Former companion horse wins the Supreme Your Horse Live SEIB Search for a Star title
The hotly anticipated SEIB Insurance Brokers Search for a Star Your Horse Live Championship took place on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th November at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. The championship provides a ‘big show’ experience for amateur riders and handlers and provides an opportunity for different types and ages of horse and pony to shine in the main SEIB Your Horse Live Arena.
Over 70 riders, handlers and their horses and ponies qualified for the twelve Search for a Star Championship classes held on the Friday of Your Horse Live before the section winners went forward to the Supreme Championship on the Saturday morning. The championships were judged throughout by Mathew Lawrence and Chris Hunnable, with Katie Jerram-Hunnable ringside.
SEIB Search for a Star Supreme Championship
The Supreme Champion Search for a Star title at Your Horse Live went to an In-Hand combination; We Ride At Dawn and Hannah Brown. This stunning grey four-year-old, hunter type, competed in the Plaited Horse and Hogged Show Cob final on the Friday before taking the In-Hand and then overall Supreme Championship on the Saturday of Your Horse Live.
Hannah said: “I’m absolutely made up by this. I bought Hector, as we call him, when he was a five-month-old fluffy foal as a companion. No one thought he would be anything back then! We love him to bits and he’s a real family horse – everyone came to watch him. I’m so grateful for Hector, he is what I’ve been wishing for since I was a little girl!
Search for a Star judge and ex-Olympic eventer, Chris Hunnable said of the Supreme Champion, We Ride At Dawn: “Our winner was the stand out horse today. He has a huge future ahead of him and has two very correct paces with a stunning walk and lovely cadence in the trot.” Hannah Brown continued: “We Ride At Dawn (Hector) was a companion for my Warmblood show horse, he had problems and we unfortunately lost him not long after. Hector then had to step up! He has an amazing character and is a real showman with such good manners. Hector was bred to event – I’ve promised my best friend, Rachel Swift that she can event him one day! I would love to also see how we get on and try for HOYS one day with Hector.”
The Search for a Star Pony Club First Ridden winner and Reserve Ridden Champion, Sofia Drummond and her mother, Lucy Drummond’s palomino Welsh section A pony, Weston Candy Girl are no strangers to the SEIB Arena at Your Horse Live. Lucy explained: “Grace (sister) rode Candyfloss here the first year and then Sofia last year and now this! We’ve owned Candyfloss since she was two – she’s the same age as Sofia – they’re both now nine. Search for a Star is a fabulous opportunity, Three-years later and I’m still friends with the lady I met the first time we came to Search for a Star, it is a lovely community of people.” Sofia is a member of the Beaufort Hunt Branch of the Pony Club.
The Reserve In-Hand championship went to Emily Masters and her British Riding Pony, Broadtown Make a Wish. Emily said: “I was nervous but enjoyed it once we got in the ring. I wasn’t expecting this result! I’m excited to get out to ridden classes with Broadstone Make a Wish next year. We’ve had her for two years now, she’s now five and is riding out at home. I’m about to be doing my GCSE’s and have mocks next week so Broadstone Make A Wish will have a bit of a break now.” This pair won the In-Hand Plaited Pony final on the Friday of Your Horse Live before going forward to the Championship on Saturday.
Judge Chris Hunnable added: “Overall the standard in the Search for a Star classes has gone up again, any of the horses and ponies in the final today could have gone on to take the supreme. Search for a Star is a great introduction to showing with help including everything from what to wear to which class a horse is best suited for. We’ve seen horses and ponies today that will go on to hold their own in open classes.”
Still a Star Open Ridden Veteran
The Still a Star Search for a Star Open Ridden Veteran Championship took place on the Friday of Your Horse Live. This is the one Search for a Star championship at Your Horse Live which does not require competitors to meet the amateur Search for a Star rulings and is open to all riders. The 2025 title went to Jill Wormall riding her own 17-year-old coloured gelding, Colour Coded.
