Our most viewed cross country video on Facebook in 2022 was Izzy Taylor’s winning CCI4*-L winning ride on Monkeying Around at Bramham International Horse Trials in June
Watching Izzy and Monkeying Around around this tough course reminds us of the great talent this horse has and makes us wonder – could 2023 finally be their year?
His name probably gives away some of his character and Monkeying Around has had his ups and downs over the past few years as he has come up through the grades. There have been disappointments with blips on cross country, often after very impressive dressage scores that promise so much, but also big wins that show the brilliance of this now 12-year-old gelding when he is on form
The brilliance first showed with his win of the World Young Horse Six-Year-Old Championship at Le Mondial du Lion in 2017 and he has followed it up with impressive performances in the intervening years, including a win in the British Championship aCCI4* at Burgham International in 2021 and 10th place individually in the European Championships at Avenches 2021
With the European Championships coming up again in 2023, could we see Izzy and Monkeying Around back on the British squad? We hope so and certainly have them on our list of "Ones to Watch" in 2023
