“HE’S A PROPER STAMP”
TEAM AHERN’S delightful show hunter pony lead-rein Rosedew After Eight (Boris, pictured) scooped the RIHS mini crown with Arabella Pickles on their third outing as a combination.
The five-year-old bred by Louise Turnbull and by Cadlanvalley Imperial out of Greendown Nutty Crunch was bought from Ann and Alexandra Fowler of the Broadgrove Stud last summer after a lot of “persuasion” from Arabella’s mother Kirsty.
“I found him by accident really,” said Kirsty. “I was on the hunt for a show hunter for a client and approached the Fowlers. They had Boris for their own little girl, and despite being reluctant to sell him, they eventually let us have him.”
Boris, Arabella and handler Alex Ahern are yet to be beaten. “He’s a proper stamp of a hunter pony; he’s so compact,” added Kirsty. “He always comes out with his ears pricked, too, and so far he’s not missed a beat with Arabella.”
Reserve was Betsy May Allen riding grandmother Kath Allen’s winning show pony lead-rein Wytchwood Love
Potion, expertly handled by Besty May’s half cousin Glen Allen. Glen was later back in action to win on intermediate show riding type Greylands Ace High, who is also Hickstead bound as a small riding horse.
NCPA Eastern Spectacular, Doncaster Racing College, South Yorks
THE smallest and least experienced member of Katy Marriot-Payne’s contingency achieved the biggest result as Dartmoor Salcombe Starehole Bay (Cecil) won his Royal International (RIHS) qualifier before topping the mountain and moorland (M&M) championship.
Owned and bred by Felicity Thompson, seven-year-old
Cecil – by Shilstone Rocks
Snowy Mountain out of Haida Maroon – is a brother of Katy’s 2019 Hickstead winner Salcombe Frowder Cove, who is covering with the Thompsons in Devon.
“The brothers have swapped jobs,” said Katy. “We only had Cecil in to break as we didn’t have anything to do last year.”
Lucy Glover’s stallion Castle Kestrel started his open campaign by bagging a ticket in the Connemara and New Forest class as well as the section reserve.
Team-mate Isabella O’Donnell scooped the RIHS young riders title on her Welsh pony Melyniog Storm Pilot over intermediate victors, Olivia Swailes and Fell mare Dalefoot Amber II.