“In 2018 as my showjumping career was building and one year before it really kicked off, I was a bit short of horse power. Ive always had a big passion for breeding, and thought it was the most affordable way for myself to guarantee horses for the future. The first year we started off with just two foals, the year after six foals, the year after that eight foals… This year we breed five ourselves and sold two world class foals in an auction to help finance the business and bought a further 6! I would love for Wilson Youngstock to become a place where clients feel that can trust and buy serious talent for the future. It is not my aim to keep every single horse for myself, and we are certainly not afraid to sell a superstar. My feeling is that in selling a superstar brings more business and publicity than selling any number of average horses. We want our clients to feel they can invest in their future talent here at Wilson Youngstock.”

At 27, James is an International showjumper who began his career at an early age. At just 5 years old, James took over the family pony and straight away he was hooked. After trying his hand at most equine disciplines, he decided to focus solely on showjumping and at the age of 13 he was given a very good 148cm pony to ride.

At the age of 16 James got his first serious horse “Clydecruiser,” and by the following year he jumped double clear in the junior Nations Cup trials at Wales and West. A great achievement when he only had the side of a hill and two jumps to practice with!

The following year came, and the decision was made to concentrate on horses as a future and career path.

At 17, James went to work for Stuart Harvey. Here, James learnt about producing young horses to the highest level. Stuart taught him a lot about what to look for in a young horse and how to produce and develop them for the future.

After a brief stint in Switzerland James then moved to Holland to work for the Dutch Breeder Egbert Schep. Riding 12 horses a day and taking 9 horses to shows each week, he learnt a lot about horses and riding in the ring.

After moving back to England, James spent some time working at IN showjumpers near London. Here he got a little taste for the international shows.

James then met Heather and the decision was made to start their own stable. The first six months they based themselves in Surrey with Stuart, whom heather was training with at the time, until things were more established. After the spring tour in Oliva Nova (Spain) in 2015 they moved back to Hill House Farm in Somerset, where things have gone from strength to strength; and now boast a yard full of promising talented horses, and around 35 horses under 4 years old.

It was 2019 that James’ career really took off with ‘Imagine de Muze’. After a successful tour in Vejer de la Fromtera (Sunshine Tour) he was selected for the 5* Nations Cup in La Baule. Although he was the 5th man for the team, he gained vital experience at that level and with good success too. He was then again selected for the 5* Nations Cup in St Gallen, Switzerland. Making his team debut James’ delivered the sole British Double Clear in the Nations Cup, earning Team GB a 4th place. Following that was another call up for Team GBR for the Hickstead 5* Nations Cup. Again James was part of team GB for the Nations Cup in Rome and St Gallen.

Following his debut Nations Cup season James continued with more good results in his first year at 5* Grand Prix and World Cup level:

1st Cock o’North 1.60
1st 3* CSIO Grand Prix Vilamoura
1st 3* 1.50 Vilamoura
1st 5* 1.50 Monaco
1st 1.45LR Vejer de la Frontera
1st International Stairway GYS
2nd 1.45LR Vejer de la Frontera
2nd Cock o’North 1.60

2nd Keysoe Grand Prix
3rd 4* Invitational Grand Prix Vexer de la Frontera
4th place 5* Nations Cup St Gallen (Double Clear)
4th place 5* Grand Prix London Olympia
4th place 5* Grand Prix Mechelen, Belgium
6th place, 5* Grand Prix Waregem, Belgium
6th place 5* Grand Prix Sopot, Poland
8th place World Cup Oslo, Norway
10th place World Cup Mechelen, Belgium
11th place World Cup Helsinki, Finland
12th place World Cup London Olympia
Shortlisted for 2019 European Championships
Selected for the World Class Programme
Shortlisted for 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Following their World Cup campaign they were in a Qualifying position for the World Cup finals in Las Vegas after Mechelen in January 2020 having scored points at every World Cup qualifier they jumped. But the decision was made to save ‘Imagine’ for Championships later in the year.

Following these results James had wins in various world ranking classes and was on the Global Champions Tour for the ‘Scandinavian Vikings’ where he delivered clear rounds on 3 out of 4 occasions for the team, such as St Tropez, Valkenswaard and Paris.

They also scored their first win at 5* level at the GCT of Monaco in the 1.50 jump off class presented by the Prince of Monaco with Imagine de Muze.

James currently has a strong team of horses for the future coming through and a super second horse in L’amour who most recently finished 2nd in the 100,000 euro Grand Prix of Maubeuge. It’s with these top class mares that Heather and James will look to bring into the breeding programme at Wilson Youngstock once their sporting career has finished.

More recently, ‘Vuitton of Picobello’ who was purchased as a 3yo mare has stepped in to the limelight with countless clear rounds and placings at 1.45 & 1.50 level. She comes from a black type family and she is a horse that looks to be as promising in the sport as she does as a breeder.

“Together with my mum we have owned the farm in which Wilson Youngstock is situated for just over 10 years and we have seen it mature in to an excellent facility for young horses and top level competition horses. I have been together with James for 8 years, and he has been riding our horses for 7 of those. We have had young horses come all the way up through with us to World Cups, Nations Cups and Shortlisted for the European Championships and Olympic Games. I think this gives us a lot of knowledge in being able see what it takes in order to reach the top level.”