Alfie Bradstock
Tumbling Over the Sticks to Flying Over Bricks! By Charley Snowdon
A
lfie (25), is the son of Cheltenham and Hennessy Gold Cup winning trainers, Mark and Sara Bradstock. “My parents were training National Hunt horses even
before I was born”, says Alfie. “Horses were in my blood from the word go and being in the saddle was simply a natural progression from the pram.”
As a young boy, Alfie was a member of the Old Berks Pony Club where he excelled on the BSJA pony scene. “I had the most incredible pony called Montezuma II and it just so happened that my Pony Club instructor was teaching somebody else at the time who was competing in pony trials so suggested we had a go at that too”, explains Alfie. “We went on to compete as part of the gold winning team at the European Junior Championships in 2012.”
Testament to his talent filled versatility, Alfie became the first junior rider to represent Great Britain in both eventing and show- jumping in the same year. He then went on to represent Great Britain at the young rider showjumping European Championships in 2015 aſter switching solely to showjumping.
Bred from such strong racing stock, one could be forgiven for thinking this would have been Alfie’s natural career path. “I had a terrible fall point to pointing where I was leſt with a punctured lung and a green stick fracture to every rib down one side”, recalls Alfie. “I think my parents were relieved when I turned to eventing and showjumping, not because of the risk factor, you get that in any discipline, but due to the toughness of keeping rides as a young jockey even if you are winning.”
Shortly aſter his slight blip of a tumble, Alfie fully embraced the opportunity to go and ride and learn with world renowned show-
jumpers, Graham and Tina Fletcher. “I was so lucky to be based with such incredible riders and to compete some amazing horses”, says Alfie. “Still now, if I have a problem with a horse or need some advice they are at the end of the phone or ready on the ground to help.
I also remember being extremely grateful to be able to eat what I wanted again and not starve myself to make jockey weight. One of my fellows was surviving on half an apple in the morning and the other half at night, I didn’t have it that bad, but it was certainly one of the toughest aspects about being in racing for me.”
Today, Alfie is a solo operation concentrating solely on show- jumping and alongside his girlfriend Minty, has set up shop back where it all began. “I am back at home in Wantage renting some back stables off mum and dad”, says Alfie. “It works really well because Minty and I will ride out on the gallops in the morning for my parents and they’re around if I need some help on the ground. It’s also a bonus to have the use of the gallops for the showjumpers as well as having my racing mad sister, Lily around to help out and vice verser.”
At present, alongside a string of up and coming youngsters, Alfie is host to three notable horses including geldings Gainsborough (6) owned by Terry Payne, How’s my Name (7) owned by Darragh Magner and Alexandra Crosthwaite Eyre and finally, Darragh Magner’s puissance and Derby horse, H.D’or (12).
“I am very excited for next year when How’s my Name should, touch wood, be stepping up to bigger tracks. Gainsborough is also coming along nicely aſter recently jumping triple clear in the six year old’s at the National Championships”, informs an
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
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