Amos set to make Wise choice for European Championships

Priors Marston equestrian rider Jodie Amos in action on Matt. Picture submitted

Amos has picked up one victory and five further top-ten finishes while also making her first appearance at the Badminton Horse Trials in May with her 14-year-old thoroughbred Matt.

But it is up-and-coming ten-year-old Wise Crack who excites Amos the most having finished fourth together at Burnham Market, seventh at Chatsworth and fifth at Bramham this season.

“He’s very exciting, really consistent, doesn’t really have a weak phase in any of the disciplines and he’s only going to improve,” said Amos.

“The European Championships are at Blair Castle in Scotland next year and I’d like to think that - all going well - he would potentially be one to look at.

“Long-term he really has got everything - he’s very good on the flat, very good at cross-country, he’s got stamina and he jumped superbly on the last day at Bramham so I’ve got very high hopes for him.

“I was thrilled with fifth [at Bramham]. It was his first time doing a three-day event at that level and he couldn’t have been better.

“It’s exciting that he can place so highly on his first attempt among such good horses and good riders. I know there is more to come from him and he is a serious horse for the future.”

Amos’ first experience of Badminton, part of the Grand Slam of Eventing, ended in disappointment after falling with Matt during the cross-country phase in tricky conditions.

But with only 32 out of 83 horses completing the event, Amos was not the only rider to struggle.

“Matt was having one of his best rounds and three-quarters of the way around he just made a mistake,” said Amos, who will look to return with Matt at September’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials.

“When I realised how many people had also suffered, it lessened the disappointment somewhat. I was feeling a bit of doom and gloom and then turned on the TV and it was just ridiculous with fall after fall after fall.

“The conditions definitely didn’t help and I think Matt did an amazing job for his first time and I think with better conditions it could’ve been different but it was quite something to watch.”

The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (September 4-7) has been established as a major international equestrian and social event in the autumn sporting calendar for more than 50 years. For more information, visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk