Sponsored Rider Catch Up with Eilidh Costelloe

It's that time of year again when we have a catch up with our sponsored rider Eilidh Costelloe to hear about her plans for the 2025 season, the challenges of balancing being a Mum with being a professional rider, and advice for staying motivated during the long dark winter months! 

What are your plans for the 2025 event season?

"First event is ENTERED and we are excited to get going!! We have some new wheels for this season, so even more excited to go South for a week and stay away in the new lorry! We will have to do a lot of travelling this year to compete at the higher levels, so at least we can do it with a bit more comfort now".

Eilidh & Oldtown Lucky Penny strut their stuff

Can you tell us about the horses in your string at the moment and your aims for them?

"I have my two mares entered for Oasby, in Lincoln. Oldtown Lucky Penny in the Intermediate and THL Roxy in the Novice at the beginning of March, with some training squeezed in beforehand. Penny and Roxy’s joint owners Fiona and Jonny will be coming to watch and join in the eventing fun, which makes it a really fun team day out. We will then head back down later in the month for Thorsby Park Spring Carnival and then aiming for a spring international at Kelsall Hall in Cheshire. I have some younger ones coming through as well that I will take out to local events".

Eilidh pictured with one of her new arrivals and exciting new prospect. Grand Panthera (aka Feena) is a yearling filly by Grafenstolz out of a Watermill Swatch (TB) mare.

How are you finding balancing being a Mum with your event schedule/competing/coaching? Does Felix have any plans to start riding? 😉

"Juggling competitions with working and being a Mum is challenging at times, trying to not spread myself too thinly is hard. But I love the challenge and thrive on being busy, so I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m pushing the golf clubs idea rather than the pony for Felix as I can’t see myself as a pony club mum!!

Felix keeping Eilidh right during her winter training!

What is your best advice for staying motivated during the long dark winter months when the days are freezing cold and wet?

"My advice for getting through the winter and staying motivated, is to have some goals. Whether that’s a training session you need to prep for or an outing planned. Use the winter months to work on the weaknesses and learn new tricks. Penny's new trick has been the flying changes, when you have the time without the pressure of competitions. For those not competing and just finding the motivation to have horses at all in the winter - it has to be the gear! If you have the right clothing, the weather shouldn’t matter…..(apparently!) haha. My winter Pikeur riding coat and my fleece lined Pikeur jods are a must!"

What does it mean to you to have a continued partnership with Country Ways for so many years?

"I have worked with Country Ways for many years now and I love being part of the team of a long established local business, that have looked after all us equestrians in Aberdeen for as long as I can remember. For me, it’s a privilege and I always look forward to the new ideas each year and the fun we have along the way!"

Country Ways has provided many trot-up outfits for Eilidh over the years, one of the most striking of which was this one at Bramham in 2019 😍 #kittedoutbycountryways