Wodehouse Stud and Equestrian Centre
Breeding and producing quality young horses for the modern day sport
All the latest news from Wodehouse Farm. Shows, competitions and other interesting stuff
We are delighted to announce a new sponsor joining our team, CWD Sellier.
CWD’s saddles are worn by top riders globally and are a highly prestigious brand. We are so excited to be associated with them and are already seeing the difference from using their gorgeous close contact saddles on our horses.
Want to get the edge too? Visit www.cwdsellier.com
We are delighted to announce that India has been selected to be a part of the 2015-17 British Equestrian Federation (BEF) Excel Talent Programme for riders. India is the youngest in the showjumping category, but fulfilled the requirements for the programme, and more, securing her place. The programme is for potential future olympic riders and gives top class training, advice and mentoring in order to help the riders journey to the top level.
India said ‘I am so pleased to have been accepted onto the prestigious programme and am looking forward to the years ahead working with some amazing people! I would like to thank everyone at Wodehouse Stud for their support and training; I could not have done any of this without you all behind me. Along with my incredible sponsors: Feedmark & Breckland Farriers for keeping the horses at their best for competition. Thank you all so much.’
Atiya Bussey
Atiya enjoyed an abundance of success in the Children on Horses classes at home and abroad, which gave her the initial taste for international showjumping and representing her country. Placing 4th in the Grand Prix in Wierden and playing a strong part of the team which jumped to second in the Nations Cup in Austria, she was then selected to compete at the European Championships in 2018 where she posted another super double clear in the Nations Cup format.
She is now translating this experience into building up her own string of horses here at Wodehouse Stud, from 4 year olds to Grand Prix level. At now 18 years of age, she has already competed upto 2* Grand Prix level, and has an abundance of notable results under her belt, whilst also having gained valuable experience in the training of young horses working at Breen equestrian. A driven young rider, we are excited as she progresses within the sport!
If you missed India’s double page spread in EQ Life July edition (2015), catch up on what she had to say about her International experiences and some tips she has for budding young riders like herself:
Please explain what the Children on Horses team is and how you were selected?
I was selected for the Children On Horses team after having a successful campaign in the Children On Horses series so far this year. After a consistent show at Pony Of The Year Show, with Westwinds Ego coming 4th in both preliminaries and a respectable 2nd in the Grand Prix after going 5th in a 30 horse jump off, we had a good start to the year. The good form carried on at Chepstow International CSI** for the official European Viewing Trials starting the show with a 1st and 2nd with Valerie B and Westwinds Ego in the Two Phase. Westwinds Ego went on to win the A4 on the second day and Valerie B came 2nd in the Grand Prix after both horses jumped double clear in the Nations Cup format.
After these results, we were contacted by the BS and were invited to compete on the Children On Horses GB Squad at the Dutch Youngster Festival in Wierden CSIO. The Children On Horses class is for children aged 12-14 competing on horses.
What was it like to ride on the team in Holland?
It was an amazing experience to compete on the team in Holland. There was a lovely atmosphere with all of the teams supporting each other and the team spirits were high with us all being stabled together as a group. It was an incredible feeling to be representing my country, although I was quite relaxed and treated it like any other competition in order to perform at my best. Jumping double clear for the team, especially as Ego made it feel so easy and jumped perfectly, was a fantastic feeling.
How did you do as an individual and as a team?
On the opening day of competition for the Children’s CSIO jumping, both of my horses jumped double clear, with Valerie B taking 3rd place out of a big field of over 80 starters.
On Nations Cup day, Westwinds Ego jumped a foot perfect double clear and inside the time for the team, and after the second round the finished in 5th place. Unfortunately, there was not an individual competition for team members, but Ego was up there with one of few double clears.
On the final day, Valerie B picked up 10th place in the Children’s Speed class, and Westwinds Ego jumped a super round in the Grand Prix just having a foot in the water and as a result of that, one time fault.
Was this the first international event you have done? What is it like to travel abroad and ride for your country?
It was the first international show I have done abroad. The journey was daunting, more for my mum, Louise, than myself, as her first experience driving abroad for a long time and with the added challenge of a new lorry. Although the journey did not go quite to plan, due to rough seas stopping travel for the horses on the ferry, we got there eventually, with help from navigator and groom Donna Clayton, and both horses passed the trot up ready for competition the next day.
How did you prepare for the event – were you training anything specifically?
