Rider who lived with undiagnosed illness reaches national championships in first season eventing

A rider who “never dreamed” she would be eventing at Bramham made a super start to her week at the NAF Five Star BE80 National Championships (4 to 6 June), less than a year after her first event.

Gemma Kennedy and Castlefrench Prince – a 15hh part-bred Connemara who has also taken to eventing in his first season with aplomb – held provisional sixth place after the opening day of dressage (Tuesday) in the 80cm championships. The dressage concluded today (Wednesday) and the pair head into Thursday’s jumping phases in 24th place on their first-phase score of 34.1 – just over five marks behind the leaders.

Gemma, who spent years living with undiagnosed Crohn’s disease, told H&H it is “truly special” to be here with Angela Seymour-Jackson’s gelding.

“I have always showjumped and was working on a professional yard when I was 18. I had a really great job with my trainer and had some rides and nice horses,” she said.

“I managed undiagnosed illness for years, and I had to drop out of being a travelling show groom/rider.

“I learnt so much, my riding came on a lot, and I had so many good results. But at the time, with this undiagnosed illness, I just couldn’t keep doing it. So I transitioned from that to coaching.

“I’ve had periods in my career where there have been multiple times I’ve had six months out of the ring, but I was very lucky that my coach Kelly Connor would keep my horse going for me.”

In 2021, when Gemma was 21, she was finally diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, which she is now able to manage well alongside her career and is back to working full-time.

“I’ve been really lucky to have so many people who have supported me and kept me going with my horses,” she said.

Through her coaching, she met a family who were planning on buying a yard with several other investors, and Gemma was asked if she would like to manage it. That was the start of Totleywells, an equestrian centre just outside Edinburgh where the ethos is on being a place for “everyone’s dreams to grow and develop”.

“It’s been invaluable to have the support of Angela, Ali Findlay and Rachel and Tony Gribben, the investors, and to be able to grow this place from the ground up,” she said.

“It’s an absolute honour to be a part of it.”

The team are joining her to support and help this week, along with groom Rhianna Stewart and Nina and Georgia Gribben.

Gemma became involved with Castlefrench Prince last year, with the intention of introducing him to eventing ready for Angela to go on and enjoy.

They won their first outing, a BE80 section at Forgandenny, by finishing on their sub-30 dressage score. The pair then finished fourth at the regional championship at Brechin Castle at Kirriemuir, earning them a ticket to the national finals at Bramham.

They have had one prep run this spring, finishing sixth – taking their record of jumping double clears to three from three starts – and are now enjoying their debut at the national championships.

“We didn’t get here by accident, but it wasn’t an intended plan,” said Gemma. “He’s a little superstar. He’s 16 and really rises to the attention, but is so laid-back. I describe him as the pony I would have loved to have had when I was a kid – he’s so much fun and so enjoyable to be around.”

She added: “It’s truly special, for a horse that we could never have dreamed to be here, and I could never have dreamed to be here, with such supportive people. Not just for me and Prince this weekend, but for me and my other ones, and clients’ horses, it’s just a really special feeling.

“If you told me this time last year that I would be here, I wouldn’t have believed you, considering I had never been around an event before! So it’s been a learning curve for me as well.”

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