Main image: Sophia Hill and Humble Glory trot up for the CCI5*L at Burghley Horse Trials. Image by Hannah Cole Photography.
Australian Sophia Hill and her off the track Thoroughbred Humble Glory are through the trot-up at Burghley Horse Trials in the UK. ‘Hughie’ was feeling fresh and ready to go, but he’ll have to wait until Friday to set foot in the arena as the pair are set to ride their dressage test in the second half of the draw.
Sophia and Hughie have completed three CCI4*S events since travelling to the UK in April. At Bicton and Bramham, they jumped double clears and finished on their dressage score. Sophia then opted to have a slower run at Hartpury as their last preparation run before Burghley. The pair still jumped a double clear, and a ‘slower run’ for the Aussie Thoroughbred still only saw them accumulate 6.4 time penalties!
Short-listed for the Australian Olympic team, Sophia and Hughie have also spent time in the Australian training camp during the lead up to the Games – an experience that Sophia found really valuable.
Sophia Hill and Humble Glory placed third in their first CCI5* a Adelaide in 2023. Image by Michelle Terlato Photography.
From a stock crate to Burghley
“He was a very unassuming off-the-track Thoroughbred who had raced, spelled, and then done a little bit of stock work,” recalls Sophia of Hughie when he first arrived at her Mansfield property in 2017 to sell on behalf of a friend.
A gelding by Bernardini out of Sharpen (Shovhog), Hughie raced as Camon Houdini and was trained by Gai Waterhouse – but he certainly wasn’t a stand-out on the track. He raced a handful of times, mostly on Victorian tracks, and finished his career over hurdles at Warrnambool where he was eighth of 11 starters. It was his best race result in terms of placings, but when he crossed the line 82.2 lengths behind the winner, it was time for a new career.
“I think they thought he was going to be quite good at jumps racing, but then he lost by 82 lengths! He always jumped quite big; when I first started jumping him, he was over-jumping everything… like just a classic, careful young horse. I think he must have done that when he was racing as well!”
Humble Glory after first arriving at Sophia’s Mansfield property in 2017. Image supplied.
“About a week after he arrived, I was blown away by his combination of scope, honesty and bravery. I thought he was a pretty nice horse and so I bought him from my friend with the view to selling him myself. Within three months, he had his first 95cm eventing start and won. He went so fast up the levels… within 18 months, he won the Young Rider Championship (equivalent to three-star level) at Adelaide. Within two years of being off the track, he then won at four-star level… he was just such an honest and trainable horse, so I decided pretty early on not to sell him!”
It will be Sophia and Hughie’s second CCI5* start, having placed third at Adelaide CCI5* in 2023. We wish them the very best of lucky at Burghley!
CCI5* Dressage – Friday, 6 September
Sophia Hill and Humble Glory: 10.54am BST, 7.54pm AEST
Sophia Hill and Humble Glory trot up for the CCI5*L at Defender Burghley Horse Trials. Image by Hannah Cole Photography.
