The first qualifiers for the SEIB Search for a Star Your Horse Live Mountain and Moorland Championship have been decided at Osbaldeston.

Ponies and their riders qualifying in the Search for a Star Mountain and Moorland series have their championships at Your Horse Live at Stoneleigh on the 8th November.

Small breeds qualifiers

Ten-year-old Becky Elvey, riding Anna Elwood’s Exmoor pony, Omega took the top spot in the small breeds at Osbaldeston and earned their ticket to the Championship. Becky’s mum, Linsey Elvey said: “We are so excited to be off to Your Horse Live. Becky and Omega won the first ridden class at NCPA last year and this has been their first show since. We also go hacking on the beach whenever we can.” Becky is a pupil at North Wanley Primary School, Linsey continued: “Becky took all her Search for a Star rosettes into school for show and tell, she is so excited to have qualified for the Championship.”

Earning the second small breeds ticket to Your Horse Live was 13-year-old Amy Jones and Susan Jones’ Welsh Section B pony, Moelview Milky Bar (known as Zorro at home). Susan Jones said: “We are very excited to be off to Your Horse Live, Amy and I only saw this class last week and we rushed to get an entry in. It is so nice to have a competition to go to that is purely for amateur riders.” The Jones’ have owned Zorro for two years now, Susan continued: “Zorro has given Amy so much confidence and is enthusiastic about and enjoys every outing we take him on.”

Large breeds qualifiers

The large breeds qualifier was won by Alexandra Hinchly and her own Highland gelding, Swallowfields Dragonfly. Alexandra said: “I am absolutely delighted to have won this. Dougie as we call him has a great attitude to life and we have great fun off out showing.” Alexandra works as a trainee surveyor, she continued: “I bought Dougie as a four-year-old and have broken him in and done everything with him myself. I have been working full-time and studying for a degree so it means that it has taken a while to get Dougie really up and running.”

In second place was Sonyarisa Duckhouse with her own Fell pony, Chesterman Dandy. Having been ill all week in the run up to Osbaldeston, Sonyarisa attended with low expectations. She said: “I’d been so ill I hadn’t ridden Dandy all week before the qualifier. We decided though that as we’d entered we might as well go along for the experience and I’m so glad we did!” Sonyarisa has owned Dandy for four years and works in quality control for a food manufacturing company. She said: “It is sometimes a bit of a struggle to fit everything in and as I work rotating shifts, this can disrupt Dandy’s routine.” Sonyarisa continued: “Dandy doesn’t like going to too many shows, so we will go to Windsor Show and then I would like to see how well we can do in the pairs at the NPS again.”

Don’t miss the SEIB Search for a Star Mountain and Moorland Championship at this year’s Your Horse Live, featuring Charlotte Dujardin, alongside an array of top coaches sharing their top training tips, as well as unmissable shopping, performances and demonstrations. Find out more and book tickets here.

Don’t miss the latest issue of Your Horse Magazine, jam-packed with training and veterinary advice, horse-care tips and the latest equestrian products available on shop shelves, on sale now.