Isabelle Prepare dinner has an enviable report in her three under-21 championship appearances up to now – crew gold and silver, plus particular person silver, at junior degree in 2022 and 2023 and a crew gold and particular person bronze at her first younger rider Europeans.
She says the younger rider Europeans had been undoubtedly her spotlight of 2024: “To get crew gold – and I used to be fortunately sufficient to expertise that for a second time – is simply so particular. After which so as to add particular person bronze – all you ever dream of is getting particular person medals and I went in simply desirous to do my finest and taking the stress off a bit, understanding it was my first yr, so I used to be over the moon to come back out with two medals.”
Isabelle says it was much more particular to make her younger rider debut on Mexican Legislation (“Barley” at residence), who she additionally rode at her junior Europeans, and who’s a home-bred who was evented by her mom, Tina Prepare dinner – the multi-medallist who has now stepped down from competing on the high degree – earlier than her.
“I’m fortunate to have the ability to journey a horse of her calibre as a result of she’s a home-bred and Mum began her off. She needs to please on a regular basis, has a coronary heart of gold and actually tries and loves her job,” says Isabelle.
“She’s fairly a quiet character, extra of an inward thinker reasonably than the primary horse banging the door. She’s completely happy quietly stood in her secure, ready for any person to come back to her. However to journey she’s daring and tremendous cool.”
One other massive tick within the field in 2024 was Isabelle’s first superior, at Little Downham in September. She was entered on three horses and completed tenth on Cymoon “F” Z, had a fall within the water with Mexican Legislation after which needed to withdraw Espoir Landais.
“A complicated was one thing I actually needed to do, however saved fairly quiet,” she stated. “I felt like I had performed all of the prep after many seasons at intermediate and three-star and so I felt like I used to be prepared for that step up, however strolling the course I used to be considering, ‘Gosh, that is massive’, however I knew I used to be sat on good cross-country horses.
“The error on Mexican Legislation was no one’s fault, it was only a misreading of the water and she or he is okay. It was a giant studying curve on all ranges and a giant reduction to have the primary one performed as it’s a massive step up in each part, so I’m very glad to have it underneath my belt. ”
Isabelle Prepare dinner took over Cymoon from Tina this yr and he’s a “extra difficult character” than Barley, as she explains: “He’s scorching on the flat and fairly tough to get a check out of, although I did get a superb efficiency from him at Osberton on the finish of the season. We’ve been making an attempt numerous ways with him to get the most effective from him. However I couldn’t fault him within the leaping phases and he loves his cross-country and is daring, fast and has gallop and a variety of scope.”
Each Cymoon and Mexican Legislation are co-owned by Jim Chromiak and Tina, with Tina’s mom Althea Gifford additionally having a share in Mexican Legislation. Jim is a long-standing proprietor with Tina and Isabelle acknowledges she is fortunate to have his assist.
Subsequent yr, she hopes to purpose Mexican Legislation and Emerald Katie – who might be eight in 2025 – at younger riders and Espoir Landais and Cymoon at superior lessons, probably together with Bramham if all goes to plan. Mexican Legislation might additionally take the superior route, however Isabelle says you possibly can by no means purpose to go on a crew too many instances in order that’s the largest precedence for subsequent yr, although the mare might additionally step as much as four-star.
Isabelle Prepare dinner: ‘Mum says you must be taught by your errors’
The Cooks’ West Sussex set-up shouldn’t be flashy and it’s an ongoing venture to improve their residence and amenities. They’ve just lately moved into a brand new on-site home and can quickly have a brand new area prepared to be used.
“And now we have excellent turnout so the horses spend a variety of time within the subject when the climate is sweet and the bottom dry. We’ve the Downs to go hacking on and gallops for hill and quick work,” says Isabelle, whose uncle Nick Gifford, Tina’s brother, additionally trains Nationwide Hunt horses from the identical base.
Though Isabelle is fortunate to have the assist of her vastly skilled mom, she can be fairly unbiased.
She says: “Mum has a couple of horses nonetheless and enjoys using them, however spends a variety of time away from the yard instructing, so I’m left to work it out for myself as a lot as something – she says you must be taught by your individual errors and may’t all the time be advised what you must and shouldn’t do. It’s nice she’s round as a suggestion and when she is there, we journey collectively or she’s on the bottom giving me a leap. However a variety of the time I’ve to be self-sufficient and work out for myself what every horse must do every day.”
Regardless of her impeccable pedigree and robust report, Isabelle could be very right down to earth: “We’ve a few good ladies working for us, however we don’t have a great deal of employees and I muck out each morning and afternoon like a traditional particular person! I make certain the yard is completed earlier than cracking on with using, working with the youthful in addition to older horses.”
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Credit score: Alamy Inventory Photograph
Credit score: Alamy Inventory Photograph
Credit score: Peter Nixon
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