Daughter of Bill Gates, Jennifer Gates Staked $1,000,000 on a 13-Year-Old Grey Mare in 2015

If born to one of the richest men in the world, one is bound to be a hobbyist. Ever since Jennifer Gates was a little girl, her business tycoon father Bill Gates indulged her love for horses. Gates splurged to ensure his eldest daughter could pursue her hobby the way she wanted. Over the years as she trained to be an equestrian, Jennifer owned many horses. While some were a gift from her father, some she bought herself.

Back in 2015, Jennifer Gates spent a million dollars on a horse. Naturally, money was never a problem for the billionaire or her daughter. This time an Irish horse had caught the eyes of the young equestrian. However, what was so special about this 13-year-old grey mare?

Jennifer Gates once bought a prolific international showjumping horse

In September 2015, Belfast Telegraph reported that Jennifer Gates bought a 13-year-old grey mare named Pepperpot. The beautiful horse, reared in Sycamore Stables in Co Antrim Village, was raised by Templepatrick showjumper Joanne Sloan-Allen. Sloan-Allen told Jenn had her eyes on the horse since 2014, however, Gates delayed the deal as she had chosen another horse that year.

Stating the reason Jenn chose Pepperpot, Sloan-Allen told the outlet, “Jennifer loves the temperament of Irish horses, and she wanted to replace her favorite grey Irish mare.” Hence, Pepperpot was the perfect choice for Gates to test the waters as a showjumper. Talking about the horse, Sloan-Allen revealed, “No jump is too big for her to take on and she developed a real fan club with the American kids and became a real little superstar.”

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Before Gates, Pepperpot competed with several other owners namely, Sameh el Dahan, Eric Lamaze, and Caitlin Ziegler. Pepperpot even reached the World Cup finals with Dahan. After the deal with Gates was finalized, the horse was jetted back to Florida where Jenn lived. While Gates had no limitations on her expenditures, there were things Papa Gates drew the lines for.

Though loving, Bill Gates was a strict dad

In an interview with Reuters in 2007, Bill Gates revealed himself as a strict parent. Looking at his three kids, anyone would agree they are anything but the typical spoiled rich brats, with a billionaire father, we see on TV. Turns out it was a result of the couple’s strict parenting methods.

Though Gates built his empire relying on technology, the computer magnate had strict rules when it came to his kids’ screen time. Gates revealed he allowed his eldest daughter only 45 minutes of screen time every day to play games. During the weekends, she got 15 minutes more to her daily quota. However, there was no limit on the screen time while using it to finish her homework. Moreover, the technology genius also monitored the websites his kids had access to.

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Staying away from technology, in a way, helped Jennifer Gates explore her hobby. Though it started as a love for horses, with her zeal to learn more and encouragement from her parents, Jenn turned it into her passion. Now, it might not be her main profession, but Jennifer Gates is undoubtedly a top-notch equestrian.