Hawkshead shows his heart
A Shetland pony with the heart of a lion books his place at HOYS, along with a Dartmoor originally bought as a therapy pony
WHILE owners Lucinda Craven and Nicola Lester were holidaying in Spain, their 11-year-old Horninglow Hawkshead booked his first mini ticket to Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) after heading a 22-strong first ridden class. He will be joining two other Shetlands at the final in Birmingham.
It will also be a debut visit to the NEC for his eight-year-old jockey Jennifer Sellers, who had a practice run with the pony off the lead-rein at Stoneleigh two weeks earlier.
“He’s a little Christian with the heart of a lion who has taught many children to ride, and he hunts with the Holcombe,” said Lucinda’s mother Sue.
It was a similar story when a team of friends from Manchester and Essex, who have only campaigned the six-year-old Cayberry Pimpernell (Pimm) since mid-July, triumphed in the lead-rein division and scooped a first HOYS qualification.
Owner Nicola Shaw purchased the Dartmoor in October as a therapy pony for her eight-yearold son Finley, who suffers from hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Nicola’s best friend Lee Jones — who leads Pimm in the ring — recruited rider Hannah Daniell Blackburn, an Essex Farmers
Pony Club member in her final year of lead-rein classes.
“Maturity won the day when the Shetland took the championship over the Dartmoor,” explained Alison Squires, who judged with Mark Sheen (see box).
“Both ponies are true to type, went correctly for their breed and accommodated their young jockeys,” added Mark. “Our champion has plenty of quality bone which is sometimes lacking in these classes.”
Mollie May Jeffrey, 12, added a mountain and moorland
(M&M) HOYS working hunter pony qualification to the plaited one earned at The Showing Register summer show, riding her home-produced Welsh section B Annandale Hallmark (Reggie).
The second season duo then took the championship ahead of another amateur combination, chartered accountant Hannah Hall riding Hey Bob. Hey Bob was Hannah’s 21st birthday present and this is their first year competing over fences.
Mollie and Reggie later landed the supreme ridden award under Sandra Moncaster.
“My supreme is a proper little worker and his gallop was the deciding factor,” said Sandra.
Reserve ridden supreme was Vanessa Compton’s Walstead Guiness, who headed the Olympia M&M semi-final section for the second year running. He is the only Connemara to the date of this show to qualify for the HOYS junior class, ridden by Vanessa’s goddaughter Annabel Drake.
Laura Marshall’s eight-yearold Fell stallion Hardendale
Ray, piloted by Amy Smith, finished reserve on a total score of 90 marks — the highest in the Olympia classes and five more than Guiness. However, the championship is a separate class and “the Connemara was a pleasure to watch and way ahead of anything else”, according to judge Kay McCardle.
‘WHAT A MOVER’
SUZANNA WELBY, who owns Jo Bates’ reigning Royal International (RIHS) hack champion Elusive, enjoyed a successful day with her home-bred ponies. Her yearling Revolution Brave, by Elusive’s full brother Brown Bear out of the ridden show pony and Cuddy finalist Ainthorpe Countess, clinched the part-bred Arab tricolour.
For good measure, Suzanna’s champion broodmare Revolution Honour, by Willowcroft Regal Bronze out of the family’s former Royal Windsor champion, RIHS victor and Cuddy finalist Daldorn Spring Whisper, also claimed the British Isles championship under Gill Evans. The mare’s foal Revolution Gallant, by Leander, stood supreme foal.
“What a mover my champion is. She’s hard to fault,” enthused Gill.
Judge Sandra Moncaster concurred — calling her “exquisite” — when Revolution Honour also landed the supreme in-hand title.
Runner-up was Gemma Stanford’s home-bred four-yearold Highland stallion Finglands Braveheart, by her well-known Benbreac Of Croila and a grandson of the 2008 Olympia victor Torrin Of Croila.
Another Highland pony on song was Tracey Millward’s dualpurpose seven-year-old Lochlands Gypsy Baron, who romped home to secure the northern breeders in-hand accolade.
“He collected his ridden HOYS ticket when winning at Lincoln and is so easy to produce I’ve decided to stand him at stud next season,” said Tracey.
Neil Wright and Gaynor Rossall’s Dartmoor stallion Treworgan Topnotch, by the
2012 HOYS ridden Dartmoor victor Treworgan Sandpiper, beat the riding pony section winner Greenbarrow Miss Saigon for the northern breeders reserve purse.
Earlier in the day the Duke family’s home-bred three-yearold Greenbarrow Miss Saigon stood above Revolution Honour in the riding pony breeding championship, but their positions were reversed in the part-bred Welsh ring.
The supreme mountain and moorland (M&M) title went to Everett Hayes and Sarah Noble’s home-bred five-year-old Dales mare Stuffynwood Daffodil, who also finished British Isles reserve.