Feisty Cat | Reliable Hugo
Named Feisty Cat in honour of sire, Bearcat, this seventeen-year-old gelding is enjoying life off the track. After only three starts, Feisty Cat retired from racing and instead pivoted towards dressage and pleasure riding.
Purchased in 2016 from Jessica Truesdale, Feisty Cat is now proudly owned by Courtney Sloper. Having always owned off the track horses, Courtney is no stranger to owning a retired Thoroughbred.
Courtney describes ‘Hugo’ as a reliable and willing mount.
“Hugo is my Mr. Reliable. He knows his job.”
Forming a close bond with Courtney, Hugo has the potential to hear a bag of liquorice being open from many paddocks away and calls out to Courtney whenever he sees her. They have developed a partnership that translates into their ridden career together.
In 2024, Feisty Cat and Courtney placed third in the ARCA Dressage Challenge, which Courtney proudly recalled as a huge highlight. She hopes to continue on with her riding, slowly tapering off Hugo’s workload until he reaches retirement.
“As much as it saddens me, he deserves the best in his elderly years.”
We are sure whether it is ridden or in retirement, Hugo will continue to be adored by Courtney and those around him.
Thank you Courtney for sharing Hugo’s story with us and we wish Feisty Cat all the best throughout his off the track career.
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