Exciting Mini Major qualification for Fitz member

Ten-year-old Fitzwilliam member Kate Willis has won a much-coveted place in London International Horse Show’s Mini Major show jumping class on 18 December.

The competition sees just eight pony club members from across the country team up with senior international riders competing at the show to battle it out in a hotly contested relay competition.

To take part in the Mini Major has been Kate’s dream and she went to great lengths to achieve it, travelling to Kilmarnock, Scotland to compete in one of only four  qualifier competitions in the country. There were more than 30 competitors in the qualifier and Kate went clear on both her ponies, eventually winning on Buachaill Baire (Benji) and coming third on Bylands Music Man (Jack).

“Kate literally cried with both joy and disbelief when she realised she had won and qualified,” says her mother, Wendy. “As there are only three qualifiers in mainland UK [one is held in Northern Ireland] we knew it would be tough to qualify. But as we always say, ‘if you aren’t in it, you can’t win it!’

“It would be a privilege to team up with any of the international riders but Kate is secretly hoping for Joe Stockdale or Harry Charles!”

For Kate, who trains six days a week, before school and in the evenings, this is a dream come true. “To see her hard work pay off and to ride two really brilliant rounds is just so rewarding, and we are so very proud of Kate and the ponies,” says Wendy. “But she could never have achieved this without her sister Annabel, who does the majority of her training at home and who also warms her up and walks courses at the shows. They are such a good team!”

Kate has a programme of training and shows planned for the summer and autumn – her ultimate dream being to ride in the 128cm final at the Horse of the Year Show, for which qualifiers start this month. And then she will focus on training at home until the Mini Major in December, with family and friends already planning a trip to London to cheer them on!