Showing Highlights
Competition is still red hot as a promising stallion is crowned supreme and a young Connemara flies to victory
THREE ponies owned and produced by the same family all secured top titles, with their leading charge getting the nod in the supreme of show championship. Debbie Baker’s sixyear-old Welsh section D stallion Llanidan Enchanter (Roy) trotted to the National Pony Society (NPS) mountain and moorland (M&M) ridden accolade before claiming the overall sash.
Debbie’s daughter-in-law, Megan, had her own success riding 11-year-old coloured gelding Treforys Ginger, who headed a competitive Coloured Horse and Pony Society (CHAPS) section.
“Roy and Ginger both came from the same home,” explained Megan. “We say they have their very own ‘Black Beauty and Ginger’ story; they were separated for a while before finding each other again.”
Debbie was first acquainted with Roy last year when she was asked to produce him for the Brightwells cob sales on behalf of his previous owner, Jan Emery.
“At around the same time, Debbie sadly lost her husband and Roy really helped her through that difficult time,” continued Megan.
“He gave her a reason to get up in the morning. She decided she just couldn’t part with him so bought him. Strangely enough, at the same time I was looking for a coloured and Jan mentioned she had a part-bred gelding – Ginger – available. I had him on loan and then my husband, Dean, bought him for me last Christmas.
“We had intended to aim both ponies at the qualifiers this year but due to circumstances we’ve got into jumping. They’ve both come out really fresh.”
Megan’s husband Dean was also in the ribbons with the team’s
yearling Welsh section C Popsters Red Rock. The colt was purchased at last year’s cob sales.
“He’s very flashy,” said Megan. “He has a lot of white on him so he can be quite Marmite. He’s a super-reliable pony; it doesn’t matter where he is, he always performs – but he’ll go back on the box and fall asleep as soon as he’s done.”
Hot on Debbie and Roy’s tail all day was Livie Smith riding her mother Kate’s 2019 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) winning Welsh section A gelding Idyllic Spartacus, who stood reserve in both the M&M championship and the supreme reckoning.
Reserve for the coloured crown was Ellie Breach aboard her traditional gelding Dexter.
Shetland gelding Surestart Othello topped the M&M mini championship for his new jockey, Hetty Roddis. Reserve was
Toby Johnstone riding prolific Dartmoor Pumphill Fandango, a HOYS winner in 2018.
In plaited ranks, Elyza Hillyard scored the mini accolade with Royal Park Heartbreaker, while side-saddle combination Victoria Joyce and mannerly grey gelding Kayben Warwick headed the horse championship. The 12-year-old by Finns Clover Inn was placed as a lightweight cob at Hickstead last summer and was also a winner at Equifest.
“He’s flashy and super-reliable”
MEGAN BAKER ON POPSTERS RED ROCK