Looking ahead to the 2024 Eventing Season
Equestrian Summer Nicholls, looks ahead to what she hopes 2024 will bring.
We recently caught up with Swiftclean sponsored rider Summer Nicholls, who is looking ahead to the 2024 eventing season with great anticipation whilst honing her skills in the showjumping area over the Winter months.
“It’s the second Winter I have concentrated on the showjumping element of eventing over the eventing off-season,” begins Summer, who has been seeing some real success in British Showjumping affiliated events. “I have enjoyed focusing on one of my three disciplines, so much so, that I have been competing in a nationwide league for showjumping, it’s great to have a focus and to get the horses out.” Summer takes part in the RoR (Retraining of Racehorses) league with Hugo (Hooves the Daddy), where you get points for double clears and placings, and has qualified for second rounds in British showjumping. If Summer succeeds in second rounds, she will qualify for the British Showjumping National Championships at the National Agricultural and Exhibition Centre at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire.
“The British Eventing season typically starts mid-March,” explains Summer, “but due to the predicted wet ground conditions, it’s likely my first event won’t be until April, we are aiming for Chilham Castle in Kent.”
Summer currently has two rides at competition level, Alfie XXVI and Hugo (Hooves the Daddy); the goal for this season is to compete in three international events over the summer months with Hugo, who is an ex-racehorse – going up to 1* Level. Summer has carefully nurtured Hugo over the past 6 years, to ensure he stays fit and sound whilst gaining experience as he goes up the levels, and this latest step will be his biggest yet.
“Hugo can be an unpredictable ride at times, probably due to his racing background and Thoroughbred breeding,” says Summer, “but with a slow, steady and consistent approach to his training program, he has found levelling up easier to cope with and performed more reliably across the three disciplines of eventing – dressage, showjumping and cross-country.
This is much like the Swiftclean approach to training; we believe that by continuously enhancing the skills of our compliance field teams, we can provide our customers with exceptional services irrespective of the type of compliance issue they are facing. Our unwavering commitment to delivering the best air, water, and fire-related compliance solutions is what sets us apart.
We wish Summer and her team of horses the best of luck as she embarks on the 2024 season.
