Every young horse rider would only ever dream of such a sensation, asserts a 19-year-old.
A kid from Buckingham won spectacularly at the illustrious Horse of the Year Show.
With her mare Mervs Thanks A Million II, 13, Katie Robinson, 19, won the NAF Five Star bronze league final.
At her Gawcott stables, where she trains, Katie, a former student of The Buckingham School, keeps six horses full-time.
Robinson appears on Mervs Thanks a Million II to celebrate her HOYS triumph.
I was riding horses before I could even walk, the woman claimed. I’ve been doing it my entire life, and I’ve worked incredibly hard to succeed.
But Katie’s journey hasn’t always been simple.
She said: “I’ve had incredibly difficult horses that almost drove me off the edge of my career in horseback riding, but with hard effort, a wonderful family, and plenty of tenacity I managed to locate a magnificent horse that has fulfilled all my ambitions.”
Katie had to pass two qualifying rounds in order to advance to the HOYS NAF Five Star bronze league final. The first round took place at Codham Park in Essex, where she had to jump triple-clear and place in the top seven to advance. The second round took place in Somerset, where she placed in the top seven to advance to the finals.
Since I was approximately 14 years old, I have consistently attended the Horse of the Year Show solely as a spectator. I used to sit in the audience and daydream of bouncing about in the arena.
“Well, not only did I enter the arena this year, but I also won the HOYS 2022 champion title!
“I never imagined I’d leave with the bronze league championship as my first attempt at Horse of the Year Show, but it did.
Every young horse rider would have dreamed of the sensation, which is hard for me to convey.
She continued, “I want to express my gratitude to my parents for supporting me at every turn. Come rain or shine, they would be there behind my back encouraging me.
