Nine native ponies will battle for the coveted SEIB Insurance Brokers Search for a Star Mountain and Moorland Championship title at Your Horse Live this Friday (12 November).
Three breeds — including five Welsh section Ds, two Fells and a pair of Connemara ponies — will appear in the SEIB arena to be judged by Sarah Chapman (assessing riding) and Paul Cook (judging conformation).
This Search for a Star series is exclusively designed for amateur riders and their native ponies.
Have a look at the nine combinations in the running below:
Brackenbank Flicka — Fell
This Fell pony is ridden by Jessica Everill, who has owned owned Flicka since January. The duo qualified for the final at Your Horse Live at Stoneleigh Park.
Jessica also owns four miniature Shetlands, which she uses for therapy work, and she has always wanted to have a ridden mountain and moorland Fell pony.
Carrowkeel Storm — Connemara
Owned and ridden by Hannah Sedgwick, this Connemara pony has Western Duchess and Mountain Cascade bloodlines and qualified for Your Horse Live at West Wilts Equestrian Centre.
The pair competes in endurance and has won over distances as long as 64km. Hannah decided to have a go at showing after enjoying a day out at a show with her sister.
Hannah teamed up with Storm more than six years ago when, as an unbroken five-year-old, the grey mare kept jumping out of her field and into a field belonging to Hannah’s family.
In the end, Storm’s owner gifted her to Hannah.
Cheshmere Exclusive — Welsh section D
This Welsh section D earned a ticket to the final at Onley Grounds with his owner/rider Mia Anness.
Mia confessed to only enter the qualifier to gain some experience, and so was surprised to find that they’d won.
The Anness family bought the pony aged three and with Mia, Cheshmere Exclusive enjoys hacking, pleasure and beach rides, as well as showing.
Eastlands Banker — Connemara
Another to secure their place at Onley Grounds, this Connemara pony is owned by Emma Howard and ridden by Alicia Gee, who works in Oakfield Saddlery in Leyland.
‘Bertie’, as the pony is known, contested the first ever Search for a Star mountain and moorland final at Your Horse Live in 2018.
Alicia has been riding Bertie for five years and the pair enjoys cross-country, working hunter pony classes and riding club activities.
Llwynhywel The President — Welsh section D
With owner/rider Rachael Steele in the saddle, this gelding landed a ticket to the final at the duo’s first-ever attempt at Search for a Star classes.
Rachael is a nurse and says going to the yard has kept her going through the pandemic — especially lockdown.
The duo has been together for four years — the pony previously lived in Holland — and enjoys hacking, jumping, cross-country and trail hunting.
Mosshey Centurion — Fell
Georgia Norton bought this Fell pony just before lockdown last year — she had previously ridden plaited Arabs.
Georgia is a veterinary nursing assistant for small animals and she qualified Mosshey Centurion for Your Horse Live at West Wilts Equestrian Centre.
Owfen Mr Softee — Welsh section D
Trainee accountant Zara Rudd qualified her Welsh section D, known as ‘Baby B’ at home, at Richmond Equestrian Centre.
Zara was gifted Baby B by his breeder, Alison Hibbert — who hand-reared him as a foal — for Christmas five years ago. They enjoy mounted games, fun rides, dressage and showing.
Sheir Whisky — Welsh section D
Owned and ridden by Karen Badrick, this Welsh pony landed a Your Horse Live ticket at his first attempt — Vale View.
Karen has owned Sheir Whisky for two-and-a-half years, having originally bought him unbroken and planning to sell him on.
The pair shows at county level and Karen says the pony has a home with her for life.
Wishaw Red Admiral — Welsh section D
Another duo through at Stoneleigh Park, this Welsh section D and his owner/rider Simone Harrison finished sixth at the Royal International Horse Show in July — Red Admiral was the only section D to be placed there.
Simone, a talent acquisition lead in fashion and overseas retail, has owned the pony since he was two, when he was “a nervous wreck and petrified of everything”.
He has gone on to achieve plenty, including a bronze Welsh performance medal.
The open and amateur veteran championships, plus part-bred traditional and in-hand finals will also take place at Your Horse Live this Friday.
There’s still time to buy your tickets to Your Horse Live.
Come back to yourhorse.co.uk over the weekend for the latest news and training round-ups from the line-up of top names, including Charlotte Dujardin, Oliver Townend and Sir Lee Pearson.
