Lucky mountain pony Troy is at the peak of his game
APONY that was saved from a possible trip to the slaughterhouse has gone on to beat international competition and come top of his class at the 100th Royal Welsh Agricultural Show.
Owner Michelle Henney, 32, a paramedic from Birkdale, saved Welsh mountain pony named Penrhos Carlo, also known as Troy, nine, in 2013 from being sold at a Cheshire livestock market – where he could have been sold for meat – in 2011.
She bought him for the same price as a night out, fed him and raised him and has taken him to all the county shows such as the Royal Cheshire show.
In his second Royal Welsh show in 2013, he placed third in his class against competitors from all around the world.
Michelle said: “That was a dream come true for me as the second prize winner stated ‘you really don’t know what you have done. My family has been showing ponies here for 90 years and I can count on my two hands how many times we have been placed in the cards here’.”
This year they have been competing up and down the country in the Welsh Section A Stallion classes and getting placed, but with no big wins.
That was until she took him to the Royal Welsh Show and live on TV, in front of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, they won their class against 18 other stallions, beating competitors from Germany, France and e v e n Australia.
The highlight of the Welsh pony and cobs showing world, the Royal Welsh Show is one of the most prestigious events of its type and the biggest in Europe, with thousands packing into its stands for its livestock competitions.
Michelle said: “I still can’t believe it and I’m extremely proud. It still hasn’t sunk in.
“He’s like a little Red Rum in another discipline. He’s the same colour and even enjoys his gallops down on Ainsdale Beach. This really is like the Olympics for me.”
The ponies are judged on a number of different factors including build, how they move, perform, their gait and manners.
Michelle said: “Troy has big, extravagant movement so when he got out in front of the crowd for his individual show he was loving it and the crowd were in uproar. It was brilliant.”
Horse shows can be unpredictable, as sometimes the horses can react in different ways once out on the showground.
Michelle said: “There was a point when one of the other ponies stopped in front us, which broke our stride a bit, so at that point I thought we might not even make the top 10 places, but I thought, carry on and let’s do our best.”
At the end of show, the stewards pull in the judges’ favourites and line them up. The order is subject to change and is only confirmed when the judge takes their hat off.
Michelle said: “The steward pulled us in first and I couldn’t believe it. I was like ‘me?’ pointing at myself, and he was pointing at the ground and he was like ‘yes, you!
“Bearing in mind this was on national television and I started to cry but thought ‘I need to hold it together’.”
It was judge Colin Tibby who then took his hat off to Troy and confirmed him as the winner.
Michelle said: “I was told later on that Mr Tibby never took his eyes off Troy. And watching the TV back, even the commentator said he likes big, extravagant movers – so Troy gave him his best.
“As soon as he took his hat off, once again I was in tears.
“My dad, boyfriend, family and friends are so proud. My dad rang my mum while I was competing and he just went silent when I got pulled in top. He’s never silent as he’s such a chatterbox.
“He was just overwhelmed.” Michelle has a smallish property in Birkdale with stables and a paddock. And she and Troy have gone against the odds in the showing world to finish top at the biggest agricultural show in Europe, making it a once in a lifetime experience.
Michelle said: “I’m so glad I was there that day and saw him. I’m so privileged for all that we have achieved together. He really is one in a million and loved by so many.
“He’s getting more experienced and his name’s getting around so it just shows you – it takes a real eye sometimes to see past what they look like at the time and know what they’re really capable of being.”