LEG UP FOR SOPHIE

International rider Tyler Cassells will be sponsoring local event rider Sophie Spiteri over the next 12 months on the Leg Up for Talent programme in return for support with his social media activities. Writes Anwen Francis.

The silver medallist will be giving Sophie lots of training and once the event season is over he will be coming to west Wales to run some clinics that will be open to all.

Sophie, a Marketing Manager for Mencap is delighted with the news.

She said: “I’m absolutely thrilled about the whole thing and very grateful to the Leg Up For Talent programme for facilitating the opportunity for amateur riders to gain sponsorship. I hope that by training with Tyler, I will be able to train towards my goal of qualifying my young horse for some BE regional finals next season. After losing my main competition horse Bold Move to a tendon injury last season, my hopes of riding 2* this season were dashed. Although Bold Move is now healed and competing locally, he will never compete at an international level again. This has been just the boost I needed!”

Tyler was awarded the prestigious Karen Dixon Scholarship as well as a scholarship through Haddon Training in Horse Management. He then graduated, in 2014 with a BA (Hons) degree in Equine Science and Management from Warwickshire College. Tyler was selected for the BEF Excell Talent Programme and the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme and saw Tyler complete his first CIC*** at Blenheim Palace with Grandslam. In October, Grandslam and Tyler also made it through to the final three for Mark Todd’s Bridging the Gap Scholarship. He has worked with international showjumper Tim Stockdale before he met 4* international event rider John Marsden. He joined Team Marsden in 2007 and over eight seasons under John’s expertise, has risen through the ranks to Advanced & CCI*** with his sights firmly set on CCI****. The 2015 season saw Tyler move several of his horses up to the next level with the highlight being representing Team GB in the BRC CIC** Europeans, with Grandslam, to come fourth individually and win team silver.

This season, Sophie will ride her six year old young horse Gulliver (Dove Vale Mutaman – bred locally by Des and Eunice Morris). The horse will help her with retraining her supply of ex racehorses from Sophie Leech with the aim of bringing some of them on to event.

Over the next season, Sophie will be travelling up to Somerford Park to train with Tyler on a regular basis.

(Tyler Cassells – pic credit Lulu Kyriacou)