Native Pony July/August 2023 (161)

Dinky Ponies

JULY/AUGUST 2023 ISSUE 161

At home with the Sharptor, Blackertor and Halstock studs

Badleybridge Ab Fab in the Spotlight

Reports from NCPA Derbyshire Festival, the Royal Highland and many more! info@showingworldonline.co.uk | July/August 2023 Issue | The Native Pony | 1

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MADE IN OUR OWN

UK MILL

A word from our editor Dear Reader, Here we are mid-summer and half-way through the season. It just seems a shame to me that Mother Nature has muddled her calendar and sent far more rain than we wished for!

In this issue, we have an insight to life at the Sharptor, Halstock and Blackertor herd. I’m full of admiration for Julian and David succesfully breeding three of our smallest breeds to hold their own in the most prestigious of finals. Badleybridge Ab Fab is also in the spotlight.

What a wonderful ambassador for the breed ‘Molly’ is!

I’m sure you’ll thoroughly enjoy both features!

As I write, RIHS is in full flow, and there will be a full report in the next issue. HOYS and LIHS qualifiers are also flying off the shelf with a wonderful cross-section of old and new faces taking the tickets. As ever, the final two championships for the mountain and moorlands will be fantastic celebrations of our native breeds!

In the meantime, please do keep me in the loop on what you are up to with your natives, from fundraising trekks to Badminton Grassroots, horseball, to showjumping, endurance and dressage. Not only is it a pleasure to read about them, but an honour to share your successes. My email address is beth.simons@showingworldonline.co.uk In the meantime, happy reading.

Beth

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Contents Features 12. Midland Counties 14. Native Breeds Festival 16. Highlights from Staffordshire County Show 24. Native Highlights from Suffolk County Show

Regulars 36. Exmoor Roundup

30

40. Connemara Roundup

14

17

24

COVER PHOTO: Photo by 1st Class Images. Fell pony Rundales Trooper ridden by Hollie McGauley. The pair won a whopping junior mountain and moorland large breeds class, qualifying for HOYS at the Royal Highland Show. This is the second time that Hollie has won this championship, having also done so on Dartmoor pony Pumphill Rasputin.

Disclaimer: The view and opinions expressed within the magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or Showing World Limited and while every effort has been made to ensure the information contained in the magazine is correct and current at the date of publication, Showing World Limited will not accept any liability. Showing World Limited will not be held responsible for the appearance of photographic material supplied without the necessary consent, copyright and/or photographer’s details.

In addition, Showing World Limited offers no guarantee of publication and reserve the right to edit any reader’s letters, press releases, reports and articles submitted.

Showing World Limited 2023. All rights reserved. No part of Native Pony may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted or shared in any form or by any means, including, but not limited to; electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of Showing World Limited.

4 | The Native Pony | July/August 2023 Issue | info@showingworldonline.co.uk

A Celebration of the Life of Jane Glass 14th May 1935 – 6th May 2023 Many will know Miss Glass from either competing in the ring with Fell Ponies or standing at the side of the show ring, holding many Fell ponies and chatting to people.

The Fell world has lost another great horsewoman. Jane was one of a very few people to get the Pony Club A test at a young age and eventually had her riding school whilst showing horses for various people.

Anyone who visited Jane at Wolds Stud will recall photos of her at Wembley with Sportsman, a beautiful grey cob, as well as her other cobs and hack, Royal and D’Artagnon.

She showed teams of ponies and pairs of cobs too, always wearing her bowler hat (except in evening performances where it was top hat).

She had a Fell pony fairly early on and always swore to have another as she was so taken the breed. In 1967 she bought Shilstone Rocks Blackberry and a year later Waverhead Rob to be her foundation stock.

Jane was dedicated in breeding true to type fell ponies with her Wolds Stud Prefix and was and still is respected for the ponies she bred. She also allocated a lot of her time to The Fell Pony Society to promote the

breed and in partnership with the late Mary Longsdon, was a founder of the FPS Southern Breed Show. Jane also worked with Mary to set up the FPS area groups and together they also looked after the FPS merchandise travelling up and down the country promoting the breed. Jane’s hard work and dedication to the breed and the Society was recognised by her being made an Honorary Member of the Society. She served on Council for many many years.

She spread the word globally and several of her ponies were exported to Germany and Holland.

Jane loved to watch her ponies perform and would always be ringside, talking to many of the breeders and they respected her. She would share her knowledge and have a skill of matching her ponies to people. Wolds ponies are respected across many disciplines from showing, driving and dressage. There are many people who can say, “it was because of Jane Glass we now have Fell Ponies”.

There are still Wolds ponies about and Wolds Stud will continue in her honour.

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Native Round Up at Royal Bath and West Show The Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset | 2-4 June 2023 Report by Beth Simons | Photos by Jays Photos So close and yet so far in the Price Family Supreme In hand were local campaigners Jamie Frost with last year’s supreme, Clover Hill Magic standing reserve. The six-year-old Connemara stallion is by Glencarrig Knight and was bred by the Lee family just outside Clifden. His owner, Cathy Wood first spotted him at the annual show while queuing for coffee.

“When I saw him move, coffee was abandoned and I ran up the road to buy him,” said Cathy. He was shown a handful of times during the 2021 albeit successfully, standing champion at Devon County, Bath and West, the NPS Spring Festival, Three Counties and supreme champion at the Connemara breed show.

Last season he repeated his

Clover Hill Magic shown by Jamie Frost

Bath and West championship before going on to clinch the supreme. Taking that same Connemara breeding championship for the third time, Magic looked a picture and moved fantastically. He will surely be one to watch in future supremes as the season unfolds. Magic has also been delivering the goods as a stallion, and interestingly, Vanessa Clark’s Skaergaarden’s Delicious Love had a Magic colt foal at foot when she won the Price supreme final at HOYS in 2022.

Gryngallt Page Too ridden by Harry Edwards Brady

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2022 Showing World awards finalist Gryngallt Page Too (Billy), now free of his usual plaited guise, won the UKP&H junior small breeds class and section championship under Harry Edwards Brady. Billy is owned by Harry’s mum, Emma Edwards and was shown as a hunter pony until this season as Harry is now out of the 122cm class. Billy first competed at the

RIHS and HOYS as a show hunter pony lead rein in 2013 when Harry was just three, and the pair gained fame when Harry was captured waving at crowds. Billy has qualified every year since and has won the 122cm show hunter pony at HOYS twice and at RIHS once.

He has also won at all major shows including Windsor and the Royal Welsh several times. As Billy seems to have a spring in his step and an evergreen attitude to his work, he will now be shown by Harry as a native until outgrown.

Talbot Triple Kingsbury Episcopy based producer Jessica Talbot had nothing short of a fantastic show, heading home with a hattrick of wins. She claimed two of the RIHS mountain and moorland classes, making the most Peasedown Maddison ridden by Jessica Talbot

Sharptor Kingpin shown by Julian Walters

Moortown Honey Moon shown by Charlotte Jordan

of a local qualifier for a practice for her team despite having already qualified. She kicked off with a win on Caroline Sutton’s exceeding 143cm contender, Clyard Duke, followed shortly afterwards by a win on Caroline’s Welsh section C Peasdown Maddison (Pinky).

Something of a favourite by Jess’ own admission, Pinky is a multiple HOYS and RIHS finalist and also competes in a range of other disciplines and carries side saddle.

The pair went on to clinch the section championship ahead of the winners of the 133cm class, Nebo Thomas Jones and Ruby Woodman. Jess’ final win was on David Hodge and Julian Walters’ Exmoor pony stallion, Blackthorn Poldark, with the pair claiming the Exmoor, Shetland and Dartmoor HOYS qualifier. They stood reserve, and Julian also led another of Jess’ regular rides, Shetland stallion Sharptor Kingpin to stand champion Standard Shetland.

The Jordan family’s Moortown Dartmoor stud had yet another triumphant show. Just weeks after their mare Moortown Honeymoon, her foal, two-yearold filly Moortown Midnight Magic, and the multi-garlanded stallion Moortown Crusader won their classes at Devon County Show, all four repeated their class wins. However, at Devon, it was Crusader who went on to stand champion and reserve supreme wheras it was his daughter, Honeymoon’s turn to take the tricolour at Bath and West over Nicola Tyler’s three-year-old filly Springwater Mia in reserve.

info@showingworldonline.co.uk | July/August 2023 Issue | The Native Pony | 7

Halstock, Blackertor and Sharptor In Focus

By Sarah Measom Nestled on the edge of the Dartmoor National Park is where you’ll find Lower Halstock Farm, home to showing stalwarts, Julian Walters and David Hodge. Recognised on the competition circuit for breeding and showing Shetlands, Dartmoors and Exmoor ponies over the past two decades, the couple are far from ready to hang up their boots.

