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Hi, my name is Imogen. I am 7 years old and I live in Burnley, Lancashire. I am so excited to win the HorseQuest 2020 showing bursary! I have been riding since I was 2 years old. I am a member of Blackburn and District Pony Club; I did my very first Pony Club camp when I was 2 years old at Somerford Park. I love going to pony club camp because I make my Mummy go around the cross country course and run through the water jumps with me!
I have two ponies. My first pony is Thistledown Spanish Rose, she is a Welsh Section A and I have had her since I was 2 years old. At home we call her Rosie or Rosie Posie, she is a white grey so sometimes my Mummy calls her lots of other names when she is bathing her for shows or when she has been rolling! Rosie’s favourite things to do are get muddy, eat and have cuddles with me. She can be grumpy, but never with me!
I started competing Rosie when I was 3 years old in lead rein classes. When I was 5 I started riding her off the lead and took her to Equifest, I rode off the lead there and I came 2nd in the TSR walk trot showing off the lead which made me very proud. I also got into the main arena where I came 10th in the lead rein concours de elegance class. I would love to get in there again! In 2020 I mainly rode Rosie off the lead in first ridden classes but as she is a lead rein pony she doesn’t canter. I also competed in lead rein working hunter at Rochdale and District Riding Club, my Mummy doesn’t like this as it starts very early and she had to do a lot of running!
Last season I also started riding for a lady called Julie Chadwick, she has 3 Dartmoor ponies. I rode Langfield Hollywood Heights at the Northern Dartmoor show where we came Champion and Reserve Champion, this was my first time ever riding him. I also ride Cayberry First Edition, at home he is called Edward and he has a very soft nose! I took Edward to North West Champs and he took home 4th in the lead rein showing, at that show Rosie also came 6th in the Concours d elegance with her beautiful RJR designs outfit. This season I will be taking Edward to HOYS and RI Qualifiers, we did our very first HOYS qualifier last season and he did a beautiful show so I will try my very best this season for him.
For Christmas I got a new pony called Pinewell Hector (or Heccy Bear as my Mummy calls him). He is a Welsh Section A who I will compete in Lead Rein Pony of Show Hunter Type this season. Mummy likes Hector very much because he isn’t grey so doesn’t get as muddy but Grandma will have to plait him at shows so she is less keen! He has done lots of lead rein and first ridden classes when he was younger, but more recently he has been competing in junior classes so we are going to start the season getting him back in to the swing of going slowly with no gallop in his show! My goal with Hector is to compete at Equifest and BSPS on the lead and hopefully do some first year first ridden at the end of the season.
My Mummy and Grandma also make me do dressage as they tell me that it is very important to get good schooling practise, but I prefer showing as it is more fun! I have competed in British Dressage Team Quest with my Mummy’s school team, Give it some welly Westholme! This is really fun because I love being part of a team. I rode my friend Leiyah's pony for this, he is called Odie and I have also competed in mounted games on him which was really good fun!
I have lots of goals with all my ponies and rides this season so I am so grateful to have won the training bursary so that I can get lots of lessons in. I train with Alex Ingoe-Topham, she is a great trainer as she makes lessons really fun! Rosie loves her too as she gives her lots of fuss and cuddles. I am also going to train Hector with Penny Hollings, I am going to go to training clinics so that Hector and I can get lots of practise in and so that my Mummy can learn how to do well in lead rein classes.
Then we asked Imogen some quick fire questions.....
Favourite singer – Taylor Swift
Favourite pizza topping – ham
Tea or coffee – neither, I love lemonade!
Best joke – Knock knock, who's there? The interrupting cow, the interrupt…… MOO!!!!!!
Favourite holiday destination – Vietnam and Spain
Starter or desert? – Desert always!
Big dogs or small dogs? – big
If you were an animal what would you be? - A tiger because they have cool colours
Favourite film – Harry Potter
Least favourite food – Popcorn
Most interesting fact about you – when I am not doing my ponies I go dancing and acting lessons, I am filming my first TV advert soon and I am so excited! I am also on a street dance team called Fusion Firecrackers (my mummy doesn’t get much time to ride her horse, Thomas!)
Spring or Autumn – Autumn because the leaves turn to beautiful colours
What three things would you take to a desert island – Lego, ponies and my iPad
Favourite toy – Lego
Favourite colour – Light blue
Thank you for reading my first blog, I hope you enjoy my videos and photos on Facebook and Instagram!
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