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Syndication is not uncommon in the UK for eventing horse owners, but the popular Northumberland-based rider Ben Hobday has come up with a new take on it for 2021
Ben’s 2019 British Open Championship winning horse Shadow Man II (stable name ‘Fidgy’), jointly owned by Ben and Jane Chambers, was purchased eight years ago as a raw and unbroken two-year-old and has quickly come through the levels.
In 2019 he finished second in the CCI4*-L at Ballindenisk, fifth at Bramham’s CCI4*-S, second in the CCIO4* Nations Cup competition at Strzegom and second to New Zealand’s Jonelle Price at the Magic Millions British Open Championship at Gatcombe’s Festival of British Eventing, with Ben being crowned British National Eventing Champion
In 2021 Shadow Man II will be aimed at his first CCI5* at Badminton Horse Trials in May and Ben has teamed up with the newly-launched Event Horse Owners Syndicate (EHOS) to offer a different type of opportunity to be involved in Shadow Man II
The ‘Shadow Man Experience’ allows members of the public to go behind the scenes as Ben campaigns Shadow Man II towards Badminton Horse Trials in 2021. For £250 a share (a one-off payment), up to 500 eventing fans will be part of the Shadow Man II journey in 2021. The experience will run from 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2021 and participants will receive weekly training updates, exclusive behind the scenes content, competition videos, yard visits and course walks. They will also have priority access to exclusive EHOS training clinics with Ben.
Unlike other ownership syndicate models, ownership of Shadow Man II will remain with Ben and Jane for the duration of the experience.
“I am so excited to share the Shadow Man II journey with eventing fans” says Ben “They will be able to learn about what goes on behind the scenes when preparing a horse for Badminton! Fidgy is one of the most exciting horses I’ve had the privilege to sit on. I can’t wait to continue his journey with our own army of fans keeping us company. Without the fans our sport just wouldn’t be what it is. This is such a brilliant opportunity to give them something really special to be involved in”
