Exmoor Marigold is blooming marvellous
An Exmoor rewrites Suffolk history and an Essex producer racks up a variety pack of four wins with four animals
Suffolk, Trinity Park, Ipswich AN Exmoor mare wrote a new page in the formbook when becoming the first of her breed to land the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) Heritage native working hunter pony title at this prestigious show.
Juliet Rogers’ home-bred eight-year-old Barhill Marigold, partnered by Northumberlandbased native specialist Gail Whetter, was the very last to jump in this marathon section but the enthusiastic 122cm contender shrugged off the searing heat, pricked her ears and set sail to earn her first Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) worker ticket. A terrific championship performance then sealed the day.
“It jumped a super round, stripped very well, was freemoving and very typey,” said co-judge Heather Prescott. “When it galloped, it really let down and covered the ground, and that’s what clinched it for us in the championship.”
Marigold, the daughter of three-time HOYS ridden contender Rosefinch — one of the Wallace family’s original “Anchor” free-living herd on Exmoor — spent her early years grazing for the Moorland Mousie Trust and joined Gail in 2014 for breaking.
“She won the Exmoor Picton [novice] final in 2015, and qualified for HOYS last year,” said Gail, also second in her novice worker section riding another Exmoor, Thunderbird.
“Marigold loves her jumping and this season, has started doing workers — she was champion at Puddledub. She also won her Royal International [RIHS] ridden qualifier at NPS Scotland and was reserve at Hambleton on the way down here.”
When not showing, Marigold also competes in dressage, hacks on the beach and spends her winters conservation grazing on the dunes.
“She’s a real character — she likes to be busy so we give her lots of variety; we only school while out hacking so she doesn’t get bored,” added Gail, who decided to make the long journey to Suffolk after hearing good reports of the show and its rings.
“I was very surprised to go champion as there were some good HOYS ponies in there, but Marigold loves a good gallop.”
Kevin Millman’s superb worker tracks again incorporated the natural obstacles for which this dedicated ring is known — such as a bank and “real” ditch — and caught out several clearly unused to jumping in anything other than manicured arenas. DARLINGTON FULFILS A DREAM GEORGIA DARLINGTON, 17, won her 143cm plaited worker class last year with Conan Spartacus but went one better this time. She claimed her first Suffolk worker title after an excellent round on her 153cm victor Lisa’s Dream, gaining a HOYS ticket at the first time of asking.
The handsome part-bred Connemara — by Templebready Fear Bui — is a new ride for Georgia this year and will now make her HOYS debut.
“We were looking for a 153cm at the end of last season and my mother contacted the HorsleyGubbins family to ask if they knew of anything,” said Georgia.
“They said they had Lisa, and although she wasn’t really for sale, we could try her if we wanted. I clicked with her straight away.”
The pair also event, competing at BE100 level, and have qualified for a regional final for the Mitsubishi Motors Cup at Badminton.
“Because Lisa events, she loved this course today, but I certainly didn’t expect to win at our first qualifying attempt,” added Georgia.
Sadly, numbers were again disappointing in many ridden classes but absentees missed a treat, as Suffolk’s superb rings, excellent facilities and slick organisation combined to offer the usual fabulous showcase.
The amateur hunter title went to another Suffolk debutant, Gary Parr with his much-garlanded Redemption Ground, who clearly relished the spacious ring and excellent going.
“I’d heard it was a lovely show and decided to give it a go,” said Harrogate-based Gary. “I certainly wasn’t disappointed.”
Reserve went to locally based Cerys Ford and her ultraconsistent Master Bandsman — also home-produced — who went on to win in ladies’ ranks for the second year running.
“Talk about extremes — last year it was pouring with rain and this time, it’s blistering hot,” she joked. “But having to share the ring with carriages in the ladies’ class really was the biggest test. Fortunately, ‘Perky’ is mannerly and unfazed whatever the situation.”
FOUR OUT OF FOUR
ESSEX-BASED producer Terri Guyett took four animals and posted four wins. These began with the championship of the new native mini section, which drew good support. Charlene Braidford’s eight-year-old Welsh section A Mardenway Amazing Grace twinkled throughout on the lead rein for Scarlett Braidford, seven, on the pair’s third outing this term.
Eva Herring, eight, is proving an able successor to her sister Freya on the open first-ridden campaigner Hightopps Samphire, supreme mini pony at the BSPS summer championships last year, and the pair won a nice class here.
“Eva picked up her ticket at Herts County so we only brought her today for a practice before the HOYS qualifiers start,” said Terri. “Winning was just the confidence boost every first-year first-ridden jockey needs.”
The plaited mini title went to local breeder Paul Brightwell, whose charming lead-rein contender Cosford Charming
Gift occupied the top spot for Charlotte McIntosh, who has the little mare on lease this season.
“We had lots of success here in the early 1980s but haven’t actually owned a Suffolk champion since then — they’ve all been sold on,” declared Paul.
The Guyett team’s run continued in coloured ranks where Victoria Ward’s plaited pony ESH Sempers Saphire and traditional gypsy cob
Blue Shamrock won their RIHS classes for the second year running — Shamrock standing reserve this time.
The top spot went to in-form Oliver Hood with the Leemans’ Kellythorpes Master Key, a smart five-year-old sired by Honeypot Sporran.
OLYMPIA BECKONS FOR VETERAN MARZ
VICTORIA CAMPBELL’S wonderful all-rounder Moss Town Marz booked his “Santa ticket” for Olympia in senior ranks, continuing to dazzle in his 21st year. Marz has been with Victoria for 15 years, and the pair used to event and compete in workers, along with dressage and riding club competitions. Autumn hunting as a “pre-Olympia fittening regime” is on the cards.
Becki Penny is also Londonbound, having headed the
BSPS Heritage Olympia ridden native section with a polished display on breeder Lynn Scott’s HOYS-qualified Welsh section C stallion, Lynuck The Showman (Peanut).
Suffolk has proved a lucky venue in the past for Becki, who shares the ride with producer Aimee Devane.
“I qualified for Olympia here with my Fell, Townend Schubert, the year he went on to win the final [2015],” said Becki, who also partnered Peanut to win his Olympia section at Windsor last month.