Artist paints a delightful picture
A ‘cob-sessed’ rider triumphs, while a coloured champion returns after a freak accident and one of the smallest workers beats his bigger rivals
IT was a red-letter day for amateur rider Tracey Harris, who won two classes and a section championship with her coloured cob The Irish Artist, booking a return visit to Hickstead in the process. The duo topped the amateur cob line-up before returning to take the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) qualifying maxi cob class and the tricolour under judges Marion MacLennan (ride) and Dale Atkinson (conformation).
“It was such a surprise,” said Tracey, who is based near Leicester. “I am a cobaholic and I juggle working three of them from home with my job as a part-time property developer.”
Tracey purchased the nineyear-old of unknown breeding from Karen Ledger on the Isle of Wight five years ago and has produced him through the grades.
“He’s easy but a bit grumpy,” said Tracey, whose “cob-session” was triggered by a photo of Lynn Russell on one of her cobs in
Horse & Hound 12 years ago.
“I am from a showjumping background so I’d like to do some workers with him. It’s a bit ‘crash and burn’ at the moment, but we will persevere.”
Marion commented: “Our champion was true to type with a leg at each corner and gave me a lovely, balanced ride. He really sparkled in the championship.”
Michaela Wood and her team also had cause to celebrate, with two wins and two championships in the RIHS qualifying sections. She took the riding horse championship with Runnon Watergate, who was making his debut as a small riding horse having previously campaigned in intermediate classes. This upstanding 10-year-old is by the dressage sire Broadstone West Country and gives, according to Michaela, an armchair ride.
The Woods’ former Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and RIHS winner, Palmira, took a strong coloured championship after missing most of last season due to a freak accident.
“She was kicked by a young horse while out hacking and fell over a wall trying to get out of the way,” said Michaela. “She wasn’t injured physically but lost confidence around other horses, so we didn’t want to put her back in the ring until she was ready.
“We brought her over from Germany as a yearling so she is
very special. She felt like her old self today.”
A FERRARI RIDE “THIS is possibly the best horse I’ve ever had,” said
Alwyne Fradley of his sevenyear-old hunter Drayton Boy, who headed the middleweight section before executing a blistering championship gallop in Staffordshire’s impressive main arena to clinch the tricolour.
The pair have already been champion at White Rose, where they qualified for Hickstead, and reserve champion at Newark and Notts. This is something of a fairytale ending for Alwyne, who first spotted the horse as a yearling but then lost track of him until he appeared in an internet advertisement last year.
“He has been doing dressage which has really helped with his production as a show horse,” said Alwyne, who owns the son of Drayton jointly with his partner Lara Thorne. “He gives the most incredible ride — a real Ferrari.”
Jordan Cook took the hack championship aboard Paul Mortimer’s large division winner Royal Enchantment, who missed the early shows due to a mystery rash which left vets baffled. However, the eight-yearold mare has made up for lost time, collecting her RIHS ticket on her first outing at Area 4B Lincolnshire Spring, where she stood champion, followed by
‘Pip is one of the quirkiest ponies
on the circuit, but so talented’
CLAIRE PICKERING, MOTHER OF PIP’S RIDER, BROOKE
a reserve slot at Hambleton.
Katy Carter and her team were on top form, with the multigarlanded Acheval Boutique Amadeus (Cassie Hartley) taking the intermediate championship, the 122cm Greendown Monsoon (India Till) heading the show hunter ponies, and Poppy
Carter clinching the RIHS show pony tricolour with new ride Drakemyre Puttin On The
Ritz. This four-year-old 138cm gelding, by Turberry Top Cat, was attending only his third show, having stood reserve restricted show pony champion at the BSPS winter championships.
“He has an amazing temperament,” said Katy. “I wouldn’t necessarily bring a youngster here but I knew this one would be fine.”
Judge Zoe Muxlow added: “My champion has effortless paces and covers the ground. He displayed perfect manners in this buzzy environment; I like something safe that can still stand out.”
A TOAST TO SHIRAZ
MOUNTAIN and moorland ponies were out in force chasing one of the last opportunities to qualify for Hickstead. The eventual Heritage open champion was the New Forest gelding
Marley Denes Shiraz, a former HOYS champion and best of breed at Olympia, ridden in the ring for the first time by new producer Helen Newbold. This 12-year-old son of Applewitch Pure Magic has been leased from his owner Joanna Linnell for Molly Linnell, who will contest junior classes with him.
“Our champion was so light across the ground; I haven’t seen anything that’s as light and free as him,” said Mary Allison, who judged conformation alongside Natalie Middlemas assessing ride.
There was consolation for seven-year-old Amelia Embleton, who was unable to ride due to illness but whose pony Megland Harlequin booked his place at Hickstead and clinched the mini championship, led by producer Lucy Glover and ridden by deputy jockey Olivia Brightmore.
“The pony was purchased by my mother, Eileen, who sadly passed away in April,” said Amelia’s mother Maggie. “I know she would be so proud and this is a very emotional moment for us.”
One of the smallest ponies clinched the RIHS working hunter pony championship, making light of David Cole’s challenging track. Twelve-year-old Brooke Pickering and the 16-yearold gelding Pip outgalloped their bigger rivals after posting a cracking clear round in the 133cm class to take their first affiliated tricolour. The duo made their RIHS debut in nursery stakes last season and will be making their first open outing this term.
“Pip is one of the quirkiest ponies on the circuit,” said Brooke’s mother Claire. “He hates being plaited, and we can’t clip or trim him or change his tack. But he is super talented and our pony of a lifetime who will never be sold.”