HorseHage is a keen supporter of equestrianism at both international and local levels and continues to provide product sponsorship to several riders.

Mary King
Mary is one of our top event riders and has numerous prestigious championships to her name. She has been British Champion four times – more than anyone to date, and has also won four team gold medals at World Equestrian Games and European Championships. Mary also has a wealth of Olympic experience, having competed for Britain at Barcelona (1992), Atlanta (1996), Sydney (2000), Athens (2004 – Team Silver medal) and Beijing/Hong Kong (2008 – Team Bronze medal). She has also won twice at Badminton.

Her current top horses are Imperial Cavalier and Apache Sauce, and she also has several younger horses that she is bringing up through the ranks.

Lucy Wiegersma
Another top event rider, Lucy Wiegersma is the only event rider to have won all three national eventing titles (Junior in 1995, Young Rider in 1998 and Senior in 2006). She took 1st place at Blair Castle and 5th at Punchestown in 2004 on Shaabrak, and finished 7th at Badminton in 2006 and 7th at Burghley 2007.

In 2008 Lucy was runner-up at Badminton, and was selected onto the British three-day-eventing team for the Olympics in Hong Kong with Shaabrak but sadly had to withdraw due to lameness which was a huge disappointment. The pair were also runners-up at the International Express Eventing Cup at Cardiff.

Georgie Spence
Georgie is one of our most talented, young event riders. She was the British National U18 Champion in 2006 and was also a member of the silver-medal-winning team at the Junior Europeans in Necarne. She was a member of the Gold Medal winning Young Rider teams in 2007 and 2008 and has been selected onto the World Class Start Programme for a further two years. This programme provides funding for top class training for Olympic prospects. In 2008 Georgie competed at her first 4* events at Badminton and Burghley, where she finished clear and was the best U25 at both events. She is currently ranked 21st on the British Eventing Top 100.




Jeni Gilbert
Huddersfield-based endurance rider, Jeni Gilbert, won the Novice Championship in 2002 and was the Endurance GB Supreme Champion 2007. With her grey Connemara-type horse, Flurrie, who is now 15 years old, she has completed 4800km in six years – a great achievement in a sport that is dominated by Arab horses.

In 2008 Jeni achieved her aim to complete a 160km ride and not only did she achieve this, but won the Dukeries EGB National Class with a speed of 13.97kph. She was also placed 3rd at Kings Forest, Thetford (100km ride) and 4th at Berkshire Downs (2 day 160km race ride).

Despite missing half of last season due to Flurrie being injured, the pair were placed 5th in the overall Senior Championship. He is recovering nicely and they hope to be out and about later this year.


Althea Bleekman
Seventeen-year-old event rider, Althea Bleekman, has been riding from a very early age and is the youngest of the Team HorseHage riders.

She was selected as reserve team member for the British Pony Team for the Europeans Championships in 2007 and also won Thirlestane JRN and Necarne Castle CCIP**. One of her rides, the 14.2hh mare, Mayflower, became the first ever pony to compete at the British Championships at Gatcombe in 2007 where the pair achieved a double clear. Althea was selected onto the 2008 Derby House Pony Squad with her pony, Nightgirl 002, for the Pony European three-day-event championships in Avenches, Switzerland. The team brought home a silver medal and Althea finished in 11th place individually.

2009 will be Althea’s first season out of ponies.

Beverley Brightman
Grand Prix dressage rider, Beverley Brightman, began her career in horse trials where she evented at up to four star level. In 1995 she had a horrific accident when her horse fell on top of her. Left with serious injuries and unable to hardly walk, let alone ride, she proved how determined she was to get back in the saddle and a year later started the sport of dressage.

In 1997, she took over the ride of Master Doruto from Delia Cunningham, and progressed up to Grand Prix level.

Beverley has competed internationally and was on the British Team for the CDIO in Poland in 2003. She was place 10th in the final Olympic trials for Athens 2004 and in the past 10 years has competed in the Dressage National Championships every year bar one.

She retired her well-known Grand Prix horse, Arlequin, in 2008.

Don Hill, De Delux, Gutsherr, City Spring Jet and Devil May Care have already qualified for 20 semi-final classes in 2009 and between them Beverley is hoping they will all get through to the Winter Championships. She has recently been selected onto the World Class Development Plan for the 2012 OIympics with De Delux and Gutsherr.

Roberta Sheffield

Roberta Sheffield will be competing her six year old horse, Wonderboy, in paralympic dressage competitions during 2009. Following a year out, Roberta has been training hard with Arthur Kottas and Gareth Hughes and is aiming to qualify for the National Dressage Championships.

26-year-old Roberta has suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for several years and is classed as having a Grade 4 disability by the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA). This means she is eligible to aim for a place on the Paralympics training scheme.

Helen West
Helen is an event rider and was a member of the gold-medal-winning British Young Rider team in 2001.


Mandy Frost
Show jumper and accredited BSJA instructor.

Show jumper and BSJA Accredited Instructor, Mandy is now back in the saddle after having her little boy. She has been named as Members BSJA Accredited Coach 2008.

Mandy's commitment to training and her enthusiasm to share her knowledge with riders of all ages and abilities is plain to see at regular clinics in the South West. Her launch of the Devon Junior Academy and vital input in setting up the more recent Somerset equivalent has had a tremendous influence on the growth of the junior membership in the region