Leading the Way by Charlie Snowdon
T
his RoR pocket rocket needs no real introduction,
Untilla Legend aka Jaffa. Now eleven years old, Jaffa started life as a bright orange, chestnut foal. “He was quite an arrogant foal and yearling”, recalls owner and formidable pilot Yvonne Goss. “He would just walk through electric fences and it wouldn’t matter how much of a shock he received, he al- ready knew his own mind at that age.” Jaffa found Yvonne
aſter suffering a hairline
fracture of his cannon bone whilst out on the gallops at her son Jamie’s backing and breaking yard. “Jamie did say he was a bit of a handful to break!” laughs Yvonne. “He came to me for a couple of months to repair and aſterwards was entered into a bumper under trainer Alex Hales.” Jaffa surpassed all expectations in his bumper, finishing mid field on his debut, but shortly aſterwards suffered another hairline fracture to his other cannon bone. “We then took the decision that perhaps racing wasn’t for him and I took him on as my next potential team chaser”, explains Yvonne. “In hindsight I do think that perhaps he just needed another twelve months to mature as a racer, but it’s always easy to look back.” Coming off the track, Jaffa started the retraining process with Yvonne. “I am a member of the local riding club and so we would go off and attend their training clinics”, recalls Yvonne. “I also took him to an adult training camp over a long weekend where I kept telling the instructor he had done nothing but in true Jaffa style we ended up jumping everything! We still enjoy regular Riding Club activities as I think they are very important.” With this good, all-round foundation in place the partnership went from strength to strength. “I train all my horses to the voice and I am always talking to him and I swear he talks back to me”, says Yvonne. “The less hassle I give him under saddle the more he likes it, but he also understands that if I tell him to sit back and listen coming to a fence he will. I believe it’s this mutual understanding that allows us to do what we do. I know that he will not let me down and he knows that I am committed as he is.” Maintaining Jaffa’s fitness and soundness to endure running over the countries toughest team chasing and hunt ride courses is something that Yvonne passionately works
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to maintain. “During the season I will not work Jaffa too much between races”, explains Yvonne. “I am a firm believer in lots of good roadwork to strengthen the legs. I will hack him in a pair of loose bungees’ during the week to maintain his top line and we do a lot of fast walking, slow trotting and hill work.” As with any athlete, diet is important, and Jaffa is not
exactly the easiest of customers! “Honestly, with the amount he eats it’s any wonder he can even trot up the road!” laughs Yvonne. “I feed him Top Spec Super Con- ditioning Flakes and their Comprehensive Balancer, and he just thrives. He is extremely fussy, and, in the past, I have tried to feed him mixes and things but anything with a nut in it he will turn his nose up to!” Jaffa stands at a short coupled 16hh and is the perfectly
conformed jumper. “He isn’t the fastest but has a very high cruise speed”, says Yvonne. “He is like sitting on a fence post, he is very ponyish and sharp with a hell of a ping on him! Jaffa doesn’t like to be headed and I think this is what keeps him going!” Team chasing is not for the faint hearted and as open
team leaders for Foxgrant Dot Com, Yvonne and Jaffa are responsible for finding the most time saving routes. “When I walk the course, I obviously look at the fence in front but also look back on the fence behind to make sure I have the most direct line”, tips Yvonne. “The rest of the team have to be hot on Jaffa’s heals because once we’re going, we are going! He is so careful that I don’t worry even when facing timber at full pelt.” Another appreciative fan of Jaffa’s talents is that of fellow
team member, founder and sponsor, William Fox Grant of Fox Grant Estate Agents. “Well I love him for a start! He is just the most amazing spearman of a horse”, says William. “I think it’s all down to trust and the amazing bond that the partnership has built up over time. He is just like a Jack in a Box and has the most amazing spring and an eye for a stride. I just adore his attitude and he will not let anybody go in front or even try and go past him.” Adding yet more strings to his bow, Jaffa is also a
formidable force in the showjumping and arena eventing rings. “He will happily pop round a 1m 10 course and nine point five times out of ten will deliver a speedy double clear”, beams Yvonne. “We are also avid members of the North Cotswold inter hunt relay team where we oſten have to put our gate opening skills to the test! I always say he would make a good gymkhana pony!” Through all the couplings success in team events it is flying solo, partaking in many imposing hunt rides where Yvonne and Jaffa have proved unstoppable. Consecutive winners of the formidable Ledbury Golden Button Challenge (this race makes Cheltenham’s cross-country track look like a walk in the park!) is just one of the partnership’s many accolades. “I had a total blonde moment at this year’s
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