Hayden Hankey

He’s renowned as a top horseman in most disciplines, but the HOYS winner is set on excelling in the highest echelons of eventing, writes Catherine Austen

IS it possible to break through into eventing’s top ranks after the age of 40? You’d say not, but Hayden Hankey, who reached that milestone in September, might be the one who does.

It helps that he has a lifetime of equestrian experience behind him, from his childhood as an incredibly successful show rider to three years working in National Hunt racing, international showjumping and more hunting than anyone who doesn’t do it for a living. He is also a naturally talented all-round horseman and well respected as such by his peers.

He pulled off an impressive double within six weeks this autumn, winning his first international eventing class, the CCI2*-L at Blair Castle on six-year-old Cartown Galaxy. He also finished fifth on DHI Homana and ninth on Fools In Love, and won the working hunter of the year title at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) on Heads Up, the only five-year-old in the class. But he has set his sights as high as they can go — the major five-stars and British teams.

“I’m not halfway to where I want to be — as far as I’m concerned, I’m only just starting and have a hell of a long way to go,” he says. “But my desire is focused. I have very clear goals for myself and ways to achieve them.”

HAYDEN’S heritage is one of dealing and producing horses. His mother, the late Jane Beswick, was a successful show producer, trainer and dealer, and her parents, Mark and Margery Chambers, were well-known Cheshire dealers and hunting people. His uncle Marcus, who died aged 24 in a hunting accident, was “a very good showjumper and a brilliant rider in the hunting field”, according to Hayden.

He and his sister Hayley won everything there was to be won in the pony showjumping world, but at 15 he’d had enough and went to work for “the Duke”, trainer David Nicholson.