“Being right here in driving boots, slightly than sat within the stands, is surreal,” says Sophie Callard, who’s competing Brookfield Benjamin Bounce at this 12 months’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 after 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 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 main faculty PE for 5 years, which was superb – I cherished it.”
Then, simply earlier than Covid hit, Sophie began doing a little bit of driving 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 staff after which had two weeks off, which is after I would trip at John and Chloe’s.
“It was at that time Chloe recommended I ought to work for them full-time, which was at all times a dream of mine, nevertheless it was only a case of constructing the leap. I nonetheless hack previous the first faculty now and the youngsters will run to the railings and shout ‘Miss Callard!’ to me.”
Sophie’s job with John and Chloe largely includes her producing the younger Brookfield-prefixed horses.
“They normally arrive as four-year-olds and I produce them till the tip of their five- and generally 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, akin to Piggy March and Tom McEwen, Sophie is adamant in her reply.
“I like nothing greater than to see the horses I’ve produced going nicely with their riders, understanding that I’ve performed my half – that’s actually satisfying. We’ve a stunning 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 dwelling, is a trip that Sophie took on for the 2023 season having been competed to CCI4*-S stage 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 a purpose to permit me the possibility to interrupt into the upper ranges of eventing,” Sophie says.
“Bounce is simply superb – he is usually a bit tough in that he’s a little bit of an odd character. He’s a little bit of a worrier and is unquestionably a one individual horse. I simply have him right here this week and no groom, so I get to do completely all the pieces with him and he loves that. Once I trip others on the yard at dwelling, he hates it. He’s my little mate and we‘re simply buddies – sure, he’s a bit quirky, however I find it irresistible and he tries his coronary heart out for me.”
Talking of her targets for this week, Sophie states she desires to “take pleasure in it”.
“We’re right here to have a stunning time and to hopefully acquire a completion with stable leads to all three phases – that might be superb.”
You may additionally be all for:
Credit score: Peter Nixon
Credit score: Gemma Redrup
Credit score: Libby Legislation Images
Credit score: Future
