The online equestrian businesses Top of the Clops has reached the final of the Federation of Small Businesses awards. The online tack store has been shortlisted for the self employed / freelancer of the year award. The business is one of five to make it through to the last leg.

Proprietor Katie Foulser told the Wellington Weekly News that: "It's an online equestrian tac shop that I set up in January 2016. It's a small business primarily run by myself but my supportive wife helps me. We do brushes, supplements, horse rugs - a wide range of different products."

She added: "What we try and do is provide a personal service and offer really good customer service. That's what has enabled us to keep going for all these years."

Katie works full time in mental health, but said that she'd long been passionate about everything equestrian. She said: "I do it for the love of it. As a teenager I always wanted to be doing tack, Iv'e always had horses and I have been riding since I was five."

The Wellington-based small business is proud of its 5 out 5 rating on Facebook from 84 reviews, and of its excellent Trustpilot score. Top of the Clops also commands a large social media following, including more than 11,000 Facebook followers and more than 2000 followers on Instagram.

Federation of Small Businesses South West Regional Chairman, Lee Nathan, said that the standard of entries was ‘exceptional’ and that he expected some fantastic winners to be unveiled at the regional final. 

This year the contest has received a record-breaking number of entries, with Somerset securing the second highest number of nominations in the region. 

The awards are set to conclude at a final in Weston-Super-Mare in early March.