Ruby’s reward after taking to saddle aged 2
HORSE-CRAZY Ruby Rodgers started riding as a two-year-old.
Now, 10 years since her passion began, the 12-year-old from Pentrich, near Ripley, has stormed to victory at the UK’s biggest week of the year for equestrian entertainment.
She took the stage in Birmingham with her nineyear-old pony Wycroft-ForgetMe-Not, known as Doris, competing with 20 of Britain’s best riders. As the youngest rider in her category, she beat all the odds to be placed first.
Ruby’s mum, Maria, 31, says: “When they announced that Ruby had won I was crying, and I don’t cry a lot.
“I really didn’t expect it because in the horse world, she’s a nobody really and she’s just come from grassroots competition.
“Even qualifying for the competition is a massive achievement but to win it is what dreams are made of.
“Because of how tall Ruby is, she has to compete against older children, like 15 year-olds, and ride a bigger horse.”
Ruby, who also won at the Royal International in Brighton this July, started riding as a tot when the Rodgers family visited Derby Cattle market intending to buy some chickens.
The toddler spotted a little Shetland pony on sale for £90 and her mum and dad, Ashley, decided to buy it for her.
Ruby worked with the pony and started taking it to local shows, and here her passion for horse-riding began.
When she met Doris last September, she instantly fell in love with the chocolatecoloured Wycroft pony.
“If we let her, Ruby would ride every day, but we make her skip a couple because Doris needs to rest,” says her mum.
Ruby, who practises on the family’s four acres of land in their home village, qualified for Hoys, the prestigious Horse of the Year show, at the Northern England showground in June.
She is now preparing for a lesson with international dressage rider Steph Croxford and hopes to pursue jumping or a career as a vet.