Welsh Rider takes Search for a Star Crown

Show Hunter Pony wins 2010 SEIB Search For A Star Star Supreme Champion with Riding Horse in Reserve

The South Essex Insurance Brokers 2010 Search For A Star Championship reached a thrilling climax at the Horse of the Year Show when 16 year old Angharad Fisher rode her own Show Hunter Pony, I’m Clover Too, to take the Supreme Champion title, with Patricia Saxby’s Riding Horse, Play It Cool, in Reserve. 
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SEARCH FOR A STAR TRAINING CHANGE OF DATE

Due to circumstances beyond our control we have had to change the date of the Search for a Star and Racehorse to Riding Horse, Horse of the Year Show training.

The new date is Tuesday, 7th September 2010.

If you have already applied and can’t make the new date please contact srobb@seib.co.uk and we will give you a full refund.

The 2010 SEIB Search for a Star journey begins at Osbaldeston

The 2010 South Essex Insurance Brokers Search For A Star and Racehorse to Riding Horse Championship qualifiers are now underway.  The first competition was held on 23^rd May at Osbaldeston Equestrian Centre, Lancashire where a terrific number of riders and top quality horses competed for the chance to attend The Horse Of The Year Show finals, held at the NEC Birmingham in October.

With nearly 200 entries, many of the classes were split into two sections before the final judging could take place.  Well known and highly respected show judge,  Richard Ramsay judged the Riding Horse/Hack, Cob, Ponies, Riding Club Show Horse, Show and Working Hunters and was assisted by ride judges Sara Leatherbarrow and Matthew Maher Burns.  “At this venue, a terrific number of entries came forward and we are pleased that Search For A Star is so well supported by riders.  This competition gives amateurs the chance to compete at HOYS, a dream which many riders would love to realise.  Many of the competitors have very little or no showing experience and there is always a positive yet competitive atmosphere in all of the classes.  The standard of horses at Osbaldeston was high and the general turnout of both horse and rider in these classes improves each year”, commented Richard. 

The day began with the Working Hunters, a class which put 34 horses over a testing course.  This course was trickier than the riders expected and saw only 16 horses go clear, with Frank Johnson’s grey gelding, Steel Clover taking first place.  Frank bought the 6 year old at Goresbridge Sales two years ago as a show jumper and gave him to his daughter, Adele to ride and bring on.  Adele and Steel Clover, also known as ‘Leo’, have taken part in a variety of disciplines for experience and qualified as a four and five-year-old for the Burghley Young Event Horse final.  Leo then went on to win the lightweight section and finish 4^th at the final of the £2000 Irish Challenge.  In 2008 he was the North West Top Ridden Sport Horse with Sport Horse GB.  Adele heard that Osbaldeston Equestrian Centre was running the Search For a Star competition and Johnny Greenall suggested that Leo would do well in it.  Following Blackpool FC’s (the Tangerines) promotion to the premier league, Adele wore a bright orange tie to bring her luck in the class and she wasn’t disappointed, “I’ve only ever been to HOYS to watch and I’m very excited!”  Adele has lessons with Johnny Greenall’s daughter, Julie Armstrong.  Liz Eden’s 12 year old chestnut gelding, Ulster de la Barre took second place in this class.  Also known as ‘Ralph’, Ulster de la Barre was bought in November 2009 to hunt with the Rockwood Harriers. Having regularly watched her daughter take part in lead rein classes, Liz was fed up with standing on the side lines and, as she thought Ralph was nice enough show and having discovered Search for a Star on the internet, Liz decided to enter.  “We did our first novice working hunter a couple of weeks ago, so this is only our second outing.” Liz had competed in working hunter classes with another horses but following a nasty cross country accident last September, she did not ride for a few months and got back into the saddle in January this year.  Liz, who has been riding her whole life, manages her partner’s yard in Wortley, Sheffield and despite taking part in all things equestrian, she has never been to HOYS as a competitor, “I have been to watch, but I am absolutely thrilled to have qualified”, she says.

