A young rider who put her Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) dreams aside for the good of her pony has earned praise and respect from across the industry.
Annabel Widdowson pulled up Whinney Lass in the Enablelink Ltd 128cm championship at HOYS after a stumble, in what her mother Kathleen said was an instinctive move borne out of concern for the mare.
“It was heartbreaking but it’s so lovely what she did has been recognised,” Kathleen told H&H.
Annabel got a good shot to a one-stride double, but Whinney Lass knocked the oxer coming in, then stumbled slightly after the vertical coming out.
The 22-year-old mare regained her footing and was ready to carry on but Annabel pulled up, jumped off and, patting her again and again, led her out of the ring.
“Full marks to her, she realised the pony was off balance. She felt something went wrong with the pony, immediately stopped and hopped straight off,” the commentator said. “To be able to feel that so quickly and understand your pony so well; full respect, absolute respect to Annabel there, she knew instantly something was wrong.”
Kathleen said she was hugely proud of Annabel, who is only 10.
“She said ‘Mummy, she seems like she’s hurting’,” Kathleen said. “She said [Whinney] felt like she was almost panicking a bit when she stopped, so she just got off and gave her a cuddle, it’s as simple as that. We were just blown away by her maturity.”
Annabel came in again on her veteran superstar Bunbury Conquest, with whom she won the HOYS and London International 128cm titles last year, and put in a fabulous round to finish fourth. She then came fifth in the CT Equine Collection 138cm championship with Unsphinx D Hurl Vent.
“It’s lovely, the support she’s had has been overwhelming, more than if she’d won it,” Kathleen said. “So many people found it inspirational for the kids watching; it isn’t about the win, it was instinctive, and about the pony.”
Kathleen said superstar Whinney Lass was fine, but is likely to retire at the end of this year, after a career in which she has won every 128cm title, with Annaliese Allison, Izabella and Sophia Rogers and Annabel.
“She doesn’t need to prove anything,” Kathleen said. “These ponies have given Annabel the best start in the sport, she owes them so much and it’s charming to see how much she loves them. I think everyone’s said she’ll be a rider but now she’s shown her maturity; I was so proud of her. She didn’t really understand; she just said ‘Of course, Mummy’, and even after she jumped ‘Questy’, she only wanted to know if Whinney was ok. It’s really nice it was recognised.”
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