A Welsh section B stallion completed his novice silver summer qualification with a plus-70% score at SNEC.
SCOTLAND SNEC, West Lothian | Morris EC, Ayrshire
Shirley Melling rode Duntarvie Antony to top a qualifying novice. Owned and bred by Tweetie Nimmo, the 11-year-old Lemonshill Limelight stallion is out of the Olympia mountain and moorland ridden finalist and best of breed mare Duntarvie Leading Lady.
Shirley has been riding “Anton” for a year and is aiming for the Area Festival semi-finals after qualifying at Rockrose EC last month.
“He’s a lovely pony. He can be opinionated but responds well to praise and tries even harder,” explained Shirley, the horse unit manager at SNEC.
The pair train with Andrew Murphy.
“He’s given me lots of exercises. I’ve been working on changing Anton from a show pony to a dressage pony, with sharper responses, and to open up his medium trot to be more up in front with self-carriage. I feel lucky to be able to ride him,” added Shirley.
Freelance horse transporter Susan Ward led a novice silver at Morris with Kennox Suniamh.
“She stood in a field unbacked until she was eight,” said Susan of the now 11-year-old dun mare, by the showjumping stallion
Kennox Zalsun.
“She was a bit of a challenge and worried when started but she has really matured and grown up this year. She’s qualified for the Area Festival at novice and elementary and enjoys the lateral work. I’m working on her straightness and extensions,” added Susan.