Georgina Andrews’ prolific present horse Overdrive, who gained the Royal Worldwide Horse Present (RIHS) eight instances throughout his profession, has died aged 34.
Overdrive, who was generally known as Fred at residence, competed as an intermediate each on the flat and as a working hunter earlier than he grew to become a champion side-saddle mount.
Fred, who was by Java Tiger out of a Connemara mare, started his profession beneath Helen Summers (nee Clubley) who first stumbled throughout his advert within the pages of Horse & Hound (H&H).Â
“He’d been an eventer, competing as much as intermediate degree,” Helen defined. “Sadly, I couldn’t afford him on the time, however I saved his advert and a few months later I known as the homeowners again. To my amazement he hadn’t been offered. We headed to strive him and managed to get the cash collectively to purchase him.”
Helen had meant to intention Fred solely at working hunter lessons, however his potential on the flat shone by way of early on of their partnership: “He utterly reworked as soon as we received him residence so we determined to do an intermediate present hunter class with him. On our first go, we completed final, however the decide stated that we may do properly if I may sit him up and get him working from behind. Later that yr we completed second at Horse of the Yr Present (HOYS) beneath that very same decide.”
Fred and Helen, educated by Rachel Turner, had been those to beat in working hunter ranks from the start. In his employee tack, Fred gained the President’s Award and the Gold Cup championship on the BSPS championships and the supreme of present accolade at Ponies UK. He completed third at HOYS with a pole, beating three clears.
“My most memorable achievement was standing second on the RIHS over fences within the morning, and profitable on the flat within the afternoon, two years on the trot,” stated Helen. “He was by no means that straightforward to leap, regardless of his success, however he beloved an environment and he was an actual showman. He didn’t actually like smaller reveals and he wanted to be in entrance of a crowd to carry out. There gained’t be one other like him.”
Helen loved three seasons with Fred earlier than he was offered to the Andrews household.
Georgina’s daughter, Sammy, initially rode him, reclaiming the intermediate present hunter title at Hickstead. When Sammy went to school, Georgina took the trip and Fred gained the RIHS remaining 5 extra instances with a side-saddle.
His different accolades included the Royal Windsor girls’ title, the Royal Present supreme and a number of titles on the Present Hack and Cob Affiliation (now the British Present Horse Affiliation) championships.
“The final time he reigned on the RIHS he was 19,” stated Georgina, of the previous H&H cowl star. “H&H as soon as deemed him a rosette machine, and he was simply that. He even completed within the prime line as a small hunter on the RIHS, and stood third at HOYS as a driving horse; all we did was change his browband!
“Helen had achieved an incredible job with him previous to him becoming a member of our household,” Georgina added. “I may rely on one hand what number of instances he was overwhelmed in side-saddle lessons, a very good factor actually as he all the time fly-bucked on the lap of honour if he was second; he hated it!
“He was the proper gentleman within the ring; he by no means anticipated however he knew the present with out me having to even ask. He gave an unbelievable trip and the Hickstead principal ring was his favorite place on the planet.
“At residence, I’d describe him as an previous, grumpy actor; he may very well be dangerous tempered within the steady as that was his personal dressing room. He may be actually shiny out hacking if there have been greater than two horses out at one time.”
For the final two years of his life, Fred was based mostly with Helen and Hannah Horton.
“We owe them rather a lot for giving him such a very good retirement,” stated Georgina. “He was the largest character who we are going to all miss enormously.”
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