Isabelle Prepare dinner has an enviable document in her three under-21 championship appearances to this point – crew gold and silver, plus particular person silver, at junior stage in 2022 and 2023 and a crew gold and particular person bronze at her first younger rider Europeans.
She says the younger rider Europeans have been undoubtedly her spotlight of 2024: “To get crew gold – and I used to be fortunately sufficient to expertise that for a second time – is simply so particular. After which so as to add particular person bronze – all you ever dream of is getting particular person medals and I went in simply desirous to do my greatest and taking the stress off a bit, understanding it was my first 12 months, so I used to be over the moon to come back out with two medals.”
Isabelle says it was much more particular to make her younger rider debut on Mexican Regulation (“Barley” at house), who she additionally rode at her junior Europeans, and who’s a home-bred who was evented by her mom, Tina Prepare dinner – the multi-medallist who has now stepped down from competing on the prime stage – earlier than her.
“I’m fortunate to have the ability to trip a horse of her calibre as a result of she’s a home-bred and Mum began her off. She needs to please on a regular basis, has a coronary heart of gold and actually tries and loves her job,” says Isabelle.
“She’s fairly a quiet character, extra of an inward thinker slightly than the primary horse banging the door. She’s completely happy quietly stood in her secure, ready for someone to come back to her. However to trip she’s daring and tremendous cool.”
One other large tick within the field in 2024 was Isabelle’s first superior, at Little Downham in September. She was entered on three horses and completed tenth on Cymoon “F” Z, had a fall within the water with Mexican Regulation after which needed to withdraw Espoir Landais.
“A sophisticated was one thing I actually needed to do, however saved fairly quiet,” she mentioned. “I felt like I had executed all of the prep after many seasons at intermediate and three-star and so I felt like I used to be prepared for that step up, however strolling the course I used to be considering, ‘Gosh, that is large’, however I knew I used to be sat on good cross-country horses.
“The error on Mexican Regulation was no one’s fault, it was only a misreading of the water and she or he is okay. It was a giant studying curve on all ranges and a giant reduction to have the primary one executed as it’s a large step up in each part, so I’m very glad to have it underneath my belt. ”
Isabelle Prepare dinner took over Cymoon from Tina this 12 months and he’s a “extra difficult character” than Barley, as she explains: “He’s sizzling on the flat and fairly tough to get a check out of, although I did get a very good efficiency from him at Osberton on the finish of the season. We’ve been attempting a number of ways with him to get the very best from him. However I couldn’t fault him within the leaping phases and he loves his cross-country and is daring, fast and has gallop and plenty of scope.”
Each Cymoon and Mexican Regulation are co-owned by Jim Chromiak and Tina, with Tina’s mom Althea Gifford additionally having a share in Mexican Regulation. Jim is a long-standing proprietor with Tina and Isabelle acknowledges she is fortunate to have his help.
Subsequent 12 months, she hopes to purpose Mexican Regulation and Emerald Katie – who can be eight in 2025 – at younger riders and Espoir Landais and Cymoon at superior courses, probably together with Bramham if all goes to plan. Mexican Regulation might additionally take the superior route, however Isabelle says you’ll be able to by no means purpose to go on a crew too many instances in order that’s the most important precedence for subsequent 12 months, although the mare might additionally step as much as four-star.
Isabelle Prepare dinner: ‘Mum says you must study by your errors’
The Cooks’ West Sussex set-up shouldn’t be flashy and it’s an ongoing venture to improve their house and services. They’ve just lately moved into a brand new on-site home and can quickly have a brand new area prepared to be used.
“And we’ve excellent turnout so the horses spend plenty of time within the subject when the climate is sweet and the bottom dry. We’ve got the Downs to go hacking on and gallops for hill and quick work,” says Isabelle, whose uncle Nick Gifford, Tina’s brother, additionally trains Nationwide Hunt horses from the identical base.
Though Isabelle is fortunate to have the help of her vastly skilled mom, she can also be fairly impartial.
She says: “Mum has a couple of horses nonetheless and enjoys driving them, however spends plenty of time away from the yard instructing, so I’m left to work it out for myself as a lot as something – she says you must study by your personal errors and might’t all the time be advised what it is best to and shouldn’t do. It’s nice she’s round as a suggestion and when she is there, we trip collectively or she’s on the bottom giving me a bounce. However plenty of the time I’ve to be self-sufficient and work out for myself what every horse must do every day.”
Regardless of her impeccable pedigree and robust document, Isabelle could be very all the way down to earth: “We’ve got a few good ladies working for us, however we don’t have a great deal of workers and I muck out each morning and afternoon like a traditional particular person! I be certain the yard is finished earlier than cracking on with driving, working with the youthful in addition to older horses.”
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Tina Prepare dinner on the ex-racehorse Carraig Dubh, who she produced to present four-star stage. He competed on the London Olympics and at a junior Europeans with different riders later in his profession.
Credit score: Alamy Inventory Picture
Billy The Purple at Barbury Horse Trials in 2021
Credit score: Alamy Inventory Picture
Pippa Funnell on Mirage D’Elle and Tina Prepare dinner on Miners Frolic on the 2013 European Championships.
Credit score: Peter Nixon
Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight, pictured at Barbury in 2018.
Credit score: Peter Nixon
Credit score: Future
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H&H journal editor and eventing editor
Pippa is a real eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand expertise of competing as much as British Eventing intermediate and worldwide CCI2*-L stage, and has labored within the business on a prime occasion yard. Pippa enjoys nothing greater than immersing herself within the sport on the highest stage, reporting from the five-stars and worldwide championships, together with the Olympics.