Six children and their ponies will come forward for the SEIB Search for a Star Lead Rein Championship, plus another six forward for the first ridden final.

They are due into the SEIB Main Arena at Your Horse Live at 10.10am on Friday 8 November.

You will find a round up of all the finalists for both classes below.

SEIB Search for a Star Lead Rein Championship

The lead-rein finalists are:

Blaenau Daffyd

Six-year-old Bicester and Warden Hill Pony Club member Beatrice Whale rides Daffy, a Welsh section A pony owned by her grandmother Sharon Barnes.

The family have owned Daffy for six years — he arrived at the same time as Beatrice!

Sharon runs a pony therapy and pony party business, Ollie and Friends, of which Daffy is a key member, providing therapy and support.

He regularly visits terminally ill children and attends hospices, including Helen and Douglas House Hospice in Oxford.

Beatrice and Daffy qualified for Your Horse Live at the Pony Club Championships.

Coppice Magnum

Seven-year-old River Everill rides his mother Jessica’s Shetland pony, Coppice Magnum.

River is a member of the Atherstone Hunt Branch of the Pony Club and attends Kirdworth Primary School.

They qualified for Your Horse Live at Stoneleigh Park.

Letton Sweet Bouquet

Seven-year-old Aurora Wilding pilots this four-year-old traditional cob, who belongs to Anika Wilding.

Rosie, as the pony is known, has only recently been broken in and she and Aurora have been to a few shows, including Traditional of the Year Show (TOYS), where they were lead rein champions.

The Wildings bought Rosie with showing in mind and Aurora hopes to be back next year to do the first ridden class.

Aurora is a member of the Teme Valley Pony Club and she qualified Rosie for Your Horse Live at Hartpury University.

Synod Miss Sapphire

Seven-year-old Jessica Stancliffe rides her mother Danielle’s six-year-old Welsh section A pony.

Jessica is a member of the Oxenholme Branch of the Pony Club. She loves cantering on Sapphire and has also been to Pony Club camp.

The Stancliffe’s have owned Sapphire for six months, and their Your Horse Live ticket was earned at Arena UK.

Thistledown Pop Idol

Thistledown Pop Idol is owned by Jane Tucker and ridden by seven-year-old Dottie Tucker.

The young rider is a member of Cumberland Farmers North Pony Club and she qualified ‘Ollie’ for Your Horse Live at Greenlands Equestrian Centre.

Treworgan Titanium

‘Teddy’ is a five-year-old Dartmoor gelding ridden by six-year-old Molly Bowring and owned by her mother, Jessica.

They bought Teddy as a two-year-old and they also show him in-hand. As well as this lead-rein championship, Teddy will compete in the in-hand mountain and moorland championship with Jessica.

Molly is a member of the South Nottinghamshire branch of the Pony Club. She secured her Your Horse Live ticket at Vale View Equestrian Centre.

SEIB Search for a Star First Ridden Championship

The firsts ridden finalists are:

Rhos Elodie

This 12-year-old pony is no stranger to Your Horse Live, having won the in-hand plaited pony title here last year with his owner Sam Crutchlow and also finishing second in the first ridden championship.

His 11-year-old rider, Sam’s daughter Phoebe, hopes to go one better this year and secure the winner’s sash.

Phoebe is a member of the Atherstone Hunt branch of the Pony Club.

Their Your Horse Live ticket was secured at the Pony Club Championships.

Shilbrook Mr Holly

This 17-year-old Welsh section A pony is owned by Heather Hiscox and ridden by nine-year-old Emily Hiscox.

Emily piloted Thistledown Elpaso to stand inaugural supreme champion at Your Horse Live in 2022, after winning the lead-rein title.

Now contesting first ridden classes, Emily is in her first season off the lead rein and enjoys jumping, going to Pony Club camp, and tiny-tots showing.

Emily is a North Warwickshire Pony Club member and she claimed a Your Horse Live ticket with Shilbrook Mr Holly at Vale View Equestrian Centre.

Stonedge Comet

Seven-year-old Noah Smith is the youngest rider contesting the Search for a Star first ridden championship.

He will pilot Kirsten Smith’s Welsh section A Stonedge Comet, whom the family has owned for one year.

Noah attends Frieth Primary School and is a South Oxfordshire Hunt South Pony Club member. He enjoys cross-country, tetrathlon and hacking with Comet.

They earned their Your Horse Live ticket at Stoneleigh Park.

Telaid Peter Pan

Eight-year-old Lucy Oliver partners this 15-year-old Welsh section A pony, who is owned by Ali Oliver.

Lucy is in her first year off the lead rein and enjoys hunting and cross-country with Peter Pan, as well as showing.

She is a member of the Morpeth Hunt Pony Club and qualified for Your Horse Live at Greenlands Equestrian Centre.

Thistledown Edison

Mary-Jo Grant’s 15-year-old chestnut roan is ridden by Ianna Grant and they will make the long trip south from North Scotland to compete at Your Horse Live.

The nine-year-old rider topped the SEIB Search for a Star lead rein championship in 2023 and is now in her first season off the lead rein.

She is a member of Ross-Shire Pony Club and has done a lot of local showing, including BSPS Scotland shows, with this pony.

They netted their championship ticket at Arena UK.

Weston Candy Girl

Lucy Drummond’s palomino Welsh section A is ridden by eight-year-old Sofia Drummond, a member of the Beaufort Pony Club and a former SEIB Search for a Star Pony Club lead rein competitor.

This year was the pair’s third time contesting the Search for a Star series, after finishing fourth and then second in qualifiers in previous years.

It is their first time competing in the final, after winning a qualifier at Hartpury University in the summer.

A total of 11 SEIB Search for a Star championships will take place at Your Horse Live this year. You can find out more about each one and view all the finalists here.

Find out more