Showing Great Yorkshire Show, North of England Pony, Monmouthshire and more
A storming gallop sees a stallion give his rider her first Great Yorkshire win, one show team is untouchable and the main ring programme gets a rejig
A LAST-MINUTE decision to compete saw a lifetime ambition fulfilled for Pembrokeshire-based Beth Simons with her homeproduced Welsh D stallion,
Ballynacoy Prince. The pair made a triumphant Great Yorkshire debut to head a class of 29 ridden Ds, earn the highest marks of the 200-strong section — 93/100 — and gain a return pass to Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), where they won and stood reserve last year. “Prince” may now be 14, but his spectacular gallop was a masterclass for animals half his age, and a repeat performance to rousing cheers from the packed White Rose grandstand resulted in the section title.
Fifteen came through to the final reckoning, judged by Tweetie Nimmo. “This was the strongest
championship I’ve had the privilege to judge for many years,” she said. “The Welsh cob was so correct in his way of going and is a very fine example of his breed — full of presence with superb action. He really owned the ring, and made me smile.”
Beth was totally overwhelmed. “I’ve always wanted to ride him here at this show — the venue has been lucky for him as he’s qualified for Olympia twice at Countryside Live — but although he’s been entered a few times, for various reasons we’ve never actually made it before today,” she said. “The atmosphere is just pure magic.”
The pair were due to compete at North of England two days earlier, but in view of the extreme heat, Beth decided to come here instead. Even this was doubtful until the day before, though, as she and sister Maggie were due to leave at 8am the next morning on her cousin’s hen weekend.
“Since we wouldn’t get home from Harrogate until almost 3am, Mum [Delyth Simons] told us we must be mad to come,” laughed Beth. “But Prince much prefers a big atmosphere so I thought it was worth a shot.
“This is another major bucketlist win he’s ticked off for me.
He’s Mr Reliable and I owe him so much — someone once told me that if it goes wrong, it’s only because I haven’t told him what needed doing. I’m so lucky, but it does mean I get more nervous about maybe letting him down.”
Reserve went to Becki Penny with her multi-garlanded Fell stallion, Townend Schubert (Bert), another Harrogate debutante.
“Bert put a big smile on my face — he felt amazing,” said
Becki. “We’re working through all my favourite shows before I retire him from flat classes; he really is the apple of my eye.”
A MEGARSTAR IS BORN
ANOTHER native claimed the precious Cuddy in-hand ticket. Gill Evans had 13 champions to assess and opted for Sandy Anderson’s eight-year-old Welsh C broodmare, Popsters Megastar (Meg), beautifully shown by Will Perrins. Her delightful filly foal was expertly handled by Will’s girlfriend, Alex Williams, herself a former Cuddy finalist with another Welsh C mare, Synod Lady Lillian.
“This mare was a lovely, effortless natural mover with clean limbs and very true to type,” commented Gill.
Meg had been unshown since winning as a three-year-old at the Royal Welsh and this was only her second outing; she was breed section reserve at Royal Three
‘The Welsh cob is a very fine
example of his breed’
JUDGE TWEETIE NIMMO ABOUT BALLYNACOY PRINCE
Counties last month on her debut with Will.
It will be a first Cuddy appearance for Wakefield-based Will, who has Meg and another Anderson mare, Thistledown Billie Jean, to show this season.
“We came here because it’s Sandy’s favourite show, but it was the first time he’d seen us in action and the first time he’d seen the foal,” said Will. “I knew I had big boots to fill, so this win was all the more thrilling — it’s the ultimate for any showman or breeder.
“Plus, as it’s our local show, I was able to celebrate among all my family and friends which made it even more special.”
Reserve went to the Stanley Grange Team’s riding pony champion and former ridden campaigner, Dance All Night, a Cuddy finalist as a yearling and three-year-old, but here making her debut as a matron.
Hunter ranks — always a major feature — were well supported and a storming gallop with Jill Marsden’s heavyweight winner Twinshock Warrior sealed a second consecutive Archie Thomlinson novice trophy for a delighted Jayne Ross. The onform bay stretched, lowered and remained in perfect balance for the length of the vast grandstand, earning enthusiastic applause.
Novice champion at the Sports Horse Breeding hunter show a few days earlier, the Ricardo Z six-year-old also won at Royal Windsor, Royal Three Counties, South of England and the Hickstead Derby Meeting.
Jill Day’s Northern Pride — this year’s Royal Windsor four-year-old winner — belied his lack of mileage at this level to head a strong line of 17 novice lightweights for Robert Walker, but inexperience just caught up with him as he set off in his championship gallop. However, he quickly settled and did his job well to earn reserve.
