I am a year 13 student who owns a lovely horse called Lucky who I have owned since the 9th of September 2020. I bought her when I was 15 years old: I am now a 17-year-old horse rider who is (hopefully) taking this up as a career  after I finish 6th form in July.

Earlier this year I qualified to compete at a national level show called Concours D’elegance of the Year (COYS 2022), where you have to design and compete in a Victorian era outfit. You get judged on everything big and small from how well you ride and how well your horse handles the environment in a dress, right down to the stitching and the plaiting.

I was lucky enough to go and on October 15th entered the ring at West Wilts Equestrian Centre in Bath . After a lovely 4 am start to the day, getting ourselves ready for the day, we were entered in 6 classes which were new and novice, open costume, best mare, best native breed, senior rider 17 plus and the Search for a Star championship.

We placed in every class flying the Langdon Livery flag with x2 1st, 5th 6th and 7th and was a finalist in the search for a star championship and the supreme championship. It is fair to say that there was lots of crying from me and my mom, loads of messages from everyone from my yard and most of all a horse who, for once, didn’t try to throw me into the floor.

When I first bought Lucky she became quite testing, to the point I was being told she was too dangerous for me and I should sell her because she wasn’t going to do what I asked of her and she was never going to get anywhere with me. Well, 2 years on she is the best thing I could have ever have asked for. I am already designing one new outfit which will be ready by April/March 2023 and possibly another for January 2023. This horse is just a little reminder that even if everyone tells you to give up, don’t, because you can prove everyone wrong.

By Lilli S, Year 13