30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Western Telegraph
Fishguard rider qualifies for Horse of the Year Show
Amateur rider Hannah Jenkins and her horse Le Paz, known as Balou at home, have qualified for the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in Birmingham this October.
The pair competed in the SEIB Search for a Star qualifier on May 25 at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire.
They won the Working Horse class under judges Nicola Taylor and Richard Ramsay, earning their HOYS qualification.
Ms Jenkins and Le Paz had narrowly missed out on qualifying last month when they took the runner-up spot in the Search for a Star qualifier at Hartpury University in Gloucestershire.
Ms Jenkins said: "Hartpury was originally the only qualifier I could do, I work as an intensive care nurse and after we came second there, I thought I'm going to have to try again now and managed to swap my shifts around so we could come here.
"Balou came to me on loan from my best friend who bred him.
"I had twin boys and she knew I got on with Balou and wanted to help me get back in the saddle so he came to stay and has never left.
"I've now owned him since last summer.
"I love him to bits."
The SEIB Search for a Star competition first took place in 1996 and has since 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.
SEIB Search for a Star organiser, Nicolina MacKenzie said: "Search for a Star is all about the journey and learning and improving over time.
"Our team of judges and stewards are all invested in providing support and encouragement to help competitors and their horses and ponies perform to the best level they can."
