Badminton lessons give Hardisty Bramham belief

Indeed, the long-term dream is to be taking centre stage on this very day at a future Bramham International Horse Trials.

Hardisty will enjoy the next year as a national champion following her brilliant win on Croft Farm Percy in the Badminton BE100 2012 event.

And while the 27-year-old has a dedicated day job as a primary school teacher, the talented eventer still hopes to eventually make a big impression on an international stage.

Progress has already been made since Hardisty’s Badminton success with Croft Farm Percy finishing fourth in his first CIC one-star assignment in an International Novice class at Floors Castle.

He then landed last weekend’s Novice Regional Final at Belsay and while Hardisty remains extremely committed to a day job that she loves, long-term dreams of succeeding at two, three and even four-star level are impossible to hide.

“I’m quite ambitious with it even though I have got a full-time job as a teacher,” Hardisty told the Yorkshire Post.

“I know I am an amateur but I want to do it right and I have always got another aim and a little thing of where I want to be.

“I would love to think that one day I could take Percy round Bramham or something like that and get myself around a three-star. I’d love it.”

Middlesbrough-born Hardisty has four horses in total, including Twiggy who was initially the Yorkshire star’s original big hope.

However, there is no denying that Croft Farm Percy is now the star attraction.

“I plan to take him Intermediate this season and hopefully by the end of the year I hope to aim him at a two-star,” said Hardisty, formerly of both Sheffield Hallam and Durham University.

“Hopefully, if I can get him a two-star this year and we are doing two-stars next year then I would say maybe not next year but maybe the year after then I’d love to think I could get to Bramham and do the three-star there.

“It wouldn’t be next year but that would be my long-term aim.

“Whatever happens, I’m thrilled that he has won at Badminton as that’s probably my one and only chance to go to Badminton unless one day I make it to the four-star which I very much doubt!”

But you wouldn’t bet against it with Hardisty also blessed with a dedicated support team that now includes a fiancé in Matt who proposed the day after Hardisty conquered at Badminton.

Hardisty also says that both her school – Sessay Primary – and her parents – Julie and Peter – are integral to her success.

“Obviously, I haven’t got sponsors and owners behind me so it is kind of all off my own back,” said Hardisty, who also has a 23-year-old sister, Steph, who lives in London.

“My mum and dad are a huge support to me – they give me lots of funding and they help me along the way.

“Obviously, I try my best with money but it’s such an expensive sport to do and I physically couldn’t do it without them basically.

“Matt, as well as being my new fiancé, is a massive support to me. He is there wherever I go, whatever I do and he is my full-time groom.”

The 2013 series of qualifiers for the well-established South Essex Insurance Brokers Search For A Star and the SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Show Championships will continue next Sunday at Badgworth Riding Centre in Badgworth, Somerset.

Search For A Star has been created by SEIB to encourage amateur riders to produce their horses to a high standard in the show ring and giving them the opportunity to compete at the prestigious finals at the Horse Of The Year Show.

Already heading to HOYS is Sessay’s Vicky Smart who qualified Chivola at the recent qualifying show held at Onley Grounds Equestrian Complex in Warwickshire.

After Badgworth, the last remaining qualifiers come at Bury Farm Equestrian Centre in Leighton Buzzard on July 7, at Vale View Equestrian in Melton Mowbray on August 11 and lastly – in Racehorse to Riding only – at The Landrover Burghley Horse Trials in Lincolnshire on September 8.

The HOYS final is held at Birmingham’s NEC from October 9 to 13.