Leaving school is a terrifying prospect when father insists “you must get a proper job instantly – there’s no free rides here my love.” Just one problem, the only thing I knew how to do was handle a horse!
The fun of Pony Club and a life of pony days – I didn’t want it to end! I even took my friends and I with our ponies to Hicksted, the most prestigious of showjumping arenas. We came home unsuccessfully but had a good time!
Scanning the papers desperately one day, I came across an advertisement in the Yorkshire Post for a stud assistant in Wetherby, and I jumped at it. I spent 18 months at Walton Stud with thoroughbred stallions and mares, learned so much and had a great time!
I still felt like I owed it to my parents to get a proper job, with proper prospects and all, so I gave it all up and went into financial planning. However, the passion never faded – it grew even more!
An opportunity arose for my husband and I to own our own broodmare, so it was off to Ian Williams’ yard for the gorgeous Lady Shirocco.
Despite showing promise in point-to-point contests, Lady Shirocco was sadly injured in her early racing career and was left on the shelf. I always believed we’d saved her from an early end, but who knows? We now feel like she’s been around forever and we’re glad we could give her a purpose in life.
She needed a friend to keep her company and so our Juddmonte mare Granby Mrs Otillie came home to roost and they’ve been best buddies ever since.
We currently have a foal out of each mare – Mattaniah by Jack Hobbs out of Lady Shirocco and Amari by Ardad out of Granby Mrs Otillie.
After a year or so of nurturing, they’re extremely healthy and almost ready for backing and running, with Mattaniah nearly a two-year-old and Amari approaching her first birthday.
We’re overjoyed to team up with Peter Gorman – who has 40 years of racing experience – to form a local syndicate Cross Lane Racing.
With a growing interest in the pair, we’re very excited to see where the future takes us and invite any interest in a 10% stake in either mare to get in touch.
