Sophia Hilly on Humble Glory, pictured here competing in Australia. Image: Michelle Terlato.
Sophia Hill and her Thoroughbreds on fire at Bramham
By Equestrian Life
Australian eventer Sophia Hill has posted top results at Bramham International Horse Trials (5-8 June), finishing inside the CCI4*S top twenty from over 80 combinations with her two Thoroughbreds.
Sophia finished in 18th place on her dressage score of 38.4 with Humble Glory, while Seattle Park added just 0.8 of a cross country time fault to finish on 38.7.
Sophia flew out with her two horses, husband Andy and baby Oliver in April to fulfil a lifelong dream to represent Australia at some of the biggest eventing competitions in the UK and Europe.
“Bramham Horse Trials was amazing! The venue, the cross country course, the atmosphere and crowds, and of course my two incredible horses who both managed a top 20 finish in the huge CCI4*S class!” said Sophia via social media earlier this week.
Humble Glory – who is long-listed for the Paris Olympics – was one of only three horses in the class to make time on cross country. “The dressage was great right up until the final canter work – so close but not quite!” said Sophia.
By Bernardini out of Sharpen (Shovhog), Humble Glory raced as Camon Houdini and was trained by Gai Waterhouse – but he certainly wasn’t a stand-out on the track. He raced a handful of times, mostly on Victorian tracks, and finished his career over hurdles at Warrnambool where he was eighth of 11 starters. It was his best race result in terms of placings, but when he crossed the line 82.2 lengths behind the winner, it was time for a new career.
Arriving in a stock crate at Sophia Hill’s Mansfield property in July 2017 to sell on behalf of a friend, Humble Glory was an unassuming horse who had raced, spelled, and then done a little bit of stock work. Competing in the UK would have no doubt seemed a world away back then!
Sophia Hill and Seattle Park, pictured here competing in Australia. Image: Tazzie Eggins Photography.
“Basil (Seattle Park) was thrown in the deep end to be tackling his first four star cross country track at Bramham of all places!” continued Sophia. “He absolutely rose to the occasion though, jumping double clear and pulling out the fourth fastest cross country round of the day. What a little star! He also tried very hard in the dressage, it was his first time in front of a huge crowd, and he coped so well.”
Seattle Park (Reset x Sealers Cove) had 23 race starts for three wins and over $100k in prizemoney, before he was retired and began his eventing career with Sophia around four and a half years ago.
Full results from the CCI4*S at Bramham International Horse Trials can be found here.
Sophia’s warmblood who has remained in Australia, Tulara Baltango, has also enjoyed success of late. With Sam Jeffree in the saddle, the gelding finished second in his first-ever CCI3*L at Melbourne International Three-Day Event.
Published 12 June 2024.
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