The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Blair Horse Trials
Riders enjoy success in front of home crowd at opener
The busy opening day at the Blair Castle International Horse Trials saw many of the prizes staying within home territory.
Northern rider James Munro accounted for three championships – he led the ridden hunter title with his middleweight Chadwicks Nebu.
The 10-year-old grey gelding has qualified for the Horse of the Year Show at the Royal Highland Show but this proved a fine tune-up ahead of the Birmingham final next month.
He later topped the riding horse championship with Deloughtane Rockstar.
Finally to round off a good day he topped the coloured championship with the elegant grey and white gelding Topwood Macaroon, an eight-year-old by Free Spirit.
Scott McLellan won the working hunter championships with the challenging Geovana.
The six-year-old grey mare took one year to break as she has proved a handful, but perseverance has paid off.
“This was her first working hunter competition; I tried eventing her but she is too careful so may aim her for HOYS workers next year,” said Scott.
Fife rider Catherine Cousar rode Joyce Ferguson’s home-bred 10-yearold One’s A Wish to stand reserve.
They has been first at Fife and Perth this year.
West Perthshire Pony Club member Hannah Brisbane won the working hunter pony championship with Barana Moy Boy. The family have owned the Connemara for seven years with older sister Jane previously riding him.
This marked their penultimate competition together as Hannah will be too old to compete in this class.
They competed at the Pony Club Championships this week, finishing third individually in the eventing and showjumping classes.
Popular instructor Hamish Cameron from Pitkennedy judged the ridden Highland ponies classes, finding his overall supreme champion in the open champion Amanda McLennan Donald of Muck.
The eight-year-old bay stallion was purchased as a six-month-old foal from the Isle of Muck. Sired by Kames of Croila and out of Strathmashie Seumas Mhor, he was ridden by Amanda’s sister Ashleigh Campbell. He has already stood champion at Caithness and reserve at Black Isle shows this year.