Meet wonder horse Jefferson, who sealed Olympic GOLD for Britain: ‘We understand each other now – he’s very special’

Scott Brash’s charismatic “Jezza” has such a spectacular jump that Nick Skelton said he would have been tempted out of retirement to ride him. Jennifer Donald meets a “very special horse” who carried Great Britain to TEAM GOLD at Paris 2024

Scott Brash praised his “amazing” equine partner Jefferson, who jumped clear for just one time-penalty under huge pressure to secure a gold medal for Great Britain in the team Olympic showjumping final at Paris 2024 on Friday (2 August).

“A gold medal doesn’t get old, it’s incredible,” said Scott.

Here is the story of the incredible Jefferson, AKA Jezz or Jeff, who now reigns as an Olympic hero himself.

Hello Jefferson: key facts

Age: 15
Breeding: BWP by Cooper VD Heffinck out of Hovis (by Irco Mena)
Rider: Scott Brash
Breeder: Bernard Mols (Belgium)
Owners: Lady Pauline Harris and Lady Pauline Kirkham
Hello Jefferson’s greatest achievements: part of Great Britain’s Olympic gold medal-winning team at Paris 2024; second in the World Cup qualifier at the London International (2023); won World Cup qualifier London International (2022); won CSI5* grand prix of Valkenswaard (July 2021), won CSI5* LGCT grand prix of Stockholm (June 2021), runner-up in CSI5* LGCT grand prix of Madrid (May 2021), won two CSI4* grands prix of Saint Tropez (August and October 2020), runner-up in the Longines international grand prix of Ireland, Dublin (August 2019), double clear as part of the winning team in the Nations Cup of Dublin (August 2019).

Rider Scott Brash says:

“We were looking for a horse and I went to a couple of shows where I just spent the whole day watching and looking. I saw Jefferson at Peelbergen [with previous rider Charlotte Philippe] and really liked him, but they weren’t too keen to sell at that time. But we kept in touch and a few months later we bought him.

“I could see there was a lot of quality there – he was powerful, he was careful, he was quick – and he gave me a very good feeling at the jump, but he was very sharp. There was still a lot of flatwork to be done with him – it felt like he didn’t just understand things to start with.

“When I got him home he was actually really tricky and hard work – he has a bit of character about him! He’s very clever and has such a busy brain that he always wants to be doing something. But he’s trained on really well and we’ve grown so much as a partnership – we understand each other now and I think he’s a very special horse.

“In Dublin 2019 when he jumped double clear for the Nations Cup team then was second in the grand prix – that’s when it all started to come together and I was proud to realise he was definitely going to fit in at the top end of the sport having coped with an atmosphere like that.

“He’s always been an obvious choice for the Olympics.”

Groom David Honnet says:

“He’s a sweet horse who is really attached to people and just wants lots of attention in the stable. He likes to make tea with his hay and he’s always on a mission when you lead him out.

“Scott calls him Jezza but my nickname for him is just Jeff. I’ve looked after him since he arrived with Scott and it’s been quite a long process to get to where we are now so it makes me very proud to see him in the ring.”

Lord Harris, husband of co-owner Lady Harris with Lady Kirkham say:

“He was very sharp at the beginning, but we also knew he could jump extremely well. I’ll never forget Nick Skelton even said to me when he saw him: ‘If you let me ride that horse, I’ll come out of retirement!’

“We’ve taken it slowly and built him up. He has come on so much because of all the groundwork Scott has put in over the years.

“The first Olympic horse we had was Countryman [with David Broome] and it still gives us such a thrill and Scott is fantastic – it doesn’t matter if he’s jumped a novice or a grand prix horse, within five minutes of him jumping I have a WhatsApp video of the round and he phones me and we talk it through.”

This feature originally appeared in an issue of Horse & Hound magazine.

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