Eventer Emily King is looking forward to her move to Cheshire, to base her operation with her boyfriend, fellow event rider Sam Ecroyd.
Since making the decision to ride professionally, Emily has been based with her mother, top rider Mary King, in their Devon yard, but she is due to make the “big leap” this summer.
“He’s got a business up there so I’m setting up at his yard,” she told H&H. “I’m going to be taking on the northern circuit!”
And although Emily said the change will be a big one for her, she explained that she and Mary have always done “everything separately” with their horses in Devon, despite the fact they share the same yard, so it will not be as much of a difference as some might have thought.
“The only real change is that we won’t be travelling together to competitions any more,” she said. “Everything will be the same at home and we’ll still be at all the same events. It’ll be a different location, but everything else very similar!”
Emily said the aim is to make the move towards the end of July.
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Sam, 21, has enjoyed international success up to three-star level, including riding on teams for Britain.
He was on the gold medal-winning team at the 2010 pony European Championships, following this up with team bronze and individual silver the following year.
Emily cited the move as one of the reasons the previous owner of Langford Take the Biscuit had to sell the six-year-old gelding, which sparked Emily’s successful crowdfunding campaign. Donors contributed the £40,000 necessary to buy the horse to allow Emily to keep the ride.
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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.
