the rider
Island Life - April/May 2011
Photo: Sarah riding Will at Tweseldown horse trials
prompted further lessons from trainers who
Riding Club national championships and we
travelled over from the mainland, chiefly
did really well,” said Sarah, who by the age
Matt Hicks and Nicola Buchanan (nee
of 10 was travelling as far afield as Lincoln
Jordain).
to compete with Bruno. A few years later
Sarah’s first pony Jonty was bought on the
she returned to the same venue with her
Island from Penny Edwards. He stood 12
next horse Cracker as part of the Isle of
hands and is still at the Lake Farm Riding
Wight dressage team which won the overall
School, now a sprightly 20 year-old. Sarah
competition - her first notable success.
recalls: “He was really naughty when we
Sarah attended Godshill Primary, Ventnor
first got him, and I spent most of my time on
Middle and Medina High Schools and by
the floor when I was trying to ride him. He
the time she was 14 eventing with Cracker
taught me a few things, but then I went on
became the main focus. She recalls: “I
to my next pony Bruno, who was very cheeky
did well with Cracker and he gained my
but taught me pretty much everything about
confidence in eventing. Then I had Cracker
riding.”
and another horse Benji at the same time,
Bruno, a 13.2 hands New Forest pony,
found its way to Lake Farm purely by chance.
and both are still going strong.”
Now Sarah competes on both Benji and
Sue was at the dentist one day when
her latest horse Will (a.k.a. Lowhill Clover),
someone asked her if she knew anyone who
who was bought as a three-year-old at the
wanted a pony, and a deal was soon struck.
Irish sales by her grandfather Leslie. Both
“Bruno was the pony that I began to do
horses went ‘novice’ successfully last year,
dressage, showjumping and cross-country
with Sarah regularly finishing in the top 10
on. We started travelling to the mainland
at events against strong opposition from all
to compete and we went to several of the
over the country.
Visit our new website - www.visitislandlife.com
95