Biography

British rider Izzy Taylor (39) who is based near Bicester in Oxfordshire first competed here in 2011. She gained her sixth completion on her last visit in 2019.

In 2022 with Badminton entry Monkeying Around she was the winner of Bramham CCI4*L and represented GB at the 2021 European Championships in Avenches (10^th). With Happy Days she was 21^st at Pau – the horses first 5* and with Graf Cavalier 18^th at Boekelo 4* – Badminton will be a first at the level for the horse.

Izzy who is one of the UK’s busiest riders – she was 8^th in the 2022 BE end of year rider ranking – comes from an equestrian family and started riding early. Her Grandmother Jane Whiteley was second at Badminton, her great aunt Anneli Drummond Hay won both Badminton and Burghley and her mother represented GB at Junior and Young Rider levels. Although offered a place at University to study Sports Science, Izzy decided on horses and eventing. She first worked for Hartpury College and breeders Sam and Linda Barr and then spent time in Holland to train with her aunt, Anneli Drummond Hay, where she had the opportunity to work for Swiss Olympic show jumper Markus Fuchs. She recovered from serious injury from a fall in 2003 to win team silver and individual bronze in the 2004 European Young Rider Championships. She was then based for two years at the Opposition Stud during which time she was second at Windsor International and third at the Young Rider Championships. In 2006 Izzy set up her own yard.

In 2008 Izzy took the ride on Briarlands Matilda when her former rider Tristram Owers broke his leg. In 2011 with Matilda, Izzy made her Badminton debut and in 2012 was seventh in their first appearance at Burghley – Izzy received the prize for the highest placed ‘Burghley first-timer’ while Matilda won the prize for the highest placed British-bred mare. In 2013 with Matilda, she was a member of the British squad for the European Championships in Malmo – Izzy’s first senior appearance for GB.

In 2014 she was the only rider to complete Badminton on two horses, Briarlands Matilda 17^th & Thistledown Popski 18^th. In 2015 with Briarlands Matilda, she was an individual member of the squad that contested the European Championships at Blair Castle, finishing in 6^th place. In 2016 at the July meeting of the Goodwood Festival Izzy won the Magnolia Cup – a celebrity ladies race in aid of charity – presented to her by Darcy Bussell. In 2017 with Perfect Stranger she won the CCI3* at Millstreet. She was also the winner of the World six-year-old young horse championship (Monkeying Around) and over the year won 7 CIC3* classes including Belton and at Bramham. In 2016 with Allercombe Ellie she was eighth at Badminton. The pair was selected for the British team for the Rio Olympic Games but shortly before travelling was unable to go due to injury to Ellie.

Izzy is mother to two children Lily (14) and Freddie (12) and enjoys hunting with the Bicester and Waddon Chase.

She trains with David Trott

Monkeying Around is a German-bred Hanoverian 12-year old gelding. Bred by Christian Heinrich he is by Bertoli W out of mare by Donnerhall. He has been produced by Izzy – in 2017 the pair won the World six-year-old championships at Le Lions.

Happy Days is an 11-year-old British-bred AES registered gelding. Bred by Emma Humphrey he is by William Funnells former grand prix jumper Cevin Z out of Valebrook by the thoroughbred Tudorville and was acquired from the breeder as a five-year-old. Valebrook is also the dam of Grafensbrook (by Grafenstolz) who is currently competing in U18 classes.

Graf Cavalier owned and bred by Trevor Dickens is a British-bred SHB(GB) registered 13-year-old mare. She is by the leading sire Grafenstolz out of a mare by Cavalier. She was formerly produced and ridden in the sport by Piggy March and came to Izzy in 2020.