AFTER being rescued from the wilds of the A66 in torrential rain, Paul Buckingham eventually found and directed me to his family home at Scargill, near Barnard Castle, to meet and talk to his daughter, Tanya.

Celebrations were in order, and for good reason. At just 18, Tanya Buckingham has been selected for the British Eventing team for the Junior European Championships in Rome in September 2004.

Tanya took her first riding lesson at four, and although not coming from a horse family, the riding bug took hold. She spent ten years at Carol Thompson's yard, then in Eppleby, near Darlington, learning stable duties and horse management and, of course, taking riding lessons.

"My parents told me that I couldn't have my first pony until I was 18," said Tanya, "but after a lot of persuasion and proof of my dedication, I got Wilma, and I was only ten."

Wilma was a mere 11.2hh bay Welsh mare with two speeds, stop or gallop, and a bad habit of nipping people when they passed by, but she had an amazing jump and taught Tanya a lot.

Tanya joined the Zetland Hunt Pony Club, firstly borrowing ponies from Carol and then with her own. After she out-grew Wilma, William came along. "He was a 14.2hh piebald cob who loved food and knew how to upset the yard," said Tanya.

"If he was having a good day he was hard to beat," she remembered. "If he decided that he didn't want to play ball, he often got me eliminated by not going near the first jump."

Despite William's occasional boisterous behaviour, he was eventually used as a riding pony for the Riding for the Disabled group that Carol worked with. He was as good as gold.

"I even got my father to do riding lessons. He bought a lovely 17.2hh mare called Gina, who was the gentlest horse in the world," said Tanya. "He even went hunting with the Zetland, but he eventually gave up, deciding that the equine ability was to stay firmly in my camp."

Tanya's enthusiasm showed no bounds and, by 2000, a new equine star, Scally, appeared. This beautiful threequarter-bred chestnut mare was only four when the Buckinghams bought her from Elizabeth Grieves, near Hartlepool. In that first year, the new partnership represented the Zetland Hunt Pony Club in intermediate trials, show jumping, dressage and tetrathlon teams.

Through the Zetland Pony Club, Tanya teamed up with Jane Louise Graham, of Manfield, near Darlington. This partnership has been rewarded by the transition from PC Intermediate level to British Eventing success. Senior coach of the Zetland PC horse trials and show jumping teams and a British Eventing accredited trainer, Jane said, "I am sure that with her attitude, aptitude and good luck, Tanya can go all the way to the top."

Tanya's dressage training comes from the Zetland team dressage trainer, Caroline Jackson from West Auckland. Tanya is also having lessons from the great Joss Edwards.

Looking around the beautiful property the Buckinghams have, I noticed the lack of training facilities, although they do have stables.

"I don't have the horses at home all the time so have to travel to do my training," said Tanya, "I have my dressage training over at Caroline's yards in West Auckland, she has an indoor and outdoor arena, and I use the Foxberry Chaser's facilities for the jumping and cross-country."

In 2001, Tanya and Scally completed Witton Castle, her first pre-novice event. In 2002, they went on to represent the North in the JRN Championships at Weston Park.

In 2003, she and Scally were long-listed for the British Junior Eventing team, and she once again represented the North at the JNR Championships. That year saw her father sell his mare so that they could buy Tanya's second horse, Scally's half-brother, 17hh, six-year-old Dovecote Young Jack.

The biggest achievement in 2004 was being no longer on the long list for the Junior European Championships in Rome. Tanya and Scally made the team.

"I am so excited," said Tanya. "I knew I had a good mare and now I have the chance to prove myself at the top."

On September 3, Scally heads for Italy by truck with the other team horses. "This is the first time that I have had my horse in someone else's control, with me not in attendance," said Tanya. "I know that she will be fine, but I can't wait to join her over there; I hate being away from her."

Tanya will follow by air with the rest of the team a day later; not far behind will be her parents, Paul and Yvonne.

I asked Tanya if she had time for other hobbies or pursuits."Everything I do is set around my horses," she replied. "I have nothing else that I would want to do. Occasionally I go to friends' parties or to the movies, but that is only if I have the time."

At 18, horses cannot be everything. There is the matter of her education. In October, Tanya, and her horses, will all attend the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, where Tanya will start a course on international equine and agricultural business management

Published: ??/??/2004