Top rider announces split with eventing stable
Sarah Cohen is leaving the Preci-Spark event yard after 17 years.
An injury to her 4-star horse, Treason, which will rule the 12-year-old out for the rest of the season, has prompted Sarah’s decision to “move on and pursue new opportunities”.
“The split has been totally amicable and I want to thank Vin and Liz Jones for their continuous support over the years. With nothing to compete at the higher levels — which is where I want to be — I have decided that it is time for a change,” Sarah told H&H.
Sarah joined Vin Jones’ Preci-Spark operation, producing and competing his home-bred event horses, in 1998 and has enjoyed considerable success over the years.
With the mare, The Wexford Lady — who sadly died last week, aged 21, after suffering foaling complications — she finished 5th at Burghley in 2003 and 8th at Badminton the following year. The pair were also selected for the 2004 Athens Olympics, but did not compete as The Wexford Lady picked up an injury.
More recently with Treason (pictured top) she was runner-up in the CIC3*8/9yo at Blenheim 2 years in a row, in 2010 and 2011, and finished 20th at Burghley last autumn.
“Treason is such a talented horse and I was hoping that he would be my ticket back to the big time, so for him to be off again [with a reoccurrence of the leg injury that caused him to miss the autumn of 2012] is gutting,” she said.
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Treason will continue to compete with Sarah once he has recovered and will join her at her Tilton on the Hill home in Leicestershire — where she is planning to build some stables.
“The plan would be to get him back up and running and hopefully aim for the European Championships at Blair Castle [in 2015],” she said.
Meanwhile the mother of 2 is planning to focus her energy on training others.
“I’m not giving up by any means, but I am stepping back for a while. I’m looking forward to being able to put something back into the sport,” she added.
Sarah will also be on hand to advise and support Samantha Hobbs, who will take up the position of Preci-Spark’s number 1 jockey.
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