THE NEXT GENERATION
Childhoods steeped in the sport resulted in different paths to the top for these showjumping brothers. Martha Terry goes behind the scenes to watch the pair at work
ATALENT for showjumping seems to run through the veins, if the number of dynasties at elite level are anything to go by. So Will and Olli Fletcher, sons of Olympic silver medallist Graham and Hickstead Derby winner Tina, are hardly an anomaly in perpetuating the family trade.
However, a few years ago, if you’d asked Graham how he saw his children’s careers panning out, he would not have predicted a brace of young Fletchers rubbing shoulders with Ehning et al in five-star shows. Yet, aged just 15, Olli was “lucky enough” to train with then world number one Steve Guerdat, and spent last summer riding for Andreas Schou (Absolute Horses) in Denmark.
“Olli’s always done the horses, but Will was all about going to uni and playing football,” says Graham. “He was a good striker at academy level; we went all over the country to his matches; I loved it. Then just as he was choosing which uni, he decided to take a year out to do horses.
He was so far behind Olli at that stage that I must admit I didn’t think it would work.
At first it felt like the wrong way round as the younger one had more experience. But I’ve never known anyone to improve like Will did.”
Will plays down his footballing prowess, but says his heart wasn’t in showjumping.
“I didn’t think I’d be a rider; I was good in school and my highlight, bar a good year in children-onhorses, was winning a 1.10m at Blewbury. But then I got Persimmon and made a goal to finish top five in a ranking class on a tour. He came fifth on day two so I had to make bigger goals.”
Their partnership yielded young rider team gold, the under-18 national title, two senior Nations Cup appearances and many grand prix wins. A new path was forged.
“I decided I’d give uni a miss, and I’m so happy I did,” Will says. “We are so lucky to make a career out of doing sport.”
WHEN H&H visits Foxglade Farm, just north of Lambourn, it is a bright day in late January. Will, who turns 25 this week, is gearing up to truck down to Spain for two months on the Sunshine Tour with eight horses, while Olli, 20, is shortly taking two to Doha for his first experience of the Global Champions League with Monaco Aces.