In the Still a Star final judges, Mathew Lawrence and Chris Hunnable were joined by Jack Moore, Cathy Hyde and Emma Jackson to complete the judging panel. Each combination in this class performs an individual show before the judges reveal a score out of 10 in a style similar to Strictly Come Dancing. Still A Star is the one Search for a Star class where the stringent Search for a Star amateur ruling does not apply. The Still a Star winner does not go through to the Saturday Search for a Star Supreme Championship.
Jill said: “Colour Coded went great today! We came here last year but he didn’t really settle – this time our preparation must have been better. He just loves coming out to a show – as soon as he sees the lorry coming out he whinnies and hopes it is his turn for an outing. He’ll now move on to his Winter job of babysitting a foal.” Seventeen-year-old Colour Coded and Jill have won the coloured class at most of the county shows across the country over the years including the Great Yorkshire and Royal International.
Friday SEIB Search for a Star Your Horse Live finals
The In-Hand Amateur Veteran Search for a Star final went to 20-year-old Charlwood Not The Norm, owned by Liz Filler and handles by Maisie Filler. Known as Norman at home this chestnut gelding has been owned by the Fillers for seven years. Maisie said: “Norman was quite anxious with the clapping but he was well behaved. I’ve just started studying Business Management at Surrey University and have been home to Hertfordshire every weekend to see Norman. We will aim at doing some elementary dressage through the winter.”
Andrew Elsworth and his Connemara mare, Chilham Night Sky, known as Vera, took the Search for a Star Your Horse Live In-Hand Mountain and Moorland title. Andrew said: “She did the individual show very nicely today and I’m very pleased with her!” Andrew’s daughter Molly explained: “Dad started doing the In-Hand classes with Vera to encourage him to drive me to shows – I compete in the ridden classes and he does in-hand.” Andrew added: “The in-hand is a bit of fun and helps me support Molly – it’s now got quite competitive! We went to all the Search for a Star qualifiers this year apart from the one at Hartpury.”
Native pony, Luneside Mario and his owner and handler Chelcea Brough won the Native, Traditional and Rare Breeds In-Hand Search for a Star final. This pony cost just £50 when Chelcea’s dad bought him at six-months-old. Chelcea said: “We’d never been to Search for a Star before we qualified. There was so much to look at in there today for him and I’m super proud of him. Me and my mum and best friend Ashley came all the way from Whitehaven to get here, we had a blow-out on the way and it took six hours to get here. Mario and I compete both in-hand and in ridden classes, we came 2nd at the Royal Highland this year too. Mario is always very good in-hand and loves his jumping too!”
The first ever SEIB Search for a Star In-Hand Rescue Horse or Pony final took place at Your Horse Live this year. Supported by the Rescue Equine Showing Society which is headed up by Cathy Hyde, this class had a variety of rescue ponies forward. The final went to Traditional Cob, Minnie and Clare Castle. Clare explained: “We originally fostered Minnie for six-months from the RSPCA. After we’d had Minnie for six months, the RSPCA put her up for adoption but we decided she was absolutely staying put! She won’t ever be going anywhere!
“I’m over the moon with this result, Minnie really enjoys going out to shows and I found this nerve-wracking, but we did it! It is lovely for rescue horses and ponies to get this chance at Your Horse Live and this recognition. Over the six years we’ve had Minnie, her confidence has improved lots, she can sometimes still be nervous around other horses, particularly black and white stallions. I don’t’ think she’ll ever completely get over this.”
Cathy Hyde said: “The Rescue Equine Showing Society would like to thank Nicolina MacKenzie and the Search for a Star team for introducing the Rescue Pony class to the series. The four rescue finalists at Your Horse Live are an absolute credit to their owners and demonstrate that the most abused and neglected ponies can go on to lead active and successful lives.”
