First point to point win for young rider Gemma

With both her mother and father, Ian, involved in training horses, Gemma inevitably took to the saddle and went through the route of pony races, which have become a popular avenue for budding young riders at most point-to-point meetings in the South East.

Her victory in the Savills Estate Agents Ladies Open was all the more remarkable because diminutive Gemma stands just five feet tall and because of her light weight needed three stone of lead in her weight cloth in addition to her 18lb saddle.

She is in her first year of ‘A’ levels at college in Horsham, where she is studying psychology, English, drama and sociology.

Her first victory came in a memorable fashion, for she had the distinction of beating one of the best point to oint lady riders on the circuit, Hannah Grissell,who was on board favourite, Jack’s Present, into third place in a very tight and well-ridden finish.

Gemma and Master Alf won by a neck and half a length.

Gemma is in her first year of ‘A’ levels at college in Horsham, where she is studying psychology, English, drama and sociology.