Meet HOYS 2012 newcomers champion Nicole Pavitt

Although she is a former Horse of the Year Show young riders and grade C champion, after finishing second twice in the final, Nicole Pavitt thought she would never become the equestrianclearance.com newcomers champion. She put that right in style on the opening evening of HOYS 2012 with a fantastic round from opening draw on the Curbishley family’s eight-year-old mare Our Duchess.

Name: Nicole Pavitt

Age: 24

Lives: Copthorne, West Sussex

Job: showjumper

Horsey relatives: my older sister Louise is also a showjumper

Alternative career: when I was really young I used to play tennis and badminton all the time in the garden and I think I would have liked to have been a professional tennis player. At least I would earn good money and I could put my racket in the cupboard under the stairs and go on holiday occasionally. Sadly, that doesn’t happen with horses!

Tell us about Our Duchess: she’s a bit of a prima donna. She certainly has her funny days, but then I suppose all we women do too. If she were a person I think she’d be a feisty supermodel — a Naomi Campbell with shorter legs.

Dream ride: I know you’ve asked me to choose any horse, but I’m not going to choose a world superstar. Instead, I’d give anything to have Maestro De Rend Peine back again. We were just such good friends and a real partnership and I was devastated when he died. I miss him so much.

Don’t miss our full report on all the action from Horse of the Year Show in next Thursday’s magazine, on sale 11 October, 2012

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