Victorious day for the Downhills girls
There’s no shortage of rising talent as show ring champions of the future flock to Solihull and make their debut impressions count
British National Foal of the Year, Solihull Equestrian Centre, W Mids A RIDING pony stallion cemented his breeding credentials as a clutch of his stock landed red rosettes as well as the supreme of show accolade.
Jackets Shades Of Blue, who is owned by Caroline Cochran and on loan to Jane Cross of the Dowhills Stud, was responsible for the eventual British National Foal of the Year (BNFOY) victor, Dowhills Victoria’s Day, a bay part-bred Arab filly out of Whiteleaze Laura May.
After standing second in the 14.2hh riding pony class, the impressive bay youngster — who is produced and shown by Ian Boylan — went one better to land her part-bred Arab class and respective championship before being netting overall pony and supreme titles.
“She went to Ian’s only two weeks ago,” said Devon-based Jane, who was also making her first trip to the Solihull show and was there to watch the triumph. “She was looking so well and I thought she ought to be out doing something. Her mother is one of my best girls; I bought her as a two-year-old 13 years ago. She’s been a successful breeder for us with one of her daughters being at Horse of the Year Show in October.”
Dowhills fillies continued their reign with Dowhills Tiny Tinks standing reserve part-bred Welsh champion and Dowhills Petite Amie taking reserve in the riding pony championship.
Man of the match Jackets Shades Of Blue has been part of Jane’s breeding programme for the past two years after only ever standing at private stud. “It’s nice he’s getting some recognition as he really has produced some lovely stuff,” added Jane.
‘BOLD AND SASSY NATURE’
STANDING overall reserve was the coloured filly Popenhoe Precocious (Lottie) who was flying solo for the first time and picked up two section championships (coloured and sport horse) as well as the overall light horse accolade en route to the runner-up prize, for owner Caroline Ward.
By Grafenstolz and out of Astonend Loco Lady, Lottie was bred by Caroline and Sally Lister of the Lincolnshire-based Brackenspa Stud.
“She is produced by Christina Gillett and Kevin Cousins and we hope that she will do a bit more in-hand before eventually going on to event,” said Caroline. “She was recently evaluated by the Sports Pony Studbook Society and
was awarded a gold premium. I think it’s safe to say she enjoyed the show; her bold and sassy nature certainly shone through. She was a tired baby by the supreme but she still had a smile on her face.”
The amateur supreme went to the Leander Walton and Tim Barnes’ home-produced filly, Cosette’s Prospect. By Avanti Amorous Archie out of Sheepcote Compliment, Cosette has notched up numerous wins this term, including three supremes.
“We named her as we viewed the stallion after seeing Les Misérables in London,” said Leander, who has two broodmares at home and works as a neuro physiotherapist while husband Tim runs a successful rug cleaning business. “We unfortunately lost her brother in a field accident and her sister to an untreatable tumour so she’s very special to us. The foal show was the perfect end to a wonderful season. We’re also proud to say that we’ve never lost an amateur home-produced class here.”
Cosette will be aimed at sports horse and hunter classes in the future while her mother, Compliment — who is owned by dressage rider Sue Brennan — is back in foal to the same stallion and will contend the Senior Showing and Dressage Ltd series next season.
Up-and-coming producer Tom Pearson handled Daniel Park’s Connemara colt, Castle Magnum, to win his mountain and moorland class before standing section champion. Bred by the O’Tooles, Magnus is by the successful stallion Glencarrig Knight and was only brought over from Ireland four weeks ago.