Oh my what a fantastic time we had at Horse of the Year Show! I’m still brushing hay out of my mane from all the excitement! But this wasn’t just any day at HOYS... no, this was a very special Willberry’s Wish, and I was over the moon to welcome the wonderful Tegan and her amazing mum, Donna, for a weekend full of magic, ponies, and proper chocolate brownies!

Now, let me tell you a little something about Tegan. She’s faced more than her fair share of hurdles in life — diagnosed with leukaemia at just 3 years old and enduring 17 long years of treatment since. But she’s the kind of person that makes your heart do a little skip — strong, smiley, and totally inspiring. The kind of human Hannah would’ve loved.

Their journey up from Cornwall was a bit of an adventure in itself. Poor Tegan and Donna’s train was delayed, and they didn’t make it to Birmingham until after 6pm! Thankfully, a kind-hearted taxi driver whisked them the last stretch to the NEC and even refused to take a fare (humans can be so lovely sometimes, can’t they?).

When I trotted over to meet Tegan and Donna for the very first time, I was already feeling a bit excited. Every Wish we grant comes with a very special surprise — a Berry pony of their very own — and I was over the moon to discover that Tegan had already named hers Aliceberry, after the wonderful horse she used to ride at her RDA group.

As soon as I met Aliceberry, all smart and snuggled into Tegan’s arms, I knew we were going to be the best of friends. My heart was full to the brim. That’s the magic of a Wish: a little sparkle, a lot of love, and a pony friend by your side, no matter what.

That evening, they had a nice dinner at The Moxy, and then it was off to bed to rest up for a day full of horsey adventures!

Saturday at HOYS had arrived!

The next morning, we kicked things off with some shopping in the enormous hall of horsey delights. Tegan was on a mission for the perfect pair of gloves to help with her wheelchair — and she found just the right ones!

After lunch, we met at the hotel and made our way to the main arena. Some very kind NEC staff whisked us past the crowds to the Press Centre, where we met Debra of Grandstand Media  — she introduced us to the lovely Sarah, our guide for the afternoon. And let me tell you, Sarah knew all the behind-the-scenes secrets...

First stop: the international stables. Imagine the fanciest, sparkliest pony hotels, with enormous horseboxes parked tighter than bales in a haystack. We saw show ponies, massive Clydesdales, dazzling jumpers — every shape and size!

Then, we trotted over to the Pony Club stables, where the six top teams for the Prince Philip Cup were based. Everything was spotless — parents had transformed their little corners into pony palaces, and there were daily inspections for the best-kept stable.

Tegan had a very special moment here too — we visited Wylye Valley, the team closest to Hannah’s heart, and the girls (Bonnie, Ellie, Esme, Evie, and Phoebe) gave her the warmest tour of their ponies and kit. Then we popped by the Staff College & Sandhurst team for another look at the fabulous ponies competing in the games.

   

All that excitement called for a break, so off we went to the Wylye camp kitchen for a well-earned hot chocolate, well "warm" chocolate, with lots of marshmallows and cream. And guess what? Hannah’s famous chocolate brownies were on offer too. Naturally, I helped myself to one... or two.

After some rest and refreshments, Sarah took us to meet the amazing scurry ponies and their lovely human, Alison. This part was extra special, because Tegan has taken up carriage driving at the RDA since she stopped riding. We learned all about the speedy ponies (big and small), and Tegan fell head over wheels for a gorgeous pony called Buzz!

Next we visited the phenomenal UK Vaulting Team who had been wowing the crowds all week with their amazing precision and athleticism.  And we even had the chance to see some of the heavy horses too.

Finally, we trotted by the magnificent heavy horses before heading back to the hotel. Tegan’s wheels got a bit muddy on the way — not every stable is as clean as the Pony Club’s — so we had our work cut out trying to clean the wheels on the grass on the way back!

 Saturday Night – The Puissance

That evening, Tegan and Donna headed into the Andrews Bowen International Arena to watch the main event. The crowd was electric! They saw the scurry final, the astonishing Puissance with the joint winners jumping over 7ft!  and the penultimate round of the Prince Philip Cup. Of course, I nearly lost my voice cheering for Wylye Valley — and they won! I was practically galloping in the stands!

After another cosy night at The Moxy, Tegan and Donna caught their train back to Cornwall. I was a little sad to wave my new friends goodbye, but my heart was bursting. This is what Willberry’s Wishes are all about — sharing moments of joy, magic, and connection, just like Hannah dreamed.

A HUGE thank you to Debra, and Sarah from Grandstand Media and to all those in the NEC, who helped make everything run so smoothly.

And Tegan — good luck with your upcoming hip operations. I’ll be sending you all my Berry wishes and can’t wait to see you back with your RDA friends, reins in hand and dreams in your heart 💕

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