Horse of the Year Show Qualifying Story 💜
“Myself and snippy, who’s 26 qualified at Royal Bath & West for the Veteran ridden final.
“We nearly lost snippy back last year, she recovered but then damaged her cheek ligament in the field a few weeks later, meaning total box rest and a long road to recovery, especially with being an older girl.
“We had the whole of last season out because of it, so I never thought we would be back in the ring ever. Our first show back we qualified for RIHS In-Hand that was a real shock – a true sign she wasn’t ready to retire.
“We tentatively entered a ridden Hoys class – I haven’t ridden at a County Show let alone a qualifier for over 3 yrs but thought I really need to make the most of having her fit and healthy especially at 26. Snippy was a brood mare before I bought her when she was 9. She had never competed or stepped foot in a ring before, so we never had expectations winning was always a shock to me.
“We threw caution to the wind and went along, did our class and won the Diamond section. Waiting for the championship seemed forever as the classes were huge and split. When the championship class was called I thought I have as much chance as anyone in here; let’s go for it.
“Snippy walked in with a real presence about her. She felt amazing and went so nice for me I couldn’t have asked any more. In the line-up, they called it in reverse, it was getting closer to champion, they called reserve, it wasn’t me, and only I was left. I could here my mum outside the ring shouting: ‘We’re going to HOYS, we’re going to HOYS’.
“I was a bit of a wreck, so many tears, so many emotions; the judge was nearly crying with me too. The feeling of a dream coming true on my pony that I’d owned for 17 yrs, who we had no breeding information on, had come from no were and was taking me to HOYS, things like this don’t happen to people like me but it did. My mum was crying, my friend Nicki was crying, I was totally overwhelmed. This means the world to me, it really does.
“I honestly believe Snippy knew what was at stake in that championship. She floated around that ring – we had done it – we’re going – me and my 26yr old pony, wow.”
Kelsey Bishop riding Shemika Snip Qualified for the Veteran Horse Society & Harry Hall One Club Ridden Veteran Horse of the Year Championship at the Royal Bath & West Show.