Sonia Williams (Goshen, Ky.) drove her own Robin of Locksley, a 2004 Gypsy gelding, to a come-from-behind victory in the Preliminary Single Horse National Championship. The pair landed in third-place position after dressage and stayed there through the marathon phase. But a masterful double-clear cones round gave them a boost to the top of the podium at the end of competition.

Williams concedes that “Locksley” is a somewhat unorthodox sporthorse, but his willing nature and Williams’s dedication have helped him become a successful competitor despite his relatively late start in competitive combined driving.

“We didn’t even know if we would come to this show a month ago, but then we said, ‘Let’s go for it,’” said Williams. “Since he’s a Gypsy horse, we had to spend a lot more time on conditioning him at home, even putting him on an aqua-treadmill. I’m really proud of Locksley—my ‘sport cow,’ as we like to call him. He’s 18 years old and we only got serious about competing last year, but he’s been game every step of the way.”