Emily Llewellyn retires top eventer Pardon Me

Emily Llewellyn has retired her top event horse Pardon Me II.

Gave his best

According to Emily, she had achieved everything she wanted to – and more – with ‘P’, so now seemed like an “appropriate time” to call it a day.

“There was nothing left to aim at,” Emily told H&C. “He always gave me his best so I wanted to retire him sound and happy and in one piece.”

The17-year-old geldingtook Emily from Pony Club teams to four-star level eventing, picking up numerous medals on the way.

These include team gold at the Junior Europeans in 2007, double gold at the Young Rider European championships in 2008, and individual bronze at the Young Rider Europeans in 2009. In that same year they also won the Under-25 Championships at Bramham.

Incredible horse

“The double golds and winning at Bramham were the highlights of our career,” Emily told H&C. “I was only 19 when we won the under-25’s, which shows how amazing he was. He was incredible horse.”

Emily and her mum Cindy bought P as a seven-year-old from a dealer in Holland. He had been for sale for some time as he couldn’t do flying changes and was a serial bucker.

“He’d done amateur showjumping up to 1.10m, but was very disorganised in canter and a bit cheeky,” said Emily. “I’m quite soft when it comes to a cute face and he had his ears pricked up and staring at us the whole time were there. I just really liked him and thought he was a real trier when I rode him.”

Exceededexpectations

Within a year, the pair had won the Pony Club Championships, and their career took off from there. As well as the Junior and Young Rider medals the pair also completed two Burghleys and two Badmintons. Last year, they rode on the FEI Nations Cup team in Fontainbleau and were on the winning British team at Houghton Hall.

“He exceeded all our expectations,” said Emily. “He literally took me from Pony Club to four-star. I evented him from start to finish – no-one else ever evented him – so it was a big learning curve to produce something like that.”

P always kept his cheeky side, however, and according to Emily had her on floor at the beginning of every season. He also loves his cuddles and cups of tea – providing they come with sugar.

End of an era

“It’s the end of an era, with Society Spice retired and now P,” said Emily. “But I’ve got two top competition horses, with Junior and Greenlawn Sky High, and have just had the most lovely two-star horse bought for me.

“I’ve also got some very promising young ones, so I’ve got lots of nice horse coming through to fill their shoes.”

P will stay at Emily’s yard in East Sussex, where he will be turned out with his “best friend” Society Spice. He will also be hacked out by a very lucky 14-year-old, who may do some low-level dressage with him.

Watch a video of the pair in action here