Sam Roberts recollects her first London M&M championship win, aged 12

On the newest episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, displaying rider and producer Sam Roberts takes a visit down reminiscence lane to relive the yr she first gained the Mountain & Moorland supreme at Olympia aboard Harwell Wizard in 1998.

“That was the primary yr I ever went to compete and it was simply each 12-year-old’s dream to trot your pony, who can also be your finest buddy, round that huge area full of gorgeous ponies,” explains Sam. “It was magical and I’ll always remember it.”

Sam says that regardless of not having any fancy equestrian services at house, she made it work.

“Successful made it a whole dream and surreal – it was completely treasured as a result of the horse lived at house as a pet within the backyard.

“We didn’t have an area or any lights – I used to journey hm with a automotive’s lights on, so it was fairly tough and an enormous journey to even attempt to get to London, not to mention drive via London in our horsebox. To win was past all people’s wildest expectations.”

Sam describes Harwell Wizard, who was a Welsh part B as “a little bit of a legend”.

“He gained the Search For A Star a few years earlier than I had him in 1996 and I noticed him once more in 1997. We spoke to the girl who owned him and she or he stated she was searching for a jockey to lease him and journey him.

“I attempted him and we fitted and bought on and had a tremendous time – he was champion on the Hickstead Derby assembly and was reserve champion at Royal Windsor, each in 1998, and that yr was the stuff of fairytales.”

Regardless of his profitable methods, Harwell Wizard had character in abundance.

“He was fairly a cheeky monkey and he stored you in your toes, however he was a showman and cherished to please – I used to be very fortunate to have him in my life for 2 years.”

To listen to extra from Sam Roberts on her London Worldwide Horse Present recollections take heed to episode 160 of The Horse & Hound Podcast right here, or search “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your favorite podcast app.

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H&H options, racing and point-to-point editor

Gemma is an skilled journalist, having been a part of the H&H staff since 2014, who’s captivated with all equestrian sports activities, together with racing and point-to-pointing. She has loved driving out for prime trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took half in a charity Flat race at in August 2018. Gemma’s reporting abilities have taken her to quite a few five-star occasions round Britain and Europe, in addition to European championships.