Home-producers and their horse and ponies battled it out for the 2023 SEIB Search For A Star (SFAS) titles at Your Horse Live (10 November).
Competitors were required to qualify at select shows throughout the season, and only a handful managed to land their coveted tickets. Of the 11 winners, only one can be crowned overall SEIB SFAS supreme champion, and winning combinations will return to the ring tomorrow to vie for the title.
Meet those who won the 2023 SEIB Search For A Star accolades at Your Horse Live:
2023 SEIB Search For A Star winners
SFAS in-hand veteran
Romany (Play Time), a home-bred mare owned and handled by Heidi Bull, lands the in-hand veteran title. The 18-year-old competed up to elementary in dressage and last term she competed at London International in the senior final.
SFAS in-hand plaited horse/show cob
Mali Jones’ ex-racehorse Betheholyman, 15, secures the in-hand horse honours.
SFAS in-hand plaited pony
Phoebe Crutchlow leads her mother Sam’s Rhos Elodie to top honours in the plaited pony final. The pair also finished second in the Pony Club first ridden final later in the day.
SFAS in-hand M&M
The Highland pony Kirtonian Loch Birnie, handled by Liz Twite, leads the M&M in-hand field. The gelding combines showing with side-saddle work and dressage, and they were also finalists in the SEIB SFAS M&M ridden final.
SFAS in-hand native and traditional
Gypsy cob Foxwell Butterscotch, owned by Louise Pepperdine and handled by David Pepperdine, scores the native/traditional crown. The silver dapple gelding came from an allotment on the side of a mountain in Wales when he was 10 months old.
SFAS in-hand heavy horse
The four-year-old Suffolk Punch mare Holbeache Scarlet, owned by Andrea Hoskins and handled by Brad Auker, tops the heavy horses. Scarlet is in foal and her show ring tally is already extensive, including a victory at Royal Norfolk and a supreme title at Suffolk County.
SFAS Pony Club lead rein
The Pony Club lead rein spoils are presented to Thistledown Edison and Ross-Shire Pony Club member Ianna Grant, led by mother Mary-Jo Grant.
SFAS Pony Club first ridden
The first ridden honours go to Rufford Pony Club member Millie Croft piloting Desarbre Sparrow Hawk, a 13-year-old Welsh Section B gelding.
SFAS open Pony Club
Tregaire Tiger Lily, owned by Eloise Chugg-Martin and ridden by Rose Chugg-Martin, is the best of the open Pony Club pony line-up.
SFAS M&M ridden
Top honours in a competitive M&M ridden championship go to the Dales pony Nipna Outrageous, owned and ridden by Nicola Clarey, who bought him as a foal.
SFAS open veteran ridden
Sarah Grindle’s 20-year-old Saffron XII, a former eventer who has competed in the Badminton Grassroots championships twice, is crowned open ridden veteran champion. The horse has also competed up to advanced medium in dressage.
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