In the Riding Club Show Horse class, Helen Platt took first place with her own 15 year old bay Irish Draught x Thoroughbred mare, Opal. Helen says, “Opal restored my confidence - she does everything I ask and even if I don’t ask properly, she still tries to sort it out.” Opal had been through a series of riding schools but when Helen got her 6 years ago, she realised the mare could do more. “I have always been a nervous rider but you could put your granny on Opal!” explains Helen.   “My friend, Ros Fiefield qualified in the Search For A Star Riding Horse/Hack class last year and she said we really should have a go, so we entered!”  Helen has been supported all the way by a team of friends who have helped her reach where she is now.  “The feeling is amazing,” says an elated Helen.  The pair are Members of Bridgewater Riding Club and take part in a bit of everything including working hunter classes.  “I went to HOYS last year to watch Ros who this year hopes to qualify for the open class, so I hope we will be going together.”  Helen is a finance manager for Pacific Sales, a cosmetics company.  Second in this class was Caroline Woods, riding Mr & Mrs Bill Ince’s Thornbird Independent Diamond. The 8 year old chestnut gelding, also known as “Indi”, was born on Independence Day and has been ridden by Caroline for 18 months. Mr & Mrs Ince who also bred Indi, live in Saudi Arabia.  After being kicked in the field and suffering a fractured stifle, Indi was on box rest for 4 months.  Before Caroline began riding him, he wasn’t doing anything and Caroline refers to him as “an expensive field ornament who now does everything.  He is starting British Eventing next month.” The pair are members of the Delamere Forest Riding Club and have been members of their team in show jumping and horse trials. Caroline trains with Richard Carruthers who suggested they have a go at Search For a Star – so Caroline decided she would give it a go!  Caroline’s main interest is in eventing, “I really don’t know anything about showing!” she sais.  “I borrowed a double bridle for Indi and he gets on with it fine but I kept getting my reins in a tangle!” she continued.  Caroline is from Northwich and is an NVQ Assessor for Social Services.  She also has an 11 month old coloured horse that she hopes will go eventing but she might also have a go at CHAPS showing.

The Show Hunter class had a huge number of entries.  With 44 competitors, the class was split and saw class First place go to Jenna Tyldesley, riding her own 7 year old gelding, Tudor Minstrel. Tudor Minstrel, also known as “Billy” is in his third season showing.  He was bought as a show horse, two and a half years ago and had done nothing.  “He was very green but now he is going nicely and this is very rewarding”, said Jenna, who originally planned to enter Intermediate Working Hunter classes with Billy but he continued to grow.  “We started showing him as a riding horse but 12 months ago decided to enter Light Weight Hunter classes”, says Jenna who has also started riding him in a side saddle and hopes that he will be ready to compete before the end of the season. Jenna has done a lot of county level showing with Billy and they have been regularly placed but have always found it difficult to beat the professional producers.  This is the second year that Jenna has had a go at Search For a Star and she says, “Last year Billy was still a baby but now he has now grown up”.  Jenna now has plans to do more showing this summer in preparation for HOYS.  “Billy is very level-headed and is used to seeing plenty of people - we have the circus at our place at the moment and he is not bothered by that at all!”  Jenna is assisted at shows by her Father who acts as groom, driver and support!  “Qualifying for HOYS just hasn’t sunk in yet – I nearly cried when they called me out first!” she said.  The 8 year old bay gelding, Rohan , ridden by Darcas Lever took second place in this class. “A friend of mine bought Rohan, also known as ‘Fritz’, as a 2 year old youngster and she suggested I have him as a project but after he pulled a ligament a couple of years later, he was sold to a dealer and was then passed from pillar to post”, said Darcas.  Fritz then became a difficult horse and the owner was not getting on with him and at one point was advised to have him put down.  “Fortunately, she could not bring herself to do it and contacted me to see if I wanted him back and he has now been permanently gifted to me and I have had him back for 3 months!” says Darcas.  “When he came back he was turned out for 3 weeks to chill out - he had obviously been smacked when he did something wrong and would try to bite and kick. I took him out for a short ride and he stood on his hind legs.  Gradually he got better and now he is a different horse and plods around!” Darcas used to do showing with a 14hh show hunter pony and then moved on to do dressage and she was also long listed for the Junior British Dressage Team.  When Fritz came back she thought it would be good to have a go at showing again.  Fritz is 17.1hh and can be very nervous and tends to back off but he has taken extremely well to showing and after winning a Riding Horse class it was suggested that she had a go at Search For a Star.  “He was amazing today, and he didn’t put a foot wrong. I am sure he will cope well with HOYS.”  Says 19 year old Darcus, who watched Search For A Star at HOYS last year and was desperate to have a go herself. She has just finished studying an NVQ at St John Rigby College in Wigan. This successful young rider has ridden all her life and would like to pursue a career in horses as a producer of all disciplines. 

