When Marlborough schoolgirl Lottie Turnell bought her horse Drumbore Sibon (Henry) last year, she never imagined the pair would qualify for the LeMieux BE100 Grassroots Championships at Badminton—one of the country’s most prestigious equestrian venues.
The competition represents the pinnacle for riders competing at BE100 level. Lottie will line up on Wednesday in the Grassroots Championships, held on the same day as the five-star event horses undergo their vet inspection ahead of the Mars Badminton Horse Trials, which begin on Thursday.
Over the past year, Lottie and Henry have focused on building a strong partnership. Their rapid progress and consistent results have now earned them a place at the highly regarded event.
“I have never had a horse like him. We started at 80cm, then moved up to 100cm, and now we’ve qualified for Badminton. It’s so exciting,” said Lottie.
“Eventing is my first love and my dream is to keep going with horses. I would like to groom for a professional and learn that way,” she added, as she prepares to sit her A-level exams at St John’s next week.
The pair head into the championships in strong form, having secured two fifth-place finishes and a sixth in their last three events.
Lottie’s success runs in the family. Her grandfather was Andy Turnell, arguably the most stylish jump jockey of his generation and later very successful trainer, as was his dad – Bob Turnell, Lottie’s great grandfather. Bob Turnell trained at Ogbourne Maizey, taking over from the great Sir Gordon Richards in what is now Emma Lavelle’s Bonita Racing Stables.
UPDATE……..
Marlborough teenager Lottie Turnell was back at school today after enjoying the experience of competing in the LeMieux Grassroots 100cm Championships at the Badminton Horse Trials.
“I am a bit tired today but it was great fun,” said Lottie, who went into the showjumping phase on a dressage score of 30.8 aboard Drumbore Sinon, known as Henry.
However, the showjumping proved “frustrating”, with two fences down costing her the chance of a placing.
“I was quite nervous and I made a mistake going into the double and had two down,” she explained. “But it did take the pressure off because I knew I wasn’t going to be competitive for a placing, so we just stormed around the cross-country and really enjoyed it.”
Turnell said the atmosphere at Badminton made the occasion even more memorable.
“My family came and we all had a great time,” she added. “It was such a nice atmosphere because it is unusual to have so many people around.”
Lottie and Henry will now take a short break while she begins her A-level exams on Monday. She is then hoping to qualify for the British Youth Championships at Bishop Burton College later this year.
Jan Perrins
Tea, Coffee and Biscuits – good reasons to drop in before the Kennet Valley Annual Parish Meeting on Monday 11 May
