Lucy Fell had no plans to attend the series final show this year, but that all changed when she picked up some good points at the North Island Championships in Taranaki and realised she was in reaching distance of taking out the series. A decision that paid off when she rode off with not one, but two series titles under her belt.
Lucy went into the final class of The Brave Pants Company Pro Am at the top of the leaderboard, and a fifth place gave her the series win ahead of Michelle Wakeling who finished in second place, and Katharine Coleman who was third.
Lucy Fell rides Faratona STS. Copyright Photo: KAMPIC / Kerry Marshall
“I felt more pressure going into the Pro-Am at the top of the leaderboard, knowing it was mine to lose”.
It was a fitting win for Lucy as she is a sponsored rider for The Brave Pants Company, the series sponsor.
“I am so appreciative of everything that Rose (from The Brave Pants Company) does, not just for me, but for everything that she puts into the sport. Tona (Faratona STS) has been very consistent, and has won or placed in every Pro-Am start that she’s had. We don’t chase the series, but I am lucky with my location, as all the shows that we attend normally have the series classes, and that’s pretty much all she has started in”.
Winning the East Coast Performance Horses Five Year Old Breeding Series came as more of a surprise to Lucy, as her homebred Away Laughing – or Elf to his mates, hasn’t been the easiest.
Like butter wouldn’t melt. Away Laughing as a foal. Photo supplied.
“He has always been a bit of a brat, he was born suspicious, and I have fallen off him a lot. For the first four years, we were not friends at all. He went to Nigel Horton for a couple of months, doing hill work and learning general life skills like moving sheep and opening gates which did him the world of good, and he came back a completely different horse. I tell him daily that I will not hesitate to send him back to Uncle Nigel if he misbehaves! Nigel is one of the best horsemen I know”.
Lucy Fell and Away Laughing. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography
In December, Lucy and Elf were second in the National Young Horse Five Year Old Championship, and won the Five Year Old Show Hunter Championship, but it wasn’t until she won the North Island Five Year Old Championship that she realised the series title was in reach, and so made the decision to attend the Series Final Show and give it a go. A worthy decision, as their double clear gave them the win in the final class and accelerated them into first position on the series leaderboard, finishing ten points clear of Luce Williams and Jingo ECPH in second place.
Lucy Fell and Away Laughing lead the Series Final Placegetters. Copyright Photo: Libby Law Photography
“I wasn’t nervous going into the final as I had no expectations, just staying on was an achievement in itself! I felt less pressure knowing that I would be second at worst. I have always liked the series, and have good successes across them, the purpose built tracks for the young horses are exactly what we need. The Taupo NEC looked beautiful, everything was mown and tidy, I’ve been going there since I was a kid, and this is the best I’ve seen it look, so full credit to Toni and her team”.
15 May 2026
The Jumping Team