24 May 2023
Congratulations to Emilia, Year 9, for a great performance, with her horse Mickey, at the Winter Pony Championship Final in Liverpool at the end of April. They finished in an excellent 8th place in a field of more than 40, as Emilia describes below.
Emilia H, Year 9
I was very excited to take part in the Winter Pony Championship Final for the first time, which Mickey and I qualified for in February. There were two rounds, but you had to go clear in the first round (which means you can't knock any poles down or have a refusal) to secure a place in the second - the jump off, where you had to go as fast as you could and jump clear.
With more than 40 riders competing, I didn't think I'd stand a chance, especially as lots of competitors were getting eliminated in the first round. It was also my first national competition with Mickey. However, Mickey was a superstar and jumped a brilliant clear round. The fences get higher in the jump off and were at a height I'd never jumped before, so I had fairly low expectations of placing inside the top 10 and getting a clear round. But again, Mickey did an amazing clear with a quick time and we finished 8th. It was an incredible weekend and one I will never forget.