In preparation for the event, we decided to continue with our normal training regime. After receiving the excellent news that I had been selected with Ego for Wierden, we managed to get late entries to compete at the Suffolk Show the Thursday before. We had been busy competing the ponies at premier shows jumping the second round qualifiers for HOYS, so hadn’t had a chance to get the horses out jumping since Chepstow. Never the less, Ego jumped super in the 1m25 early Thursday morning, to come 7th in very good company. We then made the last minute decision to go to Houghton International to compete in the BS classes, as we had been told that the going there was great. It certainly was and Ego carried on his good form winning the 1m20.
What has been your highlight so far this year?
My highlight of the year so far has to be jumping double clear for Great Britain in Wierden in the Nations Cup. Although, Ego and I had already had several notable results this year, winning the Uttings Insurance Puissance and the invitational at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
What are you most looking forward too?
I am looking forward to a busy summer ahead, planned with lots of shows with the ponies and horses. My main aims are to qualify my novice pony, Ocelot II, for the Newcomers final at Horse Of The Year Show and hopefully to be selected to go to Austria to compete in the Europeans for Team GB.
What would your advice be for a young show jumper hoping to ride internationally?
My advice to any young showjumper, whether hoping to compete internationally or not, would be to work hard and learn to take the good with the bad. As my parents have always told me from a young age, horses are great levellers. One day you are on top of the world, and the next you fall back to the ground, sometimes quite literally, but that is all part of our sport and it is the highs that make it all worthwhile. This feeling is what pushes us to do better and improve all the time. Hard work and dedication is a must if you want to be successful with horses, you do not just have to keep yourself fit and healthy, but your horses too.
Many young riders are nervous of taking the leap from ponies to horses – what can you advise to reassure them to move onto horses?
In my experience, my first year on horses wasn’t the best, but it was an essential learning curve. I was 12 when I first started to compete my mum’s 17hh stallion, Vrielink Vans Gravenstafel, after dragging him out of the stable from retirement after getting bored of waiting for a suitable horse. Stan was just what I needed to start off my senior carrier, he was laid back and scopey, so he could help me out if we got in a ‘sticky’ situation. We jumped the Children On Horses series, setting me up well for this year with the added experience, and by the end of the year, we had got some good results, including jumping the Under 16 Championship at Scope and winning a National 1m30. For me, I didn’t find the move up to horses too daunting, as I had a lot of experience with different horses and ponies already. But I would advise to have get smaller horse to start with, one that is brave, honest and wants to jump, and like me, you might take a bit of time to get going.
In your opinion, how do horses differ from ponies? Do you find you struggle with the size of the horses?
I personally have not struggled with the size of horses due to being so tall. The difference between horses and ponies can be dramatic, but can also be discreet. All horses and ponies are different in their ways of going, and are ridden differently. Some ponies will go more like your ‘typical’ horse, where as some horses have a more ‘pony-like’ way of going. It can be difficult to combine the two, and obviously horses have bigger strides. It has helped me that I have been lucky enough to ride a variation of different horses and ponies with different ways of going, so I am used to changing from different types and sizes of horses. Although, even with this experience, I sometimes see the odd horse stride on the ponies!
Anything else you wish to add?
I would like to say a massive thank you to my family for their support throughout the years. My parents, Paul & Louise, do so much to enable myself and my sister, Atiya, to keep competing and doing our best. We also couldn’t do it without the support of our owners and sponsors, Breckland Farriers and Feedmark. These roles are an essential part of the team and without that support, we wouldn’t be where we are today. We are always looking for potential owners and sponsors, so if you are interested in becoming part of the team, please do not hesitate to contact us. We would love to hear from you.
We are delighted to announce that India has been selected to represent Great Britain in the Children on Horses team on Westwinds Ego, after their successful campaign so far this year. With multiple wins under their belt and some more excellent results:
…to name a few. The combination will be going to Wierden in Holland this coming week. India is also taking Tamsin Conyers’ Valerie B to jump too, after their 2nd place finish in the Grand Prix at Chepstow.
After an impressive double clear inside the time for GB with Westwinds Ego in Holland, finishing as the best GB rider, India secured her place on the team for the European Championships of jumping at the Lake Arena, Wiener Neustadt, Austria.
In Austria, India came 2nd in the first individual qualifier and helped the team to silver medal position in the Nations Cup just behind Germany.
