Poppy Skepper (1988)

I am the youngest in my family by a long way being only fourteen this year, however this has not meant that I started riding later than my brothers and sisters, if anything it meant I started earlier because they were all dragging me round gymkhanas at the age three.

During our lives we have had a long line of ponies and horses. Personally I started on an 11hh, welsh section A mare called Rotherhithe Piptte (pippin), then two 12'2hh grey geldings, both called Frosty.

I now ride my 13hh new forest gelding called Heritage Portmore Yule (Yule) and my 15hh pure Arab mare called Heritage Silver Delaney (Delaney).

Yule is 10 yrs old and we have owned him since he was a foal. (he was bought from a sale at the New Forest). Together we have done almost everything including: hunting, show jumping, dressage, cross country, showing, gymkhanas, general hacking and much more.

To me he is the perfect pony being loyal, caring and willing to do everything, however he has one hitch and that is he never stays in a field or stable except when the field has electric fencing and the top door of the stable is locked because he always jumps out.

Poppy riding 'Yule' in the inter schools team Show Jumping. She was the trailblazer and the team won.

Poppy and Silver Delany at The Suffolk Show this June.

Delaney is 6 yrs old and was bred on the stud, she is out of my older sister's previous mare called Heritage Sulina and by a Stallion from Horsey Island called Khamil. Together we have only done show jumping, dressage, general hacking and a little cross-country.

This is our first year of competing and we have already won one a show jumping class and have qualified for the regional finals, so our hopes are raised for an excellent summer.