The 1,500-acre farm near Tor, the second highest point on Dartmoor, provides the perfect landscape for grazing their 200+ mountain and moorland ponies. The natural environment and grazing is ideally suited to the breeding and management of native ponies, with them experiencing very few issues with laminitis or sweet itch often occurring in these breed types.

Blackthorn Poldark at HOYS with Jessica Talbot (1st Class Images)

Dartmoor stallion Shilstone Rocks Rain Man at Border Union Show (Sinclair)

Since meeting in 1998, the couple soon transitioned their way to the world of M&M showing; little did they know at the time that this was the start of something so much more.

“We showed our first Shetlands in the year 2000 and came home with a champion and reserve. This first outing kickstarted our love for showing ponies and it has all snowballed from there,” said Julian.

What started as a Shetland pony stud has now evolved to breeding Dartmoor and Exmoor ponies and more recently Dales ponies too.

Their first Dartmoor foal, Blackertor Moorcroft, was registered in 2014. That year he won first prize foal at the Eastern Dartmoor Show and the Dartmoor Moorland Show and then in 2015 he was crowned Supreme Yearling at the Dartmoor Pony Society Breed Show.

Halstock Stud purchased their first Exmoor pony, Blackthorn Poldark, as a foal in 2016, he is now seven. He was crowned Supreme in-hand Champion at the Exmoor Breed Show in 2017 and 2018 before siring his first foal in 2020.

As a stud, they breed nearly 50 foals each year and are driven by breeding true-to-type ponies, not being afraid of introducing new bloodlines to the mix.

“We are both livestock minded, having grown up breeding Pedigree animals that are true to type and that is something we have tried to pull through to breeding the ponies. The traits of the M&Ms really suit our farm and they strive in their natural habitat out on the moors. They are turned out in groups by breed and type and they stay out for most of the year. We just have to bring the ones in which we are showing around February time so their coats can come through and we can get them ready for the season ahead,” adds Julian.

It’s all about the ponies The Stud breeds with three different three prefixes; the original Halstock prefix which is for the Miniature Shetlands owned by John; the Blackator prefix which is used for the Shetlands owned

by David as well as breeds which are in joint ownership with Julian and David; and Sharptor which is used for breeds owned by Julian.

All three are still being produced today.

Where it all began David is the seventh generation to take over the family farm, but the stud itself was first established by David’s father, John Hodge, in the late 1960’s. As well as running a farm with beef cattle at the time, John registered his first Shetland pony in 1967 under the Halstock prefix, and the Shetland pony stud began. Now aged 85, John is still a regular visitor to the farm and enjoys being around the ponies.

Unbeknown to some, Julian and David continue to farm pedigree Belted Galloway beef cattle and pedigree sheep alongside their show pony enterprise. Both horsemen come from a background of showing livestock and David grew up riding on the hunting field.

As many horse people will relate to, once the competition season starts, there is little time for anything else; it’s all about the ponies.

The team had to say farewell to head groom Stacey Palmer at Horse of the Year Show last year as she moved on after several years working for Julian and David. With big shoes to fill, Fran Johnson and Dougie Little have stepped up to take on the task and have their work cut out with a busy season ahead.

Splitting out the work is one of the team’s secrets to success; whilst Julian is on top of the turn out and show preparation, David does most of the training.

“Luckily Fran and Dougie know how we like to turn them out and have mastered even the smallest of details. In showing, the slightest detail can make all the difference,” explains Julian.

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Sharptor Trinity HOYS (1st Class Images)

“Our success as a show team is down to everyone’s hard work.

David and I haven’t had a holiday for a long time, but the ponies and the shows are our holiday and its where we see a lot of our friends. It has become our life and I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Julian says.

Sharptor Kinsman at Hoys last year with David (st Class Images)

boxes are left to tick for this power couple? Well, as always their focus remains on the ponies they have coming through and the excitement of what’s still to come.

Three is the magic number

“We’re always trying to find the next pony,” says Julian. “We have a wonderful Shetland mare coming up, Sharptor Kerri-Anne, who has her foal at foot. She is like a young Trinity, she has the same star quality so we can’t wait to see what’s instore with her.”

Julian and David have both had their fair share of moments in the spotlight, and as the saying goes, ‘three is the magic number’ with their most significant achievements coming in threes.

Sharptor Kerri-Anne is by Sharptor Trademark who is a full brother to Sharptor Trinity, she’s a daughter of Schivas Kerry who was M&M supreme in hand at Royal Windsor in 2012.

They have won the in-hand championship at the Dartmoor breed show three times with three different ponies, they have also had three best of breed titles at the London International Horse Show (previously known as Olympia) and two wins of the Kellythorpe Stud Shetland Sire of the Year award with one of their top sires, Newbarn Piran – could the third win be still to come?

“Then we have two stallions we’ve been competing this year, Magneto and Kingsman and we have a lovely group of young Dartmoor mares coming along too, so they are ones to watch out for,” adds Julian.

However, one of their biggest achievements is arguably them qualifying a pony for the Supreme In-hand final at Horse of the Year Show three times. Known affectionately for many years as ‘The Cuddy’ but now under sponsorship from The Price family, the in-hand final is the ultimate accolade for breeders and producers alike.

In 2016 and 2017 their superstar Shetland mare, Sharptor Trinity, became the first of her breed in 30 years to qualify for the prestigious final at Horse of the Year Show. She took the reserve spot in the pony section of the final in both years. Then in 2022, they were reserve in the same final with six-year-old Sharptor Kinsman.

“Getting through to the supreme in-hand final at HOYS three times has been unbelievable. It became an obsession of ours and we tried so many times to qualify one of our Shetlands, so to do it three times is just incredible and we are so proud,” said Julian.

Big things yet to come With an illustrious career and a well-respected reputation, what

When asked whether they have any plans to scale down their operation, Julian joked: “We are very sentimental and we aren’t very good at selling on! Once we find bloodlines we like, we don’t want to let them go, so the ponies will stay for as long as we have the space.”

Quick Fire Five: What’s your favourite show? I love going to HOYS, that is the pinnacle, but also Royal Windsor.

Name something you can’t live without? Our four Dachshunds George, Molly, Rose and Daisy.

How do you pick yourself up if you’re feeling down? Just go out with the ponies, they make me realise how lucky I am to do something I love.

What does your dream holiday look like? I would love a holiday!

I’d like to go somewhere where there’s good food and nice places to visit.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? We learn by watching others. I have watched some of the best handlers in my time and you can learn so much from them. So watch and take note.

David and Julian showing their Valais Blacknose sheep

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Hett Tudor King, Dales champion and Battle of the breeds supreme

South West Hairy Pony Fest 26th March 2023 | Report by Suzy Mckirgan | Photos by Nick Pound Badgworth Arena in Somerset was the venue for the second South West Hairy Pony Fest show, and this year the show opened up to include all native breeds along with the dedicated classes for Highland, Dales and Fell ponies.

Alfie for five years, and he is no stranger to show ring success, having made numerous appearances at HOYS over the years. He now enjoys a varied life being hacked out

by Sally, and competing in jumping classes with Amelia.

Quality rather than quantity was the order of the day, with both judges commenting on the superb standard of the ponies forward. Many of the native ponies that took top honours also compete and participate in a range of other disciplines, which is a testament to their versatility outside of the show ring.

Taking the Highland championship was Karen Fuller with the mare Whitefield Princess Una, who is another very versatile pony who has also been broken to drive.

The day commenced with the individual breed in hand classes, and judge Hannah Brock chose Sonyarisa Duckhouse’s six-year-old stallion Hett Tudor King as her Dales champion. Sonyarisa bought Tudor King as a foal, and as well as competing with him under saddle, he has also been broken to vault, and his training currently comprises of canter mounts, cartwheels and forward rolls.

Second to Tudor King in his class, and Dales reserve champion was the eyecatching mare, Roandale Amy Rose owned by Lindsey Tropman. This mare garnered much ringside admiration for her expressive movement and ring presence.

Sally O’Connor’s stallion Murthwaite Alfie took the Fell championship, ably shown by her daughter Amelia. The O’Connors have owned the 14-year-old

In the Battle of the Breeds supreme championship, it was declared the day of the Dales, with Hett Tudor King being awarded the supreme sash, and Roandale Amy Rose in reserve.

The in hand classes continued with qualifiers for the NPS Spring Festival, and judge Malcolm Fry chose his champion and silver medal winner from the large breed youngstock class, Katie Bennett’s two-year-old Connemara filly Cregduff Cranberry, who was attending only her second show. Taking reserve champion in a high-class field was Lizzie Houghton’s Dartmoor Durnass Sweet Dreams The day then continued with the ridden classes, and in the unaffiliated section

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there was more championship success for Amelia O’Connor, this time with her Connemara stallion Donaghpatrick Black Smoke, who has also begun a promising WHP career this year.

The dedicated Highland, Dales and Fell ridden classes then followed on, and repeating their success at the previous year’s show where they took the battle of the breeds ridden championship were Jessica Talbot and Marie Booth’s grand Highland gelding Holmedown Wisconsin who was competing at his first show of the year. Reserve to Wisconsin was the winner of the Fell ridden class, Murthwaite Alfie.

