“Being right here in using boots, quite than sat within the stands, is surreal,” says Sophie Callard, who’s competing Brookfield Benjamin Bounce at this yr’s Blenheim Horse Trials, in what’s a primary CCI4*-L for each horse and rider. “Blenheim is a particular place for me as mum first introduced me right here once I was 12 and I’ve visited yearly since.”
Sophie has at all times been a eager eventer, beginning within the pony ranks earlier than progressing by way of juniors and younger riders.
“However dad was very adamant that I wouldn’t trip as a profession, so I needed to go to uni,” explains the smiling 30-year-old. “I studied sport science after which went on to show major college PE for 5 years, which was superb – I liked it.”
Then, simply earlier than Covid hit, Sophie began doing a little bit of using for Brookfield Equestrian’s John and Chloe Perry, whose yard is in the identical Berkshire village as the college Sophie taught at.
“Then when Covid hit, we had been on three-week rotations in school the place we labored for per week educating the youngsters of key employees after which had two weeks off, which is once I would trip at John and Chloe’s.
“It was at that time Chloe urged I ought to work for them full-time, which was at all times a dream of mine, but it surely was only a case of creating the leap. I nonetheless hack previous the first college now and the youngsters will run to the railings and shout ‘Miss Callard!’ to me.”
Sophie’s job with John and Chloe largely entails her producing the younger Brookfield-prefixed horses.
“They often arrive as four-year-olds and I produce them till the tip of their five- and typically six-year-old years earlier than they then go onto their designated riders,” says Sophie. “John and Chloe are additionally actually superb at permitting me to construct my very own string with new house owners coming in whereas based mostly on their yard round their horses.”
When requested whether it is tough to see horses she has produced be despatched off to new riders, comparable to Piggy March and Tom McEwen, Sophie is adamant in her reply.
“I really like nothing greater than to see the horses I’ve produced going effectively with their riders, understanding that I’ve performed my half – that’s actually satisfying. We’ve a beautiful relationship with the entire riders because the horses progress and Piggy helps me once we’re at these types of occasions – actually like my proper arm – and walks the programs with me and is simply superb.”
Brookfield Benjamin Bounce, or just Bounce as he’s recognized at residence, is a trip that Sophie took on for the 2023 season having been competed to CCI4*-S degree by Tom McEwen. The 12-year-old was owned by John and Chloe, plus Alison Swinburn, and it was the latter who was liable for securing Bounce for Sophie to trip.
“It was a tremendous factor for Alison to do with the intention to permit me the possibility to interrupt into the upper ranges of eventing,” Sophie says.
“Bounce is simply superb – he is usually a bit difficult in that he’s a little bit of an odd character. He’s a little bit of a worrier and is certainly a one individual horse. I simply have him right here this week and no groom, so I get to do completely every little thing with him and he loves that. Once I trip others on the yard at residence, he hates it. He’s my little mate and we‘re simply associates – sure, he’s a bit quirky, however I like it and he tries his coronary heart out for me.”
Talking of her targets for this week, Sophie states she needs to “take pleasure in it”.
“We’re right here to have a beautiful time and to hopefully acquire a completion with strong ends in all three phases – that may be superb.”
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