Not many horses have jumped spherical Badminton and Burghley then gone on to realize grade A standing as a showjumper. However 17-year-old celebrity Drumbilla Metro is breaking the mould and at Hickstead’s forthcoming Al Shira’aa Derby assembly (20-23 June), the “barely 15hh” gelding and common rider Simon Grieve shall be making their debut within the present’s iconic velocity Derby.
The Irish-bred son of Metropole, out of a Landing mare, has been owned by Merna Merrett since she purchased him as a four-year-old and he or she describes “Splash” as a “very particular little horse”. He’s certainly one of two “horses of a lifetime” she’s been lucky sufficient to personal, the opposite being five-star showjumper Lammy Seaside who has been a star performer for Holly Smith, William and Jim Whitaker and now Isabel Saywell, however was initially produced by Di Lampard.
“Dreaming of going to Badminton and Burghley was sufficient however then to go to Horse of the 12 months Present and win a category, then to London Olympia and win had been simply past what I ever imagined,” Merna tells H&H.
Each vastly profitable horses had been sourced by Vere Phillipps.
“We’ve had a number of horses from Vere,” Merna continues. “Splash was 4 and Vere had not had him for very lengthy and his spouse Clea had been driving him. She mentioned when she bought off him, she was all the time very shocked when she hit the bottom as a result of he felt a lot greater than he actually was, which is actually simply over 15hh – he’s tiny.”
Drumbilla Metro: “I don’t assume any of us dreamt he’d go so far as he did”
Merna initially bought the possible eventer for her daughter Catherine, who Merna describes as having “an excellent eye” having additionally picked out Lammy Seaside.
“I don’t assume any of us dreamt he’d go so far as he did although,” says Suffolk-based Merna, who met Simon Grieve via native coach Debbie Edmundson, who had accomplished one novice occasion on Splash earlier than recognizing his potential and suggesting Simon took over producing the thrilling teen.
The duo had been chosen for Le Lion d’Angers younger horse championships in 2014 when Splash was seven, the place the likes of Tom McEwen’s double Olympic medallist Toledo De Kerser completed on the rostrum.
“He’s simply gone on from there actually,” says Merna. “He did lots of three-stars – as they had been in these days [now four-star] – and didn’t have cross-country penalties, that’s simply not what he did, and he was all the time an excellent showjumper, which is comprehensible given his breeding.”
From Badminton and Burghley to grade A standing
After shifting as much as four-star degree, they narrowly missed out on Badminton qualification at their first try, however made their debut on the sport’s premier occasion in 2018, additionally including Burghley to their illustrious CV.
“Simon was completely beside himself to journey there,” says Merna, who takes immense pleasure and pleasure watching her horses compete. “Then we went to Badminton once more the following yr and he simply wasn’t fairly proper so Simon pulled him up, sensibly. He by no means actually wished to go eventing after that, however the excellent news is that he has one other job now that he completely loves and he’s now a grade A showjumper.
“He’s fairly a grumpy little soul – Simon has a beautiful groom referred to as Maggie, who Splash adores, however he’s not all the time eager on different individuals! However he and Simon have such a beautiful understanding,” says Merna.
In addition to their latest successes within the showjumping world, Leicestershire-based Simon and Drumbilla Metro have additionally contested Hickstead’s eventers’ problem twice and after some warm-up courses on grass at Bramham this weekend (8-9 June), Hickstead’s velocity Derby is the following large aim for this exceptional staff.
“Simon has all the time wished to do the velocity Derby,” says Merna, who revealed some professional suggestions from Michael Whitaker have helped Simon and Splash improve their velocity over the poles. “I’ll actually be going to Hickstead to look at.
“He’s a beautiful little horse and since he’s so small, he loves operating on any floor. He loves Hickstead – he simply has to go a bit quicker!”
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Credit score: Peter Nixon
Credit score: Peter Nixon
Credit score: Peter Nixon
Credit score: Future
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