Charitable foundation welcomes up-and-coming eventers to train with legend Pippa Funnell

Three budding young eventers have been given the opportunity of a lifetime to train with one of the most decorated athletes in equestrian sport – Pippa Funnell – as part of the Windrush Equestrian Foundation’s 2021 Programme

The Windrush Equestrian Foundation has taken in new riders for the start of its 2021 programme. It offers young eventers educational, business and welfare support, alongside mentoring and coaching from the one and only Pippa Funnell. This year, the programme has extended to two years and raised the upper age limit to 28. 2021 saw double the number of applications from previous years, leaving the selection panel, including Pippa Funnell, Alice Fox-Pitt, Yogi Breisner and the Foundation’s board members, the difficult task of selecting just three riders. Now, those lucky three have been announced and are as follows…

Harry Mutch

Harry is a 24-year-old rider from Tyne-and-Wear. Having already completed Badminton and Bicton 5* events, he’s an incredibly talented young rider who’s looking to the programme for both increased support in his riding and from a business perspective. He said: “I’m so excited and grateful to have been picked for the programme. It feels like it has come at the perfect time for me in my career as a young rider, I can’t wait to start working with the team at the Windrush Foundation”.

Kristina Hall-Jackson

The 25-year-old from West Yorkshire was part of the British Junior European eventing team in 2014 and is now looking to make the step up to 5*. Kristina said: “Being selected onto the Windrush Equestrian programme is a huge honour and will give me the skills to be a successful event rider long term. This programme will be the key to having a successful business enabling me to ride at the top level of our sport and I feel extremely lucky to have Pippa as a mentor”.

Emma Thomas

Based in Warwickshire, at just 22 years old Emma has self-produced her horses to 4* level alongside studying for a Master’s degree. She’s now looking to cement her experience and utilise the support from the programme to make the jump to 5*. She said: “It means so much to have been accepted. The opportunities offered by the programme are incredible and could really propel my eventing career to the next level. I’m so excited to get started”.

The Foundation’s riders will receive mentoring and in-depth training from one of the world’s most decorated eventing riders, Pippa Funnell, along with former Team GBR World Class Performance Manager, Yogi Breisner. The programme also covers topics such as veterinary, rider fitness, business and economics, communication and media management, nutrition and mental health. The riders will also have the opportunity to join the Young Riders Academy at the hugely prestigious Geneva International Horse Show and at Franklin University in Switzerland.

For more information on the Windrush Foundation, visit windrushfoundation.org.uk