CORNWALL'S leading lady rider Sammie Jo Coffin spearheaded a brilliant challenge for the county at this year's Horse of the Year Show held in the LG Arena, Birmingham.

Sammie Jo showed the rest of the country what an outstanding young horse she has produced with a tremendous victory in the Addington Manor Equestrian Centre eight-year-old championship on her own Willem de Lux.

The 25-year-old from St Austell landed the biggest win of her career on this talented son of Lupicor.

She said: "The only word to describe Willem is awesome. I've always known I'm sat on one of the best young horses in the country but I didn't dare dream we could win at HOYS."

Enthusiastic

With the benefit of penultimate draw and with only two combinations having returned clean sheets Sammie Jo brought the enthusiastic posse of Cornish supporters to the edge of their seats all praying for a clear round.

She said: "Willem's a lovely horse and would do anything for me. It was the most important clear of my career and knowing the title would be within our grasp I rode for my life."

A huge cheer rang around the international arena as the combination cleared the final fence and the atmosphere among the Cornish contingent was electric.

Sammie Jo said: "We were a jump off away from winning the championship and I could feel Willem growing in confidence.

"The pressure was massive and I was desperate not to let Willem down. The elation I felt when I realised we'd done enough to win was amazing."

Sammie Jo holds the distinction of becoming the first Cornish showjumper in the modern day history of the sport to win a coveted HOYS title.

She said: "The support and messages of congratulations have been amazing."

The Cuddy Supreme is one of the most prestigious finals on the showing calendar and Rosemary Penn from Bodmin fulfilled a lifetime dream when she watched her three-year-old hunter filly Lovestruck head the horse section at the Horse of the Year Show.

Shown by Steve Pitt, this lovely daughter of La Rochelle who is out of a Diamond Hit mare went on to stand overall reserve supreme.

Rosemary said: "I'm so delighted with Lovestruck. She was so well behaved and nearly foot perfect. I was amazed to win the horse section of the Cuddy and then go on to be reserve supreme.

"She is the sweetest tempered horse that you could ask for and this result in the Cuddy means so much to me and I have great hopes for her under saddle in the long-term."

Ronnie Jones from Newquay rounded off a fantastic season with her Harlequin leopard spot stallion Broomells Sun Up who added another prestigious title to his tally in the Licenced Registered Miniature stallion championship.

Since acquiring Broomells Sun Up as a weanling from Mary Bassett in 2000, Ronnie has racked up an illustrious series of results with her eye-catching stallion.

Ronnie, who will feature in next week's column, said: "I would like to take this opportunity to thank his breeder, Mary Bassett, for breeding him and letting me have this very special little boy."

Abigail Dymond from Blisland once again demonstrated her natural flair and ability to finish third in the show hunter pony championship riding her mother Fiona and her grandmother Shirley's Annandale Darcy.

Josh Hutchins from St Wenn finished a pole away from reaching the jump-off of the Blue Chip junior newcomer championships on his mother Suzanne's six-year-old gelding Charlie XIII. The 13-year-old said: "I'm really proud of Charlie."

Diary dates, page 96.