Uphill The Bugler, mini champion

The final classes of the day were qualifiers for the ridden classes at the NPS Spring Festival.

Taking both the lead rein and first ridden classes, and the mini championship was the lovely partnership of Ruby Beach and Uphill the Bugler. “Jack” was purchased as a three-year-old colt from his breeder, and since being cut has had a successful season on the lead rein, with the pair now moving into first ridden classes.

The ridden silver medal championship was the final event of the day, and this was an all-Highland affair, with the winner of the Confined Novice large breeds class, Pottertonpark Mulreesh taking the coveted silver medal rosette. “Soup” as he is known at home is owned by Lesley Gambling, and was well ridden by Janine Paterson. Lesley

Pottertonpark Mulreesh, NPS silver medal ridden champion

Holmedown Wisconsin, Battle of the Breeds ridden champion

bought the seven-year-old stallion as a weanling, and a Picton ticket is the next aim for the pair. Soup is also proving to be very adept in the dressage arena, having qualified for the Trailblazers second round. Reserve champion was the open large breeds winner, Holmedown Wisconsin and Jessica Talbot.

A special “Sportsmanship Award” was given out at the show, and this was awarded to Molly Hendy. Although Molly was not competing herself, she was seen helping people from start to finish, and congratulated those that were competing, however they did. Molly was awarded a special rosette and a hamper that was kindly donated by MP Gloss Products

Whitefield Princess Una

The show was very much enjoyed by all who attended, and prizes of chocolate, pony treats, easter eggs and cash, along with super rosettes and sashes were much appreciated by competitors. A fun, welcoming and friendly atmosphere prevailed, and the organisers are already in the planning stages for next year’s show.

info@showingworldonline.co.uk | July/August 2023 Issue | The Native Pony | 11 Cregduff Cranberry Donaghpatrick Black Smoke, open ridden champion

Sophia A Sensation Midland Counties Show, Arena UK 3rd & 4th June 2023 Report by Celeste Gall | Photos by Equinational Ann Jones’s quality three-year-old homebred filly Friarly Sophia, shown on this occasion by Shane Rogers took not only the section A championship, but also went on to stand reserve supreme in a line-up of superb quality. “My reserve was also a new face; a lovely Welsh Mountain filly with plenty of scope and movement to make a very nice show mare. Both my champion and reserve stood out to me from the outset,” commented judge, David Puttock. “This was just her second ever show having taken the Welsh section A championship at Glanusk stallion show on her debut a few weeks ago,” said Ann’s son Thomas.

By Three-B Birthday Boy, Sophia is out of Cwmmeudwy Sonato, whom Ann and Thomas purchased at Fayre Oaks a few years ago. “She will do a few more shows and then we will retain her as a broodmare. She will be covered in the next few weeks and then next year she can enjoy being out with the rest of the herd with hopefully a nice foal at foot,” shared Thomas, who added: “Royal Welsh is always the climax of our showing year and I am sure she will relish the atmosphere in that main ring.”

Mia’s ‘unicorn’ sparkles Mia-Bella Long, 6, claimed her return pass to HOYS aboard the Sharn Linneyproduced Welsh section A Thistledown Vodka Soda (Theo) in the lead rein M&M ranks, who also clinched the mini M&M championship here. “We had a run of seconds last year in the

Firarly Sophia shown by Shane Rogers

HOYS qualifiers, so it was a massive relief getting it so early this year,” said Mia’s mother Laura-Paige Long, who purchased Theo in 2021. “It was my dream to buy him for Mia as soon as I saw him when we first started showing.

Mia calls him her unicorn and I believe this year is their time to shine; he just looks on top form and gave the most beautiful show,” added Laura-Paige. Last season the pair finished fourth at HOYS and were supreme champion at BSPS Area 17 earlier this season, where they also earned their pass to RIHS.

Thistledown Vodka Soda ridden by Mia-Bella Long and led by Sharn Linney

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It was a Thistledown whitewash in the mini M&M championship with first ridden winner Alice Bowling-Hartenfeld, 6, and the 14-year-old Thistledown Special VIP taking reserve. Having finished in the runner-up spot in the HOYS final last season with Alice only being fiveyears-old, the pair have had a flying start to their season this year with several championships under their belt and will now turn their attention to RIHS, where they have qualified in the M&M first ridden and junior finals.

The HOYS junior M&M qualifiers were brimming with quality, but it was Emily Morris and the Dales gelding Tarbarl Luke At Me (Fluffy) who booked their first ticket to HOYS together and clinched the section championship. Emily last rode in the show ring aged 10 and now 16-yearsold, she decided she would like to return after concentrating on show jumping. “I wasn’t enjoying show jumping anymore so I decided to go back showing as I love HOYS and there is just something special about the atmosphere there,” explained Emily, who is in the midst of exam season.

10-year-old Fluffy is owned by Emily’s aunt Ella Morris and has been produced throughout his career by Sarah Parker, qualifying for all the major finals. Emily and Fluffy are RIHS-bound in the UKPH junior intermediate and large breeds finals and, due to school commitments, hadn’t

stud and has previously competed successfully on the flat including standing supreme ridden M&M at Blair in 2021. “I feel very lucky that I have another that is going to be just as good as Sam. She has twice just missed qualifying for RIHS this year, being on equal marks, as her jumping rounds just showed that she was still a novice, but I felt today she really showed how much her confidence jumping these tracks has come on in the last few months,” said Kirsty, who also piloted Violet Legge’s Brynithon Imperial Commander to earn his Hickstead pass. “Violet was in Brazil, so it was a lovely surprise for her,” added Kirsty. Reserve went to Georgia Darlington who rode Sophie Bettison’s Welsh section C Glynceirch Endeavour (Eddie); the pair headed the not exceeding 133cm qualifier. Sophie purchased Eddie from the cob sales as a foal and the now seven-year-old gelding has been with Georgia since the winter. “We contested a few novices and then stepped up to the opens; this will be his first trip to RIHS,” said Georgia.

Tarbarl Luke At Me ridden by Emily Morris Manor Willow ridden by Kirsty Aird

ridden him since April. “We went with zero expectations and he felt absolutely amazing and we were pulled top. I have always suffered with my nerves in the ring but decided now was the time to hold it together. I couldn’t believe it when I heard my number called out in first place, but to go champion as well was the best feeling ever,” said an elated Emily.

11-year-old Henry Belton secured his first flat ticket to HOYS on his first attempt with the Welsh section B Moelview Orlando (Lando) in the junior small breeds qualifier, also taking the reserve championship.

Lando, an 11-year-old by Moelview Prince Charming, who himself was a Royal Welsh winner and HOYS finalist, was previously campaigned in the working hunter classes and was only purchased by Henry’s mother Fiona Cork in March. “Our friends asked us to meet them so she could take a video of Lando with a child on to advertise for sale and when I saw Henry on board they just looked lovely together so he joined the team although we weren’t quite sure what to aim for!” explained Fiona, who added:

“Very soon after they qualified for RIHS in the open Welsh A and B class and then a junior M&M ticket followed, as well as winning at Royal Windsor.

We will try some HOYS open M&M qualifiers now as I think it is really good for Henry’s riding and to help him improve his ringcraft.”

Double celebration for Kirsty Kirsty Aird landed two tickets in the final RIHS M&M WHP qualifier, as well as the championship. She produced a confident round aboard the nine-year-old Connemara mare Manor Willow, owned by Winsome Aird (no relation) and is in her first season in the open classes. “She missed out over Covid as Scotland didn’t run as many qualifiers as the South so I always feel she is a few years behind and I’ve always had Woodbank Smokey Sam in these classes,” explained Kirsty, who won the not exceeding 143cm M&M WHP final at HOYS on Sam last year. Winsome purchased Willow as a twoyear-old direct from Manor

Moelview Orlando ridden by Henry Belton

Native Breeds Festival

United Counties Showground, Carmarthenshire 28.05.2023 | Report by Beth Simons | Photos by EquinePix Glebedale Sancerre ridden by Lilly Richardson

Two By Two! Hurrah Hurrah!

The Native Breeds Festival in Carmarthenshire saw competitors head to west Wales from far and wide, meaning that whilst classes were not enormous in quantity, they were abundant in quality.

This was the second running of the show, and as the classes unfolded, it became evident that the number two was the theme of the day!

Eventual supreme was five-year-old Glebedale Sancerre (Princess), who headed home with two golden tickets ridden by Lilly Richardson. This pretty section A mare has belied her lack of milage to add an early HOYS first ridden and junior small breeds qualification to her already impressive repertoire. She is leased to Lilly’s mum, Lucy Richardson from her breeders Kitty Bodily and Jill Williams.

Princess and Lilly almost added a third ticket to their tally, but in the spirit of the day, stood second in the open Welsh section A class! Lilly and Princess went on to stand junior reserve but later still, overall HOYS champion, graduating to the supreme.

