Meet the Team – Sarah Fearns

Behind every good show producer there’s a very strong back up team. Sarah Fearns works for Katy Carter, read on to find out more.

1. How long have you been a groom and how long have you been with Katy?

I have been a groom for years now! I’ve been with Katy for several years.

2. What is your favourite TV programme?

Shameless

3. Do you have any brothers or sisters?

Yes – lots! I’ve got six brothers and sisters!

4. What is your favourite food?

Sunday Lunch

5. Where is your favourite holiday destination?

Greece

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

Tilly, because she used to belong to me and my sister. Poppy, Katy’s daughter now rides her in first ridden classes.

7. What is your favourite event?

The Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead

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

It has to be Supreme Product de luxe Coat Gloss!

9. Do you have a top tip for us?

With the grey ponies and a palomino such as Shamrock Shirley Temple, Supreme Products Leg & Body Whitener is a must have, we couldn’t live without it! We use it to whiten legs but it can also be used as a body wash to whiten and brighten as well as to be used to cover stains and marks.

Rita and Digit Train with Hannah Esberger-Shepherd

When Rita Young-Jones heard she had won a lesson and presentation tips from leading dressage rider and trainer Hannah Esberger-Shepherd she was ecstatic.

Organised by Hannah’s sponsor Supreme Products™ and Equestrian Life magazine Rita travelled from Burbage in Leicestershire with her 16-year-old skewbald gelding for the training.

Rita and Digit have been together for 10 years and have competed in numerous unaffiliated Preliminary competitions qualifying for this year’s Petplan Regional Finals.

Hannah put the pair through their paces, providing valuable advice and encouraging Rita to ride Digit forward while maintaining a consistent contact.

Said Hannah: “Rita needs to provide clear instructions to Digit at all times, when she wants him to go forward and in a balanced rhythm she must ensure this happens and he reacts to her direction.

“He must move off the leg more quickly and generally be sharper and more reactive in all the movements, while at the same time maintaining balance and lightness.”

By giving with the hands, and combining both pressure and release, Rita began to develop a beautiful outline with Digit.

In the past Digit would bend his head slightly to the right when halting on the centre line but with this new outline and plenty of feel down the outside rein this was no longer an issue with both horse and rider quickly improving and gaining confidence to stretch themselves.

As Digit learned to move off the leg, Hannah asked Rita to put in some turns on the forehand to encourage softness and more flexibility.

Rita and Digit soon took on a completely different shape, thoroughly enjoying their lesson with Hannah.

Said Rita: “I had an amazing time with Hannah, the tips and advice were great and I am sure it will really help me over the next few months. I can’t believe the difference in the way that Digit was going after the lesson.”
Hannah also provided Rita with advice on presentation skills thanks to her sponsor Supreme Products.

As Digit is skewbald, Hannah explained the huge benefits of using Supreme Products Leg & Body Whitener to produce brilliant white socks.

Said Hannah: “As a coloured, Digit is already very eye-catching, but by using the Supreme Products Professional Collection he will be stunning.”

How to Get the Best out of Supreme Products Leg & Body Whitener

Supreme Products Leg & Body Whitener is the perfect product to quickly and easily brighten up dull or dirty patches that should be white and produce really white socks - a favourite for competitors at horse shows! Supreme Products Leg & Body Whitener can be used both wet or dry to bring up white patches, legs and bodies on horses. Everyone has a preferred way of applying their favourite showing product and the ritual never changes for applying it from event to event, but there is always more than one way to apply these products. This guide to Supreme Product’s Leg & Body Whitener shows some of the ways that this product can be used.

1) You can add Supreme Products Leg & Body Whitener to your final rinsing water whilst bathing your horse. This helps to brighten the white on the body adding that final ‘clean’ shine. It also makes dappling and markings more significant.

2) Supreme Products Leg & Body Whitener can be mixed with water to a make a paste. Most people mix until the paste is of a yoghurt consistency. Apply the paste with a paint brush and then bandage the legs up whilst they are still wet and leave on the legs until just before your event. You don’t need to do anything after removing the bandages. However gently brushing the excess dust/powder off can help to smarten them up.

Another tip is to use thick gamgees (bandage pads). By using thin gamgees or just plain bandages ‘wrinkle’ marks are sometimes left on the dry legs.

3) You can use Supreme Products Leg & Body Whitener in dry form on wet legs – this time wash the legs but just get off the excess water; then again using a brush, work in the dry powder onto the wet legs and bandage as above.

4) Sometimes just a quick touch up is needed; maybe just before a class or event. To do this place some Supreme Products Leg & Body Whitener on a slightly damp sponge and dab and rub into the legs or spots you need to ‘touch up’ or brighten. Make sure the sponge isn’t too damp as you don’t want to have problems with the product dripping!

