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A four-year-old novice pony stands supreme at his first appearance under lights, making it a best-ever championships for Team Helliwell
A FOUR-YEAR-OLD novice show pony attending only his sixthever show romped through the card to beat 11 multi-garlanded contenders and stand overall Philip Judge supreme champion.
After an action-packed week, several partnerships looked distinctly jaded, but Harriet Dennison and her mother Shirley’s novice winner, restricted champion and show pony supreme, Laybalands Fly By Night (Joey), positively sparkled. This smart 148cm Kilvington Scoundrel gelding, for whom it was a first appearance under lights, had already impressed a series of judges to get this far and captivated the final assessor, Brian Lears, from the outset.
“It was a lovely pony with a good length of rein,” he said. “Then it just moved brilliantly with a big stride and great rhythm. It was outstanding.”
This was a first ever British Show Pony Society (BSPS) supreme for producers Rachael and Julie Helliwell.
“This is what all pony producers aim for, but to get it with such a young pony is amazing,” said Rachael, who bought Joey, unbroken, from breeder Dianne Brereton last year. “We had no idea how he would cope in the evening performance, but he’s a true little showman with manners to burn.”
Student Harriet, 17, could barely believe the result either.
“We only entered him in two classes — the novice and restricted — and he won both,” she said. “Although he’s a really laid-back character, this was beyond my wildest dreams.”
The win sealed a “best ever” championships for Team Helliwell, whose four ponies clocked up eight wins, two championships, three reserves and two supremes before taking the ultimate prize.
The other Helliwellproduced supreme contender was Melissa McCluskey’s Colin Rose intermediate supreme, Mountstephen Hidden Gem, who came through to the final showdown via her Team Quiney Blue Riband section. This is Melissa’s first season with the seven-year-old, who has posted four wins from four starts and is through to HOYS in hacks and intermediates.
A TAILOR MADE WIN
THE squad also supplied a winning jockey when Meg Edmondson stepped in at five minutes’ notice to partner Vicki Rudd’s novice large intermediate Holmestone Tailor Made — in place of Tarynn Rudd, who became unwell — and took the six-year-old all the way to the overall novice intermediate title.
“Meg didn’t even have the chance to trot the pony before going into the class,” said coproducer Mark Reeves.
As ever, competition was fierce in all sections, so Alison Raine and her daughter Jodie Simmonds,
18, struck a major blow for home producers when their mannerly Dartans Big Impression lived up to his name to land the Clark and Lucas supreme show hunter pony (SHP) title. En route to this final, the pair stood Classic Security challenge (CSC) champion, novice reserve and won their Pretty Polly (home-produced) class.
The eight-year-old came from Kelly Ward’s Ireland-based sister Louise Lyons in January last year, having only hacked around the
Co. Cork countryside.
“Kelly teaches Jodie and showed me a video of him,” said Cheshire-based Alison. “We’d been looking for a 153cm for 18 months, but after seeing just three strides of trot, I said we’d have him.
“He was bought to do workers, but his movement and temperament are amazing, so we decided to do a few flat classes. Jodie has wanted a flower sash for a long time, but this came as a massive surprise — we really didn’t think we stood a chance of getting past the professionals and well-established open ponies.”
James Burchell, five, and his family’s reigning Royal International (RIHS) supreme pony Seamoor Lady Derby continued on the crest of their wave, twinkling along on the end of the lead rein to add the new Binks family £1,000 champion of champions’ title to their 2017 haul.
“The pony said ‘look at me’ from the word go,” declared judge Tim Wiggett. “It is beautifully made, has bags of presence and its show was foot perfect. It’s a proper lead rein pony, with perfect manners and a correct way of going.”
James’ father, producer Oliver, was overcome.
“We are truly blessed to have this pony and especially because she’s here at just the right time for James,” he said. “So often, other people’s children enjoy the benefit of a pony at its peak, but in this case, the timing is spot on.”
Reserve in this newly sponsored finale — and £500 — went to Jasean Spraggett with her Garrison Royal six-year-old intermediate mare Noble Queen Bee, who headed the workers section.
This result heralded a stellar week for the pair — through to HOYS in horse as well as pony ranks — who went on to claim multiple sashes, including the prestigious £1,000 Noble
Bing overall worker title. This
presentation was an emotional one, as sponsor Pearl Underwood sold Bee to the Spraggetts in February this year.
“This week was a big ask, but Bee didn’t flutter an eyelash,” said Jasean, whose last year in intermediates is ending on a high. “She’s bold and scopey jumping, but has the manners of an angel.”
WEIR’S A WINNER
DUMFRIES-based Zara Weir
was the star of the prestigious Desert Orchid worker section — renowned as the Hickstead Derby for ponies — when skilful, determined riding saw her win two of the four classes, scoring with the wonderful 17-year-old Otto in the 153cm division and her champion of champions victor Beech Hall Ryan in 143cm ranks.
Graham Barclay again built a seriously challenging track, testing accuracy and control every bit as much as scope. Questions came thick and fast, and one of the trickiest was a 90 degree turn in a double of gates, which saw steering failure from several combinations. Only four ponies in the entire competition jumped clear.
