A dream comes true for ex-jockey Kimberley

A DREAM came true for a mother-of-two from Frodsham when she rode in the Horse of the Year Show – and came second in the Riding Horse and Hack class.
Former jockey Kimberley Gould was riding her former racehorse Spanish Hidalgo and says he was “foot perfect.”
She said: “Riding at the Horse of the Year Show is a dream come true, made even more special by finishing second. He was foot perfect – I couldn’t have asked any more from him.”
Kimberley is a Frodsham girl. She went to Weaver Vale Primary School, then Helsby High School, before leaving home at 16 to work in racing, riding as an apprentice for racehorse trainer Alan Bailey when he trained at Tarporley.
She then went on to work for a succession of well-known trainers, Peter Harris, Nick Littmoden and then John Dunlop, where she met her husband, Daniel, who also worked in racing.
The couple are now back living in Frodsham with their two sons, Tomas, aged six and Oliver aged 15 months.
When she left racing, Kimberley wanted a horse to show and was gifted Spanish Hidalgo by his owner Cristina Patino – owner of the legendary mare Snow Fairy, who won £4m prize money in her career.
She said: “Spanish was a successful racing horse, winning six races including the Italian St Ledger, and more than £64,000 in prize money.
“I have had him eight years now. He hasn’t been the easiest of horses to re-school. When I started to work him he was very sharp and spooky and regularly went across the school on two legs bucking!
“But we slowly started to get things together and he’s had great success, including competing at Hickstead in the ROR (Retraining of Racehorses) final and coming fifth at Royal Windsor just to name a few.
“We qualified for the Horse of the Year Show back in April in the first ‘Search for a Star’ qualifier which gives amateurs the chance to compete in the best horse show in the world. Only 10 people could qualify in my class, from only five shows held throughout the country”
A proud Kimberley now plans to give “Spanish” a little rest, but she then hopes to enter him for the Racehorse to Riding Horse qualifiers next year.
“The year after, when he’s 15 I would love to qualify him for the veteran finals at Olympia,” she said.