2021 selection

Emma Thomas

GBR

Top 3 Results 2021:

Biography:

Emma, 22-years-old from Leamington Spa in Warwickshire, took to horses at an early age, taking weekly riding lessons as a child. After years of pestering her parents, Emma was given her first pony aged nine. Emma became interested in eventing after watching Opposition Buzz go cross-country at Badminton. It looked incredibly exciting, and she decided it was the sport for her! Emma began in the Warwickshire Hunt Pony Club, eventually going on to win the Open Show Jumping Championships at Hickstead and the Open Eventing Championships individually. Emma also represented team Central for three years in a row at the U18 National Championships. The support from the team staff there was invaluable, guiding her through her first long formats wonderfully. In the past few years, she has produced a couple of horses right the way through to Advanced and CCI4* level. Enjoying working with them and watching them progress has been very rewarding. A highlight of Emma’s career to date has been producing her first horse to jump clear around the Novice, Intermediate and Open Championships in consecutive championships. The icing on the cake was picking up a placing at the British Open in 2021. Now, with some more fantastic young horses coming through the next few seasons are looking very exciting for Emma. Her aim is GBR Senior Team selection, but she is also looking forward to hopefully competing at CCI5* level and on the Nations Cup teams in the coming years.

Harry Mutch

GBR

Top 3 Results 2021:

• 1st - Belsay Intermediate
• 2nd - Burgham Intermediate

Biography:

24-year-old event rider Harry Mutch, based in Richmond in the North of England, is currently competing up to CCI5* level. Currently running a string of 8 event horses ranging from 4-year-olds to Advanced level Harry is dedicating his time and efforts in building his eventing business around him. Harry got into Eventing from going to watch at Burghley shortly after he first started riding and 8 years later, he completed Badminton CCI5*. To date his career highlight is finishing 2nd at Barroca CCI4*L in Portugal, and completing two CCI5*’s. In the future Harry would like to aim to compete on Nations Cup teams, which hopefully lead to Senior team selection and being successful at CCI5* level.

Kristina Hall-Jackson

GBR

Top 3 Results 2021:

Biography:

25-year-old event rider Kristina has fantastic family support and a hard-working team at home. Kristina is based at her parent’s property, located in the beautiful quiet Yorkshire countryside, and it is the ideal place to produce youngstock and train top level event horses. A new cross-country field has recently been developed and the yard has brilliant hacking with lots of hills to keep the horses fit. Kristina has produced horses from unbroken 3-year-olds to 4* level and has just gained her 5* qualification with CMS Google with the aim to complete her first 5* in the 2022 season, with Badminton being the main goal. Her aims are to compete successfully on a Nations Cup and Senior team with the Olympics being the dream. Selected for Team GBR at 17 years of age, she has been riding since 18 months old. Competitions started with Pony Club, moving to Working Hunter Pony’s, then at age 14 experiencing the thrill of cross-country. Her 14h working hunter pony changed careers and was campaigned at Pony Trials in their first season together they finished 5th at the National pony championships. Very fortunate to be given the ride on Lemington Lets Dance from Judy Bradwell they were selected for Team GBR at the Junior Europeans in 2014 finishing 17th with a double clear. Kristina decided to take a Gap year, rather than taking up her place at Leeds University, and base herself at Christopher Bartle’s in one of coldest winters fending for herself with 4 horses living in her horse box, this demonstrated to her parents her determination and commitment. Her parents then supported her decision to decline her place permanently to support her eventing career.