India Bussey
India has benefitted from riding a wide variety of horses early on in her career making her naturally very adaptable. She has also enjoyed having the opportunity on numerous occasions to produce her horses right through to Grand Prix level. Since winning a silver medal at the European Championships in Austria in 2015, India has been producing a good team of horses and becoming established in the senior levels, in 2018 stepping up to Grand Prix level jumping CSI** Ranking classes at home and abroad. India is also not shy of the big stages with placings at HOYS and Olympia on ponies and has also competed in the Puissance at just 17 years old!
Most recently she has represented her country on Young Rider Nations Cup teams and has an impressive resume up to 4* 1m50 level.
Directly after her last A Level exam, India moved down to The Billy Stud in Surrey where she spent a year learning from William & Pippa Funnell about the breeding and production of their young horses. During COVID, she also spent some time in Germany and also in Belgium learning from the top Belgian showjumper, Pieter Devos.
India is now located back in Belgium as a show rider for one of the World’s best-known trading stables, the Stephex Stables.
Member of the World Class Podium Potential Pathway 2019-20
Member of the Sport England Step Up to Gold Programme 2018
Member of the British Equestrian Excel Talent Programme 2016-18
We are proud to announce that we are now sponsored by Breckland Farriers Ltd. We are extremely grateful to John and his team for this opportunity, for their excellent services and for keeping our horses with perfect shoes in order to compete at their best ability. We highly recommend using their services!
Norfolk Polo Club Team wins the May Cup at Higham Polo Club 2014
Charlie Tighe, Peter Burton, Tom Townsend and Paul Bussey showed true grit last weekend, winning two tough matches to bring home the May Cup from Higham Polo Club.
In both cases against teams playing an Argentinian professional, they managed to contain them and ultimately come through and win despite being the underdogs in both cases.
Great performances all round, with Tom Townsend once again excelling as playmaker – an old head on young shoulders with the talent to back it up, a battling performance with some great runs in attack by Charlie Tighe and a feisty showing from Peter Burton, scoring the winning goal (which he would be too modest to mention). It was great to be part of the team.
Only marred by a slight off by Mr Burton, although the lake that has since formed in the crater has been named in his honour.
The Wodehouse Stud polo team were one of two teams from the Norfolk Polo club who entered the Mad May tournament at Suffolk Polo club this year. Fortunately we were in different halves of the competition and both teams won their competition and came away with a fantastic hare sculpture trophy as a result.
The Wodehouse Stud were Emma Beardshaw (0) , Peter Burton (-2), Matt Evetts (2) and Paul Bussey (-1). We won the Saturday match against the Woodland GG’s by 9 goals to 2 1/2 to progress to the Sunday final against Griffins which we won 6 goals to 4 1/2
It was the first time we had played together as a team so it was all the more pleasing. A big thanks to Matt whose polo was sublime. Emma was rock solid and powerful despite using the match to try out ponies and Burton’s wonder-goal in the first 30 seconds of the Saturday match set the scene for the weekend.
Thanks to all the team and to Suffolk for their great hospitality – if only we could get them to visit Norfolk!!
A Toast to the Game of Kings
A toast my friends
To the king of games,
A toast to The Game of Kings
To Chess on horseback, cerebral fun
Where brains will beat brawn, to the chagrin of some.
It makes men out of boys and boys out of men;
Where girls can beat boys….
Well, now and again!!
To the hours in the saddle where it just won’t go right
Then that sudden leap forward; the joy, the delight;
‘Til the next peak appears that you just have to climb;
And on it progresses, that’s what makes it sublime.
To the fouls we commit, whether major or slight
To the umpires, god bless ‘em, they can’t always be right
To trusting your pony and becoming as one,
Amazing yourself with what you’ve just done.
To adding a flourish, an attempt to beguile;
Not just playing polo, but playing with style.
And then to the match, to donning your whites,
Regretting the beer from the previous night.
The stakes have gone up, the tension is high;
The ponies can sense it, they’re restless and fly.
To relief at the throw in, the adrenalin flowing’
It’s nervous and scrappy and just won’t get going.
When it’s turning against you and nothing goes right,
To sticking together and still fighting the fight.
To turning and running, leave opponents behind
Just knowing your teammate is reading your mind
To time slowing down and your thoughts speeding up
To the field clear ahead and the ball sitting up
To scoring the goal and turning the game
If ever a sport was deserving of name
The King of Games, the Game of Kings.
So raise your glasses one and all – a toast:
To do justice to our noble sport,
Whether won or lost, the fight well fought,
To friendships forged in the heat and the strife,
To sucking the very marrow from life,
To Polo, the Game of Kings, the King of Games.
Paul Bussey 2013