Sedlescombe horse rider Phoebe stars in new reality television show

Phoebe Ashenheim, 22, from Sedlescombe, will feature in Blue Chip All Star Academy, described as a mixture between The Apprentice and Pony Club camp.

Out of 130 video auditions, Phoebe, an ex-Battle Abbey School pupil, and the other seven finalists were selected and invited to attend a training camp at the Talland School of Equitation in Gloucestershire.

Every moment of the camp was filmed, including lessons and tasks, while contestants also revealed their thoughts and feelings to a special camera set up in the ‘Blue Room’.

The contestants were in competition throughout the camp, with each hoping to win the top prize – the chance to co-host an episode of Horse & Country TV’s magazine show Rudall’s Round-Up, a year’s sponsorship from Blue Chip Feed and the chance to become video bloggers for the channel’s website.

Phoebe, a former international gymnast, juggles her time between studying for a BSc in equine sports performance and running a livery yard.

She said: “I was totally shocked I was chosen as a finalist. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would ever get an opportunity like this.”

Phoebe regularly competes her six-year-old warmblood mare, Ghost, in showjumping up to Discovery level. She added: “The best part of being on the show was meeting the other amazing contestants and crew, I have made friends for life there and I wouldn’t have changed my experience for anything. Ghost had the most amazing experience too, and I think it will have really helped her mature and grow. I would describe the experience as an intense and an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Phoebe and the other seven contestants will appear on the show on Horse & Country TV, Sky Channel 253 on Sunday (June 12) from 9pm.

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