Broadcaster and former competitive horse-rider Clare Balding revived memories of the start of her sporting career when she visited Shropshire.

Clare was in Telford yesterday to launch a range of Olympic merchandise, but she spent Monday night at Weston Park. “That brought back memories,” said Clare.

“I used to compete at Weston in the area championships when I was a teenager. I rode for the Craven Pony Club, based in Newbury, Berkshire.

“I remember getting a third and a fourth at Weston.

“Show jumping and eventing were always my first loves, and they still are.

“Sadly, I don’t get time to keep a horse and go riding regularly now because of my work commitments.”

Those commitments – she has just returned from covering the European Swimming Championships in Budapest for the BBC – show just how far the 39-year-old has come since those Weston Park days.

Champion

Clare, who was born in Hampshire, was leading amateur flat jockey in 1989 and 1990 and Champion Lady Rider in 1990.

She trained with BBC national radio and made her TV debut as a presenter during Royal Ascot in 1995. She became a BBC horse racing presenter at the end of 1997.

Clare has reported from four Olympic Games, has presented two Paralympic Games, the Winter Olympics from Turin and the Commonwealth Games from Melbourne.

She is also the face of the BBC’s rugby league coverage, having presented Grandstand from a Challenge Cup semi final.

She also presents the Lord Mayor’s Show as well as other live events for the BBC such as Trooping the Colour and New Year’s Eve.

In March 2010 she presented Channel Four’s coverage of Crufts.

She also presents the walking programme Ramblings for BBC Radio 4 where she also stands-in on the Saturday Live programme and Wimbledon for 5 Live

She is no stranger to Shropshire, having visited the county frequently over the years to pursue her love of rambling.

She said: “I’m in the middle of recording a new series of Ramblings for Radio 4 and I have done quite a lot of rambling in Shropshire, round places like Cleobury Mortimer and Aston on Clun.

“I have done walks around Shrewsbury and in the programme Britain by Bike we cycled from Shropshire to Wales.”

By Simon Hardy