The Ponies class was also split due to the high number of entries.  Twenty nine ponies came forward and Hideaway Night Thyme, a five year old gelding owned by Jacqueline Tyldesley and ridden by her 16 year old daughter, Amber Tyldesley took the top spot in this class.  When Jacqueline bought the dark bay gelding last year, she was advised not to rush him and decided to let him mature at his own rate. The pair took part in a few novice classes and won at the Anglesey County Show and British Show Pony Society’s Pretty Polly Championship.  This year they have qualified for the Royal International Horse Show and plan to do more HOYS open qualifiers.  “Hideaway Night Thyme is a very uncomplicated pony and has manners to burn”, says Amber.   Last year they took part in evening performance and he behaved impeccably. The five-year-old was broken by Daryl Sutton, Amber’s instructor.  Amber is currently sitting her GCSE’s and plans to stay on for 6^th form.   Amber’s sister, Heather has a 12.2hh pony and has also qualified for the Royal International Horse Show and there is often competition between the two in championships.  Amber previously had a 14.2hh pony and had always wanted to do showing.  Amber says: “It takes loads of effort, in all weathers but getting to HOYS is what I have always wanted. My goal this year was to qualify for something like Royal International Horse Show, so to qualify for HOYS as well is fantastic.” The young rider has made a conscious decision not to do too much this year, as she does not want to burn him out. Amber added: “He will cope fine with HOYS; he is totally chilled with crowds and noise.”  Amber’s Mum, Jacqueline and Dad, Clive were not at all horsey until Amber wanted to ride.  “When Amber started in the Pony Club, we all started - together.  I am now famous for my quarter marks!”, says Clive.  In second place came Cusop Darley, ridden by 15-year-old Charlotte Porter. The seven-year-old liver chestnut was originally supposed to be a stallion but the breeder decided to have him cut when he was five-years-old and then sell him.   Charlotte has known Cusop Darley since he was just a yearling, but bought him as an unbroken five-year-old. Once broken, Charlotte did a few pony club rallies and then some British Show Pony Society shows.  Cusop Darley went on to win Part Bred Arab class at the Festival of Champions Spring Festival, 13.2hh show pony, novice and end of day champion.  Search For A Star is the five-year-olds biggest outing so far as he is still maturing.  Charlotte’s sister Megan, 11, will take over the ride next year when Charlotte is to old to compete him.  Charlotte added, “He is not a typical show pony - he is very chilled.  We should have been doing Pony Club area games today but dropped out to come here, it was worth it though!” The pair have been entered into Uttoxeter and Cheshire County but are doing it on a shoestring budget.  After Charlotte’s father lost his job this year the family are unsure how much showing they will be able to do. Cusop Darley is  by Fingerprint. The Porter family are from Presall, Poulton-Le-Fylde.

