Biography

It will be a first Badminton for American rider Libby Head (24) from Georgia. With Badminton entry Sir Rockstar Libby completed Lexington CCI4* in 2014.

Libby always loved horses but only decided to take lessons in 2005 aged 14. She found a yard nearby that offered lessons in eventing despite ‘not knowing what eventing was’. Two years later she found Sir Rockstar – an off the track thoroughbred – who was ‘a scrawny malnourished horse that looked like he hadn’t been touched in months’.

Their first year together was not a success – Rocky refused to do anything close to dressage and napped and reared – although jumping came easily to him. The following year the pair represented Area III in the North American Junior/Young Rider Championships albeit had a stop cross country. Area III Coach Kyle Carter – with who Libby still trains – assured Libby she had a potential four-star horse, she just had to better her riding to get him there.

In 2010 Libby entered higher education at the University of Georgia and continued to compete whilst at college. The pair progressed up the levels gaining a team gold medal in the CCI2* at NAYRC in 2011, and progressed to advanced in 2012. In 2013, they completed Fair Hill CCI3* finishing in 13th place. Libby then took a term out of college to prepare for Lexington – she was the youngest rider and he was the smallest horse – and the pair completed in 19^th place. The following year with a training grant from USEA Libby was aiming to compete at Luhmuhlen but two weeks before the event broke her wrist skim boarding. Last December Libby graduated gaining a BSa in Animal Science and moved to Ocala to train and prepare for Badminton

Libby enjoys music, hiking, being outdoors and reading.

Sir Rockstar is an 18-year-old ‘off the track’ thoroughbred gelding. He is by Rockamundo out of a mare by Great Sun. He was bought in 2008 as a 10-year-old having done nothing. At just 15.1hh he is the smallest horse in the field