YOUR TRAINER

Selina Cawkwell is a BSJA Accredited Coach.

Selina began her showjumping career aged 10 years at local riding clubs.

She joined the BSJA soon after and competed her 138cm JC pony.

She progressed to 148cm JA ponies and novice ponies and represented Great Britain in Ireland.

After moving into horses, Selina again competed Grade A horses and novices. She won a Gold Medal with the Home international Team and was selected to represent Great Britain on the European Young Riders Team in 1989. She competed at HOYS many times in the National Grade A classes and the Young Rider classes and achieved some notable placings. In the early 1990s she was ranked in the top 50 Senior Ranking lists and top 10 Young Riders lists.

After spending time abroad, Selina returned to the UK in 1997 and began her business of producing young horses. She now has many famous clients who buy horses from her and many now compete at International level.

Today, Selina concentrates on continuing to produce young horses and also in training riders.

As a Young Rider, Selina received some top class training from some of the sports top professionals arranged through the BSJA and the Young Rider Teams. She feels that the knowledge she gained through this training was invaluable and through the Junior Academy she hopes to pass on the knowledge she has gained over the years.

She aims to continue spotting stars of the future of not only the four legged kind but also the two legged ones!

YOUR CO-ORDINATOR

Danni Elliott is married to husband Martyn and has 2 children - Megan now 20 and Jake just 18.

Danni has ridden all her life and on meeting Martyn had to put her love of showjumping to one side whilst she indulged her husband in his passion for hunting and team chasing.

When her daughter Megan arrived, it was inevitable that she would take up riding so when aged 6 years she attended her first BSJA show Danni was once again allowed to follow her passion of showjumping.

Gradually showjumping took over the family starting with Golden Bears and 128cm, the children competed in every class going! Then a pony arrived from Ireland chosen by Martyn and Jake called the Irish Builder. This pony became Danni's greatest love and he took Jake right through the grades and to the top shows such as Great Yorkshire, POYS and Hickstead. Today this pony is still considered part of the Elliott family as he continues his success on the JA and International 148cm circuit with his new owners.

In between all the shows Martyn works as a farrier and Danni runs the horseshoe manufacturing business, farriers supply shop and livery yard. She also finds time to be Social Secretary for the BSJA Area 23 committee.

As the children have flown the nest - Megan is now at University and Jake is main Young Rider at High Offley Stud - Danni has found herself drawn back into the world of pony showjumping.

She felt by being involved in this Junior Academy that she could put something back into the sport she loves from all she has learnt over the years with the children and that has given her family so many happy memories.

As coordinator she is going to be in charge or organisation and main liason both with Academy members and their parents. She will always be on hand to answer questions.

She is passionate about junior showjumping and hopes to make this Academy the biggest and best in the country!