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Hi, My name is Madison Rose and I am 24 years old and have been lucky enough to be awarded the HorseQuest 2020 Show Jumping bursary. I am based in Norfolk, with my 5 horses and juggle competing every week with a full time job.
I am so excited and grateful to have been picked for the 2020 Show Jumping bursary and know this is really going to benefit my career. As you can all imagine, owning 5 horses comes with its costs and all my money goes towards feeding and keeping them all and anything left towards my competition fees. Considering this I rarely ever have any funds left over for training and for as long as I can remember I have “trained” myself, so this will give me the opportunity to train for someone that actually knows what they are doing and not just winging it like myself! I think having a trainer to help you along the way and someone you can bounce ideas off are one of the most important factors for us young riders.
I have so many plans for 2020, including competitions such as Welsh Masters, Hickstead and Bolesworth and can’t wait to take you guys along with me!
My best horse at the moment is 6 year old Oliver, who I bought as a 4 year old. He is a very special horse, in both a good and bad way. He is by the far the most difficult horse I have ever ridden (and hopefully ever will!), every trait you would like a horse not to have, he has! But with that being said he will jump over anything for me and I have never experienced the feeling he gives me when jumping. We have so far competed up to 1.30 and for this year I am aiming him towards the 6yo classes as well as being stable at the 1.30 level so we are ready for the big step up to 7yos next year.
Magic is like my child, she kick started my showjumping career properly and I don’t think I will ever find a horse I know as well as her. She is a 14yo but only really started her career as a 9yo when I bought her. I have competed her up to 1.30 and we know each other in and out and although only 15.2h she always tries her little heart out for me. She is currently coming back from an injury, where we decided to retire her but she wasn’t having any of it and got bored so is happily back in competition form. My goal with her this year is just to have fun and go win some classes.
Foaly, as the name suggests is our homebred who is now a 6yo. He is another one of the special horses.. from the day he was born he challenged us from not following his mum in and out the field to breaking him in with a lot of tantrums. He is still very green and practically scared of everything including his own shadow, but he can sure jump. He has just started going to some unaffiliated competitions and the plan is to affiliate him this year.
Tilly is another 6yo who I bought a year ago to produce and sell. She is a lovely mare by Forever Darco. She is a proper clear round machine and consistently in top 20 of the bronze league. I have competed her up to newcomers and she jumped the 5yo classes last year. She is currently for sale and I will be sad to see her go as she is a lovely horse.
Last but not least is Finn, who anyone who follows me on Instagram will know him for his insane jumps. Finn is a 5yo Irish Warmblood by Cabrio Van de heffinck, similar to Tilly I bought him last year to produce and sell. He competed a couple of British novice classes last year and has been allowed the winter to chill and grow as he is still very green. He is yet to work out how big jumps are and tends to think the jumps are 1m bigger than they are! He will also be for sale in the near future.
And finally, we asked Madison some quick fire questions.....
Favourite Pizza topping? Pineapple (Controversial I know)
Coffee or tea? I’m the weirdo that hates hot drinks and tend to live off Lucozade.
Favourite holiday destination? Hard to find someone to look after 5 horses so rarely go on holiday but one of my few holidays was to Croatia which is lovely!
Name one of the Seven Dwarfs... Sleepy (not sure what that says about me..)
Starter or Desert? Desert, I have the biggest sweet tooth
Big dogs or small dogs? I love all dogs but probably small
Least favourite food? Fish!
Spring or Autumn? Spring, everyone is so happy about the winter being over.
Favourite colour? Blue.
Most interesting fact about you... I have competed in the European and World Championships for Shetland ponies.
Here's me and my Shetland pony, Doris, in 2006....(If only I could find a horse version of her!)
Follow Madison:
Instagram: @madisonroseshowjumping
Facebook: Madison Rose Showjumper