A BURNLEY-owned pony was among the winners at the Horse of the Year Show at Wembley.

He was competing against the best up-and-coming show horses and ponies in the country at the famous arena.

The six-year-old Eyebrook Kingfisher, owned by Susan Field from Burnley, had qualified for the Search for a Star Championship, designed to find the equestrian showing stars of the future.

The pony is normally ridden by Susan's daughter Sarah, a pupil at Ivy Bank High School, but 14-year-old Katie Plant had taken over the ride at the qualifier as Sarah was away on a school trip in Belgium.

"We asked Katie, who is from Chatburn, to ride Eyebrook Kingfisher at Wembley, as Sarah had also qualified the Connemara stallion Golden Star for the Mountain and Moorland Workers Championship" Mrs Field explained.

"Then Sarah had a fall with Golden Star competing at Wetherby Show and was unable to ride at all." Katie and Eyebrook Kingfisher enjoyed better luck at Wembley, where they scored a great win in their Search for Star Pony Championship, where the judges included showman supremo Robert Oliver.

They went on to add the overall Search for a Star reserve championship, competing against far bigger show hunters, cobs and riding horses.

"It was Katie's first time at Wembley and she was delighted to go so well," added Mrs Field.

"There was a fantastic atmosphere down there and we all loved it - everyone was marvellous to us and it was so well organised."

Both Katie and Sarah are members of the Pendle Forest Pony Club, and met on the competition circuit.

"Sarah, although she is already quite tall, has another two years on Eyebrook Kingfisher, who is 14hh."

Adele Atkinson took over the ride on Golden Star at Wembley, but two fences down in the jumping phase left the new pairing out of the prizes.

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