Taking the open breed championship was Yorkshire-based Hannah Atkinson riding her mother, Linda Atkinson’s homebred Welsh section C gelding Danwood Llewellyn (Lewi). The 11-year-old has been super-successful under saddle, with multiple qualifications for HOYS topped by a win and reserve champion at the final in 2018, ridden by Linda herself. He’s also contested the London International

Horse Show twice, standing seventh and Best of Breed in 2021 under Hannah. As ever Lewi gave an impeccably mannered account of himself to secure the highest ride mark and highest conformation mark of the class and take the ticket. To make the long journey south completely worthwhile, the Atkinsons asked Abergavenny’s Ella Eynon, 13 to “give the juniors a go. He’s never done a junior class before,” said Hannah, “and obviously Ella’s never ridden him before, so we had no expectations.” Nevertheless, Lewi and Ella gelled immediately, going on to claim the junior large breeds class by eight marks ahead of a second section C, Wyken Sweet Silhouette ridden by Annie Dilcock Thomas.

Interestingly, this meant both first and second were sired by the prolific Wyken Rob Roy. Ella and Lewi later took the junior championship meaning that Lewi and the Atkinson’s flew home on a high with two tickets and two tricolours on board. “I’m very grateful to Ella for riding him so well and to Rebecca and Eurig for letting her,” said Hannah, adding, “and I’m so proud of him.

He’s my show pony but also my fun pony.

I love every minute of working with him.”

Not to be outdone, it was also Ella’s second win, having also won the Picton novice C and D class on her parents Rebecca Faulkner and Eurig Eynon’s exciting homebred cob, Hatterall Emperor, also Louis!

Danwood Llewellyn ridden by Ella Eynon

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Reserve champion in the open HOYS section was Danielle Everitt with her own Monahawk Masterpiece (Bond). This was the second time for the Welsh section D stallion to qualify at the Native Breeds Fastival albeit for the third time. He has also stood champion ridden at the Royal Welsh and has sired Royal Welsh

Monohawk Masterpiece ridden by Danielle Everitt

Winter Fair winners, juggling covering with ridden commitments with ease due to his laidback, kindly temperament.

The mini championship was awarded to the winners of the lead rein class, Alice Hertenfeld and her mum Katherine’s Shetland mare, Sharptor Keepsake. Incidentally, this was the second time this pair also qualified at Native Breeds Festival!

The final two HOYS tickets on offer – the open As and Bs – were awarded to two homebreds, India Latter Sears riding Stewart Franklin’s Sarum Phantom and Libby Grota riding her mum Hayley Grota’s Cadlanvalley Total Elation respectively. With just one exam left, Libby was pleased to be almost done with academic pressures for the year! Sticking to the day’s theme, this will be both ponies’ second trip to HOYS!

Sarum Phantom ridden by India Latter Sears

Sharptor Keepsake ridden by Alice Hartenfeld and led by Katherine Hartenfeld

Cadlanvalley Elation ridden by Libby Grota

info@showingworldonline.co.uk | July/August 2023 Issue | The Native Pony | 15

Highlights from Staffordshire County Show – 31st May – 1st June 2023 Report by Celeste Gall and Beth Simons | Photos by 1st Class Images New combination rocks The weeks-old combination of the Welsh section C Thistledown Rockin Robin (Custard) and Daisy May Allen impressed to collect their UKPH RIHS junior M&M ticket and the section title under judge Hayley Reynolds. “My champion was the stand out winner as soon as they walked into the ring. They were in perfect harmony with each other and performed a faultless show and the pony did not disappoint when stripped either.

For me, they were the epitome of a junior partnership,” said Hayley. Custard was recently purchased from Tom Wood and was the open Welsh C and D winner at RIHS in 2021 partnered by Chloe Chubb; Daisy booked their RIHS ticket for the same final only the week before at NPS Area 29.

The UKPH RIHS amateur M&M ticket went to Emma James riding her sister Sophie’s dun Connemara gelding Glenmore Gwennic (Glen). Emma, a driving experiences manager at Aston Martin has also qualified 16-year-old Glen for the open ridden M&M final and the M&M WHP final; over the last decade he has qualified for RIHS on 22 occasions across four different classes. “My amateur winner was on older pony, but he impressed me on his true to type way of going, exceptionally clean limbs and was beautifully ridden,” said judge Hayley Reynolds.

Locally-based Courtney Harvey landed the open M&M RIHS championship on her Welsh Cob winner Llanarth Steptoe

Thistledown Rockin Robin ridden by Daisy May Allen

(Albert), sired by Penlangrug Deio, whom she won this exact championship on five years ago. Courtney purchased Albert four years ago as an eight-year-old stallion that had been covering all his life and broke him to ride and produces him herself. “We were so lucky to be able to purchase Albert without him even being put up for sale; his sire was the apple of my eye. Albert has been rather challenging over the years and has definitely taken him time to mature but he is

16 | The Native Pony | July/August 2023 Issue | info@showingworldonline.co.uk Llanarth Steptoe ridden by Courtney Harvey

so worth it. We spend our days hacking and rounding cows up – what more does a Welsh Cob want in life?” laughed Courtney, who works on her parents farm and helps manage their livery yard.

In his first season under saddle last year, Albert finished sixth in both the open M&M final and the intermediate junior final at RIHS, as well as fourth place at HOYS. As Courtney and Albert had already qualified for RIHS earlier in the season, the ticket was passed to runner-up Zara Owen and Sally Bartley Forsyth’s Welsh Cob Fairgrove Tiger Bay, a six-yearold novice gelding - this will be Sally’s first horse to have ever qualified for RIHS. Zara also picked up a ticket with Jacqueline Heath’s novice Highland Tam O Shanter O The Glens. The seven-year-old stallion won at the Royal Highland and was then turned away for the summer to mature and will now be aimed at HOYS qualifiers. Zara’s winning streak continued with the fouryear-old riding horse Bassymoor Distant Land won the large riding horse RIHS qualifier and section championship.

Owned by Adrianne Crawford, this was

his first open class and Zara said: “We are very excited about his bright future.”

The 11-year-old Dartmoor gelding Treworgan Sealord (Seal) landed the RIHS M&M mini championship with his six-year-old jockey Heidi Hughes. Owned by her mother Beth, Seal is produced and led

by Carl Owen and this will be Seal’s first time at RIHS on the lead as he has previously competed there in the junior class and will also be Heidi’s first time riding there too. “He is Heidi’s best friend and their favourite thing to do is hacking to the pub for an ice cream! He tends to stay at Carl’s for a few weeks at a time as we all think it is so important for him to come home and be a true child’s pony,” said Beth.

Also heading to Hickstead for the first time is fiveyear-old Isla Bate, who rode Thistledown Ellie Goulding to the reserve spot, led by Sharn Linney. The trio had already secured their ticket at Area 9B. Isla, who has been riding for just two years, was spotted at a clinic by Sharn and invited to ride her ponies for the season.

“We’re a home produced family with two ponies,” explained mum, Jodie, who recently led Isla to a victory in the winter final at NPS on their own

Treworgan Sealord ridden by Heidi Hughes and led by Carl Owen

section A, Thistledown Pear Drop. “It’s a huge opportunity for Isla. This will be her first time riding at the RIHS and if she qualifies for HOYS that will be a dream for Isla as she loves and breaths ponies.”

Diminutive duos deliver The diminutive duo of 10-yearold Rose Cassapi and her skewbald Shetland Blackertor Mustang booked their Hickstead pass in the BSPA RIHS small native pony qualifier. “Rose picked him as a foal, and they have grown up together. She is so excited to gallop him up the hill at RIHS,” said Rose’s mother

Thistledown Ellie Goulding ridden by Isla Bate and led by Sharn Linney

Tracey. Rose, a member of Atherstone Pony Club, will also compete in the open M&M final at Hickstead and, having attended the Shetland Grand National trials and passed, will also be racing Mustang this year.

Despite finishing second in the RIHS 128cm show pony class, where they also took the ticket, Charlotte Wilson impressed with Andrea Roberts’ Royalview Charisma to take the section championship. 12-year-old Charlotte rode Charisma to placings in the final at both RIHS and HOYS, but has also qualified her full sister Royalview Chanel for RIHS too; both ponies are produced by Charlotte and Ellie Pendlebury for the Royalview stud. “Charlotte has decided she will ride Chanel at the final as she is her favourite,” explained Charlotte’s mother Kim. The 148cm ticket went to Anna Wharton and the nine-year-old gelding Stretcholt About Time, who has had limited outings due to Anna concentrating on her GCSE’s.

Produced by Charlotte Prosser, this was their final opportunity to qualify for Hickstead. “It’s taken Anna a while to step up to the 148cm class, but she wanted to ride him at RIHS if possible. He seems to like the county show atmosphere and went beautifully here,” said Anna’s mother Kate.