The British Riding Clubs Search for a Star Ridden Show Horse or Pony class went to Delamere Kaleidoscope owned by Helen White and ridden by Hannah White. Known as Doris at home, this mare and Hannah are members of the South Shropshire Riding Club. Hannah said: “I really enjoyed competing at Your Horse Live and we delighted to have done well – although I was very nervous beforehand. Last summer Doris had a bad experience with a tannoy at a show so I am very proud of her for today. Over the years we’ve done quite a lot of showing together including working hunter and side-saddle. This class has given us a great opportunity as you don’t have to be a specific type of show horse to do well.”
Ten-year-old Alice Taylor and her coloured pony, Rising Phoenix, known as Artie at home, won the Open Pony Club Search for a Star final at Your Horse Live. Alice said: “It’s amazing! The gallop was our favourite bit! Artie likes his showing!” Alice’s mum added: “He’s never been in atmosphere like that before! Artie likes doing everything from show-jumping to dressage. Alice’s brother Henry has also done cross country with him. Alice puts so much work into this it’s great to get this result.” Alice is a member of the South Oxfordshire Hunt Central Pony Club and attends Ibstone Church of England Primary School.
The hotly contested SEIB Search for a Star Ridden Mountain and Moorland final went to Wishaw Ellie May and Sarah Hobbs. Ellie May is a Welsh Section D. Sarah said: “This is so unexpected! We came here last year and the atmosphere was a bit much! I think maybe the stabling unnerved her. She was definitely feeling fiery today – her Welsh gene came out! It really worked well today though and she was good standing in the line up too. I work full-time in the NHS as a theatre nurse. It is definitely well worth all the hours put in between work and the horses!”
Your Horse Live Event Director, Emma Bedford said: “We’re delighted to have the SEIB Search for a Star finals at Your Horse Live – in recent years the classes have become a key-part of the show. It was great this time to have the new In-Hand Rescue Show Horse or Pony final and see these ponies that have had a tricky start in life looking so happy and well in the ring.”
Series organiser, Nicolina MacKenzie said: “It was fabulous to see the range of horses and ponies in the Search for a Star Your Horse Live finals. Each year we try to add something to the championship and the new Rescue Horse or Pony series and rare breeds have been a delight to watch. Our thanks goes to the team at Your Horse Live for enabling us to hold these finals, their support and effort ensures that the Search for a Star finalists have a truly memorable experience.”
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SEIB Insurance Brokers Search for a Star Your Horse Live 2025 Results
Supreme Champion:
In-Hand Champion
In-Hand Horse
We Ride At Dawn owned and handled by Hannah Brown from Lancashire
Pony Club SEIB Search for a Star Lead Rein Champion
Thistledown Alice owned by Laura Moore and ridden by Efa Moore from Pontyclun
Reserve Ridden Champion:
Pony Club SEIB Search for a Star First Ridden Champion
Weston Candy Girl owned by Lucy Drummond and ridden by Sofia Drummond from Wiltshire
Reserve In Hand Champion:
In-Hand Plaited Pony
Broadtown Make A Wish owned by Kathryn Masters and handled by Emily Masters from Lincolnshire
1st Charlwood Not The Norm owned by Liz Filler and handled by Maisie Filler from Hertfordshire
In-Hand Mountain and Moorland
1st Chilham Night Sky owned and handled by Andrew Elsworth from North Yorkshire
In-Hand Traditional, Native Type and Rare Breeds
1st Luneside Mario owned and handled by Chelcea Brough from Cumbria
In-Hand Rescue Horse or Pony
1st Minnie owned and handled by Clare Castle from Kent
British Riding Clubs Search for a Star Show Horse or Pony
1st Delamere Kaleidoscope owned by Helen White and ridden by Hannah White from Worcestershire
Pony Club SEIB Search for a Star Open Championship
1st Rising Phoenix owned by Mrs K Taylor and ridden by Alice Taylor from Oxfordshire
SEIB Search for a Star Ridden Mountain and Moorland Championship
1st Wishaw Ellie May owned and ridden by Sarah Hobbs from Staffordshire
SEIB Search for a Star Still a Star Open Veteran Championship
1st Colour Coded owned and ridden by Jill Wormall from Leicestershire
