Cob given five percent chance of survival qualifies for Your Horse Live

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A female cob who was given only a slim chance of surviving a severe bout of colic came out on top in the in-hand plaited horse and hogged show cob class at the SEIB Search for a Star Your Horse Live qualifiers at Pickering Grange last month.

Singing Habari, who is owned by care home manager Charlotte Mills, won the qualifier just months after recovering from life threatening colic surgery.

“We qualified for Your Horse Live last year in Search for a Star but before the finals Singing Habari went down with colic,” explained Charlotte.

“She was given a five per cent chance of survival and during surgery they had to take out a metre and a half of her small intestine. She then developed an infection and this put her back too.

“She fought it all though and the team at Pool House Vets were amazing. This is her first show since the operation and I haven’t started riding her again yet. Before she was ill we did both in-hand and ridden showing. She is such a fighter and is looking strong.”

Tickets for Your Horse Live, which will take place at Stoneleigh Park on Friday 7 – Sunday 9 November 2025, are on sale now.

Alongside hosting the SEIB Search for a Star Championships, British dressage star Becky Moody will also be giving demonstrations, Oliver Townend and Geoff Billington will entertain the crowds and renowned horse trainer Emma Massingale will bring her team of Connemaras and Shetland ponies to show her training methods.

Mountain and Moorland

Jessica Carter and Rhydypandy Tom Jones proved the pair to beat in the Mountain and Moorland class at Pickering Grange.

“Tom is the best pony in the world,” said Jessica.

“I was nervous today, we’ve had two goes before at qualifying in the Working Pony class and missed out so today has been an amazing dream.”

Jessica is no stranger to qualifying for the Search for a Star Your Horse Live Championship having qualified last year with her Appaloosa pony, Henry.

She and Tom also qualified for Your Horse Live in the British Riding Club class to make it two wins from two events at Pickering Grange. The pair had already secured their ticket to Your Horse Live in the Pony Club Open class at Hartpury College in May.

Taking the runner-up spot in the Mountain and Moorland class at Pickering Grange, which was holding SFAS qualifiers for the first time, were Lindsey Holmes and Tirygelli Tomos, a 13-year-old Welsh section D.

British Riding Club

Pickhill Riding Club’s Jessica Carter and Rhydypandy Tom Jones found themselves in the winners’ enclosure at Pickering Grange once again after they triumphed in the British Riding Club class.

It was a very successful day for the pair who also triumphed in the Mountain and Moorland class and won the Horse of the Year Show working pony class to earn them a HOYS ticket.

“Tom is just brilliant. My friends from school come over and ride him, he always looks after his rider and we go out hacking for miles. We will compete in Pony Club and working hunter pony over the summer,” said Jessica.

Open ridden veteran

The Still a Star open ridden veteran class was won by Lisa Counsell and the 20-year-old coloured mare Paris Party Girl.

“Paris loves life and goes out doing a different job every week,” said Lisa.

“I’ve owned her for eight years and we have competed in everything from dressage to showing to one-day events. We took third place in the Still a Star championship at Your Horse Live in 2024 and were fifth in 2023. This summer we also plan to compete in colour performance classes and the VHS Championships.”

Jane Rawden and Murthwaite Looks Promising, an 18-year-old Fell pony, finished in the runner-up spot and also secured their spot at Your Horse Live.

Pony Club lead rein pony

Pony Club lead rein champions were Chloe Wilson and Melland Summer Primrose.
Credit: 1st Class Images.

Chloe Wilson and Melland Summer Primrose took first place in the Pony Club lead rein pony class.

“We’ve owned Primrose for three years, she is a purebred Shetland pony,” said Chloe’s mum Fiona.

“We bought her with showing in mind. Chloe has just joined the Quorn Branch of the Pony Club and they are looking forward to heading off to camp this summer.”

First ridden

First place in the first ridden class was awarded to 10-year-old Bethany Cresswell and Littlemoorend Rosetta, a Welsh section A who is owned by Gaenor Cresswell.

“This is the first time we’ve done a big showing class, we’ve done some local showing before and equitation classes, handy pony and dressage,” said Bethany.

“We’ve owned Rosie for two years, she was just broken in when we got her and she and Bethany have learned everything together. They are in the South Trent Pony Club which has been amazing,” added Gaenor.

