My name is Maddie Maher and my pony Jerry has qualified for the Pony Blue Chip Newcomer and the STX-UK Foxhunter finals at HOYS this year with his rider Aimee Paxton. Jerry turned to showjumping after a brief and successful eventing season with me, when I realised that he was super careful and had an amazing showjumping ability!
I met Jerrys rider, Aimee Paxon from Scotland, earlier this year and knew instantly that she loved riding Jerry and that their partnership would blossom. Jerry moved to Scotland in March and quickly got his double clears in the Pony Discovery, Newcomer and Foxhunter classes for the second rounds. When I was riding ponies, I had always dreamed of qualifying for HOYS and my best friend Lauren and our Mums would spectate every year at the thrilling HOYS show, wishing we could one day have our ponies enter the arena under the magical purple lights and crowds cheers. Devastatingly, Lauren passed away from cancer at the young age of 18 and we never fulfilled our young dream.
Jerrys season this year has thrived, being placed at the Royal Highland Show final and getting so close to qualifying in many of the Newcomer and Foxhunter second rounds. It was at Kelsall Hill Equestrian Centre, a location close to our home in Wales, that Jerry and Aimee secured their HOYS tickets with a 1st Place in both the Newcomer and Foxhunter second rounds, also winning his first ever rug, which in itself was amazing! There were tears of joy all round that weekend, as we saluted to the sky that we were on our way to HOYS and our childhood dream had come true.
Jerry has since Won the ICE Horseboxes National Pony Discovery Championship at the British Showjumping National Championships and is getting ready for his big debut at HOYS all our families, friends and supporters are just so happy for Jerry and Aimee to have made it to HOYS and I am beyond grateful to everyone thats made it possible.
