ROS WOZ ROBBED, BUT I’M STILL OVER THE MOON
Breeder Pennie Wallace has told of the incredible moment she watched the horse she set on the path to eventing glory bring home an Olympic Gold Medal.
Pennie wept with delight as Lordships Graffalo fulfilled every breeder’s dream by winning the ultimate prize in equestrianism.
The 17h bay three-day eventing champion galloped into the history books after winning Team Gold in Paris with world class rider Ros Canter last week.
After a last-minute appeal for tickets, award-winning breeder Pennie managed to get to Paris in time to proudly cheer on her beloved “Walter” who was born on her 50th birthday 12 years ago.
Pennie, 62, from Rochford, Essex, almost missed the golden opportunity to see her boy in action after failing to secure tickets to the Olympics.
Thankfully, a frantic appeal on social media saved the day, and both Pennie and son James, 31, got the green light to go just days before the event started.
“When I watched Walter and Ros being presented with the gold medal the tears flowed,” Pennie admitted to MumsHaynet. “It’s every breeder’s dream and I couldn’t have been prouder of him.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine the leggy little foal I first set eyes on 12 years ago would be an Olympic champion.
“It really makes all the hard work and expense of a small breeder worthwhile as it’s a tough job sometimes and the rewards can be few and far between.”
Honour
Pennie’s scramble for tickets has prompted her to call for greater recognition of the contribution of all sports horse producers.
As she points out in the case of Lordships Graffalo, she was not only responsible for bringing him into the world, along with joint breeder Lordships Stud Writtle University College, but also for putting him on the path to worldwide success – and the sporting world’s greatest honour.
“Sadly, because I only managed to get public tickets, I never got the opportunity to see Walter or Ros in person,” says Pennie. “Only those with official accreditation were able to go behind the scenes because the security and welfare of the horses is paramount.
“It was a shame, but I totally understood the reasons and didn’t let it detract from the incredible opportunity of being able to get to Paris.
“Ros and I did message each other though.
“It was a very hot day and I was among a sea of 40,000 people on the cross country course, but managed to get a great view of Walter jumping one of the water fences.
“The stands were absolutely packed for the showjumping and the atmosphere was electric. After we won, I was waving my Union Jack flag in the air and a French guy came over and said, ‘Wow your horses and riders have certainly put the great in Great Britain.’ It was such a lovely moment and then our national anthem was played.”
Lordships Graffalo was bought from Pennie by current owner Michele Saul after coming third at the Burghley Young Event Horse Qualifier at Houghton Hall. Pennie sent the horse to Ros’s Lincolnshire yard to get backed as a three-year-old, and he returned the following year so the World Number 2 rider could produce him further.
His exceptional talents saw him win Badminton last year – one of the most prestigious competitions in Three Day Eventing – followed by gold at the European Championships.
Pennie, who works in a local saddlery, said: “Ros had a party after her and Walter’s Badminton win which I went to and I’m waiting to hear if there will be any celebrations after the Olympics.
“They are a fantastic partnership. Walter is still only 12 so who knows if he’ll be able to compete in the next Games.”
Robbed
Lordships Graffalo produced an impressive dressage test on day one, but incurred 15 penalties during a foot perfect cross country, despite going clear and inside the time, after incurring a controversial flag penalty at fence 21D.
Missing a flag results in 15 penalties if the horse jumps the dimension of the obstacle, but some part of the body is not inside the flags, such as a shoulder, or a shoulder and part of a hip.
If the horse’s body — head, neck, shoulders and pelvis, but excluding the legs — clears the full height of the obstacle but is not fully inside the jump as originally flagged, then 15 penalties are given for missing a flag.
The British Team appealed the decision but the judges upheld their decision.
Lordships Graffalo would have otherwise come 5th out of 65 horse and rider combinations from 26 different countries instead of 21st.
But the horse, bred from Pennie’s mare Cornish Queen, still won team gold with fellow Brits Laura Collett on London 52, who won individual bronze, and Tom McEwen on JL Dublin.
This victory marks Great Britain's fifth Olympic gold medal in eventing and marks them out as the only NOC among 16 to finish with a penalty score under 100 across all three riders.
Pennie said “There is no doubt Walter and Ros were robbed in the individual placings due to an incorrect flag penalty. I, and many other equestrians, watched the replays and the video footage showed that both horse and rider jumped within the flags of the fence.
“They had a fence in the showjumping so they wouldn’t have won an individual medal but they would have come fifth. Anyway, we have moved on now and I look forward to Walter’s continuing success in the future.
“He got home from Paris and went out for a well-deserved roll in the field.”
