Sarah Cumberland, a Belton-based showjumper, who defied the odds to represent Great Britain in both Para and able-bodied equestrian events, launched the Avalon Mill Equestrian Centre in 2022 after securing loan funding from NEN member Finance For Enterprise, alternative lending provider.
Sarah Cumberland, a Belton-based showjumper, who defied the odds to represent Great Britain in both Para and able-bodied equestrian events, launched the Avalon Mill Equestrian Centre in 2022 after securing loan funding from NEN member Finance For Enterprise, alternative lending provider.
Since securing the funds, Sarah has invested over 400 tonnes of stone and 330 tonnes of sand to transform five acres of unused land into an all-weather surface for her dream riding school which she uses to help teach and inspire others 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 rework unused farmland. 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 to begin 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, finishing strongly. A year later Sarah and Avalon followed up their success in Bon Heiden, Belgium, where she went one step better to secure first place.
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.
“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!”
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…At Finance For Enterprise, we always consider every lending application on its individual merits, and Sarah presented a very well thought out business plan, one that I was only too happy to support.”
Finance For Enterprise helps businesses across South Yorkshire, the North Midlands, Lincolnshire and most recently Hull and The Humber to achieve their growth ambitions. With offices in Grimsby and Doncaster, Finance For Enterprise provides a range of tailored business loans up to £250,000, aimed at helping small and medium-sized businesses overcome barriers to growth by delivering a range of tailored lending solutions. The not-for-profit organisation acts as a delivery partner for the government-backed Recovery Loan Scheme, Start Up Loans UK, and also acts as a fund manager for the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.