In the evening performance, Otto secured the family’s first overall Desert Orchid title, pipping the intermediate victors, Tinka’s Flash and Hannah
Sloan — last year’s champion and supreme of show — before standing Noble Bing reserve.
“The Desert Orchid track was one of the best,” said Zara’s mother Shona. “There were lots of technical distances and interesting combinations, plus the attention to detail was genius.”
The hotly-contested intercountry working hunter pony (WHP) team competition saw scores at their closest yet, and only individual marks could separate England Kempton — Annabel James (Pebbly Grey Fox), Georgia Darlington (Lisa’s Dream) and Daniella Johnston (Elton John) — from Scotland Nevis, with Beri Brown (Pebbly Hornblower),
Zara Weir (Beech Hall Ryan) and Hannah Sloan (Tinka’s Flash).
The overall individual title went to 143cm victor Gemma Pallett — of the third-placed England Aintree squad — partnering the 10-year-old Irish-bred Midnight Romeo. This brought a successful week to a great conclusion as just the day before, Gemma learned she had passed all her GCSE exams.
Ruby Ward was on flying form with the ever-enthusiastic Welsh section A worker Blackhill Imogen (Immy), ending up with the Saunters overall supreme Heritage worker title — her first flower sash eliciting floods of happy tears. Her charming 11-year-old, through again to HOYS where she was second last year, also claimed the summer open title and won her worker final.
“Immy is just the most perfect child’s pony,” said Ruby’s mother Kelly. “She jumps the big tracks for fun as well as carrying Ruby’s seven-year-old brother James around the tiny ones. We’re hoping James will take over
Immy after HOYS, and Ruby will concentrate on 133cm plaited classes with Noble Peppermint (Peppa), who is coming home with us tonight, having been out on lease to the Wheeler family.”
As a parting gift, Peppa gave Bea Wheeler her first Classic Security Challenge title and headed the restricted workers.
“We’ve gone from trotting round local novices to HOYS and RIHS qualifiers,” said Bea, 13, who trains with Bronwen Evans. “Peppa has come on so much and I’m so proud of her; this week she jumped three clears round tough tracks and had three wins. She’s also fulfilled two of my dreams — galloping down the centre line and winning a flower sash.”
TEDDY’S ON TOP
CHLOE LEMIEUX, 11, was another to enjoy a successful week, but the icing came on the final evening when her eightyear-old section A cradle stakes campaigner, Rockyview Eclipse (Teddy), added the Nicoll mini worker supreme to a string of successes, including the Challenge, White Division and Heritage mini titles, in addition to the Cefn Charmer trophy for best overall performance in 133cm ranks. It was a poignant moment, though, as Teddy has been sold and will go to a new home after the Heritage championships in October.
Georgie Grace also made a final championships appearance with the Team Harvey-produced Evans supreme mini SHP, the lead-rein campaigner Priestwood Roc Star, owned by Georgie’s great-aunt, BSPS official Pip Baker-Beall. This enchanting dapple grey will head to pastures new after HOYS.
Mia Donaldson and the prolific-winning show pony champion Whiteleaze Aurora gave producer Paddy Ahern a special extra birthday present when landing the coveted overall Blue Riband supreme title. This unique competition, where the final is assessed by judges using skatingstyle marks, is always hotlycontested and this year was no exception. However, Mia and the dainty 128cm eight-year-old were the ones who impressed a total of six different judges.
Supreme judge Debbie Gregson commented: “This pony’s show was rhythmical, it was fluent in its paces and the child looked happy throughout. Manners have to play a big part and this was a truly lovely combination.”
An acquaintanceship of less than 10 minutes proved no
barrier to Annabel Drake, 12, who partnered Anjuli Kerhsaw’s Welsh section A Llafar Locomotion (Charlie) to take the Classic Security Heritage mini title.
“Her usual jockey wasn’t at the show, so Bel stepped in at the last minute,” said her mother Sarah. “She got on famously with him.”
Kimberley Bates, 17, took the magic “Santa” ticket for the LeMieux Heritage championship at Olympia, scoring with her aunt Lynette’s six-year-old Welsh C gelding, Popsters Joe Black. This was success at the second attempt for Mid Herts class winner Kimberley — also through to HOYS in the junior large breeds final — and marked a return to a lucky spot as the pair qualified for Olympia at the Heritage championships here last year.
Producer Sharn Linney has won pretty much every major honour at this venue but, until this year, the Deary and Burdess supreme Heritage mini title had eluded her. Welsh section A Thistledown Kintra (Ken) — a seven-year-old in his first open season — and Jessica Summers, four, rectified that omission this time, though, charming not only judge Stuart Hollings, but also the audience. It was an occasion made even more special as Sharn was celebrating her 27th birthday.
“I guess the bubbles are on me tonight,” she joked.
The Coulstock mini supreme show pony title went to the Team Jinks-produced first ridden campaigner Ravara Mr Tod, a novice six-year-old in his first season off the lead with Chloe Salley. “Chloe is an incredible little jockey and naturally talented,” said co-producer Adam Forster, another on a winning run here with eight wins, three reserves and two other champions from nine ponies.