Chloe reins supreme at Horse of the Year Show

NEW Forest-based rider Chloe Lemieux, 13, landed the prestigious Supreme Pony of the Year title at the recent Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).

On the big jumping grey mare Coco Bongo, owned by Will Calder, she won the 138cm working hunter pony class with one of only three clear rounds and went on to be overall working hunter pony champion.

The pair then surprised everyone by lifting the Supreme HOYS Pony Championship on the final evening of the competition, a feat never achieved by a working hunter in the 90-year history of the show.

Other winners at the show were the New Forest based West Hants Pony Club who won a treble of awards.

Chloe said: “I certainly wasn’t expecting it! She really deserves this – she’s a one-in-a-million pony and a true legend who always puts in that little bit extra.”

This was Chloe’s last season in showing, before concentrating on her showjumping. She won a bronze medal with Team GB in the European Showjumping Championships in July. “This has been quite some year.” said her proud father, former Olympic rider Robert Lemieux.