EQUESTRIANISM: County pair chase Olympia honours.

Byline: By KATE HEALEY

WARWICKSHIRE duo Barbara Gallimore and Lisa Owens are among the qualifiers for this week's Olympia International Horse Show.

The local duo are through to the final of the National Pony Society Bailey's Mountain and Moorland Ridden Championships, which take place on Monday, the show's final day.

The 35 competitors represent a memorable chance to see many of the finest examples of Britain's native breeds in a dazzling display, and Barbara will ride the Connemara pony Poppy.

The Balsall Common based showing producer is no stranger to the competition, having qualified several times in the past, but Poppy will be making her Olympia debut.

"She's a 138cms grey mare and is owned by Nigel Race, who lives in Co. Durham," explained Barbara. "She was with Wiltshire showing producer Lizzie Briant before coming to me and will be up against some top champions at Olympia, so we'll have to see how it goes.

"She can be a bit electric but was great at the qualifier at the National Pony Society Summer Show, where she won in the middle of a violent thunder storm!"

Barbara, who won the title back in 1991 with the Connemarapony Tiercel Mystical, will travel down to London early on Monday morning for the class.

Alcester based Lisa Owens will ride the Welsh Section D cob Tybandal Gwilym, a black pony with an eye-catching three white socks.

"It's some years since I've been to Olympia," said Lisa. "I competed on native ponies and then had a break while I had three children. Now I'm back riding for my father Russ Owens, who owns Tybandal Gwilym, and we've had a great year."

The pair was champions at the NPS Winter Championships at the start of the 2004 season and also took the top title at the Newbury Show, Bucks County and Royal Norfolk.

"We were fourth at the Royal International Show back in July and seventh at the Horse of the Year Show, this autumn," Lisa added. "I was last at Olympia 10 years ago when I won the Welsh Pony best of breed award with Mollegaard Spartacus and also rode our stallion Nelson, who found the atmosphere difficult and ended up kicking one of the Christmas trees!"

The entrants are chasing best of breed awards in 12 different categories, and those represented include the Highland pony Balmoral Curlew, owned and bred by The Queen.