by Stacy Gregg
By the time she hung up the phone Issie had promised Kate that she would be a guest instructor at a Chevalier Point Pony Club rally the next time she was home in New Zealand. She was just about to jump in the shower when the mobile rang again. This time it was her mother. Mrs Brown was completely and utterly beside herself with excitement. “I was just sitting here watching the news,” Mrs Brown squeaked, “and you were on TV! They said you’re in second place at Kentucky!”
Issie was amazed. “I was on the news?”
“There was footage of you jumping some enormous ditch!” Mrs Brown said. “It looked terrifying to me!”
Issie had to smile. Her mum knew nothing about horses and even a cavaletti looked terrifying to her, but for once she had to agree.
“It was a pretty scary fence, but we made it. We went clear.”
“Even Aidan thought it looked like a big jump,” her mother added. “He called me just after the news was on. He said to tell you good luck. He also said that half of Gisborne is going round to Hester’s house to watch you in the showjumping—”
“Issie!” Stella interrupted the call. “Come on! Get in the shower already! We’ve got the trotting-up in half an hour!”
“Mum,” Issie said, “I’ve got to go now. But I’ll call you soon.”
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a moment and then Issie heard her mother’s voice, all choked up. “I’m so proud of you, sweetie.”
“Thanks, Mum,” Issie said.
“Good luck!” Mrs Brown said. “We’ll all be watching you.”
Issie hung up. We’ll all be watching you. She would already be facing a stadium full of twenty-thousand spectators and TV cameras and now she would be carrying the expectations of her friends and family and every pony-club kid in New Zealand with her.
And Issie had even greater pressures on her. She didn’t want to tell her mum just how tight the financial situation had become at Laurel Farm, but the truth was, if she didn’t win today then her future on the international eventing circuit would be uncertain at best. She might be home in Chevalier Point and giving guest lessons at the pony club sooner than anyone realised.
The crowds had gathered at the trotting-up grounds by the time Issie and Liberty arrived. Issie stood in front of the judges with the mare at her side and looked at the strip of tarmac ahead of her. When the order to trot came, she took a deep breath and put herself in the hands of fate. Whatever happened now, it was for the best. If Liberty was sore then it was far better to find out now and be spun than to carry on and jump the mare and risk hurting her.
“Isadora Brown. Whenever you’re ready, you may trot,” a white-coated steward gave Issie the nod and she began running, with Liberty trotting right beside her. She didn’t dare to look at the mare – it was important that she keep her eyes straight ahead and try and keep the mare moving rhythmically. She could hear Liberty’s hooves striking the tarmac in a solid trit-trot beat and she hoped that the judges weren’t spotting any problems.
She reached the end of the tarmac strip and turned the mare and then trotted back again. The three judges stood and watched the display in silence, making notes on their pads and then conferring with one another. Then the head judge raised a thumb in the air and the confirmation came over the loudspeaker to the crowd who had gathered to watch.
“Isadora Brown and Valmont Liberty have been passed for the next phase!”
The relief and the excitement of getting through was even greater than Issie had realised. Suddenly the tight knot of nerves that had been building in her tummy all morning disappeared.
The showjumping began in just a couple of hours but, since they were sitting in second place and these events ran in reverse order of ranking, that meant she would be the second-to-last competitor to ride.
Or at least that was what she thought, until Stella raced over with some dramatic news.
“Avatar has been spun!”
“What?” Issie couldn’t believe it. “You’re kidding me!”
Stella shook her head. “It’s official. Gerhardt Muller says the stallion had a really bad knock on the Tobacco Stripping Table and now he’s favouring his off-hind. The judges had no choice. They put him in the holding box to reconsider and Gerhardt’s withdrawn him.”
Issie was stunned. With Avatar and Gerhardt Muller out of the competition she was now by default in first place! The knot in her tummy was returning big-time! A clear round had suddenly become more important than ever – Issie was riding with $100,000 right there within her grasp. Victory was now so close – and she had everything to lose.