“I’ve only been doing fouryear-old classes with him, so he hadn’t ever galloped before this week,” explained Robert.
Jayne’s winning run continued in the open weights, where
Kay Campbell’s 2017 novice champion here, Temple Ogue, led a line of 15 lightweights throughout — another showing a spectacular gallop. Jayne also won the heavyweights with Debbie Harrod’s 2016 HOYS and 2017 Royal Windsor champion, Bloomfield Excelsior, but had to relinquish both championship rides as the finale clashed with the ladies’ show horse class.
Here, sadly, her luck ran out as Liz Trembath’s Dharmavallye, having performed beautifully in the preliminary judging, suddenly went unlevel as he entered the main ring for the final line-up. A dislodged shoe was later found to be the cause.
Scott Dixon therefore made his Harrogate main ring debut to deputise on Temple Ogue,
producing another polished gallop to take the coveted tricolour. His ear-to-ear grin said it all when he was called forward.
“That was the most amazing feeling — it’s better than winning at HOYS,” declared Scott. “It was an absolute honour to ride on behalf of the team and I can’t thank Jayne and the owners enough for giving me the opportunity.”
After another great performance, reserve went to another former Great Yorkshire novice champion — Barbara Beercock’s locally-bred middleweight victor Chadwicks Spartanwood (Sprite), partnered by Leon King.
“Sprite is the most fabulous horse to ride,” said Leon, for whom it was a first weight class win here. “He’s as light to ride as a hack, but he eats up the ground at every pace — his gallop is out of this world.”
MAKING LIGHT OF THE HARROGATE TRACK
YET again, the Cuddy HOYS workers drew not only a large entry, but a host of enthusiastic spectators, all combining to create a unique atmosphere. Kevin Millman’s clever track included several new fences, but Danny Carroll and the reigning Royal International and HOYS victor Red Why Salute, Harrogate debutantes and first of the 38 starters to go, floated round effortlessly, prompting concerns that the course might prove too easy.
This was not the case, though, and by the halfway mark, only four others had returned faultless. Six more eventually followed suit — including a double from Steph Callwood and her seasoned hunters, Opis Day and Mr Seniority (Cliff ). Since Opis Day gained his ticket at Hambleton, she opted to take the 14-year-old Cliff back in for final judging, being rewarded with runner-up spot and his sixth pass for Birmingham, where he was third last term.
Red Why Salute — already through to HOYS after winning at Myerscough — gained the highest style and conformation marks of the day to win comfortably.
Danny was quick to dispel any rumours of hard going. “The ground was nice and springy with plenty of grass cover,” he declared. “My horse likes a testing track and loved that big ring to gallop in.”
Exactly 10 years after
partnering Father Ted to occupy the top cob spot, Anne Gilliver returned to it this year, scoring with Sue Benson’s reigning Royal Windsor champion, Whitegate Dazzler, who clearly relished performing in the main ring.
“These were the strongest classes I’ve judged anywhere for several years,” commented Alan Mickleburgh. “The champion is just outstanding.”
Martin Skelton’s run of form with Vanessa Ramm’s large riding horse, Corbally Lucky Boy, held to win and take the section title. Reserve went to Cumbria-based electrician Glen Allen with his home-produced small victor, Helsington Tailor Made, through to the RIHS in riding horse, intermediate and part-bred ranks and now Birmingham-bound.
“I’ve won here four times before in coloureds and now this,” said Glen. “This is our lucky show.”
UNSTOPPABLE
TEAM Templeton proved unbeatable in pony ranks, racking up five wins and three titles.
Phoebe Price got the ball rolling with a second consecutive Great Yorkshire show pony tricolour aboard her 2016 HOYS supreme, Litton Enterprise, who is bidding for a third RIHS title this term.
Abbie Farmer partnered
Karen Fuge’s consistent 143cm Stretcholt Roulette to stand top show hunter pony, improving on last year’s reserve here, and Caitlin Hamilton completed the championship treble with the top intermediate spot on the large show riding type, Firecrest. This combination also collected their HOYS ticket, having just missed out thus far.
New Team Templeton member Vienna Hounsham, 14, headed the 138cm show ponies to qualify Sharleen Gone With The Wind, who is due to contest both part-bred and show pony finals at Hickstead.
In mini ranks, the new combination of Hattie Mustoe, five, and former RIHS winner, Littlebriars Horatio, notched up their second HOYS show hunter lead-rein victory, having won at Derbyshire Festival.