HHO advent calendar: 12 December

The Forge Flyers

Team chasing history was made in April when the record-smashing Forge Flyers won a second successive national title – their 14th victory on the trot in the 2002-03 season – and beat their own speed record by 10sec at the Fernie Hunt’s spectacular venue.

It was an outstanding performance which team captain Graham Smith declared the “ride of a lifetime”. Unabashadly hogging the limelight was the Flyers’ legendary lead horse, the 18-year-old liver chestnut Junior, ridden by Graham’s partner Debbie Topping.