Showjumper Rides Down Wedding Aisle in Tribute to Late Father

A former showjumper made an unforgettable entrance at her wedding, riding down the aisle in a deeply personal tribute to her late father.

Kelly Ogier, 34, said no one could ever take her father’s place and give her away, so she chose instead to arrive on Tink, the much-loved showjumping horse she has owned for the past five years, leaving guests visibly stunned.

Her new husband Justin, 37, a fellow showjumper, was part of the secret, along with Kelly’s mother and bridesmaids — but the rest of the wedding party had no idea what was coming.

Kelly, who is from Guernsey, said the idea of being walked down the aisle by anyone other than her father had “actually put [her] off getting married”.

“Justin and I have been together for quite some time, but it’s always put me off getting married because I didn’t have him to give me away anymore,” she said.

“There are certain milestones where you feel someone’s absence more than ever, and my wedding day was always going to be one of them.

“I wanted Dad there – I wanted him to be the one beside me.”

Although her father could not be there in person, Kelly said riding Tink helped bring him “into that moment” on the day she became a bride.

She explained she gained ownership of Tink on her father’s birthday. ‘I think that was meant to be,’ she said. ‘Having Tink walk me down the aisle was the most meaningful tribute.’

Kelly met her now-husband during her equestrian career. The bride and her horse enjoyed an illustrious career before two separate injuries brought their run to an end two years ago. ‘I sustained a bad knee injury, which resulted in a failed surgery which ended my career,’ she said. ‘Shortly after, Tink sustained an injury which ended his career.

‘I made the decision to retire from showjumping. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.

‘I didn’t ever imagine our last chapter would be our wedding day. It meant a lot to be able to climb on board my horse and be given away.

‘It was like the end of our showjumping chapter together, one final time to get dressed up. It felt like the perfect way to celebrate everything we’d achieved together and to start a new chapter.’

Tink and Kelly have remained best friends – and their trot down the aisle went smoothly. ‘My husband knew I would be entering on the horse, but it was a surprise for a lot of people,’ she added.

‘It could have gone so wrong – there was a massive pond behind us, and I was a little bit worried that I would end up in the pond!

‘There aren’t many horses that would stand up to all those crowds and carry you down the aisle gracefully, but he did. He took everything in his stride – he was just amazing.’

Tink even stayed for the reception, taking photos with the guests and enjoying the rest of the day with the newlyweds, who described the day as ‘magical’.

‘Even for my mum, who knew I would be entering on my horse, she said it was just like a fairytale,’ Kelly beamed.

‘Having him by my side on my wedding day reminded me that although our showjumping career has ended, our partnership never will.

‘It was an absolutely magical day – a dream come true.’