Madison and Walter put on a super show
● Show jumper Madison Jamison competing on Walter SHOW JUMPING CATHERINE SMYTH
TEENAGE show jumper Madison Jamison only bought her horse, Walter, less than a year ago, but the pair were picked to compete for England in Austria and came seventh.
There were 110 riders in their class for the Lamprechtshausen Nations Cup, which was keenly contested by 16 countries,
including Portugal, Czech Republic and Hungary.
Madison, a Year 13 student at Haslingden High School, said: “Walter is eight and when I got him he was used to jumping 130cm so I had to step him up and now he is jumping 140cm.
“To get a place on the England team we had to go to trials in Chepstow in Wales and there were 80 horses and riders competing for just six places.
“I was against professional riders who are now pursuing this as a career, including members of the Rothschild family.
“We only found out the week before the Austrian competition that we had got a place.”
After quickly arranging travel, it took Madison and her family three days to travel across Europe with Walter.
When they arrived in Austria, Madison had to take Walter through a ‘trot-up’ to show the vets that he had travelled well and was not lame. Then followed three days of tough competition.
Madison, 18, from Knuzden, Blackburn, said: “Walter is really big - he stands 16.2 hands and he is really long. He is from France and is not a specific breed.
“He is a lot bigger than my other horses, but he is quite calm.”
A team from The Netherlands won the cup and the England team came fourth out of the 16 countries taking part.
Madison was delighted with how well Walter did.
She said: “I was super pleased with how well he did because it was a big step up for him and we really didn’t know how he would do.
“When we got the results I rang his former owners to tell them and they were crying. I have competed before but at that time it was with my pony.
“Competing on a horse is really hard.”
At home she has four horses and her pony and rides every day in the arena to make sure Walter is used to her instructions when it comes to a competition.
Madison has an unconditional offer to study equine science and sports performance at University Centre Reaseheath, Nantwich.
She hopes to become a sports physiotherapist and continue a show jumping career in her spare time.
Madison said: “I don’t have the sponsorship to be able to do show jumping as a career, but my course is three days a week so I can fit show jumping in on the other days.”