Team Chasing - Wishful Thinkers

The Wishful Thinkers were started in 1993 by Zara Urquhart and they ride in her racing colours, a distinctive red with white hooped sleeves and pink cap. There have been many riders over the years and the present intermediate team now has two new riders joining Simon and Frankie. In autumn 2010, the new look team won the Pytchley and Cotswold. Despite numerous attempts we have failed to put together a competitive open team though will probably try again at some stage!

INTERMEDIATE TEAM

Lead Rider

Simon Coady, Zara’s husband who arrived from Australia in 1996 and has been a competitive member ever since. His style has improved greatly since those early days and being Australian he is very competitive and hates losing! It has been a steep learning curve and he has now somewhat mastered the great British skill of losing gracefully! He also enjoys point to pointing when he has a suitable horse and hunt races: a win in Leics would be nice one day..

Lead Horse: Usually Charlie who came out of a racing yard in Ireland. His then owner had greyhounds and Charlie was proving such a useless racehorse that we were told either we had him or the greyhounds did. He has turned into a consistent and quick lead team chase horse and though rather plain, gets the job done - we think of him as our Volvo. Look for the white go-faster stripes on his neck from an early misguided attempt to stop him crib biting!

Simon and Charlie

Others on the way up/down
Spud One: ex-racehorse, a flashy bay with 4 white socks and a white blaze.
Light des Mulottes, dizzy grey and the present point-to-pointer, being introduced this year in novices for experience.
Alfie: big bright bay, useless racehorse but shaping up well in open classes

Frankie and Daisy

Second Rider:

Frankie Price

Frankie is presently studying at Cirencester Ag College and can be found out hunting regularly with the Beaufort. She joined us a couple of years ago and adds much glamour to any prize giving with her fur hat! She has been team chasing for about 4 years with various teams and is now enjoying success with the Wishful Thinkers.

Second Horse:

Daisy: you’ve guessed it - yet another ex-racehorse! This one has also had the benefit - or not, depending on how you look at it - of some eventing!

Third Rider:

Katie Richards

Katie came with Ellie (see below) in autumn 2010 and is enjoying living her National Velvet dreams. She can often be heard shouting encouragement to the rest of the team and is determined to get her photo in Horse and Hound and acquire.

Third Horse:

Archie

Is on a steep learning curve but is rapidly acquiring the knees of any good team chaser. As his rider cannot hold him, it promises to be a successful partnership!

Katie and Archie

Ellie and Bumble

Fourth Rider:

Katie Richards

Ellie Wass was fortuitously dropped from the Farmers Bloodhounds and was snapped up with friend (see above) by us in autumn 2010. After Simon’s lead team chase horse sadly died after leading the team to a win at the Pytchley, Ellie took over in lead position and led the team to a convincing win at the Cotswold.

Fourth Horse:

Bumble

Bumble’s enthusiasm for team chasing was apparent when the pair submerged with a mighty splash at the Bicester, and things have been progressing smoothly since then (though we have yet to encounter another big water jump!)