A YOUNG equestrian wasn’t foaling-around when she become a national champion recently.

Five-year-old Eloise Pinnock from Wallington road her pony Ekens Fifer to victory, in two categories at the Horse of the Year Show at Birmingham’s NEC Arena.

The Sandon JMI School pupil and here accomplice were crowned Mountain and Moorland Lead Rein champions, and Mini Mountain and Moorland Champions.

What makes Eloise’s achievements even more special, is that she was competing with riders in the under nine category.

Claire Smalley, Eloise’s mother who runs the Barkway based stables where she rides, said: “This is her first time at a horse of the year show and she has only been riding properly since last year.

“For someone who doesn’t have much experience this is a huge achievement.

“I’m over the moon for Eloise. It was such a proud moment and a wonderful experience watching her ride.

“She took the whole thing in her stride, grinned from ear to ear the whole way round and loved every minute.”

The Horse of the Year show is seen as the centrepiece of the equestrianism calendar, and Eloise is expected to come back and compete next year.

“We go all over the country riding, and I would expect we will compete next year.

“Hopefully we will come with Ekens Fifer, who has been in the family for many years and used to be owned by my mother, Anne.”