Story and photographs by Emma Cheape

Following in her mother, Anne and late father, Tommy’s foot-steps, Blyth Brewster was basically born into the saddle.

Producing and competing her horses to Grand Prix level in show jumping plus coaching part time, and managing the family farm, makes for a busy schedule.

“I started riding when I was tiny,” said Blyth. “I went hunting with Lanark and Renfrew on a Shetland pony at the age of three, being led by Willie Sherratt, before I started show jumping. You could have given me a donkey and I’d have been happy.” After a few years of success on jumping ponies, including qualifications for the Royal Highland, Blyth got the opportunity to produce six-year-old Benefactor. “He was the first young horse I had and I caught the bug of wanting to produce young horses after that,” said Blyth.

With the help of her father, Blyth bought and broke a couple of three-year-olds – one of which was Theo, or Carthino G as he was more properly known, which has now been sold to America.

“As a kid, I had always dreamt of jumping in the main ring at the Highland and in 2015 I managed to qualify Theo for the Young Masters final where that dream came true.

"He also won Stewarts Building Services Working Hunter, at Blair Atholl Horse Trials and placed in several HOYS working hunter classes,” explained Blyth.

The seven horses in Blyth’s yard now are five-year-old Daley (Hio Imp Dale), seven-year-old Gibsy, four-year-old Jumbo A La Muis and three-year-old King Louie, along with two Clydesdales, Broom Jemma with a foal at foot and Broom Joy.

“Daley’s plan is to get experience this year doing some eventing, working hunter and show jumping so she can gain experience in different spheres with the hope of qualifying for the Scottish Eventing Championships, at Blair Atholl.

“I am hoping to qualify Gibsy for the Highland Show and will be taking him to Bolesworth International for the national foxhunter classes as a pre-Highland show run. He has qualified for the working hunter final at Hickstead this year and will also hopefully qualify for the grand prix at Blair Castle, depending on how he jumps in the summer,” said Blyth.

“I left school and went down the BHS coaching pathway, rather than university. However, I would now like to do something through the Open University, so that I have a degree.

"I am a BHSII stage four senior coach and a UKCC qualified coach, and I also do Pony Club coaching and have regular clients. It's a great boost for me to see my pupils improve and I love facilitating confidence and improvement.”

Having been on the Horse Scotland Development Squad for the last year with training on the flat, over jumps, physio and fitness sessions, Blyth pointed out: “It’s been really helpful in progressing my career and it’s also helped me keep on track with the support they give and help with goal setting. I’m grateful for the help and support in competing my young horses.”

Broom Farm which has been in the Brewster family since the 1940s, now runs 18 Aberdeen-Angus cross bullocks as well as 120 Scotch Half-bred ewes over 240 acres.

Blyth added: “I am quite lucky to fit it all in, though I don’t have as many horses as I used to, so it makes managing the farm much easier and I only have the livestock to worry about as all the tractor work is now contracted out.

“I really enjoy producing young horses, I like breaking and bringing them on. I learnt it all from my dad and I feel it’s been passed through the generations. He taught me it all,” concluded Blyth.