Hackney Horse of the Year Driving
A novice mare steps up to the plate, while the Dutch dazzle with another flashy performance and the Peters family do the double
A FIVE-YEAR-OLD novice mare in her first season triumphed over more experienced opposition to take the open pony of the year title for Reuben Carter.
Aghaderg Let's Up The
Antie stood novice champion at this year’s breed show at Ardingly and was Hackney reserve at Addington, but this was a precocious step up for the daughter of Sunbeam Vindicator.
“I had faith in her, she’s one in a million and I thought she could do it,” said Reuben, who was only at his seventh show with the mare. “We took her indoors for the first time at Victoria Foods, but she can be a bit hot and she bubbled a bit there. Then she was lovely at Addington, so I thought: ‘She’s been indoors now and settled — we could go for the open pony of the year’.”
It was one of the only occasions in the past decade that this title has been taken by a mare. This one’s stamina and presence pulled her up the line after the judge sent them out for a final showdown.
“The more they did, the more she was loving it,” said Reuben. “She’s like having three stallions rolled into one. She has a lovely temperament, but when she gets in harness, she wants to please and work.”
UK DEBUT WINNER
THE open horse title was regained by the Dutch when Demi van Nispen drove the van Nispen brothers’ Eclipse Flasch Dance to the championship, beating last year’s winners Joey Peters and Wentworth Ebony into reserve.
This 10-year-old stallion stands out for his slow, metered rhythm, which has helped him to ace all five of the championships he contested this year. This included both of the coveted British titles — he also won at Ardingly — on what was his debut season in the UK.
“I was crazy about him from the first moment I drove him,” said dressage trainer Demi, who celebrated her 21st birthday the day after the show. “Winning both titles has been fantastic.”
Rachel Moore and her 16-yearold daughter Rachel Milton had a superb show, with their three animals taking a title apiece.
Following on from a win in the Hackney wagon championship at Addington, Rachel Moore’s Wellshaw Petite Etoile topped the international horse line-up with her breeder and producer Sue Barraclough at the helm.
“She’s been shown lightly as we have two open horses, but she’s
had a great season and she was stepping out of her skin here,” said Rachel [Moore].
Rachel’s daughter Rachel Milton drove her promising five-year-old Gillcrest The Dodger to their third amateur pony title this year before handing over the reins of her 10-year-old stallion Aghaderg Another Hero to family friend Jimmy Wenham. They then went on to head the international pony line-up.
Gillcrest The Dodger is a full brother to the talented but difficult Gillcrest Bobby
Shafto — owned by Rachel
Moore and produced by Sue Barraclough — who was standout novice champion here last year.
“Dodger is a safe and kind pony and we’ve taken it slowly with him as his brother is such a hothead,” said Rachel [Moore].
DOUBLE CHAMP
THE Peters family secured two championships with Brookfield Steppin Stones, driven by 15-yearold Tommy Peters in the young driver and by his mother Melita in the novice pony.
The seven-year-old mare was contesting her third and final novice season.
“She’s only been lightly shown as she’s had ulcers,” said Melita’s sister-in-law Pauline, who runs Brookfield Stud. “She has a lovely temperament, but she does get nervous when you take her away from home. She hasn’t been easy to keep weight on, but we think we’ve cracked it now.”
James Howell’s Hamewith Glenfinnan also exited his final novice season on a high, taking the horse title, driven by James’ brother Michael.
The versatile nine-year-old stallion contested the harness championship at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) three days earlier, before switching to the wagon for this outing.
“It was probably better we did it that way round, but he’s pretty level-headed. He’s been out in trade, private driving and the wagon this year,” said James. “My sister [Courtney] rode him through the winter and she’s begging me to let her have another go now. Last year, she even jumped him — she sent me pictures while I was on holiday so I couldn’t do much about it!”
The private drive championship went to Jessie Dudley-Apicella and her double HOYS champion Aghaderg Stand And Deliver, who was third at the NEC this year.
“We didn’t plan to bring him originally, but [his breeder] Paul Trimble said his dad was coming over [from Ireland] and had never seen him, so we decided we’d keep him in work for a few more days,” Jessie said.