Showing Equifest, Stoneleigh and Wales & West
A lead-rein victor proves unstoppable to take four titles, love is in the air for a riding horse on a winning streak and a Suffolk Punch mare shines
AS the curtain drew on the final supreme of the night at the 10th anniversary of Equifest, two young girls were celebrating taking the top honours from thousands of entries.
Daisy May Allen, eight, started off the show by taking the supreme novice honours on the opening night with the five-yearold lead-rein pony of show hunter type Toya Mission Accomplished (Pumpkin).
Led by Daisy’s father Gavin, the striking chestnut remained foot perfect throughout and went on to take the reserve homeproduced supreme, the nonnative supreme and the overall champion of champions supreme under judge Pearl Underwood on the final night.
“My champion was outstanding; a true scaled-down hunter pony with a proper leg in each corner who has a great future ahead of him” said Pearl, who was impressed by how well the young riders coped in the electric atmosphere in the arena.
“This has just been an incredible show for us, we cannot believe it,” said Daisy’s mother Josie. “We purchased Pumpkin last September and have only really done a handful of shows with him, including qualifying for the Royal International (RIHS) earlier in the year.”
Pearl selected another lead-rein as her overall reserve supreme, this pony coming from the supreme mountain and moorland (M&M) championship.
Four-year-old Jessica Summers charmed the crowd with her enthusiastic salute and showed tremendous determination in her rising trot on her Welsh section A gelding Malby Mahyong (Reggie), owned by her mother Helen and led by her elder sister Morgan. The pair had earlier stood top of the M&M lead-rein championship, before Lily-Anna Excell-Outram partnered him to head the M&M first ridden championship.
“This was a lovely sweet pony who was doing a great job of introducing his little jockey into the show ring,” assessed Pearl.
The seven-year-old by Heniarth Mr Milligan is Swedish bred and was imported by previous owner Kirstie Lucas as
a three-year-old stallion. Reggie is already Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) bound in the M&M working hunter pony section with producer Sarah Parker, so he has had limited lead-rein outings this season due to concentrating on jumping.
“Jessica and Reggie have just clicked and this is their first big lead-rein event so we are shocked and proud. He is an amazing pony who does it all,” said Helen.
Reserve supreme M&M and junior ridden M&M champion was Jessica Elliot and the Highland gelding Shanohan Finnley. The nine-year-old by Jonsondene is owned and bred by Angela Carter and finished second at RIHS in the Ponies (UK) young riders large breeds class, ridden by Abbie Hamper. Produced by Julie Barton, this was only Jessica’s third ride on him.
“He can really gallop. I loved going down the centre line with him in the evening performances,” said Jessica.
BE MY VALENTINE
HEATHER ROTHWELL’s five-year-old large riding horse Happy Valentines amassed countless admirers and positively sparkled under the spotlights.
The handsome black gelding, who was found by Astrid Bolton and gifted to Heather by her partner Ian Cure as a Valentine’s Day present, won all his classes and the championship. The duo went on to lift the supreme four-, fiveand six-year-old championship and the supreme amateur championship, as well as standing overall first reserve supreme.
An emotional Heather, who only brought Valentine to the show for experience, said: “I have run out of words to describe him. He’s unreal; an absolute poppet at home who hacks out with my two boys on their ponies.”
Pat Dorman, who judged the four-, five- and six-year-old supreme, was delighted with her champion: “The supreme wowed me. It was elegant, beautifully presented and ridden, and a real future star.”
Another with a bright future is the supreme youngstock and overall in-hand supreme, the three-year-old riding pony Brindlebrook Serendipity. Owned and bred by Rhona Timson, who admitted the filly was a “happy accident”, the delightful bright bay by Brindlebrook Future Illusion out of Brindlebrook Symphony was contesting only her second show.
Rhona’s daughter Natasha had been showing her during the week, but a knee injury meant producer Mark Reeves was drafted in to take over for the evening performance.
“She has won all week and has taken it all in her stride. I am so excited for her future and would love her to be a future broodmare at our stud after a ridden career,” said Rhona.
