Tina Stafford riding Unrepentant
Tina Stafford became involved with Chris Burton's horses some years ago when her daughter’s horse, Unrepentant (or Mocha as he is known to his friends) was proving to be a little bit too much for a teenage girl. What started as a ‘let’s see what Chris can do with Mocha’ ran on for several years and together the pair clocked up some great success at 3* level. I can remember speaking to Tina a few years ago where she admitted that Chris as ‘just like a son and very much part of the family’ but when Mocha was sold on and Chris moved overseas the owner/rider relationship was forced to change. Although Tina still had a horse with Chris (Kinnordy Rivaldo) as they were competing in UK it was obviously much harder for Tina to be part of the scene and eventually Kenny was sold, which had always been part of the plan.
Fast track now to this year and Tina is once again one of Chris Burton’s owners – albeit in a slightly different arrangement. But we’ll let Tina tell you all about ‘her’ new horse and her hopes for this year.
TS Jamaimo at last years Adelaide CCI4*
In a real ‘circle of life’ story Mocha is now back with Tina, who really enjoys riding and competing him although in the last two weeks Tina has suffered two unfortunate falls on her favourite horse. “I’ve fallen off Mocha twice in the two years I’ve been riding him, it’s just that one came pretty much after the other. I came off at the last fence on cross country at Canberra and then last weekend I fell off during my show jumping round. None of the falls were Mocha’s fault I just got him too close to the fence and he just over jumped. He knows he doesn’t stop at fences and I just need to learn how to stay with him when I get it bit wrong. I fully intend to back on and compete again because I just love riding a horse who is so well schooled … thanks to Chris!”
At the moment Tina is feeling a bit stiff and sore and told us she has a very impressive bruise on her back. “Maybe I should take a photo and send it to you,” she suggested but then quickly added, “no maybe not! But I would like to take this chance to say a big thank you to all my eventing friends who have sent messages and made phone calls to ask how I am going. Eventing really is a great sport and I’ll be back in amongst it all again at Albury, but maybe not quite on a horse just yet!”
Tina loves riding Mocha and will be back enjoying him again soon
