Kathleen Botting from West Sussex qualify HOYS

It's been a long time coming but Kathleen Botting from West Sussex has finally achieved her dream- with a little help from her hero! Here's her story… "Is 30 years too long to wait to fulfill a life times ambition? No, not in my case because that is just what my cob has enabled me to do!

I have in the past qualified for and ridden at the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) and Olympia International but never realised that I would ever complete the hatrick!

After a rather difficult year last year with a riding horse I bought a black and white cob with the idea of doing coloured classes, working cobs and side saddle. Never in my wildest dreams did I realise that we would win what we have! The season started well with him winning the Amatuer Showing Society Supreme Champion award at the Winter Fianls, qualifying for RIHS in the coloureds and winning the working cob at the British Riding Club Festiavl of the Hunter. I began to think about the Search for a Star competition, but as there are only 5 qualifiers, I knew it would be tough.

Then things went a 'little pear shaped' and I began to question whether he was good enough. In fact on the evening of our qualifier at Towerlands I told a friend that I had decided he wasn't good enough and that I might move him on at the end of the season. We arrived at Towerlands to be met by a possie of gorgeous cobs in the collecting arena and I said to my groom and friend Jenny that we would be lucky to get placed let alone qualify! You can imagine my surprise when I was called in first.

Harvey went beautifully and stripped off well- it seemed that he knew this was important. Jenny kept on saying 'you've won this' and I kept on saying 'no I haven't'. Towards the end of the class she threw me back on and left the ring in a hurry (nearly getting squahed by the second ride judge)! She later admitted to being so nervous that she'd been sick. Thankfully she returned in time to see us being called in to first place. Dreams really do come true and I owe it all to a black and white cowpony called Harvey!"