Jockeys to take on eventers in bull riding contest
Who has the best stickability – jockeys, event riders or showjumpers?
Top riders will be competing this weekend at Barbury Castle, not just in the horse trials but in a new Hit-air Pro Bull rider series – on a mechanical bucking bronco.
The series launches tomorrow (Saturday 30 June) at Barbury Castle. In the first leg jockeys will pitch their balance against eventers in a rodeo-style ride off.
Riders are being kept underwraps but are reported to include AP McCoy, Choc Thornton, Timmy Murphy and Richard Johnson for the jockeys and eventers Mark Todd, Oliver Townend, Laura Collett and Paul Tapner. It will be in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund.
The second leg will be at Hickstead Royal international Horse Show (19 July) following the Eventing Grand Prix. Event riders will compete against showjumpers – with Shane Breen as team leader.
Rachel Ricci from Hit-air said: “The event has really caught the imagination of the riders and competition is fierce. There’s no other way for top riders from different equestrian disciplines to compete against other – the results will be fascinating!”
For information visit: www.barburyhorsetrials.co.uk
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.