The walk wins it
First impressions truely count in the cob go-round, while a hunter proves a tonic for his owner and a lead-rein pony triumphs in two supremes
The Showing Register Equissage Pulse Summer Gala, Onley Showground, Warks
IAN SMEETH gained a championship double when Chantilly Sandman and Tiger
Oats headed their classes before clinching the cob and riding horse titles.
Ian’s first tricolour came courtesy of Lyn Turley’s winning seven-year-old lightweight cob Chantilly Sandman (Ted).
“Every pace is effortless for him and he rides like a middleweight hunter,” enthused Ian — and it seemed that ride-judge Terry Chalmers agreed.
“This cob gave me a fabulous ride with super paces and a great walk,” said Terry. “Sadly, horses seem to be losing their walk; they are often stilted, almost strangled. Riders can’t manufacture a good walk, but they can quickly ruin a good one. It is the first pace that judges see and that first impression is so important.”
Tiger Oats gave Ian Smeeth his second tricolour after the 12-yearold first topped his small riding horse class.
Owner Sharon Moss bought “Tiger” five years ago for her son Daniel to hunt, and the son of Terrimon has proved versatile as he events and showjumps in summer before winter hunting with the Berkeley.
“For a blood horse he’s so laidback and he finds everything easy,” said Ian.
After a run of seconds, Harriet Richardson’s Colourprint (Mason) secured his Horse of the Year
Show (HOYS) ticket after heading his maxi cob line-up for Simon Reynolds.
After buying the six-year-old coloured gelding from Reid Finlay, Harriet quickly qualified for the Royal International (RIHS) last season before sending Mason to Simon Reynolds while she took maternity leave.
This term Mason has qualified for the cob and coloured finals at Birmingham.
“He’s more mature in his ride this year and he’s such a nice person; you could put anyone on him,” said Simon.
ON CLOUD NINE
CHARLES LE MOIGNAN topped a strong class of small hunters riding the Binks family’s Oscar Fox. Lightly shown so far, the seven-year-old was contesting his first HOYS qualifier and came here in good form after wins at Hambleton and Addington’s hunter show.
This win proved a huge tonic for Richard Binks, who was recuperating after surgery.
“The winner was a real scaleddown model of a middleweight,” said ride-judge Lesley Whitehall. “He did everything I asked and it was like riding on a cloud.”
With normal jockey and owner Harry Gaunt fully occupied as fitness coach to Coventry Rugby Club, his intermediate worker
Rob won the open division for Rory Gilsenan.
Rob produced one of eight clears before giving Jill Wormall
a great ride to stand top of his HOYS qualifier. The Irish-bred 10-year-old is also qualified for the intermediate finals at RIHS and HOYS.
“With Harry working, I’m enjoying playing with ‘little Rob’. He’s a super jumper — you just can’t get it wrong with him,” said Rory.
Jane Rooke’s Let’s Dance secured her first HOYS ticket when she won her native coloured class before taking the championship for Victoria Brooks.
Jane bought her five-yearold Coloured Horse And Pony Society (CHAPS) graded mare from breeder Donna Gough on the Tebay Fells in Cumbria last year, and in her debut season she was CHAPS four-year-old and performance champion.
“She is mannerly and has lovely self-carriage,” said Victoria.
Alice Homer made a winning debut on her first ride on a Highland, when Bella Malim’s Catriona Of Meggernie won her large breed class before taking the junior mountain and moorland (M&M) championship.
Catriona is home-bred by the stud’s own stallion Noah Of Meggernie and this is her first full season. The five-year-old, who is produced by Jayne Ross, has amassed a string of tickets, including intermediate and open for the RIHS with Scott Dixon and now HOYS junior with Alice and open with Scott.
“This is only my second sit on her and I find her much lighter and responsive than I thought a Highland would be,” said Alice.
SUPREME ACCOLADES
HUGE M&M entries ran well into the evening and it seems producer Lauren Beaumont is still winning the tug-of-war with owner John Elliott’s large breeds champion Stuffynwood Primrose.
“John is itching to breed from her, but I want to continue ridden and in-hand showing,” explained Lauren. “She’s a real show girl and knows what to do in the ring.”
With regular rider Alexandra McDowell away at a family wedding in America, borrowed jockey Sam Walker took the ride on Field Aston Royal Fanfare to win the 128cm class and take the show pony title.
“It was a challenging set show with a serpentine and Sam did a great job,” said showing producer Julie Templeton.
Debbie Thomas often uses the acres of space at Onley to give youngsters a quiet outing and her own and Sammy Sykes’ home-bred large show riding type winner Chiddock Big Time took the intermediate championship.
The classy four-year-old is by Chiddock Time Limit out of a thoroughbred mare.
“He’s got the lot — movement, manners and presence — and he is a very generous pony who wants to please,” said Debbie.
Nine-year-old Sophia Demetriou almost disappeared under sashes and rosettes when her HOYS lead-rein show hunter pony winner Annandale Augustus added the supreme M&M and overall supreme pony accolades.
Sophia, who is in her last year of lead-rein with Augustus, won at Windsor before heading three RIHS qualifiers.
“Since then, we have had lots of HOYS near misses until today,” said producer and handler Sharn Linney.
“I love riding Augustus because he is so smooth and comfy in trot and he has good manners,” concluded Sophia.
While it was a competitive supreme pony line-up, only two horses contested the supreme horse championship on day one, the final honours going to Marisa Keenan and her TSR champion Carbon Copy III, who are Hickstead bound for the heavyweight cob final.