thirsty work — Robert Walker at Great Yorkshire show
A Connemara captivates with a surprise first ticket, while a hunter champion wows with a gallop that’s pure class and one team posts seven wins from nine starts
A CONNEMARA mare sprang a major surprise when heading a strong line of 15 Cuddy supreme in-hand hopefuls, giving homeproducer Jessica Walsh and longtime breeders John and Dianna Staveley a first-ever Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) ticket.
It was also Jessica’s first attempt at a Cuddy qualifier but, under the eagle eye of former racehorse trainer Jack Berry, the Staveleys’ stunning grey Eastlands Rashibrae (Rashie) captivated from the outset, demonstrating all that is best in this versatile breed.
Indeed, Jack’s shortlist of seven was an all-native line-up, the plaited contenders not finding sufficient favour on this occasion.
“My winner had marvellous presence, brilliant depth and heart room, a nice kind head and a bright eye,” said Jack. “Above all, it was a fabulous mover and looks the type you would never be able to fall off.”
Jessica, whose previous best Great Yorkshire result was a class win eight years ago with her own pony Drumacre Morning Story, was clearly overcome.
“I knew Rashie was special but she’s my first major in-hand project and no way did I think this could happen,” she admitted. “When the result was announced, I kept telling myself over and over not to cry.”
West Yorkshire-based Jessica, who has three children under 10, also campaigns the nine-year-old Rashie under saddle, finishing third in the ridden HOYS qualifier here. Although the Staveleys have been breeding Connemaras at their Lockerbie stud for more than 30 years, showing them has not been a top priority.
“They’ve bred ponies which have gone on to qualify for HOYS under saddle with other people, but this will be their first-ever HOYS final as owners,” added Jessica.
In what Jack Berry admitted was a close decision, reserve went to Scott Gibbons’ charge, the Schofields’ 14-year-old Welsh D mare Horeb Undeg, whose terrific movement drew rousing cheers.
“I wish there was a prize for the best handler, as I would have given it to this young man,” added Jack. “He did an exceptional job of showing the pony.”
Robert Walker landed a seventh Great Yorkshire open hunter title when Jill Day’s elegant six-year-old lightweight, Viewpoint (Sean) — novice champion here last year — shrugged off the first day’s persistent rain to perform out of his skin, cheered on by an appreciative grandstand crowd.
“All the championship contenders upped their game but the champion’s gallop was in a class of its own,” said judge Tim Wiggett, who officiated alongside Sarah Smith. “He took full advantage of the length of the ring, and covered the ground like a Ferrari.”
For a beaming Robert — who went on to have a stellar show — it might just as well have been title number one on this hallowed turf.
“For any born Yorkshireman, winning here is always so very special,” he avowed. “The ring and the atmosphere are like nowhere else.
“Sean has bags of quality and presence. I love training him because he finds everything so easy — he’s such an athlete.”
Reserve went to another great galloper, Jayne Ross’ winning heavyweight ride for the Shades of Grey syndicate, Bloomfield Excelsior, who also lowered and stretched, clearly relishing the spacious arena.
FIRST NOVICE VICTORY
JAYNE turned the tables in novice hunter ranks, though, lifting the coveted Archie Thomlinson trophy after heading a good line of lightweights with Kay Campbell’s exciting five-year-old Irish-bred Temple Ogue. Reserve went to Robert Walker with the lightweight runner-up, Jill Day’s Windsor four-year-old victor Corniche Chill.
Amazingly, given her excellent
record in open ranks here, this was Jayne’s first novice victory.
“To win this cup is really special for me because I rode one of Archie’s horses to win the ladies’ here years ago,” said Jayne, who has shown the loose-moving Verdi son only lightly.
A second title came Jayne’s way
on day two, courtesy of another five-year-old. This was the elegant large riding horse victor, CSF Cummer Paradise (Audrey), owned by Carol Bardo and “The Daddies” — Michael Cook and Tony Reynolds. It was a poignant win, though, as sadly this lovely mare’s dam was lost to colic three
days earlier.
“The Daddies bought the dam specifically because she was infoal with a full sibling to Audrey, and she had a lovely colt, Teddy, two weeks ago,” said Jayne. “They are devastated but thankfully, Teddy is doing well and has fallen in love with a ram called Mr Woolly, who keeps him company.”