Earlier, Marcus had walked the course with Issie on foot and they had discussed the best way to approach the jumps. Now, while Stella tacked Liberty up, he stood by with last-minute advice.
“I don’t know if you want to hear this,” Marcus said, “but so far this season showjumping hasn’t been Liberty’s best phase. She has a tendency to disregard the poles and drop her hind legs. When we were competing at the Fair Hill Three-Star she took down eight rails.”
“Eight rails!” Issie’s heart sank. “That’s not a showjumping round – that’s a demolition derby!”
A single rail down was all it would take to put her out of the running and Marcus was telling her that this mare treated the showjumping course as if the jumps were skittles and she was the bowling ball!
“The last event was two months ago and I’ve schooled her loads and loads since then to try and improve her,” Marcus pointed out. “And you rode Liberty to a clear round yesterday when other horses were being eliminated left and right. You can do this too.”
“You seem to have a lot of faith in me,” Issie frowned, “and I’ve got no idea why.”
“That’s because you don’t realise how special you are,” Marcus smiled at her. “But I do.”
The crowd in the stadium at the Kentucky Four-Star let out a cheer as the final rider of the day entered the arena to begin her round.
“And here she is at last,” the voice of Mike Partridge crackled to life over the loudspeaker, “Isadora Brown and her chance ride Valmont Liberty. What a competition it has been for this combination! As this seventeen-year-old girl enters the arena on this magnificent mare, they are the very picture of a balanced partnership. It is hard to believe that Isadora only sat on this horse for the very first time four days ago and now here they are…”
As they rode into the stadium, Issie heard the roar of the crowd and felt the mare surge forward beneath her. Liberty was keen to jump, and despite what Marcus had just told her, Issie had faith in the mare. Her trust in Liberty’s abilities had got them this far. Now, more than just trust in her horse, she also needed to have faith in herself. She needed to put aside the pressure and focus on the task at hand.
As the bell rang, Issie tipped her hat to the judges and pushed Liberty on into a canter through the flags. As soon as the mare soared the first fence without so much as dusting it with her hooves Issie felt her tension disappear. The weight of the world lifted off her shoulders and she found herself remembering something that she had almost lost sight of in the past few days – that she loved this sport more than anything in the world. She felt the joy of it now as Liberty took the fence cleanly and then put in the most exquisite flying change to canter on the opposite leg and turn to ride at the treble. One-and-two-and-three! Issie cleared the three jumps without touching a rail. They took two more fences cleanly and then there was a gasp from the crowd as Liberty dropped a fetlock and scraped a rail on jump number nine. The pole rocked in the metal socket, but it didn’t fall and a universal sigh of relief rippled through the stadium.
And then there were just three jumps left. Issie kept her hands steady and her legs on as she took one jump and then the next and then she was coming up to the big blue-railed oxer that marked the end of the course.
“This is it!” stage-whispered the announcer. The tension was unbearable and Mike Partridge was utterly beside himself. “One final jump to go a
nd this young girl becomes the youngest rider ever to win one of the world’s great equestrian events. Can she do it?”
Issie looked at the fence ahead of her and saw Liberty’s ears swivel forward in eagerness. She held her position in the saddle, counted the strides and let the mare go at exactly the right moment. Liberty took her cue and arced up in the perfect bascule, rounding herself over the jump in textbook fashion. They were clear! The silver-dapple mare raced through the flags to the wild applause of the crowd and the jubilant voice of the announcer on the loudspeakers. “Isadora Brown and Valmont Liberty have just won the Kentucky Four-Star!”
Chapter 16
As the crowd erupted in the stands Issie rode Liberty round the arena standing up in her stirrups and taking off her helmet to wave it above her head in salute.
“What a performance!” Mike Partridge was in full revelry. “Four days ago Isadora Brown sat on this mare for the very first time and now her chance ride has taken her all the way to the top. Look at the expression of total disbelief on this young rider’s face as it dawns on her that she has just claimed one of the greatest prizes in the eventing world!”
