Interview with Hannah Roulston from Emmersons Show Team

Stokesley-based Emmersons Show Team, sponsored by Supreme Products, are having a very successful 2010. Here we find out more about their groom Hannah Roulston.

1. How long have you been a groom?

I have groomed for three and a half years, and the last two and a half of those I have been with Emmersons Show Team.

2. What is your favourite TV programme?

Lost – I am sad that it has now finished!

3. Do you have any brothers or sisters?

One brother

4. What is your favourite food?

Any type of seafood – but especially Lobster!

5. Where is your favourite holiday destination?

Cancun in Mexico

6. Who is your favourite horse or pony on the yard and why?

I’m not supposed to have favourites! But Prince – because he is the first pony that I broke in and he has a lovely character – he is my best friend! His show name is Rosemel Dark Prince.

7. What is your favourite event?

The Ponies UK Summer Championship at the Newark and Nottinghamshire showground.

8. What is your favourite item from the Supreme Products Professional Collection?

I love Supreme Products Leg & Body Whitener.

9. Do you have a top tip for us?

Mix Supreme Products Leg & Body Whitener into a paste, then paint it on to the pony’s legs the night before. Put bandages over the top, then in the morning when you remove the bandages and - hey presto! Your pony will have spotless white legs.

Supreme Products Makeover Winner Qualifies for Equestrian Life Championship

Suprene Products makeover winners Yvonne Fisher and Alamandos Star have hit great form since winning a day with top showman Robert Walker.

Yvonne and Bruce, as he is known at home travelled to Robert’s yard in Cheshire, with her sister Lorraine Fisher who owns the heavyweight, bay gelding.

Their newly learned skills were put to the test at Tickhill Riding Club show, where they took part in the Equestrian Life qualifier and took the red rosette, to a big round of applause.

Having picked up some top tips from the showing maestro Yvonne and Bruce looked immaculate to wow the judges.

Said Lorraine: “Bruce looked brilliant and Yvonne rode him really well. They have been practising the extended canter and he looked fantastic. It was the best I have ever seen her ride him.”

More Success for Robert at Windsor

Robert Walker’s great start at the Royal Windsor Horse Show continued in the Maxi Cob class on the final day.

The Supreme Products sponsored rider took the honours with Tank Top, heading a strong field.

Tank Top is in his second season in the competition arena and is owned by Yorkie Jobling Purser.

Meanwhile in Shropshire, at Area 10, Supersonic continued Robert’s winning ways in the cob sections when taking the Maxi Cob class.

Emmersons Show Team on Supreme Form!

The Supreme Products sponsored Emmersons Show Team from Stokesley have been busy travelling the circuit and producing some top results.

Lead Rein pony Chaseford Aloof, owned by Johanna Prendergast and ridden by Ella Reynard won the Lead Rein and Mini Championship at Ayr County, qualifying for the Royal International Horse Show.

The 11-year-old mare also clinched her HOYS ticket at the BSPS Winter Championships when they were first in the Lead Rein.

The yard’s form continued with another Royal International Horse Show ticket in the Lead Rein Show Hunter class at BSPS Area 1B with Abbie Farmer riding the five-year-old Cham Secret Legend by the Yorkshire based Lechlade Quince.

At the White Rose County show in Leeds it was a win for Sarah Emmerson when she rode Chiddock Time Out to win the Anglo/Part-bred Arabs to also qualify for RIHS.

Meet the Team – Hannah Esberger-Shepherd

Hannah Esberger – Shepherd is an international dressage rider and 2* trainer. Hannah holds seven national titles and has represented Great Britain as a Pony, Junior, Young and Senior rider.

Hannah’s Profile:

Age: 34

Hobbies: My main hobby now is my daughter Molly! I also love running and dancing

Favourite Food: My husband’s cooking – lamb chops and breakfast

Favourite TV Programme: Reality TV like the X Factor. So You Think You Can Dance... and films

Favourite Album: Not really got one – I love all music

What got you interested in Dressage?: In my pony days trying to make difficult ponies go correctly, then I got on the pony team with Mornington Crescent and I was hooked.

What is your daily routine?: After getting Molly ready for her day, I then go down to the yard for 7.30am and ride eight horses until lunch. During lunch I will discuss various horses with my staff. In the afternoon I will teach clients or go to clinics and teach.

Tell us about your favourite horse: At present I love them all, they each have their own ‘quirks’

Which Rider/Trainer has most inspired you? Rider would be Carl Hester, I also admired the way Klaus Balkonhol’s horses always worked for him.

Which top horse do you admire? This has to be Edwards Gals super horse – Moorlands Totillas.

Top tip: To accentuate and highlight the head area we concentrate on two main areas - the eyes and muzzle. We always apply a little Supreme Products Black Matt Make Up around the eye, dab it on with your fingers or a little sponge. Blend it in well and finish with a little Supreme Products Glistening Oil for understated shine.

Finally we rub Supreme Products Glistening Oil into the muzzle, this works particularly well and provides a great finish.

Meet the Team – Nigel, Penny, Stuart and Alexandra Hollings

Based in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire, Team Hollings have been at the top of their game for more than 40 years.

The Team comprises of brothers Nigel and Stuart, Nigel’s wife Penny and their daughter Alexandra. Between them they have won many of the top accolades in the showing world.

