Building for success on return to saddle

But all that will change in May with the 49-year-old’s new eventing career blossoming so much that a date at the Badminton Horse Trials beckons.

Alongside his 47-year-old brother Nick, Procter runs the Procter Brothers builders firm which has been building top quality homes for over 50 years.

But the older sibling has left it until nearing his 50s to burst onto the equestrian scene with Procter and his nine-year-old Sumas William Of Orange having qualified for the Badminton Grassroots Championship at BE90 level.

The Cowling-based businessman grew up riding horses in Burley Woodhead but thought he had kissed goodbye to his equine love affair following the introduction of “work, driving and girlfriends” as he neared his 20s.

But wife Vicky has been responsible for re-igniting that passion for horses and barely one year after entering competitions, Procter has a date at Badminton on May 1.

“My wife took up riding again 10 years ago and, after three or four years, I thought ‘if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em’,” said Procter.

“I got my own horse and the progress I have made has been amazing but I’ve got a really good horse and that helps. With a really good horse you’ve got a good chance.”

That horse – nicknamed Golly at home – was purchased from Astrid Bolton in Blackpool as a newly broken four-year-old for dressage.

The new acquisition at first proved to have severe behaviour issues at home – dressage, at that stage, clearly not to his liking – but upon taking the animal hacking a new blossoming partnership between horse and human was born.

Lessons with trainer Silvia Schorn then got the duo further in the groove and while Procter then joined British Show-jumping, it was an attempt at conquering eventing that he yearned for.

In the Spring of 2011, he and Sumas William Of Orange entered their first unaffiliated one-day event run by the York & Ainsty Hunt at Northallerton Equestrian Centre and the rest, as they say, is history.

The pair won that event and went on to produce a string of top-10 finishes – topped by qualifying for Badminton and also winning the Aske International qualifying for the regional finals.

It has been a whirlwind success story and even Procter does not know where the progress will end.

“I’ve been in the top 10 in every competition I’ve entered, including the actual regional final that got me to the Championship,” he said.

“So, with a bit of hard work between now and then, there’s no reason why I couldn’t do quite well.

“I think it’s also helped with us moving into the house we have got now, which is a barn that we converted ourselves through work.

“That meant we could keep the horses at home and there’s a massive difference when you keep a horse at home. You feed it yourself every day and it creates a bond. Once the horse trusts you, it’s half the battle and they will probably do things they wouldn’t have done otherwise.”

It’s proved a recipe for success with Procter also benefiting from the sponsorship of Aireworth Vets, whose Jo Butterell is herself an eventer and partly responsible for the builder-come-eventer’s switch to the sport. Regardless of what happens at Badminton, the Yorkshireman is hopeful of continuing his progress in the equestrian arena with success at E100 and Novice level his next long-term targets.

Additionally, wife Vicky also plans to compete a recently purchased 16-year-old Grade A show-jumper named Max in dressage while the couple also have another retired dressage horse, 21-year-old Fellini.

There may soon be the need for a fourth equine friend for 16-year-old daughter Georgina.

“My daughter is a rider and she is a pretty good jockey,” said Procter, who has two other children, Joseph, aged 21, and Alex, 14.

“We don’t have a pony for her at the moment because she is at boarding school but I suspect when she comes home and after university she will probably take it up again.”

But the same can not be said for business partner brother Nick and, essentially, that’s just as well.

After all, while the older sibling is starring at Badminton, somebody needs to hold the fort at work.

“Nick’s not into his horse riding at all these days,” said Procter. “He did a little when we were teenagers as well but he’s not interested now.

“I’ll probably be taking a whole week off for Badminton but I think Nick will have to stay at work.

“Somebody will be needed to look after the building site!”