Dressage Days

DRESSAGE DAYS Q&A

MEET ROWLAND AND MARIA KINCH

Watching your horse develop and achieve success, we’d all agree, is an incredibly rewarding experience. For those who adopt the role of owner, the rewards can be immense. Rowland and Maria Kinch, owners of the top para horse Don Cara M (Donnie), had the thrilling experience of watching him win team gold and individual silver with Sophie Wells at the Tokyo Paralympic Games. We caught up with the couple, who live in Kent on a 60-acre stud farm with their three dogs Ellie, Bella and Buster and seven other horses including Donnie’s mum, to find out just what it means to them to be involved in the sport.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUNDS

aria is a retired olice officer and spends her time looking after the farm and undertaking her passion as a ceramic artist. I’m an engineer and own several tech businesses based in and around the South of England.

HAVE EITHER OF YOU EVER RIDDEN?

We are both late to riding but I had a lifelong passion to be involved with horses. I would describe myself as more of a breeder than a rider.

WHAT WAS YOUR INITIAL INTEREST IN DRESSAGE AND HOW DID YOU FIND DON CARA M?

The fascination of gaining the confidence and trust from an animal the size and power of a horse had always captivated me. I find there’s also something decidedly spiritual when you are around them. I’d followed dressage for a number of years, I went looking for a horse with international potential and found Donnie in Holland.

WAS HE ALWAYS INTENDED FOR PARA DRESSAGE?

o, we struggled to find the right pairing locally but thanks to Carl Hester and Amy Woodhead (we stabled Donnie with Amy for 18 months) we persevered, and they introduced us to Sophie.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST MEET SOPHIE?

e first spoke to ophie in late October 2020 when she was looking to fill the second spot in her string having lost one of her top horses. We dropped onnie off for a trial’ over that Christmas period just to see how they would both get on. It didn’t take long for Sophie to call and tell me she loved him… Again, Amy Woodhead was a massive help during those initial months. Carl was also very generous in agreeing to continue with Donnie’s training.

HOW DID IT FEEL WHEN DONNIE WAS CALLED UP AT THE 11TH HOUR FOR TOKYO?

As complete newcomers I must admit that we really didn’t understand the entire Paralympic selection process. Sophie was very patient with helping us understand it so we knew it was up to onnie in the final competitions. However, that was only ever to be the official reserve. When Sophie called me the night before they all ew out and said he was going to be number one I was nearly sick!

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE CONSIDERING OWNERSHIP?

We were obviously glued to the TV during all of the competitions, I can honestly say it was some of the proudest moments of my life when Sophie and Don were in the ring. I know my limitations and realise that I could never ride to that level and ownership for me is just as rewarding.

WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE LIKE BEING PART OF THE PARA TEAM STRUCTURE?

Obviously we were both really sad about not being able to go and support Sophie and Don in Tokyo but without exception, everyone in the British Para team has been so warm and welcoming. Sophie and her team would facetime us every day so we felt part of the entire warm up.

YOUR BEST COMPETITIONDAY ANECDOTE!

As much as I love Donnie he did once spook and rear up when I happened to be at the front end. Not sure what made me wear my steel toe capped boots that day but he came down with full force right on me! Those boots saved my foot…Wear your toe caps even with your best tweed!