Robert, having taken his fifth small hunter title — this time with the Colosso family’s Chantilly Bojangles — returned to the top spot in cob ranks for an amazing ninth time. Having stood reserve last year, Paul Mortimer’s current superstar Randalstown Rolex proved unbeatable this time, heading a line of 17 lightweights from the off and then galloping away with the title.
The Walker tally was completed by son Sam, who stormed to his first Harrogate open victory and the show hunter pony (SHP) section reserve with the super-consistent 133cm victor Millwood Kaiser Chief, who has now triumphed here three times with three different jockeys.
This section tricolour went to another model of consistency, Emma Edwards-Brady’s lovely 122cm victor, Gryngallt Page Too (Billy), with Libby Grota.
This was the sixth open title of the current season — and the third in a week — for the ultratypey eight-year-old, who also won at North of England and Kent County. Earlier, he finished
second in the lead-rein class here with Emma’s son Harry but just moments later, galloped his socks off in the open championship.
“Billy is an absolute saint,” said Emma. “He’s a proper open pony with Libby, then once he’s on the lead-rein, he just drops down a gear for Harry.”
It had already been a hectic week for the team, though, as Libby’s mother, Hayley, was unable to get time off work, so Devon-based Emma drove Libby and her four-year-old Welsh section A Nantfforchogg Blue Moondust from producer Debbie Thomas’ yard in Carmarthenshire to make a winning Harrogate debut — and qualify for HOYS — in the ridden natives.
“My husband, Sean, then had to come from Devon via
NPS Area 25 in Monmouthshire, on to Debbie’s to swap ponies and then up here for today,” added Emma. “It will be about 1,000 miles before we’re done, I reckon, and we won’t get home until about 4.30am.”
“Busy” would also sum up the show for local owner Martin Wood’s team, who posted seven wins from nine starts.
The best of these came in hunter breeding ranks, where the Irish-bred yearling Rolex, beautifully shown by Simon Charlesworth, gave the Wood family a first Max Abram supreme title.
The tall Watermill Swatch bay was found in Ireland by producer Steve Pitt but remained with Dessie Gibson to contest Balmoral this spring, where he stood reserve. He made his English debut at the Sport Horse Breeding (SHB (GB)) hunter show, where he won his class.
“Martin hadn’t even seen this horse until today,” said Steve. “I think he will make a cracking middleweight.”
FIERCE COMPETITION
THE Wood run began on day one when Katie White deputised for the injured Michaela Wood to make a winning show ring debut on the three-time HOYS winner — and Royal International (RIHS) coloured supreme — Login Lucky Lad, having sat on the traditional stallion for the first time at the showground just the night before the show.
Most of the 160 entered animals were forward so competition was fierce from the off.
Katie also won with the
Woods’ plaited pony campaigner Palmira after a similarly brief acquaintance, but the top spot went to Peter Hodgkinson with Janet Hindley’s home-bred Samara Fly five-year-old,
Wards Place Picture Perfect, who will now make his — and his breeder’s — HOYS debut.
“When I picked him up for breaking as a three-year-old, I said he might be a really good coloured pony,” said Peter, for whom it was a first Harrogate win and title. “He then grew and grew, and now stands about 16.3hh.
“He’s Janet’s absolute favourite as he is such a character, and it was her 60th birthday two days ago so he’s given her the best present ever.”
Jack Cochrane made his first appearance in the ring with the Woods’ small riding horse, Runnon Watergate, to win a strong class and the family tally increased when the two-year-old gelding Sereno gave Martin a fifth in-hand coloured tricolour here.
This was Martin’s second winner in the section as Sunrise — another Semper offspring and also bred by Petra Heinz — headed the yearlings.
As always, ridden native ranks were booming and, after strong classes for all breeds, Jonny Stevens returned to a familiar spot when he was called forward with his Dutch-bred Fell stallion Wildhoeve Oki Doki.
“The last time I was here, in 2014, I won this title with Littletree Limited Edition,” said Jonny, who works full time as a dentist and fits in showing around work.
However, the pair almost missed the class.
“First of all the electric gates failed so we had to force them open manually, then we assumed the class would be much later than it was,” explained Jonny, who is through to the Royal International Horse Show [RIHS] and HOYS and has Olympia as the next aim.
“I was horrified to hear them calling the class as we arrived, so I almost gave up there and then — however, my mother [Lesley] persuaded me not to.”