No easy ride as equestrians switch saddles for trainers to take on London Marathon
The crowd of marathon runners who crossed the finish line during the 2018 London Marathon in central London on April 22, 2018. (Photo by Alex Cavendish/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Riders and supporters of the equestrian world will be pounding the streets of the capital in the TCS London Marathon on Sunday (21 April) to raise money for charity.
Student Emily Smart, 21, will be running for Hannah’s Willberry Wonder Pony Charity in memory of its founder and her friend, Hannah Francis.
A spokesman for the charity said it has “a lot to thank Emily for”.
“Not only is she tackling this almighty challenge, on top of running Bath Half Marathon for us a few weeks ago, she played a huge role in Hannah and Willberry’s journey together,” said the charity.
“Jayne, Emily’s mum, was Hannah’s superstar showjumping coach. Following Hannah’s diagnosis in early May 2015, Jayne and Emily got scratching their heads at Badminton Horse Trials on the lookout for a mascot to help Hannah with #kickingcancersbutt.
“That’s when they found Willberry, and well as they say, the rest is history…Good luck. Team Willberry will be cheering you on!”
Grand prix dressage rider Katie Williamson is switching boots for trainers to run for Age UK. This is her second London Marathon and she has also previously run the Paris edition.
“I’m very excited to be doing it again,” she said. “It has the most amazing atmosphere – rainbow flags everywhere in the best ways. It is the dressage show of the running world!”
Top groom Katie Dutton, head girl for Bubby Upton, is running in aid of the St John Ambulance.
Last Friday, Kelly Jewell, a freestyle music producer at Equidance, was competing at the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships – this Sunday, she will be taking on the 26.2-mile route to raise money for her local hospice.
Ruth Chappell, founder of Dressage Anywhere, is taking part for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation in memory of her mother. Dressage Anywhere is also running an online charity show to support her fundraising efforts.
Also flying the dressage flag are amateur dressage rider Tracy Davidson, who is running for Maggie’s Cancer Care Charity, and dressage coach and rider Annie Brooker. Annie will be running in aid of the Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF), in honour of her brother who was diagnosed with the disease at 18 months old – he is now 36 and expecting his first baby soon.
“After weeks of relentless training around the steepest of country lanes, and injury after injury, I’ve exceeded my fundraising target of £2,000, and have raised nearly £2,500 for MRF, which is just unbelievable!” said Annie.
Event rider Thomas Vicary, 23, who has competed up to three-star, is running for Hospiscare in memory of his grandmother Joan.
Rider Sarah Carter is taking to her feet to raise money for the Thames Valley Air Ambulance, which saved her young daughter’s life at a show in 2023 following a freak accident.
“I will be forever indebted to their support,” she said. “I’m completely humbled by the support I’ve received and have raised just shy of £10,000 for this vital resource, particularly in the equestrian world.”
Amateur event rider Jenny Rowlinson will be running while pushing her supportive dad, David, in a wheelchair, to raise money for Myositis UK.
“Although originally not horsey, my dad didn’t have a choice after meeting my mum!” said Jenny, who will also be running with her partner, Jonny.
“He used to come to every single show with me and was so supportive, even travelling across from Guernsey every weekend to watch after I moved to the UK.
“Travelling is very difficult now, as are horse events in a wheelchair, so he can’t come any more to watch but still checks Eventing Scores religiously throughout the day if I’m out competing.”
Fellow event rider Jaide Hartridge said the icing on her marathon cake “would be a personal best”.
“I am a really keen runner, and a passionate eventer,” said Paige, for whom this will be her fourth marathon.
“I competed in Osberton two-star last October which was three weeks before the Amsterdam marathon – that was an experience doing a long interval run after my dressage test, and then a long 30km run the day after cross country!!
“My goal for London is to have an absolute blast and take the whole atmosphere in, the icing on the cake would be a PB, but we will see how it goes!”
Theresa Holmes is running her seventh marathon, and is supporting the Friends of the Dartmoor Hill Pony.
Anna Rainbow got fit by following hounds on foot with a camera. She is running for PSPA, which supports people with progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration, in memory of her mum, who introduced Anna to ponies as a four-year-old despite being terrified of them herself.
Paige l’Anson is running for Phab, which supports disabled and non-disabled adults and children.
Rider Elise Foster is taking on the challenge for Leonard Cheshire Trust, which supports people with disabilities.
“I’m a rider by nature, however I have been running for the past seven years, and love the community and freedom of running,” she said.
“I also find that running takes the pressure off my horses, and makes my riding better. It’s a balancing act adding marathon training to the mix, but it can be done, and it’s so good for your mental health.”
Heather Timmis will be running in the championship pen, while sporting a strapped-up broken finger after a jumping fall last week. Alison O’Connor, who has a five-year-old retrained racehorse, is taking part in aid of the Blue Cross.
Multiple gold medal-winning Paralympian Sophie Christiansen’s fiancé, Peter McKnight, is part of the team running in aid of the Riding for the Disabled Association, as is Fabian Williams, known as the Blessed Equestrian.
Andrew Sallis and Gareth Watchman are among those running for the Countryside Alliance Foundation’s flagship project, Fishing for Schools.
Roddy Bannister is running for The Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice – an end-of-life, palliative care facility in Oxenhope, North Yorkshire.
Ralph Richardson is running for Halow Project, a Guildford-based charity that supports people aged 16 and over with learning disabilities and autism on their journey into adult life.
Teams are also running for major equestrian charities, including Brooke, World Horse Welfare, Racing Welfare, and more.
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