Eventer Vittoria Panizzon has come full circle by competing the three eldest offspring of her much-loved London 2012 Olympic ride Borough Pennyz.
Vittoria and Lindsay Bisiker’s eight-year-old gelding Borough Threpence, by Timolin, jumped double clear to finish ninth in the BE100 at South of England on 27 September.
Vittoria and Borough Pennyz finished 11th individually at the London Olympics, and the following year were seventh at Badminton. They recorded four-star wins at Belton and Wellington and top-five places at Fontainebleau, Montbelletti and Bramham.
Pennyz has produced five offspring, three by embryo transfer, and they have now all been competed by Vittoria. The first was 10-year-old Borough Justapenny, who Vittoria rode as a young horse and is now based with Jane Holderness Roddam and ridden by Jack Ashworth, then embryo twins Borough Tuppence – who Vittoria is competing at three-star level – and Borough Threpence, who has recently joined her string.
“Threpence had a bit of a slower start but he’s very promising. He started competing with David Doel last year and I was lucky enough to have him come to me this summer,” said Vittoria. “In some ways he’s very different to his sister Tuppence, but in other ways similar, he’s a much bigger version of her.
Vittoria and Borough Threpence schooling at home.
“We’ll continue building his confidence and strength before he moves up a level. The plan is that he’s being produced to be sold, but I’d love him to stay with me. Pennyz was so special to me so it’s really great getting to ride her offspring.”
Vittoria also has a granddaughter of Pennyz; an embryo transfer filly out of Tuppence by Rock King, named Rock Florin. Rock King was owned by Vittoria’s long-term trainer Sarah Bullen.
“I wanted to mix all my Olympic horses together. I took Rock Model to Beijing and he was by Rock King. Pennyz went to London, and then Supercilious, who is a Rock King grandson on the dam side, went to Tokyo,” she said.
“Pennyz owner Sally Bullen and I were keen to keep Pennyz’ jump, but give a bit more movement. Pennyz always had a strong character, and it’s helpful to know how to work with her offspring; the girls in particular are all princesses. They all love jumping, and they’re not always big fans of flatwork – but I found particularly with Justapenny and Tuppence, if you get them jumping, it gets them on side and gets the best out of them.”
Pennyz, who is now 22, retired from competition in 2019, and lives with Sally.
“She’s very well and enjoying her retirement,” said Vittoria.
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