BSPS Area 4A demonstrated they knew a thing or two about tackling a fence, dominating the RIHS plaited and mini working hunter pony sections. The championship stayed

Blackertor Mustang ridden by Rose Cassapi

local, falling into the hands of 143cm winners, Matilda Alexander, 12, and Connemara pony Emlaughmore Briar.

Though the family have owned him for two years, this is Matilda’s first season with the Castleside JJ Junior seven-year-old. They’ve had a super spring, qualifying at BSPS Wales Spring Show in the pouring rain and mud – which he apparently loved – and also stood RIHS worker section champion at the White Rose Show.

Stuart Shaw’s eight-year-old Connemara gelding Lios Na Tulcha L’aubier (Zebadee) took home the 153cm ticket under Darcy Shaw

before going on to stand section reserves after only five weeks together.

“We put a wanted advert out in March and had only 1 reply which was from a lady in Cornwall called Fiona Dod. ‘I might have what you are looking for,’ was the response to the ad, so you could say he found us!” explained Darcy. Zebadee had previously been evented by Fiona.

It was a case of ‘third time lucky’ for Darcy and Zebadee, this being their third attempt at qualification. It was an especially sweet victory as Stafford is their local County show and Darcy’s late grandfather, George Shaw, was chief horse steward for 40 years before going on to be president.

Showing there’s also plenty of strength coming through the ranks at 4A, the tiny tots winners were also members. Martha Nicklin has been riding Grandma, Sue Nicklin’s Amilas Hurricane (Harry) for just four weeks but the pair are blossoming already.

On the lead rein they have qualified for both Burghley and LIHS in the sports pony classes. At Staffordshire, Martha and Harry jumped the 50cm training stakes to come second against some much more experienced partnerships before winning the Tiny Tots out of some seriously tough competition. “We were overwhelmed, delighted and just couldn’t believe it, being such an incredible achievement at 6 years old to win the tiny tots at Stafford county,” said Sue. Adding, “Martha then insisted she helped the whipper in, in parading the moorland hounds with her daddy in the main ring in the afternoon which was a lovely sight.”

Emlaughmore Briar ridden by Matilda Alexander 18 | The Native Pony | July/August 2023 Issue | info@showingworldonline.co.uk

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NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN info@showingworldonline.co.uk | July/August 2023 Issue | The Native Pony | 19

Ab Fab Molly

By Maggie Simons

Badleybridge Ab Fab ridden by Jennifer Frost and led by Christina Gillet

When Sandy Wooderson and daughter Madeline Haynes established the Badleybridge Stud in 2014, they couldn’t have believed how many “firsts” their first-born foal Badleybridge Ab Fab – Molly to her friends – would achieve.

She is sired by Sandy and Madeline’s foundation stallion, Elsinore Alan Partridge (Q), who is a prolific winner himself in the showring, racking up wins at Royal Windsor, Royal Norfolk, Suffolk and Notts County both in hand and under saddle.

“My daughter Madeline and I run the stud between us, and I had, for many years, bred Dartmoors, and Madeline rode a Dartmoor

Registered Name: Badleybridge Ab Fab Breed: Exmoor Age: 9 Stable name: Molly

when she was younger. I was taking a break from breeding but one day, whilst perusing the horse sales site Horsequest in 2007, I happened to stumble upon an advert for an Exmoor yearling colt.

I had not really been drawn towards Exmoor ponies as breed at that point, but I felt that there was really something special about this colt that I couldn’t ignore. I made the call to be told that he was to go to Germany, and although was offered a half-brother, it was this colt that I had fallen for. A few days later I had a call to say the deal had fallen though, and did I still want the yearling.

Bought from his breeder, Midge Tratt, Q has surpassed all their expectations fueling enthusiasm for the breed.

In addition to his showring success, Q has proven to be an amazing stud stallion as the founder of the Badleybridge stud. “He is producing some wonderful ponies that inherit his fabulous breed type, conformation, and temperament, the first of which is Molly,” said Sandy. “I have been very fortunate to have had some breeding advice over the years from absolute experts in the field of Exmoor ponies, and we have been given the opportunity to acquire some beautiful topclass mares that have included Molly’s dam Bluebarn Primrose, Stowbrook Jenny Wren (previous HOYS, RIHS & Olympia winner) and Blackthorn Blush Rose (2 time HOYS winner & Olympia Best of Breed) to name a few, so we are very fortunate.”

Molly Lewis riding Suffolk show 23 RTI

20 | The Native Pony | July/August 2023 Issue | info@showingworldonline.co.uk

Molly’s dam Bluebarn Primrose, the stud’s first broodmare, was no stranger to the limelight either, claiming numerous championships and leaving the stud with two fillies. Primrose is bred in the purple, being sired by Blackthorn Sea Poacher, who is himself sired

by the famous Siskin. Siskin is also the sire of Stowbrook Jenny Wren, the only Exmoor to have ever won Olympia and who stood at the top of the line at HOYS and the Royal International. Given her pedigree, it’s perhaps little wonder that Badleybridge Ab Fab is nothing short of fabulous by name and nature.

Born on the birthday of Sandy’s now late husband, who died in the same year she was born, Molly has always been special to the family, bringing a little bit of joy at a difficult time for them, and she continues to do so to this day.

Molly started her showing career in the inhand ring, notching up wins and reserve section championships at both Suffolk and Norfolk County shows before heading to Kevin Cousins and Christina Gillet to start on her ridden path.

Team Cousins and Gillett

“The first four years she was ridden exclusively by Jennifer Frost,” explained Sandy, “and like her sire, her first show was Suffolk County where she was second in the lead rein and reserve mini champion.” Christina, Molly and Jennifer were also reserve mini supreme at NPS, to name but a few of her 2019 accolades.

Obviously, 2020 meant a break from showing, but Team Molly returned to the ring in 2021 to claim the RIHS qualifying mini mountain and moorland championship at the BSPS Winter

Championships, starting the season as they meant to go on.

Shortly after this the team booked their ticket to HOYS at NPS Area 7, making her the first Exmoor to qualify as a lead rein for both the Royal International Horse Show and HOYS. She later went on to be the first Exmoor to be placed on the lead rein at the RIHS, standing third.

Molly with Lewis at Royal Norfolk 23 (Topshots)

Molly with her dad, Q (Equinational)

But this wasn’t enough for Molly. So, in 2022 she headed back to Hickstead where she charmed final judges Ann Bigley and Ann Nicholls to stand RIHS Mini Mountain and Moorland Champion.

A week later she returned to the NPS Championships in Malvern, this time to win the Showing Classics Lead Rein Final.

Molly is a history-maker and there might be more history in the making. “She goes well off the lead as well, but we haven’t pursued that in the show ring yet,” said Sandy.

Despite a longer break than usual after HOYS owing to the decision not to teake Molly back to the RIHS this time, the season has already been an extremely successful one for Team Molly.

Jennifer is now out of the lead rein class, so Christina and Kevin’s young son Lewis Cousins, 6, has taken up the reins. They were

Molly at HOYS 2021 1st class images

mini champion and reserve supreme ridden at Suffolk County, mountain and moorland lead rein winners at Three Counties show booking their return ticket to the NEC in October, and then headed to Norfolk to claim the top spot in a second HOYS qualifying lead rein class and going one better than Suffolk, smiling their way to the ridden supreme.

“With Jennifer now out of the class we are so incredibly lucky to have Lewis riding Molly. We’ve had an unbelievable start to the season so far for her and Lewis; we are so proud of them all!”

But what of Molly day to day?

It seems that Molly’s success hasn’t altered her temperament. She loves nannying the newly weaned foals, hacking with several children, and making sure she’s first in line for any treats that may be going spare.

In the child handler with Madeline’s nieces at a local show Molly in the fancy dress at a local show with Madeline, Clara and nieces Annabel and Grace

“Molly is Molly really,” said Sandy. “With her laid-back attitude, she is pretty well unflappable, no ear plugs or loads of working in is required when she is shown, and she genuinely enjoys her job. We are so lucky that all of her ridden career has been with Christina Gillet and Kevin Cousins who have done an absolutely amazing job with her and love her as though she was their own.”

“Molly’s a funny little character”, according to producer Christina Gillet, “She absolutely loves having her bum scratched, and the facial expressions she pulls are hilarious! She can also be found dozing in line up occasionally. Molly far prefers me leading her to Kevin, and doesn’t hide the fact! She takes everything in her stride and every time I think to myself, we surely can’t better that result, she goes and completely outdoes herself again! There are so many lovely Dartmoor and Welsh ponies in the classes, there’s something extra special about having an Exmoor; she’s different and that makes her stand out.”

We look forward to hearing what’s to come for Molly for the remainder of the season and we wish her and her team the very best of luck.

Taking care of Jennifer in the tiny tots first ridden at the NPS Champs 2022

At home in the winter. Clara having a sit on

What’s next for Badleybridge Stud?

