Peter and Henny at WEG 2010 Photo: Toni-anne Collins
In 2010 Peter Atkins competed as a part of the Australian at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky on what is now his home soil. It wasn’t the most expected of team call ups; at the last moment Peter and his horse Henry Jota Hampton were flung into the limelight as Megan Jones’ popular grey Kirby Park Irish Jester was in a serious condition due to travel sickness. Peter, based in the USA,finished 24th, was the second highest placing Australian and had the fastest clean round in the show jumping
Luckily Jester pulled through but the horse that took his place – Henny, as he is known, has also become a well known name in eventing circles. Henny and Peter popularised the use of helmet cam in its early days and Henny’s ears, clearly flicking back and forth as Peter talks to him, are now legendary.
Henny is a 2001 16.1 hand, Argentine-born Selle Francais gelding who came into Peter’s life in 2007.
“He has proven to be very fast, handy and cat-like on cross country and almost never has rails in the show jumping. It is common for him to have a double clear cross country. Although he is one of the bravest cross country horses I have ever had he is still scared of his own shadow when he isn't competing” says Peter
Henny and Owen Photo courtesy Atkins Family
Peter’s son Owen came into the world about the same time as Henny turned up in the Atkins family; Owen was born in June 2007 and Henny arrived in August. They have grown up together
“When Owen was a baby Amy used to have to keep him away from the show ring because if Henry heard him make any kind of noise he would completely lose focus on his job and worry about where Owen was”
“In general Henry doesn't like his face touched or played with but Owen can do anything he wants to him”
Henny has his own Facebook page with over 7,000 followers and, as Australia’s only competitors in Kentucky this weekend we will be cheering them on and following their progress closely
Peter and Henny successfully passed the First Horse Inspection this morning; their dressage test is at 1:46pm on Thursday and cross country at 11:10am on Saturday and Libby Law will be of course featuring them on our photo galleries!
RUN HENNY RUN!
Henny on his way to Rolex Kentucky 2013
