Vicky Collins, the five-star tournament rider, breeder and manufacturer, died on 1 January following headaches from an sickness, elderly 69.
Vicky used to be born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, on 15 October 1954. She used to be the youngest of 3 youngsters, and grew up in East Malling, Kent, the place she attended Maidstone Women’ Grammar Faculty. Vicky’s circle of relatives used to be now not specifically horsey, however she begged her mom for courses on the native driving faculty, the place her love of horses started. On a daily basis after faculty she would stroll to the driving faculty, excitedly checking the lesson board to determine which pony she can be driving.
In school Vicky used to be very educational, and dreamed of changing into a vet. When her circle of relatives used to be not able to ship her to school, she occupied with her driving. Vicky’s granny purchased her her first horse, a chestnut mare named Fanny, and he or she started eventing. She rented stables and would borrow a trailer to wait competitions, however as she didn’t have a college, she would bounce into the farmer’s orchard to coach her horse, galloping out of sight when he gave the impression.
Vicky started generating, purchasing and promoting horses, and making connections within the equestrian group. In her early 20s she used to be a running scholar for eventer-turned-showjumper John Good, which used to be a turning level in her driving profession. She groomed at numerous three-day occasions together with Boekelo, the Netherlands, which helped expand her interest for eventing.
In 1980 Vicky purchased four-year-old mare Molly Malone, who went directly to compete at complex stage and was the root mare of Vicky’s home-breds. Molly’s offspring integrated most sensible horses comparable to Vicky’s maximum notable experience Welton Molecule, and Welton Romance who gained particular person gold on the 1995 Europeans with Lucy Thompson.
Vicky produced Molecule over time they usually jumped transparent at their first Burghley in 1995. He stood at 17.2hh and used to be recognized for his bravery. The next 12 months they jumped transparent at Badminton to complete sixteenth, and as they got here out in their showjumping spherical a crew selector passed her an envelope confirming she were shortlisted for the Atlanta Olympics that 12 months. It used to be later deemed that Molecule used to be too younger to fly, and that he can be aimed for the 1997 Europeans as an alternative.
However provides from patrons quickly arrived for Molecule, and after “a lot deliberation and heartache” he used to be bought to Lucy Thompson. Vicky used the cash to shop for a house in Somerset, and in 1998 she welcomed her daughter Felicity. Molecule used to be bought to Belgian rider Carl Bouckaert, with whom he went directly to win crew bronze on the 1999 and 2003 Europeans.
An settlement were in position between Vicky and Lucy that Molecule would go back to Vicky when he retired, and in 2007 Carl contacted Vicky to mention he wish to honour the unique settlement, and the gelding returned to the United Kingdom. He loved a retirement rite at Badminton in 2007, and spent the remainder of his years with Vicky, became out with Felicity’s now five-star experience RSH Contend’Or.
In 2000, Vicky and Felicity moved to East Sussex, the place Vicky persevered to compete, produce horses and educate. Felicity adopted in her eventing footsteps, and they’d compete on the identical occasions. Vicky stepped again from competing in 2015, and that 12 months Felicity took at the experience of Vicky’s home-bred Simply Wonderful III (Mazie), granddaughter of Molly Malone, whom she went directly to experience at four-star stage. Vicky additionally started to reproduce once more, together with two foals from Mazie, who at the moment are two and 4 years outdated.
“My mum enjoyed Mazie, even supposing she wasn’t the simplest. Mum used to mention ‘I bred the pony and the rider’, it used to be one among her favorite sayings,” mentioned Felicity.
In time Vicky passed the reins of working the backyard to Felicity, however she persevered to be Felicity’s industry spouse and lend a hand with the horses day by day. She used to be an enormous a part of Felicity’s profession and attended each tournament, regularly using the lorry, as her daughter climbed the eventing ranks – together with successful 3 Ecu crew medals at junior and younger riders – to five-star stage.
“She used to be all the time there supporting me, she didn’t wish to pass over any of it. We had a novel dating,” mentioned Felicity.
“I at the beginning sought after to be a vet, but if I left faculty I determined I sought after to tournament. In the beginning I feel my mum used to be upset I didn’t wish to cross to school, she sought after me to have what she didn’t. However I feel she went directly to be prouder of me than she ever may just or would were, had I carried out one thing else. Having shared all of the ones achievements together with her, the medals, the effects, being at the podium, my first five-star, my first Badminton; all the ones issues, she used to be there for each one and he or she used to be so, so proud.”
Vicky used to be a revered horsewoman within the eventing group.
“Many of us admired her,” mentioned Felicity. “She used to be quiet, and regularly reserved, however she may well be opinionated too. She had an actual persona and an excessively dry sense of humour.
“She by no means sought after to be the centre of consideration, and he or she’d moderately have her nostril in a guide. She used to be all the time recognized for her kindness, and if she used to be keen on you she used to be essentially the most unswerving particular person it is advisable ever have on your nook.”
Vicky is survived through Felicity, and much-loved German shepherd canine Inky and Sushi.
A provider can be held at Wealden Crematorium, Heathfield, East Sussex, on 22 January at 1pm, and all who knew Vicky are welcome.
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