( Tackroom Chat )
CHN TACKROOM CHAT This issue CHN’s Clare Tobin chats to
Showing Supremo Katie Jerram-Hunnable.
Katie with husband Chris Hunnable, and do DJ
had started to hack out Sidney Robinson's Point to Pointers when she wasn’t dashing backwards and forwards to London. At 14 I was allowed to school them. My father by now was a permit holder and I spent all my time with him learning and asking questions. I think I might have been a bit annoying. Together we trained horses for National Hunt races including Cheltenham and Aintree. I’m dyslexic and found school very difficult. Spending so much time with my father I was always busy learning, whether it was about conformation or helping out with training – this was all so important to me. My school was also very supportive, allowing me time off to compete. I struggled academically and so I was so fortunate to have so many supportive people around me who saw where my future was going with horses. I eventually did my first Point to Point at 18 and won! But I had been going to HOYS every year since the age of 10 and showing was clearly going to be the way forward for me.
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ith the sound of pots and pans clanging and her beloved dogs barking in the background I chatted to Katie during a break at lunchtime. As we spoke her infectious, friendly and
positive tone explains her massive success and popularity in her sport. A more enthusiastic advocate of her sport you couldn’t meet. Katie Jerram-Hunnable and her team are based at her parents’
farm, Collins Farm in Essex, an accredited yard under the BHS and BSPS which boasts first class facilities. Katie has produced and ridden horses for many years this led her to take titles such as Supreme Horse at Horse of the Year Show, Royal International Horse Show and other major Championship Shows. Katie has also trained more than 20 horses for HM the Queen – the most well-known being ex racer Barbers Shop who was bred by the Queen Mother, trained by Nicky Henderson and won more than £140,000 before retiring and switching to showing with Katie. In addition to producing top class Hunters, Hacks, Cobs, Riding Horses, Ladies Side Saddle and Working Hunters for the show ring Katie also spends her time helping and encouraging riders to reach higher levels of competition through her expert training skills. During her less busy winter months Katie dedicates her time to her training clinics held at various locations throughout the country. She is also in demand as a show judge around the world. Katie is 55 and married to former Equestrian Olympian Chris Hunnable.
What made you start riding? I started with my brother by going to the local riding school in Chelmsford. We followed the usual route of going round in groups in the school. My brother loved it, but I took to it like a duck to water. We did this for about a year when it was decided that perhaps I could have my own pony. My mother by this time had a pony at home and Dad had a horse so we had 3 at home which was lovely. My first pony was a 12.2hh called Orange Pippin and I was about 5 when I got him. He was a cheeky, naughty little pony. I was in the Essex North Pony Club and did a bit of everything on Pip, I liked jumping but he didn’t! However, when I showed him I found it really suited him and I spent summers showing him and winters hunting. Pip was followed by a lovely little schoolmaster, Flight of Rotherwood, who ironically preferred jumping so I did lots of Working Hunters with him. I moved onto the Hacks aſter the ponies and that’s where it really started. My mother, who was a model, was very keen on horses and she
62 MAY/JUNE 2019 How did you move to showing? T ell us about your many successes
I evented and trained horses to Intermediate level for seven years along with showing Hacks, Cobs, Hunters, Riding Horses and Arabs at County Level. I found more and more clients wanting to show horses and so my eventers then joined the Working Hunters and as a yard we concentrated on the show scene.
I’ve been so
fortunate so many of my rides have gone on to have great success. Azaraz won the Supreme at the Royal Show in 2010 and Dunbeacon won the Lightweight Hunter class at HOYS, the Ladies Hunter Side Saddle, Supreme at Hoys before taking the Royal Windsor Hunter Championships and Supreme title at the RIHS in 2012.
Katie also rode for the Queen, there were many horses including Barbers Shop who, at Royal Windsor, won the RoR class in front of the Queen in 2010.
What pets and other animals do you have around the farm and at home? I am surrounded by animals; I would say that I love anything with 4 legs and I consider my wonderful horses, dogs and the yard cats to be my best friends. Currently I have 2 dogs at home and 3 that travel to the yard. The dogs come everywhere with me and when I'm away from them, like the horses, I miss them terribly. We have some brilliant mousers at the yard too in our farm cats.
What's a typical day for you? I get up and sort out my dogs. For the first time in many years I have moved away from the farm and live about 45 miles away. The yard starts work at 6.30am but I get there around 7.30. I spend most days riding and teaching and at lunchtime we
“regroup” we can talk about teaching, shows coming up, sorting out tack etc. I lost my head girl who had been with me for 15 years recently, so now we are a new team which is a huge adjustment. We make sure we are all up to speed by making notes, and writing diaries every day. I’m a great believer in learning on the job and it’s my pleasure to be bringing through a new team of young enthusiastic people, who now are as important to me in their training as the horses. I am so fortunate in my team including my parents, husband and people at the yard.
Do you have any advice for people starting out in showing? I’m very old fashioned. I don’t like “bling”. I don’t like to see children wearing make- up and little short jackets showing their bottoms, also I don’t like scrunchies in their hair.
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