My name is Annabel Wigley. I am an Event rider from North Canterbury NZ, but am currently based in England for the UK Eventing season.

I have been riding since I was 5 years old, on my first pony Charlie. I was very lucky that both my parents rode horses as well as my sister Sophie. As kids we did everything including, Eventing, Hunting, Showing, Dressage, Showjumping and Pony Club. Later on I decided I loved Eventing the most!

Charlie

My favourite horses are Thoroughbreds, especially New Zealand thoroughbreds! Most of my horses have had a previous career as a racehorse. One of the first horses I got off the track was a beautiful black horse called Kap the Bid, he was a very good racehorse. Our best achievement was winning the Two Star at the New Zealand ODE Champs, we went on to compete at Advanced level.

My next good horse was called Black Drum, produced by Frank Phillips. He was also off the track. He was a very quirky horse, but was the most fantastic Cross Country horse! We went up the grades together and when I was 21 we won the Puhinui Three Star Three Day Event. This was very exciting, and the following year we then made the decision to take him to the UK to do an International campaign. It was an amazing experience, and I learnt so much! Our best results were 7th at the Burghley Horse Trials and 16th at Badminton Horse Trials. We were the top young rider, under 25 at Burghley and the best first timer. We went on to finish in the top 20 four times at Burghley. We were selected as the first reserve for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Blacl Drum

Sadly I had to sell Black Drum in the UK, and came back to New Zealand to start again. My next top horse was bred by my parents in Amberley, he was supposed to be a racehorse but was too small and ugly. I took him out of the paddock and decided to break him in and play around with him. NRM Frog Rock well and truly surpassed any expectations we had of him! In New Zealand we won the three star at the NZ Horse of the Year show, and were third at the National Three Star Three Day Event in Taupo. I then decided to take him and another young horse NRM Cotswold, back to England to compete. He did an amazing round at his first Four Star at Pau in France, and he was one of only 7 clear rounds in the SJ on the final day.

NRM Frog Rock

Currently I have 5 horses in England, including my two Advanced horses NRM Frog Rock and NRM Cotswold. I also have some lovely Novice horses, including Amazing Spy another lovely NZ Thoroughbred, owned by Heather and Alan Cato. Spy has recently been placed in the top three at his last three Novice Starts. Grouse is another Novice horse I ride for the Gent family. He is very talented, and is a very quirky character!

Amazing Spy

Grouse

I would like to thank my sponsors NRM stock feeds and the National Saddle Centre NZ. Without their support I wouldn’t be able to do this!