Horse hero

The chunky little Shetland who holds her own in the show ring

Showing Shetland Sharptor Trinity

IMAGINE a line-up of champions; a hunter three-yearold, a riding horse broodmare, a Welsh section D stallion, a riding pony yearling… And a Shetland. Amid such quality, surely the chunky little Shetland would be at a disadvantage.

But Sharptor Trinity rose to the occasion not once but twice, picking up a coveted Cuddy inhand ticket for Horse of the Year Show two years running. And her delighted owner-breeder Julian Walters is not surprised.

“She’s not like a normal Shetland,” he says. “She has so much personality. At home she’s an absolute gem in the stable.

But as soon as she gets in the ring it’s like a spark of electricity; she lights up and really uses herself. You know you have something on the end of the lead rope. She likes the big atmosphere, she gets a buzz out of it.”

Trinity has won at practically every major show, including a season as a lead-rein. At Pembrokeshire County in 2016 she made history as the first Shetland to qualify for the prestigious Cuddy supreme in-hand championship, where

she finished runner-up in the pony section.

“We were really pushing to get her through to the Cuddy,” admits Julian, who with David Hodge breeds Welsh ponies and Dartmoors as well as Shetlands.

“It was amazing last year when she qualified, a great achievement.

“But at Royal Norfolk this year — that ring was full of quality, so it was doubly special to get the qualification twice.”

Trinity was shown barren last year, as Julian is careful not to overbreed from his mares. This year she has a foal at foot by a new stallion, Email Of St Ninian, a 21st-century name for the next generation of Sharptor Shetlands.

“He’s a traditional-type stallion,” says Julian. “I like to mix it up a bit. He’s really clicked with Trinity; their filly has good substance, lots of bone and a lovely head.”

Just like her history-making dam.

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HEAD AND NECK

“This mare has a well set-on feminine head with a wide forehead, small but welldefined ears and a large eye with an alert expression,” says Jackie Webb, a panel judge for the Shetland Pony Stud-Book Society.

“Her neck is set on well to the shoulder and she has a defined wither.”

Paul agrees: “She has a wonderful lay of shoulder and a fantastic front, and she was made to carry a saddle. Her head is spot-on for the breed — nice and neat.”

OVERALL IMPRESSION

“When I put her through to the Cuddy at Pembrokeshire County [in 2016], she caught my eye as soon as she came into the ring,” recalls

Paul Brightwell, who has judged around four Cuddy qualifiers and has bred Shetlands under his Birling banner, as well as Welsh and riding ponies under the Cosford prefix.

“She was ‘smiling’ and had terrific presence for a Shetland. She also has a lovely walk, with real confidence, and is an excellent example of the breed. She was beautifully presented — in show condition but she’s not overweight. Shetlands are a substantial breed; it’s in their make-up.”

LIMBS

“It is vital that a Shetland has strong, sound limbs and good, hard feet,” says Jackie. “This mare has a strong forearm with good, flat knees and strong feet.

She also has a good second thigh. Her hindquarters are strong too.”

Paul concurs: “When she trotted out, she really used her back end with her hocks well engaged. She has a fantastic trot, which captures your attention. In the Cuddy, when you have a ring-full of champions, it’s hard for a small native pony to stand out. But you have to look past the quartermarks and pretty browbands to see what the animal is; you are looking for an exceptional example of its breed or type. And Sharptor Trinity is exceptional.”

BODY

“She has a lovely deep girth and well-sprung ribs,” enthuses Jackie. “She’s a broodmare so has to be substantial enough to carry and support a foal, but she is very feminine. For their size, Shetlands are the strongest of all the horse breeds and you can see this is a strong pony. She is extremely well proportioned and could do the job she was bred for.

“Her coat has a lovely sheen to it and she oozes quality and correctness; in fact, there is very little to fault. This breed was bred to carry loads and this pony is strong and deep, she has everything you’d look for in a standard Shetland and is a credit to the breed.”