Teenager clears the biggest fence of her life at 7ft 3in to share Bolesworth puissance spoils: ‘I’m lost for words’

British teenager Rachel Proudley set a new personal best by clearing 7ft 3in to tie for top honours with Ireland’s Brendan Murphy in the LeMieux puissance at the CSI3* Bolesworth International presented by Al Shira’aa on Saturday evening (28 June).

A field of three intrepid combinations remained for the fifth and final round, where the big red wall towered to 2.20m (7ft 3in) in the centre of Bolesworth’s iconic main arena.

First to go of the final trio was Jack Whitaker and D&H Q Paravatti N, who was fresh from an appearance in the Hickstead Derby with Jack’s father Michael Whitaker, but the mare just nudged out the top bricks to finish on four faults.

One week short of her 20th birthday, 19-year-old Rachel Proudly was one of the youngest riders in the field and still a relative newcomer to high jumping, but already a London International puissance winner with Graham Ward’s 11-year-old Easy Boy De Laubry Z.

The fearless duo tackled the wall with typical gusto, Rachel punching the air with delight as they surpassed their previous personal best of clearing a 2.12m puissance wall set at London in December.

Brendan shrugged off any pressure as last to enter the arena and pitched his approach perfectly with Hugh Fitzpatrick’s 12-year-old Erne Riverrun. The pair soared clear over the top bricks, ensuring there would be a two-way lap of honour for these worthy puissance winners.

Bolesworth puissance winner: “I’m lost for words”

“I’m quite lost for words. It’s an amazing feeling, Easy Boy was great today,” said Rachel. “We didn’t really have high expectations, but he got better with every round. He’s so brave and you can trust him all the way – it really helps. He’s incredible.”

Brendan and the Irish-bred Erne Riverrun finished third in the puissance here at Bolewsorth at his first attempt in 2023.

“We only came over to Bolesworth with the one horse, so to pull off a win is amazing,” he said.

Finishing in joint fourth were William Fletcher riding Alison Walton’s Quintine Van d’Abdijhoeve and Maisy Williams, who turned 19 last month, riding Dalton D’Hoyo.

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