2023 has been an incredibly good year for the Exmoor breed, with four qualified for HOYS in the 122cm Working Hunter Ponies, one in the Junior M&M Working Hunter Ponies and Molly in the Lead Rein class. It’s a testament to the dedication of Exmoor breeders to ensure type and temperament shine through in equal measures.

Sandy and Madeline are no exception, so whilst Molly will reside with Christina and Kevin for as long as she continues to love her job before returning home to Badleybridge, the pair have sent Molly’s full sister to Devon to be covered by the prolific stallion, Dunkery Godwit in an exciting bid to maintain those precious bloodlines. “We don’t breed huge amounts of foals but are delighted with those we have bred,” said Sandy.

“ Our ponies are so special to

us; they are not just show and breeding stock to us, they are part of our family. They all have lovely natures and are a joy to be around; they give us so much pleasure. We are privileged to share our lives with them.

- Sandy Wooderson

”

“The next one of rideable age is Badleybridge Braveheart, a five-year-old stallion by Q out of Blackthorn Blush Rose. He was unbeaten in his classes as a three-year-old, kindly produced by team Gillet/ Cousins and shown by Kevin. He had his four-year-old year at home and has now been broken and produced for us by Katy Marriott-Payne. He was booked into Katy as soon as he was born as Katy has such a connection with him, having won HOYS twice on his mum! He is showing lots of promise and qualified for the Picton novice and had a couple of reserves from his four outings under saddle to date. He’s now home for a bit of a break and will go back later in the year to recommence his ridden career in earnest. However, now he’s home Mads and I couldn’t resist a little in hand outing, so we went to NPS Area 20 where he was such a good boy and won the mixed M&M and was champion before standing Reserve Mountain and Moorland Supreme in good company, picking up his silver medal and British Isle Supreme reserve. Great results for such a young stallion!

We are excited for his future, but there is no rush for him. Another exciting development is that this year we had our first foal from a home bred mare. Badleybridge Emilia, herself a winner inhand, has a beautiful filly foal which was conceived by AI, the sire being one of the most prolific winners and successful sires in the breed, Blackthorn Sea Poacher. The foal is called Badleybridge Cordelia, a Shakespearean name like her mum, which also means daughter of the sea, so a nice nod to her dad!”

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Badleybrige Ab Fab ridden by Lewis Cousins and led by Christina Gillet

Native Highlights from Suffolk County Show Trinity Park, Suffolk | 31st May – 1st June, 2023 | Photos by Real Time Imaging Ab Fab Molly Though the supremes were awarded to horses, natives came out in force and almost took both the in hand and ridden titles, standing reserve in each.

Reserve supreme ridden was Sandy Wooderson and Madeline Haynes’ Badleybridge Ab Fab (Molly). Nine-year-old Exmoor mare Molly is by Elsinore Alan Partridge out of Bluebarn Prime Rose. She has been a remarkable ambassador for the breed and one of the most successful under saddle. Last season she qualified for both HOYS and RIHS, and stood mini champion at the latter led by producer Christina Gillett and ridden by Jennifer Frost. This season, Jennifer is out of class and so Christina’s young son, Lewis Cousins has taken the ride. At Suffolk,

Blackertor Pianted Gilt shown by Philip Ward Burton

24 | The Native Pony | July/August 2023 Issue | info@showingworldonline.co.uk

the pair stood mini mountain and moorland champions en route to the supreme. Sandy and Madeline’s three-year-old Exmoor filly Darshill Kitty Pryde, bred by Michael Dewhurst, looks set to follow in Molly’s footsteps in the showring as she stood Exmoor inhand champion, and the motherdaughter team made it a hattrick when their Dartmoor stallion Blackertor Painted Gilt took his breed championship. The six-yearold was bred by Julian Walters and David Hodge, and was shown by his producer Philip Ward Burton.

He also took the breed tricolour at Notts County Show, going on to stand supreme mountain and moorland in hand champion.

Reserve supreme in hand was awarded to last year’s supreme champion, Julie Barton’s Highland stallion Ellister Islay Spruce, shown

by Ross Keys. The ten-year-old has been extremely successful, having stood reserve for the prestigious Price Family Supreme In-hand final at HOYS in 2021 and competed successfully under saddle at HOYS, Olympia and the RIHS, winning the latter last season. Julie first encountered Spruce when he was sent to her by a client for breaking in and producing as a four year old.

When the same client decided to part with him, Julie decided to take up his ownership herself.

Ellister Islay Spruce shown by Ross Keys

The reigning LIHS Dartmoor Best of Breed booked his return ticket at Suffolk. This was Salcombe Starehole Bay (Cecil) ridden by his producer Katy Marriott Payne. He is owned by breeder Felicity Thompson and has had an incredible run under Katy’s careful production and steerage, thoroughly deserving his nickname ‘Special Cecil’. The Shilstone Rocks Snowy Mountain nineyear-old stallion enjoyed a magical 2021 season, standing reserve and

Dartmoor Best of Breed at the London International Horse Show, second at HOYS, and supreme mountain and moorland at the RIHS. Last year, he once again proved himself a tour-deforce, taking the championship at Royal Windsor Horse Show, repeating his win at the RIHS, winning at HOYS and repeating his Best of Breed.

Salcomb Starehole Bay ridden by Katy Marriot Payne

info@showingworldonline.co.uk | July/August 2023 Issue | The Native Pony | 25

Dinky Ponies a Potent Force Sarah Woodland gave up ponies “when mortgages and children came along”. But a lifelong love meant she was back working with them as soon as her boys started school, providing freelance work for local yards. A few years later, she was “fortunate enough to be given a couple of Miniature Shetlands” and an idea was conceived. Beth Simons caught up with Sarah to find out more about her extraordinary Dinky Ponies with big hearts.

“I’ve always wanted my own business and didn’t want the ponies to just sit around and be lawn ornaments, so decided to start doing pony parties. Last year I applied for the licence and insurance, and all the other bits that come with starting a business, bought a tiny trailer and set off,” Sarah explained. As the weather started to turn towards the end of August, Sarah began looking at visiting venues needing enrichment sessions indoors to see them through the winter months and was surprised by the uptake.

Since then, she has gained a few more ponies and a bigger trailer, and the Dinky Ponies team attend three or four visits a week. They attend care homes, schools and hospitals, “spreading as much love and happiness as we can,” said Sarah.

Recently, Sarah and her team of Dinky Ponies have been visiting the Great Western Hospital and are volunteering there with a different pony every month. “It’s being organised so that we visit different wards each time. So far, the uptake and interest has been amazing.

Because the ponies are so small, they can go in most places, so long as there is enough room to safely manoeuvre the pony and for them to feel comfortable. They often visit people in bedrooms that are not able to leave their beds very easily and go in lifts to call on people on different floors. We spend time meeting and mingling with staff, residents, and their families”.

Going from ward to ward or home to home means that the ponies visit people with a wide range of conditions. Sarah explained: “Some have memory problems, some are recovering from illness or injury, some are non-verbal and are only able to communicate with very limited cues. Some are extremely nervous and shy and lack confidence.

Others are depressed and lonely, and just having something to distract them and to talk about with someone different is all it takes.”

The way people interact with the ponies varies too, with some people opting to brush and decorate the

26 | The Native Pony | July/August 2023 Issue | info@showingworldonline.co.uk

ponies whilst others may prefer to stroke and talk to them. Others are content to simply watch them.

“Everyone is different. But the interaction is wonderful and the smiles they create is priceless,” said Sarah. “I get told by the staff that residents often talk about the visit from the dinky ponies for days after we’ve been.”

With these types of visits, the ponies can help in several ways, from confidence building, or reducing stress, anxiety and depression, to aiding speech and communication or motor skills or assisting with behaviours and encouraging responsibility.

By now, Sarah has five ponies: Poppy, Tinks, Georgie, Abbie and Gracie. When asked what qualities a therapy pony needs, Sarah answered succinctly: “temperament, patience, and love”. Nevertheless, despite

each being exceptionally calm with wonderful temperaments, the ponies have different strengths and enjoy different types of visits.

Poppy is particularly good with the elderly as she is very calm and sensitive and enjoys nothing more than resting her head on people’s laps. Meanwhile Tinks and Georgie are very good with children’s homes or facilities that are particularly loud and noisy, as they don’t mind the quick movements and lots of noise. Abbie and Gracie are very popular with children’s parties and school visits, and often get special requests to be the guest of honour at birthday parties.

When they’re not engaged in helping people, the ponies fill their time much like any other pony: “hanging out in a field, eating and getting up to mischief!”

If you would like to find out more about the ponies, the services they provide and information on accessing those services, follow the Dinky Ponies’ social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram, or email Sarah directly.