Pony Club open

Victory in the Pony Club open class went to Chipping Pony Club members Emma Simpson and Wayfaring Airs and Graces whose stable name is Quince.

“This our first proper season showing. Quince has spent a lot of time recovering from an injury and we’ve spent all winter walking him in-hand. Emma’s patience has paid off now,” said Emma’s mum Claire.

“We bought him for the showring and it’s great to see them out. Emma puts so much work into the ponies and is best friends with Lexi Eccles who did so well and won Search for a Star last year.”

In-hand plaited pony

Victory in the in-hand plaited pony class went to Emily Masters riding Kathryn Masters’ five-year-old mare Broadtown Make A Wish.

“She is perfect. I’ve just started showing her in hand and she is a dream horse, we are so lucky to have her,” said Emily.

“We went to Cornwall to see family and we saw her and fell in love. We got her on Valentine’s Day last year. Our friend Charlotte Langridge took her in this class last year and they qualified but didn’t go to the final. We’re really looking forward to it this year.”

Taking the runner-up spot in the in-hand plaited pony class was Maisie Filler and Charlwood Not The Norm, a 20-year-old liver chestnut gelding. The pair also enjoyed success in the amateur in-hand veteran class, where they took victory and qualified for Your Horse Live.

Amateur in-hand veteran

Hertfordshire-based Maisie Filler and her 20-year-old liver chestnut gelding Charlwood Not The Norm, who is known at home as Norman, triumphed in the amateur in-hand veteran.

“I’ve owned Norman for seven years. We used to do jumping and cross-country but now we mainly do dressage. We came here to do some showing for fun today. I’m going to Surrey University in the autumn to study business management. I chose Surrey as it’s not too far from Norman – I’m going to come home every weekend to visit him.”

In-hand Mountain and Moorland

Marsha Holtham and Raychel Liddell’s Fell pony, Rackwood Sophie, proved unbeatable in the in-hand Mountain and Moorland class. Their success didn’t end there as they also triumphed in the in-hand native traditional and rare breeds class.

“This is fantastic. We went to the last qualifier and came second in both these classes and now we’ve come first in them both,” said Marsha who works as a practice administrator at Vets for Pets and as a RDA coach.

“I got Sophie last November. I’d sadly lost my pony and Raychel got in touch to see if I’d like to come and meet Sophie. I’d always had Highland ponies before but my friends all have Fells so I came to see Sophie and collected her a few days later. We’ve been having so much fun together ever since.”

In-hand native traditional and rare breeds

Marsha Holtham and Rackwood Sophie made it two wins from two classes when they triumphed in the in-hand native traditional and rare breeds. The pair also won the in-hand Mountain and Moorland class the same day.

Rackwood Sophie is a Fell mare who is owned by Raychel Liddell.

“She is an absolute sweetheart and we’ve also just started competing in intro dressage. We’ll head off to a few more shows over the summer including the Great Yorkshire,” said Marsha who has been riding her since November.

In-hand rescue horse and pony

Alice Griffiths and Hillrow Harvest booked their spot at the Search for a Star Finals after they occupied first place in the Rescue Equine Showing Society in-hand rescue horse and pony class.

“Harvey has been great today. This win followed up a third place earlier today in the traditional gypsy cob ridden class,” said Alice who has been riding Harvey for five years.

“Before he came to me, Harvey had been abandoned in the Fen about six miles down the road. He had to be herded to my stables at home as we couldn’t catch him. After lots of talks with the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare we decided to geld him. Both groups contributed to the cost of this. He was very nervous, the gelding definitely helped but he still has his moments!

“It has taken a lot of patience and time to get him to the way he is now. He is super friendly and now doesn’t like to leave me alone. In his youngstock years he was champion at the Suffolk show. A few years ago, he won at Royal Windsor and has multiple other championship wins at local shows as well. We have a very fun life, his quirky personality makes him incredibly special to me and he now has a home for life.”

The judges reported a significant increase in both the number and quality of ponies coming forward to many of the classes this year, particularly the three SEIB Search for a Star Pony Club qualifying classes.

“We had a super day at Pickering Grange. Huge thanks to all our team of dedicated and talented judges and stewards who are, as always, so generous with their time and experience,” said SEIB Search for a Star organiser, Nicolina MacKenzie.