Hockley’s Harry Bateman had an early victory in the Longines International Arena at Hickstead. Riding Teza Englefield’s Lex Lokoda, he took the spoils in Wednesday’s SEIB Winter Novice Championship, besting a strong field of 23 over the 1.25m track.
“I’m absolutely over the moon – the horse totally deserves it, and we love him,” enthuses Bateman, who only took the ride on a week before qualifying for the Longines Royal International Horse Show at the beginning of this year.
The 8-year-old gelding measures in at just 15.3hh and, at 8-years-old, he’s reasonably inexperienced too.
“He’s only little but he’s such a huge character. He’s a pocket rocket with an enormous stride,” says Bateman. “I said to Teza that I found the first round very backwards – it’s a little bit his nemesis because he’s got such a big stride and quite a lot of blood, so he loves to run. The jump-off suits him perfectly, but the first round – well, you’ve got to jump clear to get to the next bit. I think we’re quite similar in that sense.”
Englefield had her eye on the talented gelding from a young age – in fact, she was at his breeder’s yard on the day the horse was conceived and had broken his sire in years prior. Though she lost track of Lex Lokoda for a period of time, she jumped on the opportunity to purchase the horse when she found him for sale.
“I didn’t know he’d ever been sold, but when I saw him advertised I recognised the breeding – so I went in and beat everyone else to buying him,” she says. “Basically, I bought him sight unseen and totally untried. But he’s been a little star – he’s very popular and a lot of people enjoy following him. He’s got a heart as big as a lion.”
Bateman also finished third in the Champagne Cave Winter Grades B&C Championship, riding the 18hh Granby.
Photo: Emily Gailey
