Amy shines at Horse of the Year Show

When the winner of the prestigious ‘Cuddy Working Hunter Championship’ was announced on the first day of the ‘Horse of the Year’ show at the NEC in Birmingham, the spotlight fell on Amy James and her horse ‘Colimbo Nimbus.’

There was a huge cheer for Amy as she did her lap of honour in the glare of a single spotlight to the clapping of the victor’s special music, and it was especially vigorous from the small band of equine supporters from Pembrokeshire because Amy runs the Mallards Reach Equestrian Centre in Wolfsdale, near Camrose.

She had already won four classes on different occasions at the ‘Horse of the Year’ show in the ‘Mountain and Moorland Working Hunter’ section of the world-famous event, including the previous three years on ‘Fairlies Red Flare’, which is a similar event but for smaller ponies jumping over smaller fences.

But her win this year was even more special because it was only the fourth competition undertaken by Amy and her horse, which answers to the everyday name of ‘Cloudy’. The first was at the County Show, where she came a creditable second before she won her next event at Chepstow to qualify for British show jumping’s big day as one of 38 taking part.

‘Cloudy’ had originally been loaned to Amy with a view to eventing but her decision to test him in the working hunter class paid off and it was doubly enjoyable because Amy had only completed negations to buy what she describes as her ‘nine year old lovely gentle giant’ two days before travelling to the National Exhibition Centre.

The competition is based on horse and rider jumping a series of 12 rustic fences in front of a large audience where the top ten return later to show the two judges their ability to trot, canter, gallop etc, with one judge riding all the finalists as the other judge has the saddle removed from each horse in turn and watches closely for good confirmation as the rider parades it up and down. After consultation between the two judges, the results are then announced in reverse order, from tenth down to the winner.

“I was really nervous by that time,” admitted Amy, “because it meant so much. ‘Cloudy’ hadn’t been in top form in the practice ring before the event started, perhaps because there were so many horses in a relatively small place.

“But once he started his round I knew that he was fine and when we were 29th to jump we had the first clear round of the day.

“I watched the other nine riders after us on the big screen, getting more nervous as each one knocked down at least one fence – and at the finish we were still the only clear round!”

“’Cloudy’ was also great when the judge rode him and when my name was called out last as the winner it was an amazing feeling!”

Sharing Amy’s delight were her parents Jen and Nick James.

“They have been a tremendous support to me, especially with regard to the ferrying of the horses all over the UK, Ireland and even France.

“Mum is a lifelong ‘horsey’ person and dad also rides when he has the time, and I am so grateful for their help.

“My brother Andrew was also involved at Mallards Reach before setting up his own yard in Bedfordshire – and although my boyfriend, Paul Tough, is in the army in Afghanistan, when he is home he is gradually learning a few equine skills!”

Ask Amy about others who help and she quickly sings the praises of Jenna Davies (Merlins Bridge) and Alice Murselle (who hails from Dorset) for their work in exercising, grooming and generally helping out with the horses.

Amy has been riding since she learned to walk as the family ran Philbeach Farm, Marloes before moving to Mallards Reach Equestrian Centre, starting with ‘Primrose’ as her first pony which she rode at Pony Club and for hunting, on a lead by a very patient Jen.

By the time she was ten she was entered in the Nursery Stakes at the County Show and then onto a bigger 14-hand pony called ‘Ri Colum’ which allowed her to gain selection for five years until her mid teens with the Welsh Pony Club team.

When she left school she gained valuable experience with Ron and Debbie Thomas in Carmarthen, followed by a couple of six-month stints in Australia, firstly in Melbourne with Michael and Francesca Christie, and then with the bloodstock horse sales, where she widened her knowledge of what makes a good horse, reinforced on her return to Wales with the Racehorse Stud, helping to lead horses into the parade ring, prior to purchase.

She teaches riding skills at mallards Reach to a whole range of abilities and ages which currently includes a keen three year old and recently to an equally eager 81 year old lady. There are often 25 horses in the yard during the winter and perhaps ten more in summer, being well cared for and ranging from horses just about to be broken in to those already doing well in competition. Amy is not averse to developing her own talents still further and she visits Lizzle Winter in Chepstow when she needs help or advice.

After the glamour of the ‘Horse of the Year’ show, however, it is important to point out Amy works long hours, seven days a week. Her day starts at 7am with mucking out and feeding, followed by breakfast and then a full day’s schooling in the specially-designed facility that measures 60 metres by 40 metres, or hacking out around country lanes. Then there’s another round of feeding and checking her equine charges before dark.

Ask Amy about ambitions and it would be inevitable that she would love further success at the ‘Horse of the Year’ show or to follow up her huge success at the Pembroke County Show this year where she beat off the challenge of every section winner in the horse classes to take the Supreme Horse Championship riding ‘Dovevale Regal Dove’ owned by Sian and Lucy Kiff.

But she would also love to take on the challenge of more three-day eventing because she has worked hard at her dressage techniques, is a proven show jumper and doesn’t mind throwing herself at the challenging fences of the cross-country:

“Providing I have the right horse under me,” says Amy with a chuckle!

In the meanwhile she will continue with her terrific work at Mallards Reach Equestrian Centre and hope for more successes at the ‘Horse of the Year’ shows in the future. Having seen her perform at the NEC in Birmingham we can vouch for her horse-riding skills and the fact that Amy James is certainly flying the Pembrokeshire Flag with real distinction!