Elise Washer and her 21-year-old horse Menelaus, known as Spotty, are competing in the BE90 LeMieux Grassroots Championships at Badminton Horse Trials. The pair scored 32.1 in dressage to sit provisional 11th, with showjumping and cross-country scheduled for 6 May. This marks Spotty's retirement event.
Elise Washer will ride Menelaus out on the cross-country course tomorrow, 6 May, for the last time at the BE90 LeMieux Grassroots Championships. The 21-year-old horse, nicknamed Spotty, is retiring after achieving the pair's dream of qualifying for the Badminton final. They currently hold provisional 11th place after a dressage score of 32.1 and are set to showjump before tackling the cross-country phase. Washer described the moment as emotional. “I think the centre line was probably the first realisation, like this is it, and it’s amazing,” she told Horse & Hound. “There are so many people here supporting me and everyone else, and it’s our last one, he’s retiring here, so we’ve got to soak up every moment.” Spotty was originally bought by Washer's late aunt Tina Plowright and evented by her cousin Abi Porter to novice level before coming to Washer following Porter's freak accident. The duo's journey includes a first double clear in June 2022 on what would have been Tina's birthday and second place in the British Riding Clubs national championships the next year. They qualified for regionals in 2024 but Washer broke her collarbone. Last season, after stepping back due to Spotty's age, they earned their Badminton ticket at a BE90 regional final. Washer plans to enjoy the final phases without pressure. “Showjumping is definitely not his strongest phase, nor mine!” she said. “For me, and him, it’s got to be the cross-country; he absolutely loves it.” The rider emphasized the family connection, noting annual trips to Badminton and her aunt's role in choosing Spotty.
