Introducing Grace Botterell

05 Apr Introducing Grace Botterell

My name is Grace Botterell and I am an 18-year-old event rider based in the Borders.  I started riding when I was around 5 and instantly loved it.  I had some very cheeky ponies through my pony club years but they didn’t put me off, if anything it made me keener.

My interest has always been towards eventing despite my mum being a dressage rider and I competed in my first event when I was 13, on my horse Winston, and after that, I had my goal set for the 100u18 team.

Winston was an absolute XC machine, we had so much fun and he gave me so much confidence, taking me around the 100u18 championships at Frikley in 2019.  After that, I wanted to step up to novice and felt that Winston had taught me all he could and it was time for him to go and teach someone else the ropes.  During the summer of 2019, my sister kindly gave me the ride of Pip and I spent the summer getting to know her.  My aim with her was to step up to novice and eventually compete in the 2* u18 team.

In 2021 we stepped up to novice and in 2022 we were part of the 2*u18 team at Bishop Burton and were 3^rd individually, we also competed in the 2* at Blair.

My plans for Pip this year is to start our season at Breckenbrough in the open novice.  Later in the season, I am planning on stepping her up to intermediate.  Last summer I also got to ride on Cameron Crawford’s Up Up and Away (Russell) which was really exciting and we spent the end of last season getting to know one another and competed in a couple of novices.  This season we are starting at Forgandenny in the open novice and then step him up to Intermediate this year.

I am looking forward to a busy and successful season ahead.

Grace