Victoria Pendleton cheerful after showjumping debut
Victoria Pendleton marked her showjumping debut by jumping a clear round at Olympia's London International Horse Show on Friday.
But the Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist was unable to inspire her team of jump jockeys to victory during a special event in aid of the Injured Jockeys Fund.
Pendleton, 36, famously took part in the "Switching Saddles" challenge last jumps season, learning to ride over fences with the ultimate aim of competing at the Cheltenham Festival.
She duly teamed up with Pacha Du Polder to finish fifth in Cheltenham's Foxhunter Chase in March, and was part of a five-strong National Hunt quintet at Olympia alongside Richard Johnson, Sam Twiston-Davies, Tom Scudamore and Harry Skelton.
Pendleton, who received specialist tuition from Rio 2016 individual showjumping gold medallist Nick Skelton to prepare for the event, delivered a solid display in the Markel Champions Challlenge relay competition.
But the flat jockeys team of Frankie Dettori, who also went clear, newly-crowned champion Jim Crowley, Adam Kirby, Jamie Spencer and Bridget Andrews triumphed by a comfortable margin.
"I was the only one with a clear round - I will take that!" Pendleton said. "I had never showjumped before, so I wasn't going to take any risks."
