Meet Ivy, the six-year-old girl who was not content with clearing a 1.20m oxer on a 17hh stallion – she wanted to go bigger.
Ivy Thomas-Cook, who is only 115cm tall herself, had been “itching” to jump her father Ben’s cremello Crown’s Ace of Pearl for some time, and on Monday (20 February), Ben thought the time was right.
“As soon as she could sit up, she was on horses and walking round but she didn’t ride properly till she was five,” Ben told H&H. “We never really had a pony for her – but she could have gone straight on to a horse! Then she got her first pony, Trevor, and in 14 months, she’s gone from not being able to do rising trot to this.”
Ivy is competing in British Showjumping (BS) club and stepping stones classes up to 80cm, but her sights are set higher.
“She’s absolutely crazy about horses,” Ben said. “We’ve had to get ClipMyHorse and every night after she’s ridden, she sits down and watches it religiously. She knows all the top riders, and how they ride, and what distances are; she’s so into it.”
@jumpingwithivy When the most incredible stallion that ever lived looks after your 6 year old daughter LIKE THIS ? #crownsaceofpearl #stallionatstud #theivystud #cremello #equestrian #equestriangirl #showjumping #stallion #jumpingwithivy #ivythomascook #foryou #fyp #dreams #dreambig #brave #youngrider ♬ original sound – Ivy Thomas-Cook
Ace is 17, and had jumped up to 1.40m before Ben bought him, and up to 1.20m since. He is also in demand for breeding.
“His temperament is just unbelievable; I’m never worried when she rides him,” Ben said. “She’s come to shows for the last couple of years and was itching to ride him but I said ‘You’re just a bit small’. We’ve been letting her do bits; walking him round every now and then but walking isn’t her idea of fun; she just wants to jump.
“This photo was from yesterday; I felt the time was right. There’s a video of me putting the jump up and she’s going ‘Bigger, bigger’! It was 1.20m and I said I couldn’t get it any bigger than that. She’d have jumped top of the wings if I’d let her.”
Ben added that it was a combination of Ivy riding beautifully – “She looked like Marcus Ehning, just shrunk!” – and Ace’s temperament.
“To take a little tot like that, who he could barely feel; I’ve got no words for how good he is,” he said. “I can jump 1.40m tackless on him, he’s just unbelievable, a special, special horse.”
And while Ace continues his stallion duties – among his offspring is Future Plans, who has had success at four-star and connections hope could be the first palomino to complete Badminton CCI5* – Ivy’s future plans include jumping as much as possible. She is aiming for the BS club finals again, having come eighth last year, and her desperate wish is for a lesson with John Whitaker.
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“That’s all she talks about!” Ben said. “She met him at Hickstead when she won the 10 and under class, and watches him; she’s obsessed. She did have a lesson with Anthony Condon last week and he said for her age, she’s incredible.
“The comments on the photo and video have all been lovely; I watched it in person and even I was speechless.”
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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.
