As the 2014 Hickstead Derby winner Adventure de Kannan proved earlier this year, any loss of eyesight can prove little hindrance to a horse at the top of its game.
And in testament to the amazing bond of trust Jordan Mathieson has forged with his partially sighted horse Glencoco, they romped around the cross country course at the Craigie Autumn Hunter Trials to take the open win.
Jordan bought the eight-year-old 17h2 warmblood gelding three years ago.
“He had full sight within his off-side eye, but only partial sight in his near-side eye when I got him but unfortunately over the years this got progressively worse and now he has lost all of his sight from that eye,” said Jordan.
“We haven’t had any issues in terms of his eyesight at all, though. If anything it has just brought us so much closer together as a combination as we both have to trust each other 100%.”
Jordan, who lives in Dunfermline, keeps the son of Canturo and Miss Panda, at livery at Blair House in Oakley and they train regularly with Nicola McArthur.
Although working at weekends has hindered his competing this year, Jordan has begun eventing Glencoco and they made their British Eventing debut at Kirriemuir.
“It was one of our biggest achievements to date,” he said of the competition at Kirrie. “We finished in 10th position in the BE90.”
As well as competing cross country, the partnership has also spent this year jumping at Kingsbarn, Tapitlaw and Inchcoonans. This was their first attempt at the open class at the Fife Riding Club event: “The course at Craigie is always fantastic. I have been competing there for many years.
“We stayed in a good rhythm this time and I didn’t let any of the jumps phase me, so it rode brilliantly.”
As the classes progressed down in height, primary school teacher Jenna Cushnie, from Glenrothes, won the adult novice entry with her 13-year-old Irish Sports Horse mare, Calli.
This partnership, which has been together for the last five years, regularly competes at cross country and recently achieved a second place at the Fife Foxhounds’hunter trials at Foresterseat.
This was their first hunter trials win.
“Calli was really bold and eager to take on the jumps,” Jenna said.
“We’ve got quite a bit of cross country experience now under our belts,” she said, adding that they made their BE debut two years ago at BE80 level and this year made the step up to BE90.
She added: “The course rode well and the ground was as good as it always is.”
Jenna and Calli stopped the clock just 17 seconds over the optimum time to ensure the win. As regular competitors at Fife Riding Club they have previously topped the novice winter dressage league.
The pairs class provided a great opportunity for Perthshire rider Alex Allan to get her relatively inexperienced horse Ziggy out to see a cross country.
They went out around the course in partnership with Steph Dougan.
“We had taken Ziggy out training a couple of times, but we thought the best way to teach him about cross country competition was really just to put him in at the deep end and tuck him behind his ‘big brother’Fabs, providing a lead,” said Alex.
But whilst Fabs, which has competed with Alex at BE now for a number of seasons, wondered why Ziggy was competing at the same time and was slightly perplexed by the small size of the fences, Alex said it was a brilliant introduction for Ziggy.
“We were shocked to have won as we were really only using it as a training outing. But we were both very pleased and Ziggy had a blast,” she added.
Alex said Ziggy will now get the chance to go cross country “solo” at the GleneaglesAutumn HunterTrials, after which his transition from successful coloured show pony to eventer will hopefully be complete.
In the popular adult minimus class, Broughty Ferry rider Demi Smart romped around the course to secure the victory on her relatively new ride Duncrahill Charisma.
Demi, who is studying early years education and childcare at Dundee College, bought the 10-year-old coloured mare six months ago and liveries her just north of the city at Mill of Brighty.
The daughter of Stanhopes Diddicoy, which was bred out of Duncrahill Valiant, had competed extensively at Pony Club and riding club activities and has continued to prove consistent for Demi.
They came to Craigie having been fourth at Strathearn HunterTrials during the summer and were more recently first and third at the Brechin Castle Arena Event, which also incorprated cross country.
As another regular partnership that supports Fife Riding Club, they also won a fifth-place rosette on their last outing to the club’s mini cross country.equestrian@thecourier.co.ukResults
Open: 1 Jordan Mathieson, Glencoco; 2 Jemma Christie, Ronnie; 3 Hannah Aitken, Maydown Star. Junior novice: 1 Joanne Bizzarri, Missy; 2 Daisy Galbraith, Cara; 3 Ellis Watson, Louis. Adult novice: 1 Jenna Cushnie, Calli; 2 Kristi James, Just Martha; 3 Lisa McCulloch, Zill. Pairs: 1 Alex Allan, Fabs and Steph Dougan, Ziggy; 2 Lyn Williamson, Apache and Leigh Clark, Storm; 3 Madalina Cocris, Betty and Jessie Barnet, Google. Junior nursery novice: 1 Amelia England, Rhydspence Ambassador; 2 Poppy Baird, Murphy; 3 Millie Baird, Arizona. Adult nursery novice (section A): 1 Sam Smith, Dante; 2 Sarah Adam, Midsummer Skye; 3 Rose Cartwright, Greno in the Pink. Adult nursery novice (section B): 1 John Clenaghan, Edwardo; 2 Alison Page, Sporting Danillo; 3 Melissa Hunter, Daisy. Nursery novice schooler clears: Elsie Pollock Smith, Bells of Clover; Mhari Cameron, Spirit; Tom Carruthers, Dexter; Yvonne Walde, Cody. Junior minimus: 1 Freya England, Kenny; 2 Isla Skene, Gpig; 3 Emma Leslie, Lenny. Adult minimus: 1 Demi Smart, Charisma; 2 Joyce Simpson, Dolly; 3 Kirstie Williams, Usworth Silver Rocket.