Lucy Jones – Mitsubishi Motors Cup
Lucy Jones from Somerset will be competing her chestnut gelding, Becketts Word next week in the Mitsubishi Motors Cup which precedes the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials and takes place on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 May.
We caught up with her to find out how her preparations have been going.
Tell us a bit about yourself and Becketts Word
I was born in Cornwall and first learnt to ride a Dartmoor pony called Saucy. On moving to Somerset at the age of nine I was a member of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Pony Club and Hunt and I enjoyed competing in all the Pony Club Teams. On leaving school I went to Catering College and trained as a chef, I then accepted a job as a Catering Manager at Cheltenham Racecourse and then Newmarket Racecourse. I got fed up with long hours and many hours driving I decided to quit catering and work with horses. I presently work on a farm with 10 horses, 15 cows, 4 dogs and chickens.
I bought Becketts Word or ‘Dex’ as he is known at home, as a seven year old from Sami McLeod. We still hunt with the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale, take part in Riding Club activities and enjoy Team Chasing. Last year we won the South West Rider Rankings for the 90cm level and the Veteran Prize! I qualified for Mitsubishi Motors Cup BE100 at Port Eliot, Cornwall just 5 miles from where I was born.
What is your favourite of the three disciplines and why?
My favourite discipline has to be the cross country as it really gives me a thrill, then it would be the dressage and our weakest phase is the show jumping. I’m lucky Dex moves well and likes to pose which makes the dressage a little easier!
How are you working Dex in preparation for the Mitsubishi Motors Cup?
I don’t have very good facilities at home; I don’t have a school, a horse walker or jumps so we are true amateurs! I plan to travel Dex before the Mitsubishi Motors Cup so that we can use an all weather gallop to work on his fitness as the course at Badminton is longer than at a usual event. I’ve had huge help from my trainer Ed Hobbs from South Barrow Equestrian and I have two lessons booked prior to Badminton.
Our final competition before the event was a One Day event at Pontispool, Somerset. We had a good dressage, went clear show jumping and we had a silly run out cross country, but he felt great and hopefully we have blown away any cobwebs before the championship!
What was your daily schedule with your horses and how do you fit it around work?
I work mornings, so I usually get up at 6.00am and feed my two horses, muck out and turn out in the field, sometimes I am unable to turn out as we are on the Somerset Levels so it can be very wet. I then go to work and I do all my riding in the afternoons.
Tell us about your plans for the journey to Badminton and who will be going with you.
I hope to arrive at Badminton at lunchtime on Monday 2 May; my lucky highly coloured socks thred bare will certainly be in the kit bag along with all of my tack and Dodson & Horrell Pasture Mix. My fantastic mum who is also my biggest critic will be coming with me as well as my niece who will be my groom. Hopefully my trainer Ed Hobbs will be coming as he is great at de stressing me.
Are there any top riders you look up to and why?
Top jock has to go to be William Fox-Pitt; he is so cool under pressure and is a thoroughly nice guy!
