Had Joe Fernyhough tried to promote Calcourt Countdown as a teen, he mentioned, nobody would have needed to purchase her.
However her early quirks have turned out to be a blessing, because the home-bred mare has now discovered her area of interest, loves her job – and gained the opening worldwide class of the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby assembly.
Joe and the 10-year-old beat 90 different starters within the Stoner Jewellers Vase pace class, ending forward of pace demons Mark Edwards and Tinkers Contact, with long-term leaders Pippa Goddard and Tom Williams’ PDV Constanza third.
“I’m stabled subsequent to Pippa, and have numerous horses for Tom, and he mentioned: ‘We’re imagined to be a crew!’” Joe mentioned. “I wasn’t that fast at the beginning however from about fence 5, I simply saved it actually tight, and I believe that’s the place we gained it.
“That is my first win in any respect at Hickstead; my dad [Olympic rider Rowland] gained right here lots however I’d by no means actually linked with it – till now.”
Joe mentioned it had been an extended journey with the Westpoint Quickfire mare, who was despatched away as a five-year-old to an occasion rider.
“She was weak, and had perspective, and we needed her to do some flatwork however the rider despatched her again, as a result of she was fairly harmful,” he mentioned. “So Jake Reynolds, who works for us, rode her as a six-year-old at native reveals, low stage, until she’d carried out a bit, and I took her on at seven.
“She did qualify for the grade C at Horse of the 12 months Present that yr however wasn’t actually prepared, then as an eight-year-old, she went to the Sunshine Tour and gained 5 courses.”
The mare has hit prime kind this yr, profitable the CSI2* grand prix at Balmoral in Might and the Space Trial on the South of England this month, the place they had been additionally second within the grand prix.
“She’s actually come to the fore, which is beautiful,” Joe mentioned. “All the pieces’s proper along with her and she or he’s been on actually constant kind. She’s obtained a very good crew; vets Spike Milligan and Lee Paul, who’s an knowledgeable in reproductive points which she’s had, and our sensible farrier Robbie Watson-Greaves.”
Joe mentioned Calcourt Countdown nonetheless “wouldn’t be for a numpty”, however the exhausting work has paid off.
“At the beginning we couldn’t have offered her!” he mentioned. “If she’d been nicer, somebody most likely would have purchased her – however I really feel we’ve obtained her proper in the long run.”
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H&H information editor
Eleanor is an skilled journalist who spent over eight years working for native and nationwide newspapers earlier than becoming a member of H&H as information editor in March 2016. Obsessed with equine welfare and exposing the reality, Eleanor has reported on all elements of the business, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage guidelines to mules. Her sport of alternative is showjumping, during which she competes her personal horses, and she or he additionally enjoys reporting at native leaping reveals via to worldwide championships.
