Background:
With extensive experience in both the equestrian and business sectors, Lucy has also been sponsored to compete successfully in Three-Day-Eventing, Dressage and Show Jumping, whilst under the privileged tutelage of Captain Mark Phillips. Married for the past thirty years to Tony, who oversees all the IT at Lavant House Stables, their son Charlie is a full-time member of our team, plus their daughter, Amelia, successfully competes on horses owned by the business - so Lavant House Stables is also very much a family affair!

Background:
Nicola has worked in long-term managerial positions within the equestrian industry for the majority of her career, gaining invaluable experience and insight into colleges, riding schools and studs. Nicola also has extensive experience in all three of the main equestrian disciplines: eventing, dressage and show jumping, with her focus now being on supporting Lucy Thomson to enhance and replicate Lavant House Stables into a business of national renown.

Background:
Kerry learnt to ride as a child on her own ponies enjoying showing, hunting and Pony Club. On completing her education, Kerry commenced her equestrian career as a working pupil at an influential riding school, renowned at the time for producing extremely effectuve staff and instructors for the equestrian industry, where Kerry progressed to become a senior member of staff and instructor before joining us in 2006. During her free time, Kerry assists with showing and breeding Welsh Section A ponies at her parents' Hampshire-based stud.

Background:
Jade started riding at seven years of age and has helped out at a variety of local riding schools as well as loaning several horses before getting her own at the age of fifteen. On completing her A Levels Jade moved on to college to train towards her original choice of career as a Veterinary Nurse. However, her love of horses soon pulled her back into the equestrian sector and her previous experience in riding schools stood Jade in good stead to join our team. Jade is also interested in dancing, but we haven't yet asked for a demonstration of this particular skill - although I am sure we will!

Background:
Lauren first learnt to ride at the age of thirteen on a pony belonging to a friend and through helping out at her local riding school, gaining knowledge in a range of stable management skills as well as how to ride. Lauren's overall aim is to become a riding instructor so she can help others to realise how great horse riding really is, whilst simultaneously improving her own equestrian skills to fulfil her lifelong ambition of competing.

Background:
Sam was ten years old when she first learnt to ride at her local riding stables. On leaving school Sam became a student at Sparsholt College pursuing equestrian qualifications and eventually joined the college as an employee before joining our team in 2007. Sam's aim are to attain her equestrian teaching qualifications and is also an active person who enjoys tennis, swimming and the gym - if we don't manage to exhaust her first of course! Sam is absent on Maternity Leave during 2009.

Background:
Alison started riding at eight years of age and once eleven helped out at her local riding school for the following five years. At college Alison studied Travel and Tourism whilst working for us as a Weekend Assistant until joining us full-time in 2007. Her personal goals are to achieve all of the British Horse Society qualifications to become a Riding Instructor and ultimately fulfil her dream of becoming a professional Dressage Rider.

Background:
Heather started riding at the age of five on her first pony and competed at local shows. She then moved into the Pony Club which encouraged her to take up competing in show jumping and cross country competitions, whilst giving Heather the opportunity to take her Pony Club Tests and riding and Road Safety examination. Heather's aim is to complete her British Horse Society qualifications at Lavant House Stables with the aim of becoming a qualified Riding Instructor in future.

Background:
As Lucy's son, Charlie grew up around horses learning to ride on his wonderful pony called Rainbow. As Charlie's first love has always been farming, he attended Hartpury College to achieve the necessary qualifications to help us with our important pasture maintenance as well as any other task that requires Charlie's skills - of which there are many! Charlie thoroughly enjoys his role - being able to combine his love of animals with his passion for the land.

Background:
James has started riding at nine years of age and enjoys all classes of competition. James is aiming at becoming a large animal Vet and eventually having his own horse. James is currently completing his GCSE at Ditcham Park School.

Background:
Details coming soon

Background:
Alice started riding at three years of age - joining us as a weekly pupil once seven, which means Alice has been with us for a long time now! Alice thoroughly enjoys working around the horses and aims to eventually have her own quality Show Jumping horse, and ideally to become a professional Show Jumping rider. Currently Alice attends Chichester High School for Girls and is studying A-Levels before hopefully moving on to University.

Background:
Holly first started riding at Lavant House Stables at the age of six and remained with us for the next nine years, riding every week and regularly taking part in our day activities during the school holidays. Holly says she has gained a lot of knowledge attending these specially arranged days, which have helped her enormously with riding, competing and caring for own horse which she is now lucky enough to have.

Background:
Sam started riding at the age of three and joined lessons at Lavant when he was five and has ridden with us ever since. He is currently at Bishop Luffa School in Chichester in the final year of his GCSE exams.

Background:

At the age of ten Laura started riding at her local riding school and within a year was then also helping out on a regular basis for the next four years, before coming to Lavant House Stables in 2009. Laura is a keen Pony Club member and competitor which is fitted in during her free time when not attending Southdowns College to study Animal Care or helping out at Lavant House Stables as one of our valuable Weekend Assistants.

Background:

To Follow

Background:

Two Stroke is very much the VIP within our team - he must think so too because he is far more likely to be found mixing with people rather than equines. Nowhere at Lavant House Stables is out of bounds to this highly intelligent and amenable donkey, which does prove somewhat alarming to the uninitiated homo sapiens, particularly as this includes all human habitation. So named in Ireland because he can do whatever a two stroke engine can do, his status has quite rightly been seriously elevated at Lavant House Stables because he really is extraordinary - if you haven't yet met Two Stroke, you are quite definitely in for a treat!

Background:

Diesel arrived in the autumn of 2008 from Wales because Lucy had had enough of Two Stroke living in her tiny cubby-hole of an office with her and became convinced that what Two Stroke needed was a friend. However Two Stroke quite definitely had other ideas and spent the first few weeks of Diesel's arrival undergoing a complete personality change by terrorising this very gentle and kind ex Beach Donkey. Diesel was not to be dissuaded, decided he had landed in seventh heaven and faithfully followed Two Stroke around until the latter grudgingly had to accept him. Now we have double-trouble and even worse is Lucy has ended up with two donkeys in her tiny cubby-hole of an office instead of just one!