Abigail Gray, the gold medal winner in the Kur to Music at the 2024 European Pony Championships, has found her new junior riders' horse for the 2025 show season.
Gray took over the ride on Fenella Quinn's Empire B, a 16-year old Dutch warmblood gelding by Sting out of Wendy (by OO Seven). He is bred by H.P. Koele in The Netherlands.
From Holland to Norway
The black gelding was first owned and competed as a youngster by Sanne Boeve in The Netherlands.
Empire B sold to Norwegian junior rider Alexandra Andresen, who made the transition to Young Riders' level with the Dutch warmblood. The new pair made its international show debut at the 2017 CDI Kristiansand, where she won all three rounds with 70%+ scores. They went on to the CDI Uggerhalne and the 2017 Nordic Baltic Championships in Hammaro, where she was fourth in the freestyle before heading to the 2017 European Young Riders Championships in Roosendaal, where she was 18th in the Kur with 65.750%.
From Denmark to Ireland
Andresen suspended her riding career for health reasons. She suffered from spinal stenosis and quit competing. Empire B was sent to Helgstrand in Denmark to sold. British based Irish rider Fenella Quinn bought him in the late autumn of 2018.
Quinn and Empire B made their national show debut at small tour level in February 2021 and their international small tour debut at Keysoe in March 2022. They also showed in Compiegne two months later.
On national level, Quinn moved Empire B up to Inter II level in May 2022 and competed him through May 2023. Their last international abnd show as a pair was also in May 2023 in Hickstead at Grand Prix level.
Junior Schoolmaster
As Quinn is pregnant with her first child, she has decided to lease Empire B to Abigail Gray as her junior riders' schoolmaster.
"I've been really enjoying training with this beautiful horse these last few weeks. I'm incredible grateful to Fenella for trusting us with her special boy (..) he's the perfect horse to help me transition into this new chapter."
Gray is based in Aberdeen, close to Quinn, and trains with Hannah Moody and Sarah Higgins.
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Links
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