National show-jumping success for North Northumberland Hunt Pony Club members

Members of the North Northumberland Hunt Pony Club (NNHPC) really put the club on the map this summer with a string of individual and team successes.
Amy Thomlinson rides to victory.Amy Thomlinson rides to victory.
Amy Thomlinson rides to victory.

It all culminated at the prestigious Pony Club National Championships held at Offchurch Bury, Warwickshire.

The club’s eldest member, 20 year old Amy Thomlinson, stormed to success in the PC100 Show Jumping at National Championships, on board her own VIP Cooley (Jonty).

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Amy, who joined the club when she was just seven, jumped three double clear rounds to head off almost 70 other competitors to the top spot.

She said: “I was so nervous in the first round, but when we got to the jump off I thought I might as well let him go a little bit. He’s really careful and he listened to me and we pulled it off!

“I’ve had Jonty a year now but, as we don’t have any jumps at home, we’ve relied on a lot of lessons through the Pony Club to get to know each other and improve.

"Jonty has helped my confidence hugely – he teaches me and tells me when I’m wrong, but he is incredible when I get it right.”

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Eleven year old Martha Cussins took Reserve Champion in the Mini Major competition which saw her qualify for Olympia International Horse Show. This qualification offers a once in a lifetime opportunity for Martha to compete alongside a senior international rider competing at the FEI 5 star International show.

This year, an impressive 28 members have competed at either regional or national championships bringing home some incredible results.

Julia Frost, district commissioner of the NNHPC, said: “I am so proud of all our members this year. After a disappointing year last year, it has been fantastic to see the dedication and determination from everyone to qualify and compete at area qualifiers, regional championships and national championships.

She added: “To qualify, particularly for nationals, is an amazing achievement in itself, but to go on to represent our club in the way our members did is just fantastic and they should all be very proud of themselves.”

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