Eran sheds his blue
One Highland stallion proves that attending the championship with a second place rosette can pay off and a ‘tricky’ Welsh cob books her Hickstead place
THE silver medal ridden championship at National Pony Society (NPS) Scotland's spring fixture produced a surprise upturn when the overall title went to the second-placed Highland pony Eran Of Croila.
Heather Kerr rode Jean Carnegie’s Kyle Of Croila-sired eight-year-old stallion to stand out from the crowd on the goround. With his ears pricked and producing a pleasing picture, he was judge Kathleen Scott’s choice for the NPS open ridden title.
This was followed up with the dark mouse dun being judge Caroline Nelson’s pick for the silver medal rosette.
“This is my second season with him,” said Heather, a consultant with the Scottish Agriculture College. “He qualified for Horse of the Year Show [HOYS] last year. He’s a lovely, affectionate pony and will be a breeding stallion in the future at the
Tower Highland stud.”
A WELSH OCCASION
TWO Welsh cobs led the ridden Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) Heritage championship.
Emma Boardman rode Dyffryngwy Sir Picasso to stand Heritage champion. He is coowned with Babs Ruchwaldy and they bought him as a six-monthold foal at the cobs sales.
“He qualified for Olympia last year and was champion at North of England yesterday, qualifying for the RIHS. Last week he won his first training stakes, so he will contend some novice mountain and moorland [M&M] working hunter pony classes,” said Emma.
Georgina Chalmers-Gray was reserve with Gems Kristina (see box, right).
Emma picked up the
Welsh section A and B ticket with Gemma Atkinson’s Laithehill Crown Prince.
“He arrived to be broken in October — for a five-year-old he’s very good. This was his first open class, but he’s straightforward and tries hard,” said Emma, who also piloted him to head the novice class earlier.
Gail Whetter won the small breeds qualifying ticket and was open reserve with Juliet Rodger’s Barrhill Marigold.
“I broke her in as a fiveyear-old, and she does a bit of everything,” said Gail, who rode the nine-year-old Exmoor mare to a win at HOYS last year in the M&M working hunter pony (WHP), and showed her versatility to be placed fourth in the small breeds flat final.
Richard Telford rode
Bill Ireland’s seven-year-old Kilmannan Jack Sparrow to collect the Fells, Dales and Highland qualifier. “This is his first open class, and he’s out of Kilmannan Black Pearl, who won HOYS and Olympia with Richard,” said Bill.
Maria McElhinney deputised for Kirsty Aird to move up to win the Connemara and New Forest section with Cheryl Mackintosh’s Woodbank Smokey Sam. Kirsty had been on form the previous day when standing WHP supreme, after claiming the open RIHS qualifier with Gwen Rae’s Fell stallion Greenholme Emblem.
Peter Boustead, judging, said: “He was typey and looked as if he could live on a fell.”
Reserve was Becca Macmillan with the former HOYS champion Coathamdene Just Dylan. The Welsh section C gelding enjoys a varied lifestyle, including hunting during the winter, and only the previous weekend had completed a 60km endurance ride.
DEDICATED RIDERS
RIDERS from the most northerly part of mainland Britain enjoyed much success over the two days. Lauren Oag rode the seven-yearold Connemara Square Bella to claim the novice ridden and novice working hunter titles. A member of the Caithness branch of the Pony Club,
Lauren has produced the pony herself, since buying her a year ago from a dealer.
Emily Campbell, nine, won the Heritage first ridden RIHS qualifier and reserve junior champion with Annandale
New Approach.
“We have owned him two years and he’d previously been third at HOYS. He’s a great all-rounder and hacks and jumps, and was second in the RIHS working hunter pony class yesterday,” said Emily’s mother, Isabel.
Also claiming an RIHS ticket were Jessica Calder and Cui Flint in the 122cm WHP and Rachael Cross and Sailles Lad in the exceeding 143cm WHP.
Emily Oakden was junior
champion with Irene Gawith’s Kerrishill Zeus. The home-bred seven-year-old Welsh section C had been enjoying dressage training and already has his RIHS Heritage qualifier from the British Show Pony Society Scotland winter show with Emily’s mother, Sarah, riding.
Claiming the mini Heritage title was Emma Gall’s lead rein pony Gwynrhosyn Demelza, ridden by daughter Lucy. “We’re
new to showing and bought ‘Gwen’ in December,” said Emma.
In-hand champion was the yearling Fell colt Bracklinn Avenger from Ian and Alistair Smith. “He’s only been shown once with his dam last year at the Cumbria Fell and Dales Show,” said Ian.
Sarah Ross showed the seven-year-old Shetland mare Rosekate Of Transy to take reserve.