Harriet Brown in Localrider September October 2017

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Sept/Oct 2017

September/October 2017 • VOLUME XVII NUMBER 6

Show Reports, News and Features, including: ➤ Longines Royal International Hickstead ➤ SsangYong Eridge Horse Trials ➤ BEF Futurity at Writtle ➤ British Showjumping National Championships ➤ Global Champions Tour London

09

Localrider Magazine

SHOWJUMPING • SHOWING • POLO • EVENTING

and lots more...

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SPOTLIGHT Harriet Brown pictured with Oscar and Tiggy

Harriet Brown

Sussex-based Harriet Brown is living the equestrian dream. She currently works at Plumpton Racecourse, competes two horses and is renovating a house with land…

H

arriet Brown has an infectious enthusiasm for life. Her natural ability to see the best in every opportunity can be witnessed in both her personal and business life. Take for example, she and her partner James Baker are currently renovating a house near Herstmonceux. It sounds wonderful, set in threeand-a-half acres and once finished will be the perfect equestrian home, but at the moment it doesn’t even have a kitchen. This isn’t a problem for Harriet, who is currently cooking on a gas stove, she describes it like it is a special treat, adding that when the weather is good it is a bonus as she can cook outside.

The same positive attitude shines through as she chats about her position as Marketing Executive at Plumpton Racecourse, a role she has been doing since last October. Responsible for all the raceday and non raceday marketing her brief includes racing, events, weddings, corporate hire and venue hire. Harriet is looking forward to her first ‘Family Day’ on 24th September, where as the name suggests there is something for everyone including a full card of racing. This is followed at the end of October by the Moorcroft raceday, this will be the 18th year the special fundraising day has been held at Plumpton and over the years it has raised £250,000 for Moorcroft Racehorse Welfare Centre.

Harriet and Oscar competing at Firle Horse Trials last year

A sprinkle of magic Whilst Harriet is responsible for marketing the racecourse she also understands how important it is for visitors to have a good time once they are there. At the Easter Meeting there was an Easter Bonnet competition for children to enter. There had only been five entries the previous year, so Harriet planned for 20, when 40 turned up this wasn’t a problem and with a wave of her wand she conjured up lots more prizes, so that every entrant went home with an Easter egg.

With two National Hunt Meetings’ a month between November and April Harriet is looking forward to encouraging more visitors to enjoy a great day’s racing at Plumpton.

Racing Fanatics For Harriet who had previously had a freelance public relations practice and grew up riding with a mother and aunt who were racing fanatics, discovering the position at Plumpton was perfect. She said: “My mum (Ginny Freeman) and my late aunt (Frances Bates), used to make an annual pilgrimage to Cheltenham. I was always exposed to racing as the television had the racing channel on all day.”

Harriet’s mother and aunt were also influential in her early riding career. When Harriet was seven they bought a pair of New Forest pony yearlings, Jack and Smuggler, from a stud in Ringwood.

Three years later Harriet helped back them and for the next five years did everything on them. A member of the East Sussex Pony Club Harriet did everything including taking her ‘B’ test, but the ponies came into their own if someone had a whizzy pony that was too much for them, then she would be asked to bring her other pony along too for them to ride, as they were so safe and inspired confidence.

Both ponies are now living at Harriet’s mother’s yard. Smuggler, who has spent a number of years with Sophie Miles, is now retired, while Jack who spent five years with Frances’s granddaughter Georgia Brady, is still quite busy. He has a number of young riders he is introducing to riding (Phoebe, Albert and Lucy), as well as being hacked by local adults.

There are seven horses and ponies living with Harriet’s mother and her stepfather and Harriet is very grateful to her mother for all

Pic by Spidge Photography

Jack keeps busy

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Plumpton Racecourse Harriet has been competing Tiggy in dressage competitions

Very popular last year was the jockeys’ space hopper race.

Wocket Woy and the Pwoducer

Lucy Davey riding 24-year-old Randall’s Black Jack at a show

Ladies Day, Harriet is pictured in the middle with raceday host Colin Brown (he used to ride Desert Orchid) along with the best dressed winners and judges from the Pink Ribbon Foundation including TV’s Dr Hilary Jones.

Wocket Woy and the Pwoducer with some of the winners in the ‘EasterBonnet’ competition.

the help and support she gives her. Whilst Harriet tries to ride after work both in summer and winter, she said that her mum will most likely have mucked out and changed rugs.

Harriet has two horses she is currently competing. Twelveyear-old Wishuwerehere aka Oscar. Harriet has owned the striking chestnut for four years and has done a bit of everything, eventing up to BE100 and representing Rother Valley Riding Club. Their team was second at the Riding Club Area Winter Show Jumping Qualifier, when Harriet and Oscar jumped three clear rounds.

Harriet is also competing a homebred five-year-old called Tigerlily aka Tiggy. She is by the Connemara stallion Hillmead Cabaret out of a thoroughbred mare. She is currently doing lots of hacking and some dressage and will start jumping next year.

PLUMPTON RACECOURSE

Romantic proposal Harriet has lots to look forward to next year as while on holiday in Italy in July James proposed. If the location didn’t make the proposal romantic enough, James took a simple ring to propose with and now the couple are having an engagement ring designed.

James chose the diamond and Harriet designed the band.

The wedding will take place next August at Herstmonceux Castle with the reception in the field at their new house. Harriet hopes to have Oscar, Tiggy and Lenny her mother’s horse at the wedding, as well as Lucy Davey on Jack and her friend’s daughter on her pony. By then hopefully the stables will be built and the horses can happily munch on hay while the wedding party celebrate!

FA M I LY D AY S U N D AY 2 4 T H S E P T E M B E R 2017 Gates Open: 12 noon, First race: 2pm*

PICNIC ENCLOSURE web advance £10, £15 on the gate GRANDSTAND AND PADDOCK web advance £16, £21 on the gate ACCOMPANIED CHILDREN UNDER 18 GO RACING FREE LOTS OF FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN!

For more information and to book tickets: www.plumptonracecourse.co.uk Web advance ticket sales close at midday on Wednesday 20th September. *provisional times

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