A WHITCHURCH stables is celebrating its success after returning home triumphant form the prestigious Olympia Horse Show in London.
Sarah Challinor, of The Glebe Equestrian Centre, in Bronington, near Whitchurch, rode her way to victory on seven year old Dartmoor Stallion, Pumphill Buckthorn, as the pair scooped the Best of Breed award after coming out on top against tough opposition.
And the duo had even more reason to celebrate as they took the reserve spot in the NPS Baileys Horse Feeds Ridden Mountain and Moorland Supreme Championship, surprising themselves in the process.
“It was amazing,” said Sarah, who has previous experience of riding at Olympia.
“There was a packed crowd to see us and the horse loved it just as much as I did.
“It capped off what has been a fantastic season for us, after the horse became the Supreme Ridden Champion at the Heritage Championship as well.”
Pumphill Buckthorn also took the BSPS Heritage Open Ridden Championship, and had a couple of reserve places at the event.
It was these performances, as well as a win at the Northern Horse Show in June, that paved the way for the pair to appear at Olympia this time around.
“Only 37 qualify and you have to have been champion at some point in the season to get there, so it’s extremely difficult just to earn your place,” Sarah continued.
“There are many different sections, but the one we were really going for was the Best of Breed. But to get a reserve place in our category of the Supreme Championship was an unexpected bonus.
“We had to walk, trot, canter, and gallop in front of the judges, and we actually had the same overall points as the winners, but they had a slightly better ride mark which made the difference, although we had performed better than them in some of the other areas.
“The horse got a massive sash to wear and his stable is covered in rosettes now. Everyone is giving him an extra pat so he knows he has done something good.
“To be honest it’s all still sinking in, I’m so proud of him.”
Sarah has been riding Pumphill for over two years, and both are now settling in to their new home at Glebe Farm, in Bronington, having moved from Wrexham towards the end of the year.
She has been producing horses as a business for six years, and the new stables benefit from an indoor centre which should make all the difference in the current cold weather.
The pairing are now looking forward to competing at the 2010 Horse of the Year Show, after taking fourth and fifth placed finishes last time around.