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Jolyse started riding at the age of 6 months, on “Thistles” the donkey.
At 2 ½ Bramble a Shetland pony appeared on the scene. Bramble regularly attended Horse Trials, even being ridden by Olympic rider (and Fellow of the British Horse Society) Ian Stark at Blair Castle CCI** in the dressage, complete with top hat and tails!
When Jolyse was 5 years old, Bramble was succeeded by Honeybee, a beautiful, though very lazy classic type Welsh section A. Honeybee also travelled the “Trials” circuit, passing sound at the Burgie “trot up”.
Always tall for her age, Jolyse soon moved onto Coco, a 12.2hh grey "mean machine", who had two speeds, fast and faster! Coco, with a wild wall eye –a successful head shaker and tap dancer (!) the pair will be remembered for racing with Ronald Alexander’s daughter's matching grey, across the roads tracks and meadows of Blair Castle estate.
After varied results in showing, dressage, BSJA, polocrosse and hunter trials, and two other ponies, whose talents included bucking, napping, rearing and wiping their rider off on any immovable obstacle – Jolyse found hidden talent come to the surface when riding Thirlstane Castles’ star ride- the “Bronco Bull”
To the amazement of the many dozen spectators, nine year old Jolyse clung like a limpet, her record time only being broken by a professional Spanish bronco rider.
From being tiny, Jolyse often rode Augermist her mother Alyse’s 4* Burghley specialist. After a particularly pleasing dressage at Gatcombe, ten year old Jolyse begged a sit on Augermist, and proceeded to do better ½ passes and changes than mum in the arena, drawing humorous comment from New Zealanders Andrew Nicholson and Blythe Tait.
Later the same year 14.1hh “Milly on Air” found Jolyse. The pair jelled, and at 11 Jolyse completed several British Horse Trials Pony Club sections, being placed in almost all. Success being quashed at Ivesley when careful negotiation of the intermediate(!) exit from the water complex produced elimination!
The following year Jolyse and the "buzzy" Milly on Air were partners at the British Dressage Fledglings Championships at Addington, where they won in fine style.
Outgrowing “Milly” at thirteen, Jolyse started competing home bred “On Fire”, the 16.1hh home bred mare she is now successfully eventing.
Jolyse and On Fire qualified for the Winergy Novice and Elementary dressage Championships, winning at their first attempt, and in 2003 came 6th overall in the Pony Club Dressage Championships at Sansaw in the final ride off.
Jolyse started British Eventing On Fire in 2002 aged 14 with a handful of Pre Novices. After a sticky start (due to an equine "bovine" phobia), On Fire settled down and it all came together with a win at Solihull, where the pair came home with the Katy Meacham Memorial Trophy (best Young Rider), Last of the Incas Trophy (best Mare) highest placed Pre-Novice- in fact everything except local rider, and the veteran prize!
Jolyse has always been a keen Pony Club member taking part in all teams from Quizzes and Show Jumping through to Polo Crosse and Dressage.
After a busy camp in 2002, Jolyse was asked to be in the horse trials team with home bred On Song. Although Jolyse had ridden On Song many times, she had not competed with her, but the following week they led from the start to win individual and team Area Trials at Bishop Burton. This was followed swiftly by the Championships at Sansaw, superb clears across country by all team members gave the team a creditable 9th – and Jolyse 12th individual both just missing the placings.
Jolyse started 2003 as her first real season eventing with the JRN series. On Song running Hors Concours “on a ticket” for experience, and Jolyse gaining miles on the clock with On Fire.
Autumn again saw the preparatory work come together with a win at Tetton Hall in the JRN, and both gained valuable experience Hors Concours in novice classes finishing the season with a win in the Junior section at Aldon 2 day event.
Again Jolyse was asked to partner On Song in the Middleton Pony Club Area Horse Trials Team.
The Area Qualifier over Richmond's novice track at pre novice speed cost 1.8 reversed time penalties, loosing the pair individual 1st. Though superb riding by all team members again saw the squad heading for the Sansaw Championships.
This time the team were unlucky to finish 9th - again just out of the placings, though 12 months experience paid off for Jolyse. A very good dressage, Janet Plant’s bold and technical course suited the pair and put Jolyse and On Song in the lead. Jolyse was amazed and thrilled to win, also receiving the runner up rosette for the Irky Newton award for talented cross country riding.
In 2004 Jolyse began competing at Intermediate level with On Song, gaining 4th in their first outing at Belton Park in the OIU18 trial section. The 6 hour journey to Bicton Park paid dividends when On Fire gained 2nd in a Novice section, and On Song won the OIU18 trial and was 2nd overall in the section. This was quickly followed by another 2nd in a Novice at Chatsworth with On Fire, and a 4th in the OIU21 at Osberton with On Song.
Both horses then competed at Chepstow CCI* where On Song finished runner up by 0.5 penalties after rolling a pole at the last fence. So tight were the placings that On Fire dropped from overnight 6th place to 19th with 2 costly rolled poles.
Straight from Chepstow Jolyse and On Song raced to Windsor, taking in several GCSE’s on the way and were rewarded with a win in the under 18 section of the Young Event Riders Show Jumping, and runner up Under 21 after jumping clear throughout, the only combination to do so.
On Fire’s first Intermediate was rewarded with a clear across country and 12th place at Aske Hall in inclement weather.
On Song led throughout in the OI at Great Witchingham though again a torrential storm hampered the pair, dropping them to 4th after a safe, though steady, cross country round in monsoon conditions.
The final trial at Lulworth Castle was the icing on the cake, On Song taking the lead with a 7 point margin, and the younger On Fire finishing in 7th place.
Squad selection with a choice of ride for the Junior European Championships at Pratoni Del Vivaro Rome was a dream come true, On Song, the more experienced ride, taking priority over her grand-daughter On Fire. A good dressage, and classy clears inside the time Show Jumping and Cross Country, helped bring home team bronze medal, and individual 9th place from the 73 entries.
Jolyse enjoys her Saturday / holiday job working at Gill and Tim Walford’s race yard, learning much about the training, care and fitness of Thoroughbreds, which has helped her no end with her cross country riding technique. Jolyse is very grateful for all their support and the many days off to enable her to compete.
Jolyse attended Huntington Comprehensive School in York until the summer of 2004 where she sat her GCSE’s before moving to Fulford Comprehensive Sixth Form to study for her A levels in the September.
Fulford school is very supportive, both staff and friends are avid followers of her equestrian pursuits.
Jolyse has been trained mostly by her mother Alyse, Scott Smith helps with the Show Jumping and Gill Watson over the last 12 months
