Culcheth teenager, fourteen-year-old Liam Wrobel and his horse Greenholme Jake, have qualified for the prestigious Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in Birmingham this October.
Liam and his Fell pony, Greenholme Jake made the trip to Arena UK near Grantham for the SEIB Search for a Star qualifier on the 1st August. They will now go on to compete under the bright lights of the HOYS Arena at the NEC in Birmingham in early October.
The pair competed in and won the Working Pony class under top judge Alan Mickleburgh to earn their HOYS qualification. Later in the day Liam and Greenholme Jake went on to take top spot in the Mountain and Moorland class as well to earn qualification for a final at Your Horse Live.
Liam said: “Jake went great, it feels so good to have won! This is our second year out together, we’ve been to plenty of local shows and the Cheshire show and we’ve mainly been concentrating on working hunters. I’ve worked pretty hard with him!”
Judges Alan Mickleburgh and Terry Chalmers were impressed with the “fluency of the Fell pony’s jumping and show”. Alan added: “Our winner had lovely, correct conformation and there was no hesitation when jumping.”
SEIB Search for a Star organiser, Nicolina MacKenzie said: “What a truly wonderful day we had at Arena UK. The unique spirit of SEIB Search for a Star and SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse was in full flow. Thank you to all our fabulous competitors who joined in, supported and celebrated the winners and each other.”
SEIB Search for a Star first took place back in 1996 and over the years has provided thousands of opportunities for amateur riders to compete at HOYS.
Each of the SEIB Search for a Star qualifying shows offers opportunities for a full range of show horses to earn a place at the series championships at Horse of the Year Show and Your Horse Live.
Please see www.seib.co.uk/competitions or the SEIB Search for a Star facebook page for updates. To enter please visit www.seib.co.uk/competitions/schedule which will link directly to the Search for a Star and Racehorse to Riding Horse entry page on Showing Scene.
SEIB have been providing expert insurance services for over 60 years. Renowned for their specialist equestrian insurance, SEIB offers tailored cover for horses, horseboxes, trailers, riders, and equestrian businesses, ensuring comprehensive protection and peace of mind. For more information on their range of services and to explore their bespoke insurance solutions, please visit seib.co.uk