Mike Partridge was still raving as Issie finished the lap and rode back out into the wings where Avery, Stella, Tara and Marcus were waiting for her.
Avery was so excited that he actually punched his fist in the air. “Fantastic stuff! That was a textbook clear round!” Avery said. “The best you’ve ever ridden.”
“Faultless and fabulous!” Tara agreed.
It was Marcus who shocked her the most, though. As Issie vaulted down from Liberty’s back he came running up to her. “I can’t believe how brilliant you are!” Marcus grinned. And then, out of the blue, he planted a kiss on her lips. It was only a quick peck, spurred on by the excitement of the moment, but Issie felt a jolt of electricity go through her as their lips touched.
“Ohmygod!” Stella was suddenly beside Issie, her eyes wild with excitement. “Issie! You’ve just won a hundred thousand dollars! We’re rich! That’s enough to pay all our bills and—”
“Wait a minute,” Tara interrupted Stella’s feverish rant. “It’s more complicated than that, I’m afraid. Liberty has just won a hundred thousand dollars, but Issie was riding on behalf of the Valmont Stables – and as the rider she’s only due ten per cent of the prize money. The rest will go to the mare’s owners.”
Stella’s face dropped. “You can’t be serious!”
“I’m sorry.” Tara looked almost as upset as Stella did. “It’s not my decision – this is how the business works. Tom and I arranged the paperwork with Valmont Stables when Issie signed the contract to ride the mare.”
Issie didn’t know what to say. She remembered signing the documents that Avery had brought her when he organised everything with Blaire Andrews and there was a clause about the prize money. But she hadn’t thought about it really at the time because she never thought she would win on Liberty. Of course it made sense for the horse’s owners to get the lion’s share of the prize. Her ten per cent was still ten thousand dollars, but it was nowhere near enough money to cover their costs. Certainly not enough to prevent her from having to sell Nightstorm.
Suddenly the moment of glory wasn’t quite so glowing. Issie had done everything that she possibly could and had actually won the Kentucky Four-Star. It was strange, to be swept up in this moment of pure elation and joy and at the same time to know that it still wasn’t enough to save them.
“Issie! Issie Brown!”
There was a shout from the crowds as a short, squat blonde woman pushed her way through the barriers, vigorously flashing her press pass to the security guards so that they would let her through. It was Tiggy Brocklebent.
“Congratulations, Issie!” Tiggy said as she tottered across the grass towards her. “Now tell me that you haven’t spoken to anyone else yet! Remember, you promised me an exclusive for Horsing Around magazine!”
“Tiggy?” Issie was stunned. “I’ve only just ridden out of the arena. Of course I haven’t spoken to anyone else yet!”
“Well you can’t be too careful!” Tiggy said. “Paparazzi! They’ll be after you like vultures now, you know. All the magazines and newspapers will want a piece of you. Not to mention the sponsors.”
“Sponsors?”
“Yes, my dear,” Tiggy said, “the ones with the big cheque books! A win at Kentucky puts you in the A-list. They’ll be queuing up to offer you deals. All the clothing brands will want you wearing their jodhpurs and the feed companies will shower you with products and beg you to endorse their lucerne chaff.” Tiggy looked Issie in the eyes. “Whatever you do, don’t you let them rope you into a contract for anything less than half a million. That’s what a star rider like you is worth on the open market!”
“Erm, you’re joking!”
“I’m most certainly not!” Tiggy insisted. “And if you think they’re all after you now – you just wait until they see the cover of the next issue of Horsing Around ! She raised her hands in the air as if she were spelling out a headline. “Seventeen-year-old newcomer makes dream ride to win at Kentucky!”
She smiled at Issie. “This is a total scoop. I’m giving the story at least ten pages. Just wait until my readers discover the truth behind the scenes too – all about Valmont and the sinister goings-on at his stables. My dear, you are the biggest news to hit the eventing world in years,” Tiggy insisted. “And you’ve still got the Grand Slam to come.”
