Olympic hopeful Sam Martin to host a dressage demonstration in London

Dressage rider and Olympic hopeful Sam Martin will be hosting a riding demonstration at Vauxhall City Farm next month.

Sam learnt to ride at Vauxhall City Farm about 20 years ago on a donkey, and he is now hoping to compete in the 2012 Olympics for Nigeria.

Vauxhall City Farm is based in central London and provides riding for the disabled and subsidised riding lessons for inner city children.

Riding centre manager Linda Hinds told H&H: “The aim is to show that horse riding is not just an elitist or country sport.”

Thirty London-based children take part in the subsidised riding scheme that already has a waiting list of 70-80 children. Linda added: “We don’t have the funding to provide the number of lessons needed — the demand is just phenomenal.”

Sam came up with the idea of the event to try to raise money for the riding centre where he started, which has charitable status and to promote riding for inner city children.

The event takes place on Saturday 12 July and will consist of a demonstration with Sam riding his own horse and some of Vauxhall’s horses and a question and answer session. He will also be teaching a few private lessons in the afternoon.

Tickets are £5 and a private lesson with Sam is £60.

For more information tel: 02075824204

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