ELLENBROOK equestrian star Lesley Frost and her magnificent horse, Studley, have returned home after a phenomenal performance at this year’s Royal Show.

The Royal Show, one of the year’s major agricultural and equestrian showcases, attracted top competitors from across the region, including Ms Frost and Studley, who competed under the show name Regal Ambition.

The pair primarily competed in the horse harness competition, which involves horses pulling wheeled carriages through the arena.

Against top state competitors, the pair secured an impressive total of six ribbons across their various entries.

Their tally included two first-place ribbons in the novice harness horse class and the combined driving event.

They also earned three second-place ribbons across the harness horse championship, the pleasure horse class, and the concours d’elegance.

In the concours d’elegance, where the judges focus on the overall turnout and style of the horse and driver, Ms Frost and Studley managed to win out against eight other competitors.

“Oh I was chuffed to bits,” Ms Frost said of the impressive ribbon tally.

“Because to me, just competing is a win, and the fact that we came away with ribbons was an added bonus.

“The fact that I was there competing was a win in my book, the ribbons were the cherry on top.”

The results are especially noteworthy for Ms Frost considering Studley is a rescue horse, a retired standardbred racehorse that Ms Frost obtained from a rescue program.

“Racehorses normally retire at ten… and if they aren’t rescued unfortunately they normally get (put down)… so I was lucky to get him.”

Ms Frost who has a disability, began carriage driving after giving up riding due to spinal problems resulting in right leg paralysis.

Driving with a harness requires control using only her hands and voice, increasing the technical difficulty compared to standard riding. She credits a lot of her win to Studley himself.

“He knows exactly what I want him to do,” she said.

“I could be out driving him and drop the reins and he would just walk right back to the stables,” she said about Studleys reliable temperament.

The commitment required for competition is especially challenging for Ms Frost, who tackles her own health issues including epilepsy and mobility challenges. She is especially grateful for the volunteers who help her with competing, including helping her harness the horse and other tasks.

Ms Frost has said she is currently seeking NDIS funding to purchase a custom, wheelchair-friendly cart from Poland to improve accessibility for a sport she loves to compete in.

Despite the physical toll of her conditions, Ms Frost emphasized that the sport provides significant mental health benefits. She noted that she competes even when experiencing pain.

“Competing does wonders for my mental health, you wouldn’t believe it,” she said.

“Some days the pain is so bad I’m in absolute agony, but the benefits outweigh the detriments.

“There’s nothing else in the world better than riding horses.

“I’m still on a high from it a few days later”.

The mental health boost is a key driver for her continued participation in the challenging sport.