Seeing off fifty-six determined combinations, Olivia Sheppard, a pupil at Monmouth School for Girls, won the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers Second Round held at Cherwell Competition Centre in Oxford on Saturday, June 2nd.

With two Horse of the Year Show tickets on offer for this October’s Blue Chip Pony Newcomers Championship Final and after two action packed rounds it came down to just nine combinations in the final jump off.

Fifteen year-old Olivia Sheppard, who is from Drybrook, jumped Rachel Sheppard’s 11 year-old bay gelding, JAC Surprise Addition with precision to become the only combination to bag a treble clear. With an early draw, Olivia took a ‘more haste less speed’ approach over the newly shortened course which paid off as she claimed first place in 58.26 seconds.

The riders and ponies finishing in third to fifth positions took home the chance to compete in the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers Masters at the British Showjumping National Championships.

The Horse of the Year Show 2018 will take place from October 3rd – 7th at Birmingham’s NEC.