AN ex-firefighter who had to swim and rescue his ponies from flooded stables has won an award at the Great Yorkshire Show.
Tony Baker, of Church View, Darfield, went into his Cliff Road Stables which were at one point 8ft under water to rescue his Welsh ponies and cobs. He said one pregnant pony had only her head and neck above the water in the pitch dark.
But last week the couple's horse Martleaves Class Act was highly commended at the Show and came 8th out of 30 despite still being traumatised by the flooding.
Tony said: “We weren’t going to bother going to the show. Our home and our stables have been totally wiped out and I have no idea how we are going to get the money to rebuild.
