The teenage sons of showjumpers Tina and Graham Fletcher are certainly making waves on the competition circuit and at the Royal County of Berkshire show at the weekend (15-16 September) the brothers claimed a victory apiece in the two major classes.
Will took Saturday’s area trial on Emmerton II, while Olli won the international stairway the following day on Temple Rebus.
“I think you’d have to go back to the days of John and Michael Whitaker to find a similar result for brothers at a county show,” said proud dad Graham.
Will, 19, set the ball rolling with a superb round to take the victory on the nine-year-old gelding.
Will Fletcher and Emmerton II
“I’ve had an incredible season,” said Will, who this year has bagged his first stairway success, represented his country at his first European Championships and won his first gold medal, and he will jump on his first senior team in next month’s four-star Nations Cup in Morocco.
Emmerton is a former eventer, who only competed in his first 1.20m class in May.
“He’s such a cool horse and has as much scope as anything I’ve sat on,” said Will. “He’s definitely one to watch.”
On Sunday, it was 15-year-old Olli’s turn to shine as he secured an impressive 1.5sec victory on the 11-year-old gelding. In doing so, Olli broke the record previously held by his brother for the youngest ever winner of a Stairway class.
Continues below…
Producing youngsters the traditional way
Why Graham Fletcher believes the traditional way is best.
Horse of a lifetime: Graham Fletcher and Buttevant Boy
When show jumper Graham Fletcher’s late father, Ken, saw a three-year-old with a 75-year-old rider out hunting and bought it…
What you didn’t know about… Promised Land
Showjumper Tina Fletcher tells H&H about her pony-shaking Hickstead Derby winner
“He’s only beaten me by four years!” said Will.
“I’m so chuffed,” said Olli. “We knew he was a good horse when we bought him, but he wasn’t quite right and we gave him a year off in the field. It’s taken a while, but he was worth waiting for.”
Don’t miss the full report from the Royal County Of Berkshire show in this week’s Horse & Hound, out Thursday 20 September.
Filed under: Riding Tips
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!