Showjumper set to lose her locks
A long-haired Buckinghamshire showjumper is cutting off all her locks for charity, and generous donations are already flooding in from the equestrian community.
28-year-old Emma McGlynn (pictured), a successful coach and producer of young horses, is organising “Emma and Ellie’s Big Chop” on 31 January for the Little Princess Trust, a charity that provides real hair wigs for children suffering from hair loss.
Emma, who trained with showjumper Stuart Harvey and went on to ride for The Billy Stud for two years, is having all her hair cut off and the locks will be donated to the Trust.
“There it will be made in to a wig for a little girl who has lost her hair to cancer treatment, or other conditions like alopecia,” explained Emma, who will also be raising money for Cancer Research UK and hopes to reach her target of £1,000.
“I have approached some local businesses and had generous support from some well known show jumpers, as well as a donation from Addington Manor EC who have agreed to give a percentage of entries to their pony premier show at the end of the month.”
Emma’s inspiration comes from seeing her friend battle breast cancer.
“She told me the worst thing about the whole experience was waking up in the mornings and looking back at all her hair that was left on the pillow,” Emma told H&H.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“That really hit me because I put myself in her shoes and the reality is, it could happen to any one of us.
“I am really going to miss my hair, but I am excited to be able to give the gift of a real wig, to hopefully give someone back their confidence.”
“I’d like to spread as much awareness as possible and hope that it will give people a nudge to donate,” added Emma, who has also roped in her former working pupil Ellie to chop off her hair, too.
Related articles:
- Racing community pulls together to raise £24,000 in a day for young jockey’s cancer fund
- How dressage helped rider recover from breast cancer
- Lucky six selected to race at Cheltenham with Nick Skelton, Ben Hobday and Tina Cook
“Someone dies of cancer in the UK every four minutes, so I’m trying to get as many donations as possible to help researchers eventually one day find a cure to stop our loved ones dying of this awful, cruel disease.”
Anyone who would like to donate should visit Emma’s JustGiving page.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.