In the Riding Horse/Hack class, first place went to Beamsley Gunna-Do-It, owned by Carol Dawson and ridden by 19 year old student, Katie Owens. Carol bred Beamsley Gunna-Do-It, also known as “Rupert” from her mare, Disco Dancer, who she put to the Dutch stallion Buskhill Gunner.  Carol enjoys show jumping and hunting and Rupert, a bay gelding now rising five, was bred for showjumping, eventing and working hunter classes but has proved successful as a large riding horse.  Rupert lives at home and has a pony as a companion and anyone can ride him.  Katie took over the show ride as Carol is suffering from a back injury and her daughter, Hannah, competes in working hunter classes and the classes often clash.  He was broken by Jonathan Parrot and was then put in the field for a winter to mature.  The 16.2hh gelding came back into work last summer and was worked at home.  He then went to his first show in March, earlier this year.  They have also qualified for the Royal International Horse Show this year, and now HOYS.  Carole said “I can’t believe I have bred such a classy horse!  He is a lovely novice, but he has more maturing to do.  It has been a great week – he also won at Ottley Show and was supreme champion.”  Eventually Carol wants him to go jumping or eventing.  Second place went to Peut Etre, a 14 year old mare, owned and ridden by 27 year old Anna Bowes. Bought for as a show jumper, this mare has hunted for a couple of seasons and done some unaffiliated showing.  A show producer told Anna to enter Peut Etre in Hack Classes and see what happens.  “We did some local shows and then qualified for the Hack Championship at Equifest”, said Anna, who had to hire a lorry to get to Osbaldeston.  This is her first year in affiliated classes and only her second show this season.  Anna and Peut Etre take part in quite a few events at Upsall Grange Equestrian Centre near Middlesborough.  She wanted to try for Search For A Star last year but the horse went lame so this year her aim was to try again and aim to qualify for HOYS.  They will compete at Hambledon Home Produced Hacks and hope to qualify for Royal London.  “She thrives on atmosphere and I think she will love hoys – its been my dream, either to qualify on her or breed a foal and qualify with that.  This is perfect.” Before HOYS, Anna is looking forward to getting married in July! 

 

First in the Cob class was Funky Munky, a 10 year old skewbald gelding, owned and ridden by 29 year old Joanne Dewhurst.  This is his second showing season but last year they just did local shows together and this year they are aiming higher.  “We went to Strathallen and qualified for the RIHS in the coloured and show cob classes.  Funky Munky was coloured champion at BSPS area 1A show, won cobs and was second reserve in the coloureds at BSPS winter championships.  He was also 2^nd at White Rose in the Novice Show Cob – needless to say I am delighted with him!” says a very happy Joanne.  Before she got him, he had only done affiliated dressage.  Joanne was looking for a show horse and she nearly bought a coloured traditional type cob.  However, her farrier, James Knight, insisted that she went to see Funky Munky and she knew immediately that she wanted to buy him.  They aim to do open cob classes and coloured HOYS qualifiers to keep him sweet for the RIHS and HOYS.  “He was very good at the BSPS show when we did an evening performance under the lights, so I think he will cope well in the atmosphere of HOYS,” says Joanne, who is a business development manager for Cumbria Life Magazine.    “I could not have done it without James Knight, my farrier, and Chrisy Knight, who teaches me.  Their advice on turnout and way of going has been invaluable – they have helped me all the way”.  Second in this class was Wide Load, also known as “Bob”, owned and ridden by 18 year old Francesca Woods.  Francesca has owned this 7 year old bay gelding for just 3 months.  She saw him for sale on Horse Quest and was looking for something to have fun with, go jumping but something that would be good enough to go to HOYS.  “Apparently he was orphaned but we really know very little about him other than he came from Ireland”, the pair came second in the Amateur class at the Northern Spring Show and have had several other placings and have qualified for Ponies UK this year.  Bob is kept at home and Francesca fits in around current part time jobs.  She hopes to make a career working with horses and is due to start work on a local yard next week.

