Equestrian: Rio heartache is cast aside as Izzy targets Europeans

After all, just one month short of Rio 2016, the rider was counting down the days to her Olympics debut.

Two weeks later, Taylor knew she would be staying at home when Allercombe Ellie became injured.

Quite right then, that the rider is intent on living for the moment following a first of what might just prove many Bramham wins to come.

Oxfordshire-based Taylor only turned 33 last month yet this year’s visit to the Equi-Trek Bramham International Horse Trials was already the rider’s tenth.

A tenth visit proved to be a winning one as Trevidden won the event’s CIC three-star and it is already abundantly clear that Taylor belongs on the sport’s biggest stage of all.

A first Olympics looked in store back in July 2016 when Taylor was named as one of four three-day eventers riders set to represent Team GB at the Rio Olympics the following month.

But Taylor was left crushed when Allercombe Ellie became injured, meaning 47-year-old Pippa Funnell headed for another Olympics instead.

One year on, Taylor looks destined to represent her country at this summer’s European Championships and the world no 40 ought to have all roads leading to Tokyo 2020 given her tender age.

There are only seven Brits higher up the world rankings than the Bicester-based rider who still has time on her side.

But even at just 33 years of age, Taylor is already well and truly aware of the sport’s ups and downs.

“It’s tough. It’s a tough sport. Sport generally is tough,” Taylor told The Yorkshire Post in an exclusive interview.

“And then you have got the added difficulty of the horses and the injuries with them as well as you.

“There are massive downs and not going to Rio wasn’t nice it was tough.

“And I, when things are tough, would put my head down and get to work and I think that then hopefully benefits you.

“But you have to keep working and keep going and then when you do have a win like this you have to really enjoy it because it doesn’t happen every day.

“Sometimes you are flying high and you can fly high for a while and then bang, you hit the beck.

“And equally the other way round.

“In the morning of the Bramham win I had my horse fall and we were both fine.

“But to then get on and get your brain in the right place to come out and ride properly, that’s part of it.”

Taylor was on the deck on the morning of her Bramham win after Frog Rock was eliminated over Ian Stark’s cross country test in the flagship CCI three-star.

But several hours later the rider was celebrating her first ever win at Bramham and it’s highly likely that come next month Taylor will be one of six representing Team GB at the Europeans.

Four riders will take in the team test with another two competing individually.

“You would like to think so,” said Taylor, assessing her chances of being selected.

“But, like we all know, it’s never what it seems. We’ll see what happens.

“But the championships every year are always something on our minds as riders.

“They are important, we want to represent our country and we want to go out and win the medals that we as a nation feel that we should be achieving and possibly haven’t. It’s important.”

And as too in Taylor’s eyes is Bramham with the rider very much hoping her 2017 success is the first of many.

“I was delighted to have the win, absolutely chuffed,” beamed Taylor.

“It’s always good to be a winner and at an event like this, at Bramham, which is one of my favourite events, makes it more special.

“It’s always been a testing cross country place here and I really enjoy the cross country.

“So I always think come on Izzy, this should suit you, and last year I had a shocker here – absolutely awful.

“Everything went badly, I fell off, had run outs, so I came here thinking ‘come on, this year you can do it’.

“Then I had a horse fall on the first horse and I was thinking ‘for goodness sake, get a grip’.

“Anyway, we got a grip and Trevor was very good.”

Assessing the prospect of bagging many more wins at Bramham to come, Taylor said: “Very much so.

“It’s a really important event, it’s lovely, I love coming here and I want to keep going.

“I don’t think, yes, I’ve won Bramham, I’m off now.

“I want to keep going.”