Sophia Bell and her twelve year old part bred Arab gelding, Philwood Buddy had their first outing in over a year to the NSPA show at Selby where the pair won the senior equitation class, a second in the part bred in hand, and then went on to achieve a show reserve champion overall.

Sophia who is now twenty one has just finished for the summer from Leeds University where she is studying law, and is back at home at Brawby near Malton for the summer.

The pair have plans to get out and about a few more times, including back to Selby this weekend, in readiness for the Great Yorkshire show in a couple of weeks time, and from then on to do as much over the summer months before Sophia heads back to Leeds University for her final year.

Sophia has owned Philwood Buddy since a four year old and has had many successes in the show ring, but Sophia admits it has been a struggle to keep him going at times with commuting to and from Leeds every day to ride him.

Sophia said “he was rather excitable warming up for the first class, but once in the ring he settled down and behaved really well, I was thrilled to be back competing him again”.