Kentish Express Ashford & District
Rupert proves an ideal replacement
Equestrian
Sarah Knight has guaranteed her place at this year’s Horse of the Year Show in October.
The 43-year-old from Ashford rode her horse, Diamond Geezer, to win in the hunter class at the SEIB Insurance Brokers Search for a Star qualifier at Houghton Hall in Cambridgeshire last month.
Sarah and Rupert, as he is known on the yard, compete at novice level dressage. They finished third in last year’s Unaffiliated Dressage Championship at Hickstead, qualifying for the area festival.
She said after the win at Houghton Hall: “It was only our second ever showing show and he is bred for jumping.”
The victory is made all the more special by the fact that Sarah has only been back in the saddle for a few years, following a battle with breast cancer.
She added: “Getting back on a horse helped me.
“I did some county level Riding Horse classes and enjoyed showing. Then I lost that horse through old age and I wanted another show horse.
“I went to look at another one and saw Rupert in a field.”
After some persuasion, Rupert’s owner – who had also bred the horse – agreed to let Sarah ride him and finally relented and let her buy him.
Now the pair have started jumping and hope to contest some working hunter classes this year.
The SEIB Search for a Star series has been created to encourage amateur riders to produce their horses to a high standard in the show ring and giving them the opportunity to compete at the Horse of the Year Show .
Each qualifying competition follows the same format, with classes for working hunters, Riding Club show horses, show hunters, show ponies and show hunter ponies, riding horse/hacks and cobs.
‘I went to look at another one and saw Rupert in a field’