Horse of the Year Show is 'a dream come true' for young Castletown woman

A YOUNG Caithness woman, who is to take part in the prestigious Horse of the Year Show, has described the achievement as "a dream come true."

Emma Gunn, a mechanical design engineer from Castletown, qualified for the show by winning the supreme championship in the in-hand horse section at the Royal Highland Show in Ingliston earlier this year with her home-produced Welsh part-bred mare, Penskyber Mayflower, (Maisie).

They also entered the Price Family Supreme Qualifier – one of several held over the course of the year – and won it at their first attempt to gain entry to the Horse of the Year Show.

"We went in with absolutely no expectations as it is professionals who tend to get the title so we were delighted to win. Dreams are made of this," said the 25-year-old, who recently graduated from the University of Highlands and Islands / North Highland College with her masters degree with merit, in mechanical engineering. She previously had completed her bachelors degree with first class honours.

Thirteen-year-old Maisie was bred in Pembrokeshire by Sarah Whitfield. She’s by Small Land Maytino and was shown successfully in hand as a youngster with championships including at the Royal Welsh Show. Emma has owned her for the past six years and has taken part in the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead.

"I decided to put her in foal as I was doing my mechanical engineering masters full time while working," said Emma, who shares responsibility for Maisie with mum, Vanessa and dad, Hamish. The family took Maisie and the foal to the Royal Highland Show last year and won their class and reserve champion in the Pony Breeding section.

Speaking about Maisie's achievement's, Emma, who works at Dounreay, said: "She really is a horse of a lifetime. She has given us so much joy over the years; competing in the ridden classes, giving us a beautiful black filly foal, and now my first ever Horse of the Year Show ticket. It’s surreal that we have tried to qualify with a number of ponies for ridden classes over the years, always being so close but never getting that golden ticket then to go and qualify in the prestigious Price event on first try is just a dream come true, and being home produced makes it that much more special."

Ashley Anderson from Wick will also be at the top equestrian event after qualifying at the Scottish Horse Show.

The Horse of the Year Show takes place at the NEC in Birmingham from October 4 to 8.

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