On the latest episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, showing rider and producer Sam Roberts takes a trip down memory lane to relive the year she first won the Mountain & Moorland supreme at Olympia aboard Harwell Wizard in 1998.
“That was the first year I ever went to compete and it was just every 12-year-old’s dream to trot your pony, who is also your best friend, around that massive arena full of beautiful ponies,” explains Sam. “It was magical and I’ll never forget it.”
Sam says that despite not having any fancy equestrian facilities at home, she made it work.
“Winning made it a complete dream and surreal – it was totally treasured because the pony lived at home as a pet in the garden.
“We didn’t have an arena or any lights – I used to ride hm with a car’s lights on, so it was quite difficult and a big adventure to even try to get to London, let alone drive through London in our horsebox. To win was beyond everybody’s wildest expectations.”
Sam describes Harwell Wizard, who was a Welsh section B as “a bit of a legend”.
“He won the Search For A Star a couple of years before I had him in 1996 and I saw him again in 1997. We spoke to the lady who owned him and she said she was looking for a jockey to lease him and ride him.
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“I tried him and we fitted and got on and had an amazing time – he was champion at the Hickstead Derby meeting and was reserve champion at Royal Windsor, both in 1998, and that year was the stuff of fairytales.”
Despite his winning ways, Harwell Wizard had character in abundance.
“He was quite a cheeky monkey and he kept you on your toes, but he was a showman and loved to please – I was very lucky to have him in my life for two years.”
To hear more from Sam Roberts on her London International Horse Show memories listen to episode 160 of The Horse & Hound Podcast here, or search “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your favourite podcast app.
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Former web features editor, point-to-point editor and digital racing editor
Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
