Nicky and Flyin’ Bayou. Photo Credit: Hoofclix
For my second Area Spotlight installment, Area III gets the full EN treatment. This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Nicky Buckingham, a UK transplant who came to Area III in 1995. Nicky is based out of ÂÂÂÂÂMontclair Stables in Conyers, Georgia, only two miles form the Georgia International Horse Park. She teaches, rides, and manages the farm daily. She is currently working on achieving her ICP certification and hopes to get into an assessment trial by the end of the year.
How did you get into Eventing?
“I grew up in the UK and I did Pony Club so that’s where my horse career started. I moved over to the US in ’95 and was introduced to some Eventing people through someone I was working with, and so I’d say I’ve been Eventing in the US since ’97. I evented through pony club, I did jumpers, anything you can pretty much do: mounted games, dressage, whatever they want you to do you just do it. When I came over here I decided I really wanted to focus on the Eventing and that’s what I’ve been doing pretty much since.”
Who are you currently competing?
“I have a horse named Flyin’ Bayou, barn name Adam, currently running Prelim. He’s a Thoroughbred gelding that we got from the track when he was three. He had a year off last year, he fractured his coffin bone out in the field. So he was up all last year but he’s come back and we ran two training levels and just bumped him back up to prelim, and hopefully if he continues to do well he’ll do an Intermediate at the end of the year. Hopefully one day we’ll run Advanced, which I’ve never done, so that would be really exciting. I also have a horse that my father owns that’s a Dutch Warmblood who’s 6 named Albey, show name Albey On Time. He is currently running training and won his division at Chattahoochee Hills last weekend. He was Reserve Champion Novice Horse at the AECs last year. The goal for him is hopefully Preliminary at the end of the year, start of next year.”
Have you been in Area III since moving to the US?
“Yes I’ve been in Georgia the whole time. I’ve made some really good friends, I’m a pretty active member of the Area III Adult Rider Program. We also try and arrange clinics here at the farm. I’ve always ridden with Ian Stark when he comes over from the UK, and recently I’ve been riding with Joe Meyer, who is based in the UK but rides for New Zealand. He’s coming back next weekend to do a clinic. Area III is a pretty active area in terms of number of shows and numbers of members, Eventing is huge down here….Poplar is about two hours from here, Pine Top is about an hour and a half, and Chattahoochee Hills is about an hour. We’re really lucky, I’m so spoiled.
What’s your favorite Area event?
“Probably Pine Top Farm, that’s where I first started and where I did my first recognized horse trials. I met Janet and Glen Wilson and they have been awesome. They have been hugely helpful to me and my students over the years and they make us feel very welcome at their horse trials. I’d have to say Pine Top, but I love going to Poplar and Chattahoochee Hills as well.
Favorite non-area event?
“I actually made it up to the Richland Horse Trials in Michigan one year, and if Adam is doing well at Prelim that’s where I’d like to take him again this summer and run him up there. It’s a pretty tough course and they made us feel so welcome and it was such an awesome event I’d definitely make that trip again.”
What’s been your crowning moment of your career so far?
“It’s hard to pick one! Having Albey be Reserve Champion at the AECs last year was pretty special because I had a bunch of people there supporting me. It was a fun few days and with the AECs being in Georgia, I guess that was probably the best bit. Generally I love taking the green horses and running Beginner Novice and seeing they’ve come a long way from when you get them as green off-the-track prospects or wherever they come from.”
First horse: Ginny, a 12h Dartmoor cross pony who frequently bolted and stopped at fences.
Song that plays when you leave the start box: Viva la Vida by Coldplay
Go Area III.
