A Belton-based showjumper, who defied the odds to represent Great Britain in both Para and able-bodied equestrian events, is hoping to share her passion for horses with others after successfully transforming five acres of unused wasteland into her dream riding school.
Sarah Cumberland launched the Avalon Mill Equestrian Centre in 2022 after securing loan funding from alternative lending provider Finance For Enterprise. Since securing the funds, Sarah has invested in over 400 tonnes of stone and 330 tonnes of sand to transform unused land into an all-weather surface, which she uses to help teach others how to ride.
Sarah began exploring the idea of launching her own riding school when her promising showjumping career was thrown into jeopardy after she experienced a life-changing accident, which left her with a broken back, fractured pelvis and a dislocated shoulder. As a result of the accident, she had one of her fingers amputated, and to make matters worse, during her recovery, Sarah was diagnosed with cancer.
Facing the very realistic prospect of never being able to ride competitively again, Sarah used her recuperation to explore ways of passing on her knowledge and experience to others. She began working towards completing her coaching qualifications, and then she spotted an opportunity to give a new lease of life to some unused farmland, which had fallen into a state of disrepair. With terms agreed with the landowner, Sarah approached Finance For Enterprise to help her secure the vital funds needed to put her plans into practice.
Working with experienced business lending manager Jane Cusse, Sarah was able to access the financial support her business needed, and as she started taking the steps towards her recovery, she began laying the foundations for her fledgling business.
Today, Sarah regularly finds herself back in the saddle, and after successfully entering three shows and securing three wins, she decided to name her new horse-riding school in honour of her horse, Avalon Mill.
Together, both Sarah and Avalon Mill have gone from strength to strength. The duo finished top of the table in last summer’s British national para showjumping league and have also represented Great Britain and British Showjumping on a number of occasions. On her return to competitive showjumping, Sarah was invited to compete against able-bodied riders in Munich, going on to finish in place overall. A year later Sarah and Avalon followed up their success in Bon Heiden, Belgium, where she went one step better to secure first place.
Although para showjumping is not currently an internationally recognised Paralympic event, Sarah still dreams of representing her country at the Olympic Games and is currently considering whether to compete in dressage events.
Since successfully launching her riding school, Sarah has continued to diversify her business. Today, she actively supports rescue horses and ponies, helping them to recover before being found foster homes, and she is hoping to expand her horse-riding school by launching Isle Ride to Recover, a dedicated charity aimed at helping children with hidden and visible disabilities to experience horse riding in a safe environment.
Sarah Cumberland, founder, Avalon Mill Equestrian Centre, said: “I’ve been horse riding for nearly as long as I could walk, but despite the injuries I experienced, it never crossed my mind to give up, and I could never have imagined a future where horses didn’t play a part in my life.
“The accident made me more determined than ever to be able to compete again, and although I was initially told it could take over a year before I could even think about horse riding again, I was back in the saddle within just eight months. During that time, I began thinking about my career to date and how I could use the knowledge I’ve built up during my lifetime to help inspire others. I would regularly ride past the land I’d identified and felt it would make a great place for a riding school, so I decided to approach the landowner.
“To my surprise, she listened to me and eventually agreed to let me use the land. I realised that to achieve what I wanted, I would need to raise additional funds, and when she allowed me to buy the land from her, I decided to approach Finance For Enterprise to help fund the improvements I wanted to make.
“As the business was a fairly new concept, I wasn’t sure whether I would be eligible to access a business loan, but my lending manager Jane listened to what I had to say. She helped to guide me through the application process, and when she called me to tell me my application had been successful, it felt like I’d won the tournament of my life!
“I decided to name my business after my horse, Avalon Mill. She’s a once in a lifetime horse, and I wanted to call the business after her to recognise everything that she’s made possible in my showjumping career. She must be something of a lucky charm for me, as I’ve not only continued to enjoy success in the events I’ve entered, but the business has also gone from strength-to-strength, and I’m hoping to launch a charitable arm to the business in the near future.”
Jane Cusse, business lending manager, Finance For Enterprise, said: “It was clear from our very first meeting that Sarah is an incredibly driven and motivated individual who won’t let anything hold her back. Sarah was very clear from the outset what she wanted to achieve, and since launching the Avalon Mill Equestrian Centre, the unloved and largely forgotten about land has been transformed beyond all recognition.”
