Equestrian Life August 2016 Edition

EVENTING
BY DENIS KING
ALEX POSTOLOWSKY
I
first saw Alex Postolowsky ride at
one of the Doncaster shows, which
at that time used to be held at the
Racing College. I was reporting for
Nottinghamshire Today from that show.
It was impossible not to notice that
she was a very good jockey, with an
easy sympathetic style, was brave when
needed to be but above all else, seemed
to have plenty of time to do everything;
usually the sign of somebody who is good
at something, whatever it is they do. I
intended to use one of the pictures for
the magazine but although I did briefly
speak to her and her mum, I forgot to
check the spelling of her surname and
bottled out of using her picture, in my
report. A decision I later regretted and
an important lesson in journalism.
Encouraged by her mother Sue, Alex
started riding at the age of 3 and in the
early years, there was a certain amount
of sibling rivalry, because her brother
David also competed on ponies.
The young Alex started to develop
her competitive nature, by
setting her stall out, to beat
her brother.
She did all the usual
Pony Club activities,
before moving into
Working Hunter Ponies
and struck up a most
successful partnership
with Claire Dealy’s Cruwys
Prince William. Within that
discipline, she competed
several times at RIHS and
HOYS. She also achieved her first
international recognition, by gaining a
place on the England Team.
I asked Claire Dealy why she chose Alex
to ride for her and she explained, “When
I was out of class on my fantastic 14hh,
I wanted someone to ride him, who
would do him justice and continue to be
successful with him. There was no doubt
in my mind who to ask, even though she
was very young and tiny. I had watched
Alex riding her 12 and 13 handers. Even
from a young age, she was stylish and
passionate about the ponies but more
than anything rode with confidence and
guts way beyond her years. She formed
a very successful partnership with the
pony.” That decision of Claire’s turned
out to be an excellent choice for both
owner and jockey.
Subsequent to that, she decided to switch
her focus to eventing. Alex formed
a partnership with Diplomatic
Jack, which Alex’s mother paid
£500, as an unseen 3 year old
and he is still with her, now aged
22. The combination’s first big
success was to win the Pony Club
Championship. After that, the
partnership went from strength
to strength and the upward spiral
saw them gain British Young Rider
Eventing Team Selection.
Alex also achieved similar selection
on another of her rides, Flint Curtis,
which she rode at the European
Championships, which were held
in Portugal. Her team gained the
Team Silver in the year 2004. In
the following year she teamed up
Alex riding
Ringwood
Sorrel
Alex and Trevarth in an
Intermediate Class
“EVEN FROM A YOUNG
AGE, SHE WAS STYLISH
AND PASSIONATE
ABOUT THE PONIES
BUT MORE THAN
ANYTHING RODE WITH
CONFIDENCE AND
GUTS WAY BEYOND HER
YEARS”
Alex and
Dontcallmeginger
owned by
Katherine Barker
(Nee Howe)
18 August 2016 Equestrian Life