@DinkyPonies Dinky-ponies@outlook.com

info@showingworldonline.co.uk | July/August 2023 Issue | The Native Pony | 27

Eagle Lands Highland Top Spot

Dunedin Iolare shown by Chris Grant

The Highland breed tricolour at the RHS is the holy grail for Highland breeders. Landing the title this year was Chris Grant and the Grant family’s young stallion Dunedin Iolare (Eagle) having already scooped up the male championship en route. The Grants bought Eagle as a foal from his breeder, Anne Mitchell and “kept him stashed in a field with our other youngsters. He’s always been a bit special and one I’ve looked forward to getting going with,” said Chris. “He is such a kind pony, loves a scratch and thrives on his routine. He rose to the occasion at the Highland and loved the atmosphere.”

Although, he remains a working stallion, he was broken in

by Richard Telford in 2020 and has been hacked around home in between stud duties ever since. Last season, he also attempted a few shows under saddle, winning the Nursery Novice Ridden class at the HPS Breed Show and continued to build on his early experience this season. Earlier this spring he was in hand and ridden NPS Silver Medal Champion at the Winter Native Pony Festival, qualifying for the Picton Final, and he went on to qualify for the RIHS at Ayr County as well as stand novice champion at BSPS Scotland MidTerm Show and novice champion and Silver Medal winner at Northumberland County. In short, his few showring appearances have been triumphant though Chris maintains “He’s really not done much!” Although we’ve the feeling there’s more to come: “I can’t wait to take him back under saddle,” said Chris.

The Standard Shetland championship stayed in Scotland and was awarded to Steven Sinclair and Leona Sinclair with their homebred filly Unigarth Evangeline, but the reserve travelled south to Bolton-based Claire Connor took home the reserve champion rosette as well as the Five Pence Award for the best Standard bred outside Scotland with winning yeld mare, Gaby V. Stal Heidezicht. Claire also trekked home with reserve youngstock with homebred filly Acresdale Asha, who was the second placed two- or three-year-old filly.

22-25 of June Royal Highland Show Royal Highland Centre Ingliston, Edinburgh Report by Beth Simons Photos by 1st Class Images This will be the pair’s third visit to the NEC. “To have our number called forward into first place at the Royal Highland Show is an absolute honour and such a surreal feeling; a memory I will never forget! Eric is our absolute pride and joy, my pony of a lifetime and a huge part of our family. We just ‘get’ each other; he is the yin to my yang!” Eric later went on to win a recognition award for Fell ponies in the championship. “ The Smith sisters proved impassable once again. Having taken reserve earlier in the week at Royal Cheshire, Vikki and Lovelyhill Folklore (George) took the tricolour, whilst Cheshire champion Amy stood reserve with her ultra successful Laburnam Richard

Unigarth Evangeline shown by Leona Sinclair

The mountain and moorland working hunter pony classes attracted more entries than anticipated, meaning a shift in the way marks were allocated in order to whip through competitors as quickly as possible.

Megan Jones was delighted to have Murthwaite Andy Murray (Eric) back on fine form to win the 133cm division.

The Fell gelding arrived with Megan to be backed seven years ago from his owner Donna Guy and he never returned home. “Later that year we decided to lease him and have never looked back,” said Megan. “We knew he was special right from the start and we have taken our time with him”.

Murthwaite Andy Murray ridden by Megan Jones

(Pedro). Penny Sutton’s George is the reigning New Forest Pony of the Year and also stood second in his workers class last year at HOYS, meaning he entered the Andrews Bowen International Arena at HOYS for two separate championships in the space of an afternoon. Meanwhile, there’s hardly a mountain and moorland worker follower in the land who isn’t aware of Pedro’s status as an all-time ‘great’ in his class, boasting four Royal Windsor and two HOYS championships.

He is owned by Martin Wood and intended for granddaughter Gracie-May, but has been jockeyed for the season by Jemima Makin-Jones “while Gracie- May is perfecting her up downs,” explained Craig’s fiancé and co-producer, Sara Parrott. “It was Silver’s first ever HOYS qualifier so it was amazing to win such a big class. He loves an atmosphere; he’s so easy, a complete gentleman and totally reliable so you can really let him show off”.

Hollie McGauley, 16, rode Fell gelding Rundales Trooper (Willie) to win the junior large breeds class and the mountain and moorland junior championship ahead of small breeds winner, William Leeming riding Thistledown San Siro. 10-year-old Willie is by Tunstall Jake out of Rundales Heather and was purchased for Hollie at four years old. The pair have since campaigned successfully in open Fell breed and junior mountain and moorland and classes, finishing an enviable second at HOYS last year. When they’re not showing, the pair love “trips to the beach, hacking and doing TikToks,” said Hollie’s sister, Leah Cassel, adding, “it meant a lot winning this championship as Hollie had the same success at the Royal Highland with our much loved Dartmoor pony Pumphill Rasputin. The class was huge and split into two sections. When their number got called out, we went wild! To then get the championship was just the icing on the cake; those blue sashes are something else!”

Craig Elenor led Welsh section A, Thistledown Silver Bullet to head the mountain and moorland mini championship.

Thistledown Silver Bullet ridden by Jemima Makin-Jones

Lovelyhill Folklore ridden by Vikki Smith

Bunbury Sandringham driven by Gilly Chippendale

We love this photo of our former cover star, Welsh Section B Bunbury Sandringham driven

by Gilly Chippendale qualifying for HOYS at the Royal Highland Show.

Rundales Trooper, our cover star, ridden by Hollie McGauley

info@showingworldonline.co.uk | July/August 2023 Issue | The Native Pony | 29

Peronne The Navigator shown by Hayley Reynolds

Navigator Takes Direct Route to the Top Native Highlights from Derbyshire Festival | Somerford Park, Congleton | 10-11 June, 2023 Photography by Equinational Peronne The Navigator deftly negotiated his way to the top of the Price Family Supreme lineup showed by Hayley Reynolds. The five-year-old New Forest is the only one of his breed to ever qualify twice for this most prestigious of breeding championships. He is by Moortown Nobby out of Dorridge Little Beauty and was bred by Isle of Wight-based breeder Nick Williams.

Hayley purchased him as a two-week-old foal, basing her decision entirely on one photograph and his breeding. “I collected him off the ferry at weaning; I had always wanted one by Moortown Nobby and I love his mother’s lines, too,” said Hayley.

He had a quiet year as a yearling, but nevertheless took two championships from three outings. As a three-year-old, he took four tricolours and booked his first trip to the Price Family Supreme at Royal Cheshire County Show, led by Tom Pearson as Hayley was heavily pregnant with her son.

Last year, Hayley was again handling him herself and although it was a quiet year for him, they nevertheless managed to stand supreme mountain and moorland champion at Royal Cheshire County Show and Presidents Cup Supreme at the NCPA Pony of the Year show.

“I was so shocked when Simon Richardson announced the champion,” said Hayley,

“I shed many tears walking forward as you never dare to dream to qualify for the Price Family Supreme, and to do it twice with such a young pony, and even more surprisingly, with a New Forest pony..! I would never have believed it if someone had told me it would happen. My dream is for him to have the same success as a ridden

British Isles Supreme. The flashy four-yearold Welsh section C stallion was bred by Lorraine Clynes-Thomas and ridden by her son, Terry Clynes. He is by Synod The Messiah out of homebred mare Cheshmere Tegan. He was broken in by Terry over the winter, predominantly hacking alongside Terry and his partner Kieran’s

pony.”

Since gaining their ticket, Hayley and Navigator have stood supreme mountain and moorland at the Royal Highland Show. Hayley topped her weekend at Derbyshire Festival by taking the Fell ridden class astride Wellbrow Diplomat, owned by Louise and Zoe Marsden. Coincidentally, Hayley also produced Diplomat to qualify for the ridden class at Cheshire when Navigator gained his first ticket, albeit she was deputised by friend Brian Williams on that occasion due to her swollen baby bump.

Flash Bang Champion Cheshmere Flash Bang Wallop strutted his stuff to the Dargavel 4–6-year-old championship before going on to take the reserve for the silver medal championship and qualify for the

30 | The Native Pony | July/August 2023 Issue | info@showingworldonline.co.uk

Cheshmere Flash Bang Wallop

hunters. This was his third outing. He went to NPS Area XI where he won his Picton novice class and reserve champion before heading to NPS Area 5 to take the Dargavel 4-6 championship and stand reserve NPS silver medal champion. He’s now aiming for the finals at the NPS championships before tackling open classes next year as Terry also has open contender Menai The Vicar headed to HOYS in the same class.

“We don’t want to rush him because we think he’s quite special and needs time to mature to have the best shot at success in the future,” said Terry.

The mountain and moorland classes were nothing short of enormous, with throngs of competitors turning out for the open, mini, junior and working hunter sections despite the intense heat, and tickets to HOYS were awarded to old-timers and new faces alike.

