Top show challenge for Katie

TEENAGE rider Katie Motion will cap a superb season when she rides in the Squibb Group Pony Foxhunter Final at this year’s Horse of the Year Show at Birmingham's NEC on October 10.

After a consistent run of top five placings in Foxhunter second rounds, she was selected to jump at the Foxhunter Masters held at the British Showjumping National Championships at Stoneleigh, where he earned her winning ticket after qualifying from a powerful field.

It was also the Enborne girl’s first indoor competition the season, which produced only nine clear rounds from the field of 35 of the top riders in country.

There were four places for Birmingham up for grabs, and Katie got her ticket by finishing seventh in the Masters.

She has also made a good start jumping 125cm classes and a 130cm Grand Prix, but is now reaching the end of her two-year period on 10-year old pony Madges Lane Larry.

“It's been a fantastic two years and I'll be so sad to be coming to the end of my time on Larry soon,” she said.

“Qualifying for Horse of the Year Show has been the icing on the cake and I couldn't have hoped for a better partner. It's been incredibly hard work but I couldn't have done this without the patience and support of my trainer Jo Shackleton and my family.

“Now I am 16, I will have to move off Larry because of the BSJA age bands and start looking for a little horse "