Rider Biographies

Polly Stockton

Country: Great Britain

Age: 37

A former successful Young Rider, Polly has been a professional event rider for almost 20 years. Polly learnt her trade through her local Pony Club and the JRN programme and it was her Young Rider horse, Poggio, who gave Polly her first major success when they were part of the gold medal-winning team at the 1995 European Young Rider Championships, as well as finishing sixth individually. Poggio also took Polly to Badminton, although it wasn’t the debut they had hoped for as Poggio reared and left the arena during the dressage test, causing the pair to be eliminated.

Arthur Comyn, a loyal owner for Polly, then offered her the rides on Westlord and the former Andrew Nicholson ride All Black. Coupled with her own The Tonka Toy and Jane Starkey’s Davy, Polly started to make her name on the circuit with good results.

When Mark Todd (first) retired she was lucky to take over the rides of Eye Spy II and Word For Word as well as Oscar, the former ride of Chris Bartle, all of whom helped to establish her at four-star level. In 1999 she was British National Champion and was selected for the WEG in Jerez (2002) but was eliminated on Eyespy II. In 2003 with Tangleman she came close to winning Lexington CCI*** but was pipped to the post by Pippa Funnell en route to her historic Rolex Grand Slam. She has also finished second at Burghley on three occasions.

Polly is a current member of the UK World Class programme and was elected for the Luhmuhlen Europeans this year on Westwood Poser.

Both her parents competed and are still involved in the sport. Her father, Sir Jonathan Clark, a longstanding Master of the Sir Watkin William-Wynns Hunt, is also a BE Steward, while her mother, Sue, is Chair of the JRN programme and the JRN selection committee and often judges young horse classes.

Polly is married to former National Hunt jockey and now racing driver Chris Stockton. Last year she gave birth to their first child, Jake.

Notable achievements

• 2011 – Bramham CCI** 2nd Regulus
• 2011 – Badminton CCI**** 14th Westwood Poser
• 2010 – Chatsworth CIC*** 10th Regulus (J Brakewell)
• 2009 – Burghley CCI**** 2nd Westwood Poser
• 2009 – Aachen CICO*** 9th Regulus
• 2008 – Boekelo CCI*** 3rd Regulus
• 2007 – Blenheim CCI*** 4th Regulus
• 2007 – Burghley CCI**** 2nd Tom Quigley
• 2005 – Blenheim Eu Ch *** 20th Tom Quigley
• 2004 – Burghley CCI**** 6th Tangleman
• 2003 – Burghley CCI**** 8th Eyespy II
• 2003 – Lexington CCI**** 2nd Tangleman
• 2002 – Burghley CCI**** 2nd Word for Word
• 2001 – Burghley CCI**** 6th Eyespy II
• 1999 – Burghley CCI**** 6th Westlord
• 1998 – Blenheim CCI*** 1st Westlord
• 1994 – Blenheim YR Eu Ch 6th Poggio (team gold)