22/5/2024

A little hello

Hello all, it's Tallah, posting to introduce you to our new yard blog. 

Here you can keep up to date with Hollyhock EC's goings-on and any updates we have, whether big or small! Jack, Fern, Meg and I have decided to take it in turns to document and hopefully we won't be too wrapped up in our everyday activities to post regularly.

On this blog we'll show you any new arrivals we get, we'll showcase events, keep you in the loop with our riders and any little things that we think are worth you all knowing - think of it like a diary!

We're both excited to take on this venture and are hoping it'll be a success. 

I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the team as I feel putting names to faces is important and will help you get to know us!

We've invested in a brand new, fancy camera to help us out here and to be honest, I'm still getting used to it! (Though Fern seems to be a dab hand with the old photography lark, so I may be running to her for tips every so often!)

Meet the Team!

Jack Harmison

Yard owner and manager Jack has been riding and looking after horses for over 30 years. A BHSII qualified instructor and particularly enjoys training horses to intermediate and advanced competition level. Jack is a keen lover of all animals and especially adores his Dalmatians. 

Jack regularly competes in advanced level showjumping with his more esteemed showjumpers, a couple of his favourites being 'The Marquis' and 'Tobias II'. Jack has a soft spot for foals and even though we don't have many here at HEC, he loves bringing them on and ensuring they have a wonderful start in life.

Tallah Harmison

Yard owner, manager and Jack's other half. Tallah has over 27 years experience with horses and enjoys showjumping and hunter trials. She is a BHSII qualified instructor, and has an abundance of patience so particularly enjoys teaching beginners. 

Tallah doesn't compete as regularly as she used to, but still enjoys training younger horses to competition level and still competes up to national level. Two of her favourite personal horses are Tempest (pictured) and Sacha, her chestnut arabian mare. Tallah is very attached to her poodle, Camilla and is also very fond of the yard cats, too.

Fern Wakefield

Fern is one of HECs yard grooms and riders, and has been with us since 2021. Fern enjoys a range of riding activities including hacking and jumping, and a good old dressage test every now and then, too. Fern has been riding for about 15 years and holds her BHS stage II certificate. Fern owns a golden retriever named Jinni.

Fern has her own horse, a thoroughbred named Antiguo, but enjoys riding horses of all abilities and types. She also loves looking after the yard chickens and swears she's a hen whisperer!

Meg Shonshaw

Meg is HEC's other yard groom and rider, and has been with us since late 2021. Meg holds her BHS stage III certificate and is working towards her BHSAI with some coaching from Jack and Tallah. She competes regularly in intermediate showjumping. Meg owns a boxer dog called Balboa (Bal for short) and loves a cuddle with the yard cats, too.

Meg has one horse, a bay mare named Valentinya, but also likes to compete some of the other yard horses. She has been riding for 20 years and previously worked as a competition groom for top UK showjumper Orla Wilkinson for three years prior to working at HEC.

Thank you for tuning in to our new blog, please bear with us while we find our bearings but we're really looking forward to sharing some exciting times with you all.

Tallah :)