JOE STOCKDALE
TAKING UP THE REINS by Charley Snowdon
I
am not going to lie, the thought of conducting this interview was one filled with slight anxiety. With Tim’s sudden passing still so raw and his memorial due to take place the following day, I did not know what to expect from my young, recently bereaved interviewee. On arrival it became instantly apparent that the strategically tucked Kleenex in my coat pocket were not going to be needed as the Stockdale pack of Heinz 57 hounds
and the bubbly, smiling face of Joe’s mother Laura greeted me. Any angst I had felt on the drive over was immediately alleviated. Joe is cute, there is no other word to better describe the tall, 19-year-old young man that stood before me, he also has a cheeky sparkle to his eye. His demeanour is not one of shyness or bereavement but of perhaps a newly gained maturity mixed with a certain element of charming confidence. I have seen these characteristics before in young team playing sportsman and so it was no surprise to me to learn that Joe’s bowling physique is readily utilised in the creases of Northampton Towns cricket pitch.
The house is scattered with the unmistakable regal purple Horse of the Year Show cushions and has a relaxed and homely feel. The yard, fields, gardens and stable areas are all immaculate and Joe is passionate about maintaining his late father’s ethic on having everything neat, tidy and just so. “I have definitely inherited a bit of his OCD”, laughs Joe. “The muck heap has to be at right angles, the lorries are all washed down after use and the yard is swept within an inch of its life!”
Tim was such a stickler for routine, neatness and perfection and so naturally driven that he never ever stopped in work or out. “Dad used to say work stops for no man”, recalls Joe fondly. “There was no sitting around with him and even holidays were nonstop, ski holidays in particular were a route march, but hey, that was just Dad!”
Joe has not let anything slide on the yard and any moments of understandable grief are soon dismissed by the voice of his late father instilled in the back of his head. “He would be telling me to get on with it… Dad was very matter of fact about the outcome of his short illness and so we planned together what I was to do with the horses, what shows to enter this year and next and most importantly not to enter the Derby just yet!”
There has been little time for Joe to adjust to his new role as Head of ‘Team Stockdale’ and the transition from being sole rider of one horse to now all of his late father’s rides would be an unfathomable prospect to many. “There
is a little bit of pressure, I’m not going to lie, but they are all nice horses”, says a modest Joe. “I have been so lucky that all of Dad’s owners and sponsors have agreed to support me moving forward.”
Indeed, Laura and Joe speak of their owners fondly and describe them as ‘members of the family’ and very much part of the ‘fixtures and fittings’. “We have tried to downsize and concentrate on what we are doing”, explains Laura. “Tim would have clients coming and going and would be forever seeking out new horses etc, but we have reduced that pressure down, so we can focus on the here and now.”
Today, Joe takes the reins of a yard full of quality horses including the up and coming mare Cacheral, aka Cash, a horse that Tim believed in more than any other. “If you could make the
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perfect horse, she is it”, says Joe. “Cash has so much scope and all the elements you desire in a grand prix horse, she has only had one fence down in three years, she’s simply unbelievable.” Every athlete needs ground support and Joe has been overwhelmed by the many professional offerings of help since his father’s passing. “William Funnell and my dad were good friends,” explains Joe. “Dad asked Will to keep an eye on me knowing that they had very similar views on the modern show jumping rider, who has to be very precise and more actuate than ever before. Courses are so technical nowadays. Will has a modern approach to his training and both he and his wife Pippa know the perfection it takes to compete at today’s top levels.” There really is no stopping Joe and armed with his newly gained HGV license he is excitedly getting ready to head to Spain with five of the yard’s top horses. The Oakley lorry he now holds the keys to was Tim’s pride and joy and as you can well imagine is
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