Cornwall’s Amy Merrell Wins the May NAF Shining Star Award

The NAF Shining Star Award for May has been given to dedicated young showjumper, 14-year-old Amy Merrell from Redruth, Cornwall for the enthusiasm and maturity that she has shown throughout her time as a British Showjumping Junior Academy member. 

 

Amy was nominated for the NAF Shining Star Award by lead co-ordinator for the Cornwall Junior Academy, Sue Ferris, who said: “Amy has been a member of the Cornwall Junior Academy for several years and she has worked incredibly hard in all of her training sessions, whilst playing a key role in developing an ethos of camaraderie among the young riders”.

 

Amy has been a member of British Showjumping since 2007 and she and her family have always worked hard to produce ponies from the very beginning. During 2010, Amy and her family took on a number of ponies aged between 4 – 5 years old who were at the very start of their jumping careers. With this in mind, Amy’s achievements in 2011 were remarkable. 

 

In 2011, Amy had a successful season on several of her mother’s (Sandy Merrell) ponies, including 14.2hh bay gelding SOS Unicorn. Amy qualified this pony for the Blue Chip Championships, the Pony British Novice Second Rounds and the Pony Newcomers Second Rounds. Amy has also enjoyed success on 14.1hh bay gelding Lambertus and 14.2hh grey gelding Chesters Choice.  

 

Tracey Lloyd, Marketing Manager for NAF commented, “Amy has achieved many of her goals through sheer determination and total commitment; which makes her a perfect ‘Shining Star’!  It gives us the greatest of pleasure to award this to her so that she may add it to her many other achievements. Huge congratulations Amy from NAF!”.

 

The NAF Shining Star Award was introduced when NAF became a British Showjumping Business Partner. The award is for members of a Junior Academy who have shown a great deal of commitment, progression and outstanding behaviour along with their riding ability and much more. Riders are nominated by their lead coach, and then judged and awarded by NAF to one person each month.