10 things you didn’t know about Team Hollings:

Penny’s favourite indulgence is champagne

Stuart is a regular Horse & Hound columnist

Penny’s most memorable horse was Dutch Dame

Nigel is an NPTC City & Guilds Approved Assessor - Certificate of Competance Transport of Animals (Horses Cattle & Sheep) short and long journey for Drivers, Attendants & Grooms.

The horse Penny would have most liked to own is the late Blue Hors Matine

Stuart and Nigel have written several books about showing and ring craft.

Penny’s biggest no-no in the ring is glitter

Penny’s proudest moment was watching her daughter Alexandra at the Horse of the Year Show

The team have 28 stables at the yard

Penny has lots of superstitions – usually lucky clothes

Top foot care tip; “The old saying ‘no foot, no horse’ is as true today as it has ever been” says Nigel Hollings of Team Hollings. Animals competing from the Team Hollings stables always have their frogs sprayed daily with Supreme Products Foot Care Spray from the Horse Care range. “It is easy to use, very reasonably priced and most importantly it works wonders and keeps foot rot at bay!”

Winning is in the Walker Genes!

Five-year-old Sam Walker, son of showing’s golden couple, Robert and Sarah Walker, won on his debut outing last weekend.

Riding his four-year-old pony Mirabelle P and led by Katy Carter, Sam won the Lead Rein Show Hunter type class at the White Rose County Show at Temple Newsam, Leeds.

Sarah and Robert were delighted for Sam, as were all connections at their sponsors Supreme Products.

Said Sarah: “It was great to see Sam in the ring, he really enjoyed the day and especially winning.”

Dad Robert was also in good form winning the Novice Cob class with Camilla Neame’s Starry Nights who was at his first show.

The previous day at Newark and Nottinghamshire County Show, Robert had another excellent day, winning the Small Riding Horse class and then taking the championship with Party Time.

Successful Day at Royal Windsor for Robert

Supreme Products sponsored rider Robert Walker had a winning first day at the Royal Windsor Horse Show with his team of young horses.

In the novice show hunter classes, Robert headed the Novice Lightweight line-up with Ballard Bouncer and then took the Novice Heavyweight class with Over the Rainbow.

The dilemma then came when deciding which horse to ride in the Championship. In the end Robert chose to ride Over the Rainbow with wife Sarah entering the ring on Ballard Bouncer.

A delighted Sarah took the championship with a smiling Robert taking the reserve spot on this occasion.

Meet The Supreme Products Team – Sarah Emmerson

Peter, Claire and Sarah Emmerson, well known for producing lead rein and first ridden ponies, have a top class team of ponies to produce for the season and are huge supporters of the Supreme Products Professional Collection recognising the great help they provide when it comes to show preparation and show ring turnout.

10 things you never know about the Sarah Emmerson:

Her favourite TV Programme is Waterloo Road

Her favourite meal is Spagetti Bolognaise

A horse she would like to own is Edward Gal’s Moorlands Totilas

Her biggest annoyance with competitor turnout is visible socks

Her competition superstition is that she must hold the lead rein in a particular manner

Her most memorable pony was a mare called Cosford Promise

She has a twin brother who lives in Australia

Her personal highpoint is the satisfaction she gains from teaching children and adults and helping them succeed in the show ring.

She is a qualified primary school teacher

She has an 18-year-old Fylde saddle that has been down the spotlight many times with many different ponies.

Finishing Tails Tip: An absolute ‘must’ for the grooming box at shows is Supreme Products Sparkle. It has the ability to transform a normal, boring tail into a spectacular tail, adds glamour to a pony in seconds and looks great under artificial lights or on a sunny day. It also acts as a detangler.

Meet the Team- Robert Walker

Robert Walker is a great ambassador for showing and is sponsored by Supreme Products. He has won most of the major showing championships around the country but is still hungry to take the prestigious Show Hunter championships at the Horse of the Year Show.

10 things you never knew about Rob:

If he wasn’t a showman, he would be a huntsman

He once played in a football match against Aston Villa – and won!

He once jumped a five-bar gate on a 12.2hh pony (aged 9)

A horse that he would love to own is Tina Cook’s Miners Frolic

He raced Shetland ponies as a child

As a Yorkshireman, his favourite show is the Great Yorkshire

His first pony was called Roly

The only championship he hasn’t won is the Hunter Championship at HOYS.

His favourite food is a traditional beef roast dinner with Yorkshire Puddings.

His favourite TV programme is Sky Sports News.

Brighter Whites Tip: Ensure the white markings on your horse are actually bright white; we always use Supreme Products Leg and Body Whitener. Mix it into a yoghurt consistency and paint it on white legs. Then the legs are bandaged and removed at the competition meaning that its another job that’s ‘off the list’ for the morning of the show.

North East Counties Success for Team Supreme Products

Robert Walker’s great start to the season continued at North East Counties when he took a host of wins and championships in his stride.

The Supreme Products team rider captured the Novice Riding Horse class with Lamworth Dalesman for owner Jill Day and then went on to fill the Reserve Champion spot.

In the Hunter Classes, Robert headed the Lightweight Hunter Class with Hitman and the Heavyweight Hunter Class with Manton before the yard took the Hunter Championship with the chestnut Hitman and the Reserve Championship rosette with Manton.