Hi William – meet Olli Fletcher’s profitable showjumper

A wild kid gelding, Hi William, and a teenage Olli Fletcher started their partnership leaping 80cm and feature since been positioned of their first five-star grand prix – on a comeback from life-threatening colic – and maximum just lately received particular person gold on the Younger Rider Ecu Showjumping Championships.

Jennifer Donald met the bright “Willy Wonka” after his tremendous London Longines International Champions Excursion efficiency in 2023…

Want to know

Identify: Hi William
Age: 11
Breeding: British-bred by way of Waldo Van Dungen out of Stakkato Rain (by way of Stakkato)
Proprietor: Graham Fletcher and Woman Harris and Woman Kirkham
Breeder: New Priory Stud (at first named Willie Wonka LVS Z)
Biggest achievements: third under-25 festival, Royal Windsor 2021 and 2022, workforce bronze junior Ecu championships 2021, second CSI2* Northcote grand prix 2022, double transparent and received CSI3* Countries Cup Gorla Minore, Italy, 2022, workforce bronze and particular person 6th, Ecu younger rider championships 2022, second CSI3* grand prix Vilamoura, Portugal, 2023, fifth CSI5* Longines International Champions Excursion grand prix of London 2023, particular person gold Ecu younger rider championships 2024.

Rider: Olli Fletcher

“My Dad fell in love with Hi William after 5 jumps. He has an excellent eye for a horse and he noticed one thing in him that no person else would or may. William lived within the box for 2 weeks as a result of no person may catch him. I used to be nonetheless in class and knew little about him, however at some point he trotted over to me. I rang my oldsters and stated, ‘Shall I deliver him in?’ I put some tack on, jumped him and took him directly to a display! So his first display wasn’t till the top of his six-year-old yr and we did two 80cm earlier than he began stepping up.

“I at all times believed in him greater than another horse, or even in inexperienced persons he used to be at all times the dear one. However he’s so tricky to experience, particularly when he used to be more youthful, so no person else rode him as a result of he used to be so unhealthy, until you knew him. Now and again he would simply run himself blind into threat. He’s just about grown out of it, and he’s positive within the ring, however you’d nonetheless be cautious about who handles him now. So he’s quirky, however he’s the nicest horse within the solid.

“He’s taken time and it’s been moderately a adventure, however now I will be able to display everybody how excellent he in reality is. I consider he’d be a most sensible horse for any rider, however I don’t suppose he’d check out as exhausting for someone else. He can bounce a 1.60m observe with out even attempting. I’ve by no means had a sense like that and I doubt I ever will. I’m playing the instant and I am hoping there’s extra to come back.”

Co-owner with Woman Harris and Woman Kirkham: Graham Fletcher

“Our stables have been complete, however infrequently you simply see one thing, really feel one thing, in a horse, so he used to be going nowhere! He’s this kind of pretty horse and it’s further pleasant in case you have one thing to do with them throughout.

“I’ve loved many a long time – an entire life – within the game, however I haven’t loved staring at a couple greater than Olli and Hi William. I’m a large, grown, outdated guy, however I without a doubt shed a tear the day they completed 5th in London and with a bit of luck they’ve a perfect long term.”

Groom: Gemma Chapman

“Willy Wonka, as he’s frequently identified, is the backyard favorite and says hi once you arrive. He likes a collection regimen and he loves carrots at each alternative. He’s this kind of great horse to seem after and he’s so glad at displays – his head is out of the door continuously.

“Since his life-saving colic operation firstly of the yr, we need to be so wary together with his feeding, so he has it as a mash a large number of the time, with as a lot water as imaginable. That used to be the worst day of my lifestyles. I discovered him and rang Olli, who got here working, and he went directly to the vet, then directly into surgical procedure, it used to be simply terrible. It used to be moderately the restoration procedure – beginning with seven weeks of simply strolling in hand – however we needed to do the most productive lets for him.

“I latterly had per week off and he used to be so angry that I’d left him! It took him a few days to welcome me again – he used to be in this kind of sulk! He’s one horse I at all times know will move within the ring and check out so exhausting to leap a transparent spherical and put a grin on everybody’s face. London used to be the proudest second we may have had, we have been all crying.”

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H&H showjumping editor

Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her function as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her all over the world reporting from displays and interviewing riders, connections and the ones concerned at the back of the scenes. Since becoming a member of H&H from BBC Game in 2005, she has written on each matter around the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to solid control — and has interviewed gold medallists, international champions and winners galore. She additionally has first-hand enjoy of operating within the equestrian trade as a using trainer and backyard supervisor.