Ron Godfrey looks at two examples of how the renowned horse sense of business people in York and Ryedale is being relied on

ONE of Britain's most promising young showjumpers, who lives near York, is searching for a local business sponsor while setting his sights on Athens in 2004

Jackson Reed-Stephenson, a former pupil of St Peter's School, in York, is still only 22, but has been flying over fences for 16 years. The six-foot Yorkshireman, who turned professional at 18, now accumulates an average of 50 medals, rosettes and other competition prizes per year.

His ever-lengthening list of wins includes the Riding Revolution Young Showjumper of the Year Championship, at Olympia, in London in 1998; a Team Bronze at the Young Rider European Championships, in 2000; and the Most Promising Young Rider of the Year award from the Showjumping Supporters' Club in, 2001.

Now he has his eyes on the biggest prize of all: a place on the British Showjumping team at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

"I've been riding almost since I could walk, and I've been lucky enough to win quite a few competitions," says Jackson. "As a professional showjumper, a place in the Olympics would be the pinnacle of my career to date."

During the past nine months Jackson, who lives in the picture-book village of Lower Dunsforth, near York, has worked as a rider for showjumping champion and Olympic veteran Michael Whitaker, ranked number one in the UK and tenth in the world. Although Jackson's UK ranking has yet to advance beyond 20, Mr Whitaker has great faith in his protg's potential. "He is Britain's most promising young rider," he explains and adds - business bosses please note - "With the right horses and the right backing he is sure to make it to the top."

The right horses and the right backing are both top of Jackson's agenda right now. A long-standing relationship with major sponsor Bailey's Horse Feeds is coming to an end because of a change in the company's commercial objectives. "Bailey's have been fantastic, but they have now decided to scale back their support, so we are in the process of looking for a company interested in taking over from them," says Jackson.

"We would particularly like to hear from companies who can see the potential of my bid for the Olympics and who may also be interested in my long-term potential".

Sponsors enjoy plenty of benefits - including the display of the company's logo on Jackson's livery, saddle clothes and horse boxes; his availability for promotional work; days out at major showjumping events and even the option to add a prefix to the name of the horses being ridden. "If you are interested in a potential Olympian, in a lot of fun and in real business benefits too, then we would be very happy to hear from you," he says.

Jackson alternates his rides among a string of ten horses, thanks to the support of owners Geraldine Ellis, who also works as his business manager; Peggy Tordoff, owner of his leading horse Bailey's Pion; and Rob Fawcett.

Purchase of a competition horse can be an excellent investment, as a skilled rider like Jackson can send a horse's value soaring after a prestigious competition win.

Jackson and his owners are constantly evaluating the Olympic potential of his mounts. He is keen to stress the importance of the right ride at championship level. "At the top levels of this sport, performance is 80 per cent horse," he admits.

When not away at competition, Jackson puts his horses through their paces at Westfield Farm in Lower Dunsforth, the home of his parents, Graham and Sandra, owners of the popular seafood restaurant chain Graveley's.

This competition and breeding yard is equipped with excellent grazing and stables, a horse walker, a large menage with an all-weather surface, and impressive indoor facilities, whose construction was generously donated by S & B Construction.

The ten horses in residence at Westfield Farm enjoy the attention of dedicated head groom Helen Adams, who has notched up 14 years in the role.

Jackson attributes his love of horses to Graham and Sandra and nowadays their shelves are heavy with his shiny silver trophies and dense with the rosettes and ribbons bagged at hundreds of events. These achievements have won Jackson the admiration of young showjumping fans around the country who now regularly queue for his autograph.

When he left St Peter's, Jackson graduated, then briefly considered a career as an apprentice stockbroker, but the lure of the saddle won out. "It's very exciting," he explains. "It's fantastic to be able to do a job you love."

The rising star of British showjumping struggles to find the words to describe his emotions - the wonder of flying over fences and around the complex courses which are now his home-from-home.

"It's just... exhilarating," he says.

SNEEZING fiery plumes in the peachy morning light, grey gelding Comte de Chambord trots on to the Langton Wold gallops and, volted with vanity, shakes his flowing mane before thundering into action.

Now there, says his owner and trainer Mark Campion, is a steed that means business in every possible way.

Mark and his wife, Fiona, have just bought the Edwardian Whitewall House Racing Stables, in Malton, in the hope that they will emulate its 18th century occupant John Scott, who still holds the record for grooming the most classic winners ever, including 16 St Legers at Doncaster.

And Mark, who has worked in racing yards and stud farms all over the world, wants the business community in North Yorkshire to have a stake in that striving for success.

That includes Comte de Chambord, who was placed in his first event, a National Hunt flat race, and any of the other racehorses he trains as National Hunt chasers and hurdlers, as well as flat race competitors.

"I want companies here to raise their profile by investing in my horses. That's how I'm setting out my stall - as a trainer who specialises in horses geared to company ownership," he says. Mark, 39, and Fiona decided to leave the small yard they leased just outside Basingstoke, in Hampshire, which they had outgrown and move to the much larger Whitewall House with its access to better facilities at Langton Wold.

It meant finding homes for 15 horses, but four original steeds moved with them, the best of these being Mumaris who so far has won three novice chases, two at Sedgefield and one at Newcastle.

Its owners are brothers David and Keith Faulkner, bosses of the £1.5 million turnover Faulkner West building contractors, of Basingstoke, who bought the animal for "staff interest".

Of course wins were never guaranteed, says Mark, but the £10,000 the brothers laid out for Mumaris has been comfortably won back. "And if he went to auction he would fetch between £35,000 and £45,000. Not bad, eh?"

Comte de Chambord is for the moment Mark's very own to sell, with a price tag of about £12,000. "Corporate colours would look very good on him and a change of name to chime in with his new company-owner wouldn't affect his good form one little bit," he says.

Updated: 09:57 Tuesday, January 28, 2003