Cheshire championed
A young cob scores on his first outing, a yard of hunters dominate and a barrister continues her terrific form
TWO yards from one town in Cheshire dominated the second day of this highly anticipated twoday show by securing every open horse championship on offer.
After a successful run in the pony classes the previous day, producers Adam Forster and David Jinks fielded three winning horses as well as two overall champions. They began their campaign with Amy Jones and her own grey small hunter Noble Kings Speech, who landed their Royal International (RIHS) qualification, a show he reigned at during 2021 in amatuer ranks.
“He looks and feels as well as ever,” said Adam, who was then in the saddle of Vicki Rudd’s six-year-old riding horse Shildons Regal Gold (Reggie) to win the small section and overall RIHS riding horse title. Reggie, who is out of former Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in-hand and ridden finalist Colbeach Regal Model, and Adam’s 2021 tally included a victory at Royal Windsor and the novice supreme at the British Show Horse Association (BSHA) national championships.
“He’s got that look-atme attitude in the ring, is an incredible mover and gives a responsive, forward ride,” said Adam, who noted that Reggie’s half-brother, 148cm show pony Shildons Royal Scoundrel, won his novice class the previous day with
Charlotte Caulfield at the helm.
Arguably the team’s most surprising star of the day was their novice show cob Colour Deluxe, who was brought to the show for a ride round and left with the novice accolade to his name. The upstanding coloured was bought as a two-year-old from Reid Finlay, the man responsible for sourcing Adam’s former HOYS coloured champion The Magpie.
“I’d been looking for a good coloured since we sold The Magpie a few years ago and was delighted when Reid finally came to me to say he’d found something,” said Adam of the now four-year-old.
“We think a lot of him. We only brought him here [to North of England] for a hack around. David saw me riding him and told me he looked so good that he went off to enter him in the novice. We didn’t have a show bridle for him and had to trim him up at the side of the ring. It was very last minute, but it paid off. He has the best temperament; he’s ridden by the young jockeys at home.”
WALKER REIGN CONTINUES
TEAM WALKER, who live just two miles from the Jinks’ base in Cheshire, reigned in the hunter ring, winning all three RIHS weight classes with their Jill Dayowned charges, MHS Morning Master (lightweight), Greenhall Treasure Island (middleweight) and Mr Tea (heavyweight).
Robert Walker chose to pilot winning middleweight Greenhall Treasure Island (Larry) to the overall crown, with team-mate
Aimee Stunt lifting reserve on MHS Morning Master.
Larry, an Island Commander six-year-old, was unbeaten during 2021 and he finished his season standing supreme novice hunter at the BSHA championships.
“We held off putting him in any HOYS qualifiers as we knew he’d be one to hold on to,” said Robert. “He’s been worth the wait.”
Robert also produced both novice hunter winners, with four-year-old lightweight Say No More, champion young horse at Balmoral last year with former owner Regina Daly, taking glory at his first ridden show, and six-yearold Mr Tea also winning his novice class. Mr Tea, by thoroughbred Insatiable, is also a show ring debutante.
“He’s slightly later to the ring as soon after we broke him in he developed choke and nearly died from pneumonia; he was in the equine hospital for two weeks,” said Robert. “We gave him a year off to let Dr Green work his magic. We did both classes with him to give him the experience and there were two great ride judges to make use of.”
Robert’s wife Sarah Walker took the reins on Lisa Davey’s reigning RIHS supreme cob and HOYS cob of the year Red Butler to win the cob championship on his season debut. The lightweight, now a seven-year-old, enjoyed a few outings cubbing over winter.
The team completed their run by securing the RIHS hack honour with Zara and Nick Brookes’ prolific small contender Parkgate Royal Visit William.
A whistle-stop visit to Warren Farm paid off for barrister Anna White, who was crowned RIHS amateur horse champion on her own riding horse Firecrest C (Eb).
The 10-year-old mare, a former top intermediate contender while produced by Julie Templeton, has launched Anna back into the ring after a five-year break. Anna’s daughters currently have ponies based with Julie and on a visit to the producer’s yard, Anna spotted Eb and her interest was sparked.
“I’d seen her win at the Great Yorkshire in 2018, and I’d always thought she’d make a lovely riding horse; I pestered her former owner, Ann Cooper, to sell her,” said Anna. “I bought Eb as my own Christmas present and we’ve been ticking away ever since.”
Anna and Eb landed their open RIHS qualification at UK Ponies and Horses Spring Classic in March.
“It’s been five years since I’ve ridden competitively, I’ve had two mini humans and consumed plenty of wine and chocolate in between,” added Anna. “This show was a step up for us and we smashed it.”
“IT’S A TOTAL FAMILY EFFORT”
ONE home-producing family proved that hard work and enough pony power can achieve results, as they captured three RIHS tickets and a section title.
Emma Louise Shepherd and her five-year-old daughter Lilly-Mae Howard won a competitive mountain and moorland (M&M) Heritage lead-rein qualifier and mini championship with their 10-year-old Dartmoor Treworgan Cloudbreak (Cloudy). Their form continued as they secured their Pretty Polly lead-rein qualification later in the day.
Cloudy was bought 12 months ago from the Woolerton family, also the former owners of Emma and Lilly-Mae’s lead-rein show pony Woodview Iola, who also achieved her RIHS pass here at North of England.
“We qualified him for the
RIHS last year but I had an accident so I couldn’t lead,” explained childcare worker Emma of Cloudy, who won the Pretty Polly Heritage lead-rein final in 2018. Last year, the family qualified Woodview Iola for HOYS, finishing sixth at the final.
“It’s a total family effort,” Emma added. “My mum and dad, Diane and Paul Shepherd, help with the ponies when I’m at work, and Lilly-Mae does everything with them herself. The Heritage lead-rein was so strong and LillyMae cried when she was called into first.”
“This show was a step up for us
and we smashed it”
ANNA WHITE