Another three-year-old, the Welsh section A Cosford Wishful Thoughts, owned and shown by breeder Paul Brightwell, stood supreme Welsh in-hand champion.
The striking palomino, who is destined to have a career under saddle, is by Thistledown Vierra and out of Cosford Wishing Well.
At the other end of the scale, the supreme rare breeds/ponies of Britain championship went to Sophie Robins and her eightyear-old Connemara stallion, Doonreaghan Marty. The Royal Windsor champion was bred in Ireland and enjoyed a successful in-hand career over there, standing junior champion at Clifden as a three-year-old.
Sophie purchased him just before Christmas and he arrived in the UK in January. Marty started his ridden career with Julie Barton and has most recently enjoyed success with Aimee Devane, winning their open ridden section here.
Marty was not the only Connemara securing a coveted sash. Staunch Equifest supporter Katie Goulding emerged victorious in the supreme restricted championship with her own White Diamond.
The seven-year-old gelding was purchased by Katie as a threeyear-old and has enjoyed two successful novice seasons.
“He aims to please and he behaved like a true professional in the buzzy evening atmosphere,” said Katie.
Cheryl Fox’s novice Connemara Corrig Prince, an H&H One To Watch in May, went through the card to stand ridden M&M champion. The five-year-old grey by Corrib Prince was purchased last year and is produced by Zoe Moore-Williams, although her sister Lauren took the ride here.
“He exceeded all of our expectations,” said Zoe.
Connemara ponies also proved their worth in the working hunter pony and eventing classes. Liv Aulton took the M&M working hunter pony (WHP) championship aboard her own 11-year-old Connemara, Ballylean Caster (Enzo).
Purchased as an unbroken four-year-old, Liv has brought him on herself and although previously qualified for HOYS and RIHS in the WHP, the pair have turned their attention to British Eventing this season, achieving double clears every time out at BE100 level. They also added the certified working hunter pony championship to their tally here.
“Enzo is an exceptionally special and versatile pony and I have learnt more than I could imagine producing him over the last seven years. He was on fire this week,” said Liv, who hotfooted it to Stoneleigh to contest their only HOYS M&M WHP qualifier this year, finishing third and just missing out on the ticket.
The plaited working hunter pony championship went to the dun Connemara gelding Turloughrevagh Boy (Rolo) and Sophie Moss, 14, who also topped the M&M event pony and plaited event pony sections. Owned by her mother Lynda King, Rolo was purchased last October and the pair have struck up a great partnership, qualifying for the RIHS and representing their Pony Club, Old Surrey and Berstow, in competitions.
A RARE DIAMOND
THE ridden heavy horse classes saw strong entries, which is encouraging for this newly emerging class. Nine-yearold Suffolk Punch mare Eyke Diamond secured the British Ridden Heavy Horse Society championship for owner
Bill Ireland.
“My father used to have two Suffolk horses on the farm when I was younger and I always said if I got the chance, I would own a few myself,” said Bill.
Beautifully produced and ridden by Richard Telford, Eyke Diamond finished second at HOYS last season and pushed the Percheron Hales Hector into the reserve spot.
Owned by David Curtis and ridden by the Household Cavalry’s Corporal of Horse Jamie Bradbury, the pair are also HOYS bound for the first time.
Ride judge Kimmy Nicoll said: “My winner was one of the most memorable rides to date. She was obedient, light in the mouth and covered the ground effortlessly. My reserve surprised me the most for being such a big horse, but he was a perfect gentleman, extremely powerful and again covered the ground.”
Kimmy’s sister Zoe enjoyed success of her own with their 13-year-old mare Fyrefly. The pair stood reserve intermediate champions and reserve supreme restricted champions, before going on to land the supreme leading rider title.
Fly has been with the family since she was seven and is a previous HOYS intermediate champion, but will now enjoy a quieter life as a broodmare.
The supreme home-produced championship went to Cornwallbased teacher Lucy Thirlby on the exquisite seven-year-old large hack, Stage Knight.