30 April 2009 Where Are They Now? Fiona Wilson
by Carolyn Tanner
Fiona Wilson, now Mrs Williams-Jones, was Welsh Ladies' champion in 2004 and 2005. She finished third in the 2005 National Championship, just three behind Polly Gundry, having had less than half the number of rides.
She now helps her husband Dickie by doing the paperwork for the family business, which supplies stone and oak countrywide to concerns such as landscaping businesses and the construction industry.
WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU GO ON TO AFTER RETIRING FROM RIDING?: Full-time mum to Phoebe, 3, and Harry, 20 months.
WHERE ARE YOU BASED?: St Mary Hill, Vale of Glamorgan
WHY DID YOU RETIRE FROM RACE RIDING?: I retired because I found out I was four months pregnant!
FOR HOW MANY SEASONS DID YOU RIDE, & HOW MANY WINNERS DID YOU PARTNER?: I had two rides when I was 17 (both unseated!), then I went to work in flat yards in Newmarket. I went back to Pointing after about four years and rode for eight seasons. I won 39 Points and two Hunter Chases.
WHICH HORSES AND WINS MEANT THE MOST TO YOU?: I won the first Handicap Hunters' Chase on Bullens Bay, who meant the world to me. He was capable of winning lots of races but only tried when he felt like it. Luckily for me, he was in the mood that day! He ended up retiring with me and was a great old character.
Dawns Cognac was another favourite. I'd watched Pip Jones ride him when he was younger - I was only getting dodgy Maiden rides and wished I could ride a lovely horse like that. When I got my chance, he didn't disappoint - he jumped like a stag and always gave 100%.
I can't not mention Twilight Dancer who is still running now. She was a little terrier of a horse and was really good fun to ride. I still get the chance to ride her out sometimes, which does make me miss Point-to-Point riding!
WHAT DO YOU MISS ABOUT NO LONGER RIDING?: I miss the girls in the changing room. We used to have good fun and share the ups and downs of riding. I also miss the horses - when you start riding a maiden and see it progress through the ranks, it makes the riding out in all weathers worth it.
HAVE YOU ANY CURRENT INVOLVEMENT WITH RACING, OR IF NOT, DO YOU STILL FOLLOW F THE FORTUNES OF POINT-TO-POINTING AND THE RIDERS WHO COMPETE? We did a Pointer this year called Oh So Brave, who is a lovely old horse, apart from the fact that he mistook hunting for a five furlong sprint!! He's got one eye and three legs! We had fun doing him, and he ran twice, but he's finished for the season now.
It's really nice to be involved even in a small way. I didn't really enjoy the first season after I stopped riding, but now I look forward to going to every local meeting.
HAVE YOU GOT INVOLVED IN ANY OTHER SPORT TO TAKE THE PLACE OF POINTING? If you consider Tumble Tots, toddler gymnastics and baby swimming to be sports, then yes!!
WHO DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST PROMISING YOUNG RIDERS IN POINTING TODAY? I can only speak for my area because I tend not to go over the border these days! The jockey that shines the most is John Mathias, who's in his third season and is still only 18, which to me is very young! He's a great horseman and can read a race really well.
Another young jockey who has really impressed me is David Prichard. Horses jump for him and he has good strength in the saddle. He's also a really nice guy!
I can't not mention one of the girls! Emily Farr was a cracking show-jumper, and needs a bit more experience to make the switch to Pointing, but she is tenacious and determined to improve. I know that she will shine soon.
WHAT PARTICULAR HORSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO RIDE NOW - IN POINTS, UNDER RULES OR WOULD IT BE A DIFFERENT DISCIPLINE? I would love to ride Chesnut Annie in Points. She has a massive engine and jumps Point-to-Point fences at such speed. When I mentioned to Beth Roberts, who trains her, that I was going to give Annie as my "horse I would most like to ride" she said I could have the ride on her in this year's Llangeinor Hunt race. I think I would fall off after a circuit through exhaustion - if Isabel Tompsett didn't kill me first!!
Under Rules it would have to be Master Minded. The way he jumps and travels, he's just awesome.
WHAT WAS YOUR FUNNIEST INCIDENT AT THE RACES? It was an 18 runner Maiden, and from the weighing room we were all having a giggle at an horrific-looking horse that was half clipped one side and not the other, and had a mane down to its shoulder. It further made everyone laugh when it was bronching round the paddock just being led. It then started rearing over backwards. The recognition of the saddle caused me to look in the race card, to find out it was my mount for the race, which didn't seem so funny after all! Then someone came into the tent and offered me £200 not to ride it! I did ride it, but I pulled it up after five fences.
WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST HEROES IN RACING? There are so many brilliant jockeys and trainers you could write a list, but I think any girl riding should look at Nina Carberry. She is just fantastic - strong and clever, and can ride as well as any man.
The horses are the heroes as well. Watching the Cheltenham Festival just highlights their quality and bravery.
WHAT TURNS YOU ON/OFF - IN RACING & LIFE IN GENERAL? In racing, riding winners turns you on. While my biggest turn-off was owners who got upset when their horses were pulled up, even if it was obvious that they really needed to be.
In life, I don't like people complaining over mundane things. I like positive happy people!
DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT NIGHT IN & PERFECT NIGHT OUT: My perfect night in would be a takeaway (I was going to say dinner cooked by my husband, but that might NOT be nice!), a few good quality bottles of wine, and a film.
A perfect night out would be getting dressed up, having a nice meal, and dancing the night away.
WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DO YOU LIKE? I love Bloc Party, Razorlight and The Killers, though I like most kinds of music from classical to The Doors.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE TV PROGRAMMES AND FILMS? My favourite TV programmes are Shameless and Father Ted.
My favourite film has to be Racing Stripes, which gives me hope - if a zebra can win a race, so can Oh So Brave!
WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO GO ON HOLIDAY? After last year's camping in the Swansea Valleys in the rain with four children, anywhere else!
I really enjoyed skiing the one and only time I went, and would love to go again.
WHAT CAR DO YOU DRIVE? A Peugeot something-or-other, and a Land Rover Defender.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF DECEMBER RACING? I haven't been to any December racing, but I think there needs to be more meetings and in more areas. In Wales, the first meeting isn't until the end of January, and that's often called off. With such a big gap, it doesn't give owners the incentive to have their horses ready that early.
DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION ON THE CHANGES IN THE SPORT IN RECENT YEARS? I haven't been paying attention, so I don't know what the changes are!
