British Squad

FEI Driving World Championship for Ponies

Le Pin au Haras (FRA)

17-21 September 2025

Meet the British Pony Driving Squad.  

 Cath Brockie

“I wanted to break free from that do something that was ‘non-competitive’ with ponies (Ha !) So I bought a pair of driving ponies and their harness and carriage from a local dealer. They were a pair of coloured Shetland cross ponies (Polly and Francis – who are fast approaching 30 yrs old & still enjoying their retirement).”

She joined the BDS and started having a great time driving around the countryside on BDS picnic drives with lots of cake, gin and fabulous friends.

Then one of these friends encouraged her to go to a little ‘indoor/outdoor’ event and that got her hooked on driving trials and the rest is history ! Catherine says:

“I am not fortunate enough to have a ‘regular’ groom. I am one of the clan of folk who has to advertise for grooms for specific events each season, and I also rely on a great bunch of friends jumping on the back at events too”.

Last year, when she competed abroad, she advertised and had a wonderful Danish lady (Mia) who came and helped her at two events in Germany and the Netherlands. Catherine says:

“She was lovely, did a great job on the back of the carriage and was a great cook too ! I wouldn’t be able to compete without the combination of help from friends and help from paid grooms…it makes competing harder, but if you really want to do something, then you find a way somehow”.

Charlie Parker King is an up and coming young carriage driver himself, who works in the equine industry, breaking to drive for a living (as did his father, Sid King).

Charlie has great instinct with horses and ponies, both on and off the carriage, and is talented as both a groom and as a driver.

Charlie groomed for Catherine recently at Ashfields at the National Championships to be able to practice for le Pin, where he will support Catherine in all three phases of the competition.

“I drive FOR FUN…all the time…no matter what level the competition is…I make it FUN !” is the way Catherine approaches the sport.

At the forthcoming World Championships, Catherine drives her own Hillgarth Merlin-Golden-Prince, a 10yo Welsh gelding, who also goes by a variety of stable names: Merlin, Smerly, Wonder Camel (or WC for short!).

 Keep up to date with Catherine’s progress and follow Catherine Brockie on Facebook.

 Lucy Scott

Lucy grew up with ponies, going through the ranks with the Pony Club and originally started scurry driving aged 16 and progressed to driving trials in 2019 after a successful season of indoor events.

She finished that season as the HarnessStuff Reserve Intermediate Driver of the Year and the following year she progressed through Open Pony to Advanced Single Pony.

Lucy and Maestro were British Carriagedriving Advanced Single Pony National Champions in 2022 and 2023, and in 2024 Lucy was Open Single National Champion with one of her younger ponies.

Lucy has been competing internationally since 2022 at FEI 2* and 3* events in France and the Netherlands and represented Britain as part of the team in 2023.

Just to shake things up now again, Lucy sometimes drives her other Section C pony as a pair with her sister‘s pony and show jumps with her Section D.

Her sister, Philippa, is an Open Single Pony driver in her own right and backsteps in all three phases for Lucy.

Lucy is supported by the GB POD Training Group and Adveco Water Heaters.

Keep up to date with Lucy’s progress via Team Scott  on Facebook

 Rebecca March

Though Rebecca enjoyed driving Welsh ponies around the family farm for fun with friends, her early equestrian focus was on riding and competing with sport horses rather than driving competitively.

That changed in 2015, when circumstances shifted and the opportunity arose to drive a cob gelding, Elwood (aka Woodie), who is now 18 years old and owned in partnership with her mother.

What began as a chance moment quickly turned into a serious and passionate competitive journey. Together, Rebecca and Woodie progressed up the ranks, with their first appearance on the world stage at Haras du Pin in 2021, marking their debut at the FEI World Pony Driving Championships.

Now, returning to international competition, it’s a meaningful full-circle moment for the pair. Rebecca says:

I'm ineradicably lucky to have a fantastic support network behind me — without them, competing at this level simply wouldn’t be possible.

Rebecca is supported by her friend Rachel Caughey who will join her on the carriage for dressage while Jamie, her husband, will be joining her for the marathon and cones phases.

Rebecca also receives support from Science Supplement, Ideal Harness and Seacliff Stables.

Rebecca has amassed considerable international experience at the Pony World Championships in 2021 and 2023. She achieved a 9th place finish in 2024 at Kronenberg (NED) and this year she finished in 6th place at Bornem (BEL) and 1st place at her home international event at Chepstow.

Follow Rebecca’s progress on Facebook: Seacliff Carriage Driving

 Sara Howe

She is competing with Dolf aged 20, Zuidhoeve’s Henzel (aka Herbie) aged 12 and Windhoek’s Wynston (aka Deno) aged 18.

Sara is supported on the carriage in all three phases by her friend Emma Michelmore.

Sara has been driving for over 45 years and started with Peter Munt who did coaching, film and stunt work.

As a child she was a member of the Pony Club and in the different discipline area teams. She then took on work experience at Peter’s yard, got hooked on the sport and has never looked back.

Sara opened her own driving centre in 1987 to teach people carriage driving and is a BDS and RDA carriage driving assessor, a level 3 UKCC coach and has been the trainer for the Juniors and Paras for many years.

Previously, Emma worked for her and groomed when she was driving a pony four. Sara says:

Emma has joined me again at the Pony Championships because my usual backstepper is working!

 Sara brings a wealth of experience to the squad, having Represented GB at every World Pony Championship since its inception (except one in 2023 due to recovering from surgery).

She won a Team Bronze Medal in 2005 driving Single Pony, and an Individual Bronze Medal driving Single Pony in 2007. Driving her Pony Four in 2013, Sara won a Team Bronze Medal.

Sara has been National Champion with a single pony and her pony four on multiple occasions.

Facebook page: Ginger Howes

 Anna Grayston

Anna has been driving for many years and has been British Carriagedriving National Champion on nine occasions including 2025.

She has competed internationally for many years and, in 2025, won the World Pairs Championship (although this was with different ponies).

In addition to driving, Anna is also a carriage driving coach with a Masters in sports coaching.

Anna’s current ponies have been together since 2024 and are all Welsh Section C chestnut mares and this is their first FEI World Championship.

She drives Banroc Ranchetta (aka Roxi) aged 12, Joyton Sixpence (aka Gem) aged 8 and Annod Golden Lady (aka Ruby) also aged 8.

Anna will be supported in dressage with her groom Tilly Kelly on the carriage with her, while her niece Sophia Routledge will be on her carriage for the marathon and cones.

Keep up with Anna’s progress by following Anna Grayston Carriage Driving Competitor and Coach on her Facebook page: Anna Grayston Carriage Driving Competitor and Coach

 Support team

FEI World Pony Driving Championship

  FEI SCHEDULE (PDF) 

  NOMINATED ENTRIES (PDF) 

To keep up to date with the Squad on approach and throughout the Championships, make sure you are following the British Para Driving Squad Facebook page.