ABOUT
Growing up surrounded by horses on her parents’ farm in the heart of Leicestershire, a career in horses was inevitable for Heidi. Her mum had her first pony lined up before she was even born and it wasn’t long before six-year old Heidi was a member of the Belvoir Pony Club and had her first tastes of success at local riding club shows. Heidi enjoyed a successful childhood competing in working hunter classes with her most impressive achievements including being crowned Champion at the Royal International Horse Show in 2012 and placing 2nd at HOYS in 2014. Heidi started eventing in the autumn of 2013 and won her first event, a BE80 at Frickley, on Riversdale Magic Heart. Hooked by the thrill of cross country, Heidi made the transition from showing to eventing, achieving top ten finishes at all of her events that year including two wins. Heidi started eventing as she meant to go on and had a fantastic first full season in 2014. She finished in the top two a phenomenal 8 times out of 11 starts while gaining qualification for the Badminton Grassroots Championships the following year where she finished third.
2015 saw Heidi transition from ponies to horses and several impressive runs at novice level lead to her selection for the National Youth Championships at Weston Park where she made up the winning East Midlands team and finished 4th individually. This year also marked the beginning of her partnership with Royal Fury who won his first ever event. Heidi spent 2016 consolidating at 2** level, achieving strong results in CCIJ**-Ls at Brand Hall and Frickley. This was the year that Heidi also stepped up to BE Intermediate, making a name for herself as a driven and competitive young rider. Heidi and Royal Fury won their first Junior Trial at Weston Park in 2017 which secured them a place on the longlist for the Junior Europeans. This was followed by a win at the National u-18 Championships at Frickley Park as well as numerous other top ten placings at Intermediate level. This also proved to be a rewarding season for Heidi’s exciting up and coming horses as she qualified Halenza and Russal Z for Osberton Young Horse Championships.
2018 was a very exciting year for Heidi as she proved her consistency by achieving an astounding 36 top ten finishes out of 42 events, the highlight of which had to be winning team and individual silver at the Junior European Championships in Fontainebleu. This exceptional performance was made all the more special by Heidi having produced Royal Fury from the very beginning of his eventing career. This fantastic year was topped off by Heidi achieving promising results on two more self-produced youngsters as six-year old Halenza placed 9th in her first Intermediate while her exciting new 4 year-old, Jack Ass, finished 10th at the Osberton Young Horse Championships.
2019 got off to a flying start with Heidi landing an impressive 1-2 at Lincolnshire Intermediate Young Rider Trial. Her success continued with a great win at Belton Intermediate. Following this, Heidi was selected to represent Great Britain at the Young Rider European Championships in Maarsbergen in Holland on her own Royal Fury. Heidi managed to climb 20 places after the dressage to win an individual bronze medal. Heidi was also selected on two horses to compete at the world seven year old championships with her own, Halenza, and David Ottewells Russal Z, where they finished 10th and 15th. To finish off a fabulous season Heidi was the leading under 21 rider of the year and win the Goldmans league for the most BE points of the season and finsihed the season ranked 48th in the World.
Heidi’s ultimate aim for this year, 2020, is team selection for the European Young Rider Championships, as well as to continue producing her string of young horses up the levels.
The 2020 season started with a win for Russal Z in the OIu21 leading from start to finish with a 24 dressage. Carrigsean Tigerseye also put in a good performance in the OI finishing with a double clear and finished 4th place. Jack Ass lead the dressage on a 26 in the novice and followed it with a double clear with a few time faults xc that dropped him to 3rd place. Indiana Du Vlist jumped a double clear to finish 4th in the Novice. Unfortunately Covid 19 hit and because of this the season was on hold until July but once it all got going Heidi had a fantastic year. Highlights include finishing 3rd on Carrigsean. Tigerseye at Aston in his first advanced and Halenza finished 7th. Russal Z finished her season with a 9th place in the 4*8/9yos at Burnham Market and a 5th place at Bicton 3*-S. Due to covid the Young Rider Europeans was cancelled so Royal Fury finished his season with a 6th place at Thorsby 3*-L, and Carrigsean Tigerseye finished 3rd at Bicton 3*-L. 2020 saw a new ride for Heidi, Lavana Valentino, whom started his eventing career and finished his season with a 2nd place at Norton Disney in the BE100. With a fantastic year for Heidi she finished a close 2nd place in the Goldman Cup League, which Heidi was slightly gutted to not have defended her title, but she will be trying hard to win the trophy back in 2021.