Weighbridge

For the first time at Search for A Star qualifiers a weighbridge was available for competitors to check their horse’s weight.  The weighbridge was provided by horse feed company, Spillers, and their nutritionist, Isabel Harker, was also on hand to interpret the horses weight and height to give a condition score.  Isabel was also happy to give advice and the free service was keenly taken up by many competitors during the day, including Katie Jerram.  Katie commended Search for a Star for their use of the weighbridge.  “It is a very good thing to teach amateurs that horses do need to be the right weight for showing.  It is unofficial and a brilliant opportunity to take advantage of this facility”. 

Stewards

The first round of the Search For A Star Steward also took place at Osbaldeston.  Three finalists worked hard all day in the collecting ring and in the arena, demonstrating their skills in organisation and efficiency.  The competition was judged by Di Longland, a BSJA judge and long standing steward at Search for a Star and many county shows, who selected Tracy Mason to go forward to the next stage.  “All three were excellent and it was very hard to decide, but our winner showed extra diligence and maturity and was always thinking ahead”, she said.  Tracy, who travelled from Caithness in the very north of Scotland to take part, was delighted.  “You needed to be on the ball and know what the judges want, always having a smile for the competitors and a loud voice!  Coming down for this was totally worth the effort.  I have gained a lot to take back to those up north.  My main purpose was to be able to take knowledge back for other stewards”, she said.   Tracy will now go to the final judging at Vale View, Leicestershire in July and if she is successful, she could will the opportunity to work as part of the professional team of Stewards at Horse of the Year Show.

Hairies Can Enter Search For A Star

The SEIB Search For A Star Championship has become one of the most popular showing series in the calendar, but owners of native or traditional types, particularly coloured horses, often bemoan the lack of a class for this type.  Sadly the tight schedule at the qualifiers and the lack of available ring time at HOYS means that an additional class is unlikely in the immediate future, but this does not exclude these horses from the series.  SEIB point out that native and traditional horses are eligible for the Riding Club Show Horse class and exhibitors are encouraged to have a go in this class. 

“The Riding Club Show Horse class is for any type of show horse and, provided they can negotiate a small fence and some trotting poles, it provides an opportunity for those with traditional cobs to take part.  I would love to see natives coming forward for this class”, said Nicolina MacKenzie, Marketing Manager, South Essex Insurance Brokers. 

Judges for 2010 announced

SEIB Launch Search for a Stewarding Star

The new show season is fast approaching and another series of the South Essex Insurance Brokers (SEIB) Search For A Star will soon be underway. 

South Essex Insurance Brokers (SEIB) and Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) have instigated a new competition for 2010 to find the show stewards of the future. SEIB are renowned for finding equestrian stars and the new Search for a Star Steward competition will help to recognise these unsung heroes and find the up and coming stewarding stars. 

The competition is open to anyone who enjoys helping out at horse shows and would like to become involved in stewarding at top level. Stewards regularly give their time and energy to ensure the smooth running of horse shows and this competition is designed to recognise their skills and offer the winners the opportunity to steward at the prestigious Horse of the Year Show.

Entrants will be required to complete an application form giving details of their stewarding and equestrian experience. Shortlisted entries will then be invited to help at one of the SEIB Search for a Star qualifiers and the top steward at each of the first four qualifiers will be asked to the final judging at Vale View Equestrian Centre on 18^th July. 

The winner will spend a week working alongside the distinguished stewarding team at the Horse of the Year Show. The prize will include travel to the show, accommodation and all meals during the show and the winner will also receive 6 tickets for Wednesday’s performance at HOYS for friends and family. The winner will meet the HOYS organising team at Grandstand Media and may be interviewed as part of the competition by two HOYS officials, which could lead to future opportunities to be involved with the show. 

“Stewarding is an enjoyable and rewarding way to be involved with horse shows and stewards play a vital and responsible role in ensuring the smooth running of events throughout the country. This competition is designed to encourage more people to give stewarding a go and provides a wonderful opportunity for those who would like to go further by stewarding at the big events”, said Nicolina MacKenzie, Marketing Manager at South Essex Insurance Brokers.

Closing date for entries for this year’s competition is 4th May 2010.

For more information and an application form click here

2010 dates

The dates for the 2010 competition have been announced - click here