CORNWALL'S leading lady show jumper Sammie Jo Coffin captured a coveted ticket to the Horse of the Year Show on her mother Sue's seven-year-old gelding Vicaros against a world class field at the Hand Equestrian Centre, Bristol.

The 22-year-old, from Whitemoor, took her place in the qualifying line-up alongside international riders Billy Twomey and Ben Maher in what must rank as the biggest achievement of her career.

"I phoned home to tell my parents the good news and all the customers in our shop started cheering and shouting," said Sammie Jo, who combines running her own schooling, breaking and dealing yard with helping her parents Sue and Reg in the family's saddlery shop, Crosswinds Equestrian.

Sammie added: "It's wonderful to receive so much genuine support and share this success with so many people."

Thirty-eight of some of the county's best seven and eight-year-old horses came face to face in this young horse qualifier, which brought together a bevy of top names.

"It's going to take a while to sink in that we've qualified and what I'll remember most is walking in for the presentation between Ben Maher and Billy Twomey," said Sammie Jo.

"We've always known that Vince (Vicaros) has plenty of scope. But he still has a lot of growing up to do and will be even better once he settles down in the job."

Vicaros was acquired by Sue Coffin as a five-year-old, and this 16.2hh son of Pacific, contested his first area trial at the recent Royal Cornwall Show with Sammie Jo.

"He always pulls it out of the bag when it matters most," she said. "I'm putting together a plan of action to prepare him for Birmingham which will require a fair bit of travelling. I'm also going to aim my six-year-old gelding Willem at the foxhunter, six-year-old and grade C Horse of the Year Show qualifiers."

Sammie Jo just missed out on qualifying Willem De Lux for the BSJA Scope Festival at the show, finishing sixth in the 67-strong Horse and Hound Foxhunter semi-final.

This talented chestnut gelding went onto win the 1.30m open at the fixture and Sammie Jo also made her mark in the area trial on her top horse, Crosswinds Bobby Dazzler.