopes to raise £40,000 before the end of this month to buy six-year-old Langford Take the Biscuit. By this afternoon (24 May) she had already secured more than £13,000 on her JustGiving page.
Emily has only had the ride on “Hobby” for a short time, during which the combination have finished fourth in a BE100 at Mount Ballan and eighth in a novice at Tweseldown, but said his owners need to sell as she is relocating.
“I’m desperate to keep the ride as he’s a top-class young horse,” she said.
“He has a very good movement, fantastic jump and I haven’t ridden a horse quite so talented cross-country. All the ability and class to make a top four-star horse.
“I am desperately looking to find owners/ syndicate members to enable me to keep the ride on Hobby as he really is a horse of a lifetime.”
Emily has asked her followers on social media to contribute “anything” to allow her to keep the ride, in return for which contributors will be “part of his amazing journey”.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“If I can attract just 2,000 of you to put in £20 each we’ve got him!” she said, adding that she has a company “interested in sponsoring his running costs”, so the initial payment would be the only one.
'I hope she goes to a lovely home and somebody looks after her really well'
“Whoever is so kind as to donate will be able to see him at the lorry/ stables at all his competitions and see how everything works behind the scenes, walk his cross-country courses with me at all the big events he competes at, come to watch him train at home, near Chester and be an official part of Team King.
“[You will also] become a true part of Hobby’s journey to the top of the sport and follow him with a true connection to Badminton, the Olympics and beyond.
“It really is a rare and awesome opportunity not to be missed.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
In this week’s edition, out on 24 May, don’t miss our “cob special”, including how to find the perfect cob, meet champion cob Our Cashel Blue and more.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
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.
