Lauren meets show jumping idol
11 year old Lauren wished to meet her idol, top show jumper Ellen Whitaker – and we weren’t going to put any fences in her way!
Lauren, from Northwich in Cheshire, was diagnosed last year with Rhabdomyosarcoma (a cancerous tumour of the muscles) and had to endure three days of chemotherapy every three weeks for six months. She’s a keen horse rider and chose to meet Ellen after seeing her featured several times in her favourite horse magazines.
The wish took place at the recent Horse of the Year Show at Birmingham NEC, where Lauren was first able to enjoy some of the famous displays, including the Pony Club Mounted Games and the Musical Ride of the Household Cavalry. Then it was time to meet Ellen! Lauren entered the area where the riders were practising and was delighted to finally encounter her idol. She took the opportunity to ask Ellen, who comes from a famous show jumping family, some questions about her show jumping career, and didn’t neglect to pick up a few riding tips!
Ellen told us: “I was really pleased to meet Lauren and make her wish come true. She seemed like a very special little girl and she is certainly horse-mad, which is good! I’m glad she had a fun day at the Horse of the Year Show and enjoyed the whole experience.“
