Thursday Video: Grab a Pint with David Doel

If there’s one thing I’ll very happily do, with nary a second thought, it’s shout about how great David Doel is, from any rooftop that’ll have me. Not only is the British rider one of the sport’s most truly, ineffably nice guys — he’s kind, generous to his fellow competitors, and somehow, despite all his achievements, completely and utterly humble and down-to-earth — he’s also a huge talent, who’s gone under the radar for a while but, in the last couple of years, stepped decisively into the spotlight. How’d he do it? With top ten finishes at Badminton (last year), Pau (also last year, and at which he led after cross-country), Kentucky (this year), and Burghley a couple of months ago, all with the exceptional Galileo Nieuwmoed, a horse he initially turned down and who’s called Nobby at home because he’s such a, well… you know. When Nobby’s not busy biting everyone within reach, though, he’s out kicking ass and taking names as one of the coolest horses in the sport at the moment, and David, who moonlights as part of his family’s ice cream business, Lacock Dairy, is pretty damn cool, too. Tune in for this episode of the charmingly bonkers Eventing Weekly to get to know him on a much more human level — we promise, you’ll be joining me on those rooftops come the 2024 season!