Had Joe Fernyhough tried to sell Calcourt Countdown as a youngster, he said, no one would have wanted to buy her.
But her early quirks have turned out to be a blessing, as the home-bred mare has now found her niche, loves her job – and won the opening international class of the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby meeting.
Joe and the 10-year-old beat 90 other starters in the Stoner Jewellers Vase speed class, finishing ahead of speed demons Mark Edwards and Tinkers Touch, with long-term leaders Pippa Goddard and Tom Williams’ PDV Constanza third.
“I’m stabled next to Pippa, and have a lot of horses for Tom, and he said: ‘We’re supposed to be a team!’” Joe said. “I wasn’t that quick at the start but from about fence five, I just kept it really tight, and I think that’s where we won it.
“This is my first win at all at Hickstead; my dad [Olympic rider Rowland] won here a lot but I’d never really connected with it – until now.”
Joe said it had been a long journey with the Westpoint Quickfire mare, who was sent away as a five-year-old to an event rider.
“She was weak, and had attitude, and we wanted her to do some flatwork but the rider sent her back, because she was pretty dangerous,” he said. “So Jake Reynolds, who works for us, rode her as a six-year-old at local shows, low level, till she’d done a bit, and I took her on at seven.
“She did qualify for the grade C at Horse of the Year Show that year but wasn’t really ready, then as an eight-year-old, she went to the Sunshine Tour and won five classes.”
The mare has hit top form this year, winning the CSI2* grand prix at Balmoral in May and the Area Trial at the South of England this month, where they were also second in the grand prix.
“She’s really come to the fore, which is lovely,” Joe said. “Everything’s right with her and she’s been on really consistent form. She’s got a really good team; vets Spike Milligan and Lee Paul, who’s an expert in reproductive issues which she’s had, and our brilliant farrier Robbie Watson-Greaves.”
Joe said Calcourt Countdown still “wouldn’t be for a numpty”, but the hard work has paid off.
“At the start we couldn’t have sold her!” he said. “If she’d been nicer, someone probably would have bought her – but I feel we’ve got her right in the end.”
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