CRICKLADE showjumper Jamie Fry looked down and saw that his foot was attached only by skin, tendons and ligaments.

A nasty accident three years ago when breaking in a young horse had ripped the foot from his leg. He was convinced he would lose it.

Just walking again seemed no certainty and adding to his exploits in the ring, which included competing 14 times for England, was a non starter.

Eight operations later Jamie is walking again, though he has yet to return to riding.

"I thought I would lose my foot but I was lucky enough to have Mr Umraz Khan at Southmead Hospital in Bristol as my surgeon," said Jamie.

Khan is a world renowned expert in limb reconstruction who took his expertise to help deal with the aftermath of the North Pakistan earthquake in 2005.

"I think he also has experience dealing with landmine injuries," added Fry.

"He put me back together again, even if it took eight operations of bone and skin grafts."

At the time of his accident Fry had the best string of horses he had ever put together, but all that has taken a back seat while he has focused his attentions on the burgeoning show jumping careers of his two boys Toby, 12. and Ollie, 11.

The hard work paid off when Toby became a national champion last year, while 2017 looks to be the year for Ollie. Not only did he win through winter qualification for the Longines Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead next month, he has also qualified his pony Colliyers Pal Joey for the Horse of the Year Show at the NEC in Birmingham this October.

Jamie, who coaches both the boys at his farm in Cricklade, bought Ollie's pony at the end of 2016 and they only began competing in January.

"I had been tracking the pony for months before I bought it for Ollie and they have gone from strength to strength together," said Jamie.

"Ollie qualified for Hickstead at Keysoe in Bedfordshire jumping one of only two triple clear rounds on the day and finishing third.

"He then went to the next qualifying round at Arena UK in Nottinghamshire and qualified all over again by winning it.

"His place at the Horse of the Year show was secured at the first qualifying round at Western Lawns in Birmingham.

"Only three were to qualify from 32 entries. Ollie was last to go and there were two other clear rounds so I made sure he kept his cool and went for a safe clear. He had to ride tactically on that occasion rather than go for the win."

On the strength of those good results Ollie was invited as one of the top 12.2hh show jumpers in the country to the Bolesworth Castle International Show at the weekend where he finished an honourable fifth.

"He is on the short list for England selection at the end of the year if his form continues," said Fry, who was quick to acknowledge the support of Ollie's head teacher at Ashton Keynes C of E Primary School.

"Mrs Saville has been very good about letting him have time off school for his competitions. He does keep up his reading – but it tends to be the Horse & Hound or Farmers Weekly.

"And Toby will soon be back competing at a high level, too.

"He outgrew the pony (now sold on) on which he was national champion at 13.2hh last year. But we have recently bought him a replacement."