“The Grand Slam?” Issie said.
“You’ve just won Kentucky, dear,” Tiggy said. “You’re going for the Grand Slam, aren’t you?”
The Grand Slam was the holy grail for eventing riders, the most famous prize of all. To win the Grand Slam, a rider had to win three of the world’s most famous Four-Star events all in the space of one year. The first of these events was the Kentucky Four-Star, and the other two were both based in the UK. There were the Burghley Horse Trials – a few months away, and the Badminton Horse Trials, in just two weeks’ time!
“Of course Issie’s going for the Grand Slam!” Avery said, answering Tiggy’s question. “It’s always been Issie’s intention to ride at Badminton and Burghley this season. Her entry has been accepted for both events. Two of her best horses have qualified and the paperwork has been completed.”
Tiggy was frantically taking notes, her eyes bright with excitement at this latest twist. “But can you do it?” she asked Issie. “Badminton Horse Trials are in a fortnight. There’s no way you can get Comet back to the UK from the USA in time.”
“I’m not riding Comet,” Issie said. “I’ve got another horse at Laurel Farm.”
“Another horse?” Tiggy was intrigued.
“Uh-huh. I was saving him for Badminton – but we were really strapped for cash and I thought I might have to sell him.”
“Well, you’re not poor any more, dear,” Tiggy told her. “Like I just said, you’ll have sponsorship dosh coming out of your ears.”
Today was getting more and more incredible. Issie wouldn’t need to sell Nightstorm after all. Instead, she would be riding him at the Badminton Horse Trials!
When Issie began riding lessons at pony club she had always dreamt that one day she would ride in a real Four-Star competition – and today that dream had become reality in the most incredible way. But already her thoughts were turning to Badminton and Burghley. The two competitions were considered to be the very pinnacle of the sport. They were the most challenging, dangerous and thrilling horse trials in the whole world. And Issie was going to be competing in them. More than that, she had to be ready for Badminton in just two weeks’ time!
But right now Issie could hear Mike Partridge’s voice calling her back into the stadium. The dignitaries and officials had gathered for the awards presentation and a hush had fallen over the crowd.
Issie rode back into the centre of the arena on the silver-dapple mare who was now an eventing sensation. Liberty seemed to know that she was the star as she stood perfectly sti
ll for the judges to tie the red satin winner’s sash round her, and the head of the Equestrian Federation trod across the arena in her high heels to place a floral wreath of snow-white roses carefully round the mare’s neck. And then, to the cheers of the crowd and the sound of a trumpet fanfare, Issie took Liberty on her victory lap, waving to crowds and to the cameras that were beaming the images around the world.
In New Zealand, her friends and family watched the victory lap and cheered on a local hero. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, in a farm kitchen in the heart of Wiltshire, Francoise D’Arth watched the very same ceremony on Laurel Farm’s tiny TV set. There were tears in her eyes as she watched Issie take off her helmet and wave to the crowds. She stayed glued to the screen until the ceremony was over, and then she went back out to the stables. The horses stuck their heads over the loose-box doors to greet Francoise, just as they always did, hoping that it might be dinnertime.
They were all beautiful and talented eventers, but there was one horse in particular that stood out from the rest, and it was this horse, the athletic bay stallion with the white blaze that the French trainer had come to see with her news.
“She’s done it,” Francoise whispered to the big bay. “She’s won Kentucky.”
In his stall, Nightstorm nickered and shifted restlessly, as if he understood what this meant – for the girl and for him. The win in Kentucky was just the beginning. Issie Brown was coming back to the UK to be reunited with her beloved stallion and together they would face up to the greatest eventing challenge, the competitions of Badminton and Burghley – and the dream of the Grand Slam.
Coming Soon
STACY GREGG
Pony Club Secrets
Nightstorm and
the Grand Slam
Issie Brown’s dreams are coming true as she competes on the British Four-Star eventing circuit. Can she and beloved sporthorse, Nightstorm, triumph against the world’s best riders at Badminton and Burghley?