Feltwell, near Thetford, amateur rider qualifies for Horse of the Year Show

An amateur rider has qualified for a prestigious horse show in Birmingham later this year.

Faye Leneghan, of Feltwell, and her bay cob, Four Courts aka Sox, competed and won the show and maxi cob class at the SEIB Insurance Brokers Search for a Star qualifier on August 6.

This paved the pay for the Horse of the Year Show at the National Exhibition Centre in October.

Faye, a self-employed clay pigeon shooting referee, said: “This is our first Search for a Star qualifier.

“He [Sox] is a homebred, and was hand-reared as a foal. Anything he goes and does is a bonus and we are beyond thrilled with this.

“We have a few foster mares at home that go off to racehorses. Sox has always been special, he’s six-years-old now and generally does 10 shows a year, he’s so straightforward.

“Sox is also a very enthusiastic jumper and we’re going to do some novice working hunters with him too.”

SEIB Search for a Star first took place back in 1996 and has allowed thousands to qualify for the Horse of the Year Show in the years since.

Nicolina MacKenzie, organiser of the contest, said: “Search for a Star is all about the journey and learning and improving over time.

“Our team of judges and stewards are all invested in providing support and encouragement to help competitors and their horses and ponies perform to the best level they can.”