Fezziwig triumphs

An accountant wins the star prize and an Irish draught is top cob

THE 21st SEIB Search For A Star (SFAS) championship was considered one of the highest in quality, and the overall title went to Lynsey Lawrence on her winning hunter Mista Fezziwig (Ralph, picture one).

“We just missed out on qualifying last year as Ralph wouldn’t settle, so we’ve done lots of clinics to make him less sensitive,” said Lynsey, who bought her Sequels Samista eight-year-old as a yearling.

“He’s a lovely stamp and we think we’ve found a star of the future,” was the assessment of judge Robert Oliver.

Reserve was nail technician Ellie Simmonds with her six-yearold riding horse winner Hevans Forever In My Life (two).

“She looks through her bridle, sits up and goes from her shoulder,” said ride-judge Katie Jerram-Hunnable.

The cob title went to six-yearold Irish draught Take A Chance On Mr Grey (six), whose rider Charlotte Bunyard is on a gap year. Emma Grimes’ traditional Irish cob Ebony And Lace (three), ridden by Karen Oliver, topped the working show ponies.

“She bit me when I first looked at her as if to say, ‘either buy me or sod off ’,” smiled Emma.

Marlon Brando (four), owned by Danielle Swain and ridden by her daughter Maisie, lifted the working show horse title, while Natasha Anglin’s Pendley Countryman (Danni Waterman, five) topped the hacks.