Envoy’s talent is no secret
A plucky 133cm working hunter gives his jockey everything he’s got, while another combination end their run of ‘seconditis’ and earn a HOYS ticket
CHLOE LEMIEUX posted a memorable double when the ever-reliable 133cm Welsh section B Stockham Secret Envoy (Eddie) landed the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) working hunter pony section title and then claimed the top 133cm place in the Burghley Gold Cup qualifier.
Although Chloe, 12, has won worker classes at British Show Pony Society (BSPS) shows before, this was the pair’s first-ever HOYS championship at the venue and also their first Gold Cup class win.
Despite this being one of the busiest weeks in the showing calendar, numbers forward for this now-established one-day plaited pony show were good, swelled by the opportunity to enter on the day.
Clear rounds proved elusive, though, over Lisa Kelly’s up-toheight, challenging course, where accuracy and control were just as important as bravery and scope. There was no denying the 13-yearold Eddie, however, who followed up a stylish jumping round with a mannerly show, and then produced another spirited gallop in the final reckoning to earn the HOYS section title.
Arena UK is a lucky venue for the pair, who qualified at this show for HOYS last year — where they were third in the plaited class — and earned their 2018 Burghley ticket here at the BSPS winter championships in March.
“Eddie really is the pony of a lifetime,” declared Chloe’s father Robert. “He has taught her everything, and enabled her to move on to a new 143cm, Charlie Chan — she’d never have managed it if she hadn’t had Eddie. Now all she has to do is get Eddie’s native worker ticket as well and they’ll have the golden hat-trick.”
‘PHENOMENALLY TOUGH AND CONSISTENT’
RESERVE in the workers went to Susie Eddis and Noble Sir
Prize, who produced the best of only six clears from 24 starters in his class to win and earn a final HOYS place for the combination, as this is Susie’s last season in 143cm ranks. This win ended a frustrating run of ‘seconditis’ for the pair, but they, too, went on to gain a place at Burghley.
“It was a great effort from him in a week which saw him do a BE100, Lincolnshire County and this,” said Susie’s mother, Polly. “But he’s phenomenally tough and consistent.”
A misunderstanding almost resulted in Georgia Darlington missing out on a 153cm Burghley place with Lisa’s Dream. “We had a really pleasing dressage score of 70%, but didn’t get called out as being placed in the worker section,” said Georgia. “We didn’t think we’d got through to the final showjumping phase, so I went back to the lorry and started to unplait her. Then we realised we were through so it was a mad rush to get ready — she jumped a super clear round and even cleared the joker.”
Locally-based producer Lucy Glover gave the Read family a welcome boost when their 148cm show pony Carmens Novello won his class, claimed his HOYS ticket and then stood champion. Darcy Sanders deputised for usual rider James Read, whose school commitments have curtailed his riding this season.
The win came less than a month after the funeral of James’ grandfather, who died suddenly. “It’s been an awful time, so this has really lifted our spirits,” said
his mother Charlotte, who bought the five-year-old former show hunter pony from John Harvey last October.
“I spent from March to
October trying to persuade John to let him go,” added Charlotte. “He only did a handful of shows last year as a show hunter pony but qualified for HOYS and is through to the Royal International [RIHS] this time as a part-bred and 148cm show pony with James.
“The main thing for me is that he is so kind and straightforward as well as being top class — it took me three years to find a pony for James which ticks all my boxes.”
FIVE-MARK WIN
HISTORY repeated itself for Team Harvey when the 153cm victor, Josephine Ready’s reigning RIHS champion Wolferlow Esperanto, took his HOYS ticket ahead of a good class here for the second year running, winning by five marks and going on to stand section champion.
“This is a lucky venue for him,” said John Harvey, who clocked up an estimated 1,000 miles to and from four shows over the week. “He was also novice champion here at the [BSPS] winter championships two years ago.”
Judge Penny Hollings was effusive in her praise, saying: “This pony is so beautifully put together and the more I looked into it, the more I liked it. It is very correct and has plenty of substance without being common.”
Team Ahern was another welltravelled outfit who found success here. There was no stopping show pony jockey Mia Donaldson, who deputised for Royal Highlandbound Chloe Heathcote and was reunited with her former 128cm ride, Whiteleaze Aurora, to win and qualify in a strong class. A quick swap onto her own six-year-old Broadgrove Oscar Wilde saw her head the 138cm division and claim that ticket, too.
“This was a very special moment,” said producer Kirsty Pickles. “We bought Oscar for the Donaldsons as a two-year-old and have taken time with him — he only came out a few times as a novice last year but won his restricted class at the [BSPS] championships. This is his first open season and only his second qualifier.”