The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Courier country riders enjoy horse trial wins
The busy opening day at the Blair Castle International Horse Trials saw many of the prizes staying within home territory.
Overall Highland pony in-hand champion went to Freuchie-based breeder Willie Allan and his daughter Jennifer with their seven-year-old mare Makaila of Millfield.
This pony has been unshown since a yearling, where she was champion at Tayside Foal Show.
The pony’s grand-dam Misty of Millfield is a previous champion of the breed show and past champion at Blair.
Hamish Cameron won the larger height novice ridden class with Rosanna of Turin Hill.
A pony rescued by a horse charity wowed the judges in the final of the open working hunter pony championship.
Muirhead-based Iona Bruce, 13, and ILPH Zara jumped a foot-perfect clear to head a strong 133cm class, before receiving the supreme sash.
ILPH Zara, a 17-year-old chestnut mare, was rescued by World Horse Welfare (previously the International League for the Protection of Horses) as a two-year-old filly after suffering from neglect.
Iona took the pony on loan from World Horse Welfare almost two years ago and since then has enjoyed much success, including being working hunter pony champion at Angus and Puddledub.
They were also part of Angus Pony Club inter-branch teams, representing the branch at dressage, eventing and showjumping.
The reserve was the winner of the 153cms class, the skewbald gelding Jazzy Number, ridden by 17-year-old Auchterarder rider Trudie Marshall.
Lifting the riding horse championship was Stemster Millennium Bug, owned and bred by Lisa and Carolyn Coghill from Halkirk.
In reserve was Arbroath rider Suzanne Cargill with Ellie-at, a 10-yearold mare by the showjumping stallion Tornado that she competes at novice level dressage.
Champion of the ridden hunters was Andrew and Mrs Gillian McGowan, with the lightweight hunter Tredragon.
The eight-year-old bay gelding was champion here last year and this year stood champion at Perth and Northumberland.
Margaret Montgomerie’s Dock Of The Grey, ridden by Fiona Rawson was reserve.
The 13-year-old grey gelding has qualified for the Horse of the Year Show.
The working hunter title went to Andrew Wilson with JJ’s Prince Chaccomo, while the reserve was Auchtermuchty rider Jennifer MacGregor riding the novice winner Jack Daniels IX.