Island Life Magazine Ltd December/January 2018 | Page 94
Equestrian
thing: for everyone to have a great
experience and to be safe.
At just 26, Sarah manages
her family’s livery yard and
competition centre at Lake Farm,
as well as competitively riding
her two other horses, the eight
year-old Gold Flame Guy and 11
year-old Dungastown Fleur – and
also taking the reins for several
other owners.
Having been born into the sport,
she says she never for a moment
considered doing anything else
with her life.
“I never wanted to go to school”
she says. “I was always around the
yard, and started competing when
I was tiny.”
A supportive member of the Isle
of Wight Riding Club, she first
began representing the club at
national championships when
she was aged just eight. She was
part of the junior dressage team
which dominated national riding
club dressage championships for
many years, winning numerous
individual and team titles.
So it was hardly surprising that
when her mother Sue developed
hip problems and needed
replacement surgery, Sarah,
despite her youth, was the obvious
person to take on the day-to-day
running of the business.
As she says, whenever she isn’t
actually sitting on a horse, she is
teaching someone else, from her
large client base of pupils. She
says she rarely finishes teaching
until the late evening, despite
regular super-early starts – but
then it’s clearly a labour of love.
Many of Sarah’s pupils have gone
on themselves to achieve local and
national successes, which she says
makes her immensely proud.
“No matter what their goal might
be - whether dressage or jumping
or just to feel more confident, I
really enjoy giving each rider my
support and attention” she says.
In fact, Sarah can often be heard
at competitions, enthusiastically
supporting people from the
sidelines.
She runs regular clinics for
riding club members from the
Isle of Wight Riding Club and The
Island Equine Academy which she
runs with Hayley Webster, as well
as a three day camp for riders.
The three day camp combines
great fun with the more serious
side of riding, teaching stable
management and horse care.
As we go into the winter months,
Sarah and her horses will, as
usual, compete in British Dressage
and British Showjumping
competitions, locally on the Island
and on the mainland.
But with her eyes on next
season, she says she has great
hopes not just for Will, but also for
Dunganstown Fleur and Greenvale
Coriado to achieve 3*.
“It was great achieving Blenheim
this year and my aim is definitely
to get back there with at least a
couple of the horses next year” she
says.
Sarah has an Eventing page on
which you can follow her progress
this coming 2018 season, with
live streaming on the day. You
can also contact Sarah by email
on [email protected] or via
Facebook sarah holmes eventing.
“It is such a
special sport. I
have never met
so many lovely
people who will
always remain
good friends.”
Sarah riding Harley Brown at Keysoe 2015
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