THERE is set to be a large Guernsey contingent at one of the most prestigious shows in the UK. Winners at the annual Guernsey Riding and Hunt Club showing weekend qualified for the Royal London Horse Show, with the organisers of the latter being judges at Les Bordages.

Anne-Marie Leadbeater, a club committee member, competed at the show held at Arena UK in Lincolnshire last year with her miniature Shetlands and came back with glowing reports.

‘Last year we just affiliated our Shetland show to this show and I went over really just to see what it was going to be like. It was absolutely fantastic,’ she said.

‘This year, the GR&HC affiliated a lot more of their classes to this show and we have potentially got a lot of horses going over, from miniature Shetlands up to the big middleweight hunters.’

The show takes place from 21-23 September and the organisers put on a wide range of classes.

‘It is a national show and they get people from all over the UK – from the Isle of Wight up to Scotland and now Guernsey,’ Leadbeater said.

‘They have over 600 horses there and they hold qualifiers throughout the year. Local shows can contact them to become affiliated.

‘This year they have increased it from two days to three. Last year they held over 200 classes over the two days, with eight arenas going at the same time. It really is very big.

‘They also have some very good quality horses and the two organisers – Pat Slade and Peter Nichols – are absolutely delighted with the support from the Guernsey riders as they told us, ﾓyou have got some very good horses on the islandﾔ.’

Initial enquiries locally as to interest in going to the show proved fruitful, with 10 replies within the first day.

‘If we could get 15 to 20 horses going, that would be amazing. Jan [Coomer, the GR&HC president] and some others have said they will come to support as well, so it could be quite a Guernsey convoy going up there,’ Leadbeater said.

The big winners at the GR&HC showing weekend were junior champion Shelley Tostevin riding Lockinge Daisy and senior champion Lisa Gidney. She was on board Aspen Gem, deputising for her sister, Kate Lawlor, who is expecting her first baby.