5) Supreme Products Leg & Body Whitener can also be rubbed straight into the legs of your horse. This is great for hiding stains or just brightening up the horses white patches, then brushing the excess powder gently off the legs will help make it all neat.

• Supreme Products Leg & Body Whitener is available in 3 sizes 1 Kg; 2.5Kg and 5 Kg and prices start at £11.95 (Prices correct for Spring 2010).

Supreme Products also sell many other stain removing products, including

- Supreme Products Stain Remover Shampoo, for the older more stubborn stains.

- Supreme Products Cover Magic, a last minute spray to cover small spots, stray coloured coat

hairs and marks or scars. Available in White, Black or Brown.

- Supreme Products Blue Shampoo, to brighten up whites and greys; working extremely well with coloureds.

Supreme Products Professional Collection – The Choice of Champions.

Article kindly written for Supreme Products by freelance journalist, Theresa Bebbington

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.

Interview with Supreme Products Sponsored Show Rider, Robert Walker

A well-established British expert in the field of top quality products for the show ring, Supreme Products are proud of their Yorkshire roots.

Keen to support talent in the area Supreme Products are delighted to sponsor show rider Robert Walker.

Born and bred in Yorkshire, Robert is now based in Cheshire, and is a very well respected figure within the sport and extremely proud of his Yorkshire heritage and is known for his down to earth attitude and Yorkshire charm.

How long have you been riding?

RW: I was brought up around horses and my earliest memories are of my dad Tony running a breaking yard in East Yorkshire. I can’t remember exactly when I started riding, I was too young!

What was your first pony called?

RW: Roly was my first real fun pony.

Did you show ponies as a child?

RW: Yes I used to attend the local gymkhanas around East Yorkshire and then progressed to my local county shows.

What made you settle on a career in showing horses?

RW: I have always enjoyed producing young horses and watching them develop and improve, it is the most satisfying part of the job. It seemed only natural to take up showing.

What type of horses do you have on your yard?

RW: We have Show Hunters, Show Cobs, Riding Horses and Hacks.

Tell us about any really memorable horses?

RW: You would expect my most memorable horse to be a show horse, but it is in fact Fury, my fantastic hunter.

An ex Grade A show jumper, as a youngster Fury competed internationally but luckily for me he jacked it.I took him hunting and it completely rejuvenated his passion for life. I have never had a better hunt horse and have some fantastic days out hunting on him. I retired him this season aged 16.

Which showing classes do you enjoy the most and why?

RW: That’s a really hard question. I love showing every horse in their appropriate class so I don’t have a particular favourite, but because of my hunting background I must say I thoroughly enjoy the Show Hunter classes.

What has been your best showing moment?

RW: Winning the Hunter Championship at the Great Yorkshire Show for the first time on Cool Green Star, a fantastic bay middleweight.

What has been your worst showing moment?

RW: When I was 17 years old I had a very good Small Hunter called Double Coin, we qualified for the Royal International and we were pulled in top of the line initially, and then moved down to third in the final line up. No one knew why, the horse went perfectly and there was no explanation for the final placing.

In hindsight this was one of the best days in my career, although I was disappointed at the time, so many people thought I should have won and after that show people started to send me horses to produce.

What do you look for in your horses when you buy them?

RW: It is important that when buying a horse you look at the overall package and suitability. I do insist that any horse I buy has exceptionally good limbs.

Which is your favourite show?

RW: Definitely the Great Yorkshire Show! The atmosphere is unlike any other and I feel it brings me back to my Yorkshire roots.

Is there a showing goal that you are still to achieve?

RW: I have won every championship around the country, bar the Hunter Championship at Horse of the Year Show.

What hobbies do you enjoy?

RW: Hunting it is my favourite past time. I am a joint master of the Cheshire Hunt. I think my love of hunting means that I thoroughly enjoy the show hunter classes and prefer an old fashioned stamp of hunter.

What is your favourite food?

RW: A traditional beef roast dinner with Yorkshire Puddings!

What is your favourite TV programme?

RW: When I have time to sit and watch TV, I like to watch Sky Sports News.

Which rider has inspired you?

RW: Jockey, Tony McCoy

Which top horse do you most admire?

RW: Miners Frolic. Not only does this horse have oodles of ability but he oozes pure quality.

Do you have any favourite show ring products?

RW: Supreme Products has an amazing range of products that really help my team achieve a superior look when in the show ring. One of my particular favourites is Supreme Leg and Body Whitener, a real ‘must have’ product when trying to keep those legs white and bright!