Storybook ending to Fable’s season
Two ponies will make the trip to Birmingham’s NEC for the first time
A SHOW pony partnership will make their Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) debut next month after clinching one of the last tickets of the season. Aaliyah Pople and Lyncombe Fable won the 148cm show pony class before landing the section championship. The 12-year-old gelding has been with the Pople family for two years.
“We bought him from Scotland and he’d just done some local shows,” said Aaliyah’s mother Gemma, who runs a horse transport company.
Aaliyah, 16, is in her last year on ponies and Fable had been produced by Team Quiney before being taken home two weeks ago.
“It’s just amazing as neither of them have ever been to HOYS before,” added Gemma. “We’re shocked and relieved to get a ticket — we’re so happy.”
Reserve went to Millie Lockhart and Sparkton Spring Orchid Of Hamptonne, who finished second to Hideaway TopKat and Summer McNair (see box, right) in the 128cm qualifier. Six-year-old Spring Orchid is owned and bred by Vicki Norman and was backed by Millie’s elder sister, Kirsty, last winter.
“She’s had a late start for her novice year, but she’s progressed quickly,” said Kirsty, who produces a string of ponies while working full-time as a social worker.
“This is the fourth time she’s finished second, so it’s been a successful season,” added Kirsty. “Millie has done well to come off a first ridden on to a novice show pony. I hope there’s some great things to come next season.”
“We both really liked our champion from the moment he came in the ring,” said judge Alex Kelly. “We loved his way of going and it looked a pleasure to ride.” Talking about their reserve choice, she said: “The rider seemed to relax and rode the pony better in the championship than in the class, which brought her up.”
A DECADE OF HOYS
THE top two lead-rein ponies headed the mini show pony title. Scarlett Doswell and Barkway Priceless enjoyed their second lead-rein class of the year while picking up their HOYS ticket.
The 15-year-old bay mare has been to Birmingham for the past 10 years contesting both lead-rein and first ridden classes. Here, the pair was led by producer Kevin Cousins for owners Christina Gillett and Anne Thornhill.
Imogen Strathern, seven, has taken over the ride on Hightopps Maid Of Honour for her aunt, Angela Gibson. The five-year-old liver chestnut is produced by team Hillyard and led by Katie White.
“This was Imogen’s third ever show so she’s doing really well,” said Angela. The daughter of Barkway Partytime had a novice season last year and started open classes in 2018.
Katie was continuing a run of success, having won the mountain and moorland mini title earlier in the day. Katie led Thistledown Velvet Touch to clinch the leadrein ticket with rider George Levett. The daughter of Blackhill Picalo was sold to George’s mother Holly from the High Flyer sale at Fayre Oaks in 2016, having been produced by Sharn Linney.
“She’s such a true childs’ pony and does everything when she
comes home in the winter,” said Holly, who watched “Piglet” and George win at the Royal International (RIHS) in their first season together last term.
“This year we qualified for RIHS early on, but have been knocking on the door all season in the HOYS qualifiers,” added Holly, who plans to sell the mare at the end of the year.
Also coming close to that elusive ticket has been Newoak Cherry and Alana Davies, who finished second to Velvet Touch and stood reserve champions. The eight-year-old Dartmoor mare, by Shilstone Rocks Day Of Fury, is owned by Emma Lerwill and produced by daughter Jessica. Emma’s niece, Alana, has partnered Cherry this year.
“We haven’t chased the qualifiers as we’re so far away and have to travel,” said Emma. “We really appreciate being able to do this one as it’s been the closest for us. We’ll keep going next season, after Cherry has a winter holiday.”
NEW COMBINATION SHINES
A NEW partnership of Harriet Oldershaw and Glebedale Jumble took the first ridden ticket. The Welsh section A is by former HOYS winner Glebedale Mumbo Jumbo and the pair has only been together for a few weeks.
“I was pleased with both of our champion and reserve as they were both good examples of their breed,” said judge Stephen Howard. “In these mini classes, we look at manners and both were faultless. It’s what we would be happy putting a child on and our champion would look after any — it was a perfect picture.”
Sam Roberts rode Sharon Wilson’s Thistledown San-Siro to win the Ringside and Silver Medal titles and went on to finish reserve in the overall supreme. The sevenyear-old, by Blackhill Picalo, is currently produced by Sam but will go on to Sharon’s daughter, Hannah, in the future.
“He’s been champion at NPS Areas 29 and 24 this season and picked up his HOYS ticket in July,” said Sam. “The only time Hannah rode him they ended up mini champions at the National Welsh.”
Despite finishing second in the HOYS 148cm show pony class, Jackets Destiny and Emmy Parkhouse took overall supreme of show ahead of Sam and San-Siro.