Competitors heading to the Royal Bath & West Show once again have the opportunity to qualify for the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), with classes taking place across all three days.

There will be a total of 32 HOYS qualifying classes, including the double harness scurry, Mountain & Moorland and Show Hunter.

For Royal Bath & West Show regular Robyn Butler, this year's show is about more than competition, it's about family tradition, partnership, and a much-loved horse stepping into a new chapter.

Miss Butler will be returning to the showground with Carrabawn Francis, her 16.2hh Irish Draught gelding, known at home as "Chunky". Based just 30 minutes from the show, the pair have become familiar faces in the ring. Robyn has been competing at the Royal Bath & West Show since 2016, when she first took part in junior Mountain and Moorland classes on her earlier ponies, before taking on the ride of Chunky.

Chunky has been part of the Butler family since he was just five years old, initially owned by Robyn's sister before being passed down through the family. "My whole family has always been involved in showing at the Bath and West," Miss Butler explains. "My dad competed here and my aunt has judged here, so it's always been a big part of what we do."

Now 18, Chunky is competing as veteran, something Robyn admits still feels surreal. "I can't quite believe he's a veteran," she says. "He's still such a big baby at heart."

This year, the pair are setting their sights on qualifying for the prestigious HOYS, competing in veteran classes as well as side saddle. The side saddle element adds an extra layer of uniqueness to their partnership, with Robyn riding in borrowed tack sourced through connections made out hunting.

Robyn's journey in the showing world began at just five or six years old, progressing from local competitions to major fixtures like the Bath & West.

Outside of her competitive ambitions, Robyn says the show holds a special place in the calendar for its atmosphere as much as its prestige. "It's one of the bigger shows at the start of the season, and it's where you catch up with everyone after winter," she says. "The rings have a really nice feel, walking through the horseboxes, heading into the rings, and especially riding in the main ring when it opens up. It's a brilliant place to compete."

·       The Royal Bath & West Show will take place at The Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 6QN, from 28–30 May.

·       Buy tickets at https://www.bathandwest.com/tickets-3