2003 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI****

Rider Profile: Polly Stockton and Tangleman

By Amber Heintzberger

In the lead with 43.1 penalty points after day one at the Rolex Kentucky three-day event, 29-year-old Polly Stockton, (nee Clark), based in Cheshire, England is one of Britain's leading three day event riders. This is her first trip to the United States and she said, “Rolex is amazing. It’s hard to picture it back at home with everyone describing it. There’s just acres of grass and all the arenas. You don’t get that at home. And the ground is really fantastic.”

She said that she and Pippa Funnell, who took the Friday lead with 38.6 penalties riding Primmore’s Pride, is also here for the first time, are anxious to do a little sightseeing in the Bluegrass. However both riders, like the rest of the British contingent at Rolex, each have two horses entered next week in the Mitsubishi Badminton CCI**** in England and will have to get on an airplane right after the event.

Riding Tangleman, Stockton took the lead late in the day, riding fourth to last on Thursday. After day two she is standing in fourth place. Tangleman has belonged to Stockton for the past two years, since his previous owner had a baby. The ten-year-old Thoroughbred/Selle Francais gelding is sired by Matinee and stands at an imposing 17.1h. Last year he took ninth place at the Punchestown CCI*** (IRL).

Stockton first made her mark at the Young Rider level when she finished sixth individually and won the team Gold at Blenheim (GBR) in 1994 with Poggio. Amongst her wins are British National Champion at Gatcombe in 1999, and winner of the Scottish Championship in 2000.

Unfortunately eliminated for taking the wrong course in the show jumping at her first Burghley CCI**** in 1995, in 1998 she came into the big league with wins at Windsor and Blenheim with Westlord and last year she placed seventh at Badminton and represented Britain individually at the World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain riding Eye Spy II. Ridden by Mark Todd, Eye Spy II was the Bronze Medalist in the Individual 3-day Event at the Sydney Olympics

>From an equestrian background, Stockton’s father Sir Jonathan Clark was for many years Chairman of the events committee and is Field Master with the Wynstay hounds. She is sponsored by Horse Weigh, as is William Fox-Pitt, also riding for Great Britain at Rolex.

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