A DALE horse-rider has achieved her childhood dream by not only performing at the London International Horse Show (formerly known as Olympia), but also winning her class earlier this month.
Charlotte Merrigan-Martin, from Stainton, won the British Show Pony Society’s non-native coloured horse performance class on her family’s horse Solaris Dwenqua.
The class combined dressage and showing, and the pair achieved the highest marks against some of the top horses in the UK.
Ms Merrigan-Martin said: “This class was perfect for Dwenks, as I have trained her with dressage in mind for ten years now, and she is so obedient and expressive in her movements. She loves to show off and because there was a huge crowd she excelled and gave me such a perfect ride.
“I was overjoyed to be pulled out as the winner, it was a tense time, as the results were in reverse order. The atmosphere was absolutely electric.”
Ms Merrigan-Martin said: “I have always wanted to ride at Olympia having always watched it on TV and attending the show with my family as a spectator when I was six years old, but there were never any showing classes for my breed of horses until this year.
“To qualify to compete there was a huge achievement and dream in itself but to go and win was just an absolute dream that came true.”
