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British gold medallist, 20, is first woman in 61 years to win Dublin puissance: ‘He’s an unbelievable horse’

Pippa Roome Pippa Roome

    • Britain’s Rachel Proudley became the first woman in 61 years to win the Dublin Horse Show puissance; her fourth victory in this type of class in nine months with Graham Ward’s Easy Boy De Laubry Z.

    The 20-year-old, who was recently crowned young rider European champion, won over the wall at the London Horse Show last year, then shared victory at Bolesworth and won Mullingar, where the aim was to qualify for this Dublin debut. The combination made their puissance debut at Horse of the Year Show last year, having practised over a wall made from bales of shavings.

    Fourteen went to post over the 1.80m starter wall in the Defender Dublin Horse Show puissance, but only two cleared the 2.10m third-round challenge. Paddy O’Connell’s dapple grey Kilcorig Elysium hooked up his back legs on the wall at this height and somehow got away without bringing down a brick, although the Irishman nearly fell off.

    Paddy sensibly elected not to jump again, which meant Rachel could have won by simply going through the start in the fourth round and then retiring, but she sportingly gave the crowd a show and it never looked in doubt that Easy Boy De Laubry Z would clear 2.15m.

    “I was quietly confident and he jumped very good in the last few rounds, but the last round was his best,” said Rachel. “He’s so brave and has such a good attitude. He gets a little bit excited in the atmosphere, but he’s an unbelievable horse and you can trust him all the way. He loves his job.”

    The rider described the 11-year-old as “very chilled out” at home and she doesn’t practise over a wall; hacking and hunting is his main preparation. He paraded hounds at the Great Yorkshire Show last month with Rachel’s boyfriend, Hurworth huntsman Stevie Cook, and was out hunting on Boxing Day with her father Paul after winning at London.

    The last time a female rider won this class was 1964, when Britain’s Pat Moss-Carlsson, sister of Formula 1 driver Stirling Moss and a successful rally driver herself, shared victory with Johnny Kidd.

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    Pippa Roome
    Pippa Roome

    H&H magazine editor and eventing editor
    Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
    Pippa Roome

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