William Fox-Pitt and Grafennacht. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
William Fox-Pitt hinted that Amanda Gould’s competitive CCI5* horse, Grafennacht (Birkhof’s Grafenstolz – Nachtigall, by Narew) would move to another rider on his retirement from competition at the top level of eventing at Badminton this spring.
“It won’t be her last [Badminton],” he remarked after finishing Badminton in 13th place with the 12-year-old Oldenburg. “She’ll be back – she might jump better last year, with a new, better, younger rider it will be good. I don’t even know, I’m not even having that discussion with the owner yet. She’s very aware that I’m 55 and who knows what’s going to happen but we’ll have a conversation and make a plan, but she’s a lovely horse.”
Now, Harry Meade has taken the reins on “Lillie”, adding a confirmed 5* horse to his burgeoning program.
“I’m thrilled to have been asked to ride Grafennacht by her long-term owner Amanda Gould, following William Fox-Pitt’s retirement from top level eventing,” Harry wrote on social media. “I’m looking forward to getting to know Lillie, gleaning as much as I can about her from William and his team and taking time to develop a partnership.
“I’ve ridden many of William’s horses over the years – having been his second rider at the start of my career and then stepping in at various times when he was injured or away at different Olympic games. Whilst it sometimes feels alien adjusting to a new ride, our horses go in similar styles and in the past have transitioned back and forth very easily.
“Lillie is currently at stud; once she returns she’ll gradually come back into work and we’ll start getting to know each other.”
Career highlights, to date, for Grafennacht include a second-place finish at the MARS Maryland 5 Star in 2023 and top-15 placings at Badminton in two attempts with William. She also competed with William at Le Lion de Angers as a 7-year-old, finishing fourth in the WBFSH FEI World Young Horse Championships.
The sky surely remains the limit for Lillie and her new rider, and while we likely won’t see them out together at the top levels for some time while they undertake a new partnership, it will be exciting to follow them on this new path.
