Name: Charlotte McCracken

Age:11

Parents: Geoff and Katie McCracken

From: Portadown, Co Armagh

What categories do you compete in? 128cm and 138cm

Tell us about your top ponies that you compete on: My favourite top pony in 128cm division is Uquam D’Emery, she is French-bred and we bought her from Valerie Gateau. Unfortunately, this is my last year in 128cms and I missed the opportunity to ride in Dublin Horse Show, which would have been amazing. However, I am so lucky that my younger sister will take over the reins of Uquam in January so she won’t go too far.

I have just started to ride in the 138cm division this year and have a super pony called Glenford Clausa. She is a super pony and used to belong to Niamh McEvoy, so I can only hope I do as well on her as Niamh did. This year I started jumping her in July and I won the Future Stars Championship at JAG Equestrian in September.

Trainer: Gabriel Tunney is my trainer from Tempo Stables. He is brilliant and really knows my ponies and how to get the best from them each time we compete.

Who has been your greatest influence so far? My greatest influence so far has been Iveagh Pony Club. It was at pony club that my riding developed from a young age of four years old in the playpen with my first pony Daisy. We are so lucky to have Iveagh PC with so many good coaches and facilities on our doorstep. Becky Cullen, Ronnie Morton, Mickey McCann and Steven Smith to name a few of fabulous coaches who taught us each week and during camps.

Who is the rider you look up most to and why? The rider I most look up to is Niamh McEvoy – not coming from a horsey family I am not as aware of the big named riders. Niamh has always been four years ahead of me and I try to emulate her as much as possible.

What are your major achievements and/or wins to date? My favourite and most memorable competition has to have been Olympia International Horse Show where I was runner-up in 2019. I will never forget the atmosphere and adrenaline.

I was the Ulster 90cm and 1m Champion in the 128cm class in both the Spring and the Autumn 2019 TRI tour. This year so far I have won the Ulster Spring 1m 128cm class Championship.

What are the key things you learned from your 2020 season? I have learnt to be thankful; it has been such an unusual year but I am so glad that we have been able to compete as much as we have. I have leant to be more patient– as a rider especially in the Grand Prix classes during the jump-off to wait for the moment to come when it is right to up the ante.

I have learnt the art of endurance - during a league it is not won or lost on any single day, keep plugging away and do your best each time and hopefully the good rounds outweigh the not so good ones.

What did you most miss from the season this year? Dublin Horse Show, The National Championships and the Home Pony Championships across the water.

Would you like to have a career in horses? I love my ponies and hope to have a lifetime of enjoyment with them. I am so young and unsure what I will end up doing, but I hope to have many happy memories competing as an amateur or you never know!

Charlotte McCracken was in conversation with Emer Bermingham