Fernell Show Jumps was dreamt up by two different young women, both have a love for horses, ponies and their multiple dogs. This friendship started as next door neighbour’s, then went onto coach and client before fate cruelly tied them together……  

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Sammi Hancox – From a young age Sammi has been competing to a high standard with her own produced horses and sometimes competing for other owners. Her love of the equestrian world and horses saw Sammi qualify as a freelance BHS accredited Coach (UKCC Level 2) and BSc (Honours) Equine Sports Coaching.

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Her love for teaching is shown with her dedication to her clients and the horses/ponies they ride. A high percentage of which without her confidence building speciality wouldn’t be as successful and as brave as they are.

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Sammi has over come her fair share of trials and tribulations, one being a broken back from a riding accident, on her beloved horse Koosh. Who she still has to this date and has been very successful on competing him at HOYS. This shows Sammi’s ability and determination to a horse that a lot would have classed as dangerous.   

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Sammi has always been in her heart a jumper, be it show jumping, working hunter, cross country and eventing. She had (and rightly) very high hopes for a lovely young mare called Nelly, show name Rainbows Little Diamond. Nelly was slowly produced by Sammi herself and was a fabulous mare, not just in the show ring but on the ground as well.

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On the 24th May 2017 the worse thing imaginable happened and Nelly unfortunately was just to good for this world and was found in the field by Sammi. This left Sammi heart broken, down and feeling like the world had ended. Until she came up with an idea to turn an old timber pallet into a jump filler with the help of Nicole Highfield.

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Nicole Highfield – Like Sammi she has a love for horses and animals, nicked named by a few as Dr Dolittle Nicole was always bringing waifs and stray home. One of which was to become her best friend, after daring her older sister to request a puppy in a Christmas card that was sent to a dog rescue centre, at the age of 12 years old. This dare came true and Fern a rescue puppy came into Nicole’s life.

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Riding at riding schools from a young age and helping out with yard duties for rides where she could, Nicole has always been interested in horses. This enthusiasm ended up with her working for a saddlery as office and yard manager, with the horses being advanced dressage horses. Wherever Nicole was so was her dog Fern.

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Until meeting Sammi, Nicole was defiantly a dressage and showing diva, unfortunately her pony King, show name Barnashrone King was not.

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With the help and friendship of Sammi the pair become braver and bolder, with Nicole competing at unaffiliated dressage, show jumping, working hunter and hunter trails.

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Nicole is a qualified Civil Engineer with a Distinction Star in ONC Civil Engineering and a Distinction in HNC Civil Engineering.

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Two months after the tragic loss of Nelly, Fern passed away 22nd July 2017 at the grand old age of 18 years old. The two young women were now thrown together in grief, and out of this terrible time came Fernell Show Jumps in January 2018, with the name being an amalgamation of Fern and Nelly. For their memory and love they showed.