One such new face was Karen Whittaker’s Halliwell Sian (Sally), ridden by Mia Whittaker. Sally is based at Karl Morris and Liam Glynn’s Preston yard as Mia rides for them alongside her full time office job at Estate Research. Mia has had Sally since a six-year-old and has progressed the pretty section C mare’s education herself. “She is very special to our family as she was bought with the money my Grandad Colin left me when he passed away,” explained Mia, adding, “she hasn’t always been the easiest pony but now she is just a little jumping machine and loves her job. We have been so unlucky up to this year with so many near misses so to qualify at the first this year was a complete shock.”

Although not a first-timer, Amber Thorpe’s reaction to her win in the exceeding 143cm class and subsequent championship suggested she was also shocked to win the first qualifier with her own Tony’s Thunder, and was even more so to take an early ticket the following day with Highland pony, Marksman of Mendick on his first ever attempt at qualification.

Out of the Line of Fire

Into the Line of Fame Also making a successful first stab at qualification was Carrock Comet. “I think it’s his way of saying, thank you,” said an emotional Sarah Field who rode the six-year-old Dales win the breed qualifier, HOYS ticket in hand, just two weeks after his stable was torched during a potentially catastrophic yard fire.

Sarah, partner John Clayton and their two children had been due to attend a christening but in a ‘you-couldn’t-writeit’ sort of day, they’d been delayed due to thieves found on their property and the ensuing police visit. Fatefully, this meant that the couple were still on the yard when one of the livery owners’ lorry caught fire with her horse on board and causing the timber stable blocks nearby to also catch fire.

Mercifully, swift action from Sarah, John and Sarah’s brother Robert meant that a plan was swiftly enacted to mobilise the yard staff and rescue all of the horses.

“I ran towards his stable as I could see it spreading and thought he was going to be trapped inside and we’d lose him,” said Sarah, still visibly shaken by the episode.

“All I could think was that I had to get him out if I could. In that moment, I never imagined that I’d see him again never mind get to compete him. To qualify him was an absolute dream come true; this lad has yet to let me down.”

Comet is owned by Abbie Allen who purchased him as a foal from his breeder, Glynis Cockbain. He was broken in by Sarah before being campaigned lightly as a four-year-old, winning on every occasion including at the BSPS championships. As a five-year-old, he was left to mature and has returned to the ring to maintain his unbeaten record. He won the Dales breed class at Derbyshire by three marks and was thoroughly deserving of the highest ride, executing a flowing, mannerly and forwards show in blistering heat.

The large breeds junior mountain and moorland class was the biggest of the show, with over 50 entries. Though not all were forwards, sorting through them was nevertheless a mammoth task for judges Madge Taylor and Joanne Griffin. Their eventual winner was Lucinda Leeming on Eastlands Dunedin, and the pair went

info@showingworldonline.co.uk | July/August 2023 Issue | The Native Pony | 31

on to take the tricolour. A former HOYS winner and GYS champion under producer Lauren Beaumont, Dunedin is owned by Susan Poole, who purchased him directly from the stud. The pair qualified for the RIHS junior large breeds class at North of England Spring show on their first attempt, and Derbyshire marked their first HOYS junior class, with the win further cementing an already solid start to their season.

Ward’s Winning Worker Ways Team Ward once again proved to be formidable opponents in the working hunter pony sections taking home an impressive five tickets. 16-year-old Ruby Ward and Angela Hunt’s Connemara pony Lady Dublin of Corderry (Dory) won their 143cm mountain and moorland working hunter pony ticket before donning plaits to win the 143cm plaited section twentyfour hours later. Ruby also partnered Giddy Up Tango to win the intermediate working hunter pony class and the plaited championship. Gabrielle Wright stepped into the breach and rode Dory to the section reserve.

earlier this spring before Belle headed to the Ward Headquarters to attempt some qualifiers. Elsie and Ruby have kept Belle fit for competition, and it was intended that Elsie give her a run at Derbyshire Festival

in readiness for Nancy’s return for qualifiers later in the month. However, the pressure will now be off Nancy, who was informed by telephone of her ticket as soon as Elsie and Ruby were able to call her.

Toro NEC Bound Our own team members Thistledown El Toro and Kashia Boghal are HOYS bound, winning a strong class and small breeds championship. Produced by Sharn Linney, Toro and Kashia are having the best start to the season and are now focused on preparation for the Royal International Horse Show.

Toro’s stable mate, the super-successful former HOYS winner and RIHS champion Thistledown Sea Mariner won his 133cm show hunter pony class booking a return ticket to HOYS under Katie Parker. Meanwhile his breeder, Sandy Anderson’s own Welsh section B stallion, Thistledown Shereef qualified for the NEC final under Matilda Holmes. He is produced by Sara Parrott and Craig Elenor, who showed him to stand youngstock champion and reserve male at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show in 2019. He made his debut season under saddle count by standing second at HOYS under Emma Holder in 2021, and gave a mannerly display to clinch the class under his new young jockey at Derbyshire Festival, proving his temperament to be second-to-none.

Meanwhile younger team-member Elsie Lynch rode the reigning HOYS pony supreme, Noble Peppermint, to book her return ticket to HOYS. Elsie deputised for NI-based Nancy Lyons to win the junior mountain and moorland working hunter pony class with Welsh section A pony Twynffrwd Carys (Belle). The pair jumped a stonking turn around one of the most testing junior courses to date since the class’ introduction last year. Belle and Nancy had stood champion at the NI Festival 32 | The Native Pony | July/August 2023 Issue | info@showingworldonline.co.uk

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Devon County Show Highlight

18th – 20th May 2023 | Photo by Jayphotos Crusader’s Enduring Campaign Reserve supreme at Devon County went to the evergreen Dartmoor stallion Moortown Crusader – who qualified for the then Cuddy supreme here in 2018 – shown by ownerbreeder David Jordan. The 15-year-old by the prolific Hisley Craftsman also finished runner-up in the Price Family supreme qualifier at Royal Cornwall last season, before collecting his ticket in one of the most hotly contested qualifiers of the year at the National Pony Society championships. David also fielded the Dartmoor in-hand reserve champion, Crusader’s daughter Moortown Honeymoon. “He is such a showman with a natural show ring presence and flair,” said David. We agree!

Moortown Crusader shown by David Jordan

info@showingworldonline.co.uk | July/August 2023 Issue | The Native Pony | 35

EXMOOR

ROUNDUP Compiled by Elizabeth Etchells

Darshill Yondu owned by Chelsea Fallows Darshill Yondu is a six-year-old gelding bred by Michael Dewhurst, sired by LittonWater Hydra Time Lad and out of Sabrina. His owner Chelsea writes about his fantastic season so far; “after a successfully novice season last year, we decided to do our first open season this year and he has exceeded all my expectations and proving to be wise beyond his years. After a wobbly start to the season Yondu proved how amazing he is and qualified for the RIHS Open Ridden on only his 3rd attempt at White Rose County (BSPS 3b). To say we are so proud is an understatement as we thought this little home produced team was living in dream land but Yondu just proved he is the pony to make my dreams come true”

Darkshill Yondu - EquinePix

He followed up his success as White Rose with a win at Staffordshire County Show, taking his second qualification for the RIHS. He is always piloted by Jodie Jackson, who is also having her first taste of the open circuit and for whom it will be a first time riding at the RIHS in the Open classes.

Yondu also has proved himself in hand, taking Exmoor Champion at the Royal Cheshire Show, shown by Chelsea.

“Yondu is enjoying a little holiday before the big event and our first stay at the royal international horse show. Our little home-produced team is super excited and can’t wait for the experience. We want to finish off our season contending a few HOYS qualifiers where we want nothing more than a nice experience for this lovely young pony - I feel the best is yet to come!”

Darshill Yondu - 1st Class Images

Exmoors taking lots of ‘golden tickets’ Only half way through the show season and already many of the top Exmoor combinations have already gained their ‘golden tickets’ for Horse Of the Year Show. In a remarkable run of form, the first three working hunter qualifiers in the 122cm division were all won

by Exmoors! Last year’s HOYS winner Debbie Barker-Runiewicz and Moonpenny Delphinus started as they mean to go on with a win in the first qualifier at Derbyshire Festival, where they also took champion. This was swiftly followed by last year’s HOYS runner up Frankie Currell and Dunkery Black Grouse who stood top at Royal Three Counties. Consistent performers Davinia Johnson and Stowbrook Red Kite then took the third qualification a few days later at Royal Cheshire County.

They have now been joined by Ruby Chalker and Anchor Lullaby who qualified at the Scottish Horse Show, this will be the combinations’ debut at HOYS.

Stowbrook Red Kite 1st Class Images

For Davinia, her win at Cheshire was just the beginning of a brilliant week as a few days later they also stood top at the Royal Highland in the Open Exmoor/Dartmoor class “I still can’t believe we won Royal Cheshire and the Royal Highland!”

36 | The Native Pony | July/August 2023 Issue | info@showingworldonline.co.uk

Exmoor Pony Society Spring Show and Stallion Parade Held at Emmetts Grange on 8 May 2023 The Second EPS Spring Show took place once again at Emmetts Grange, and the indoor school was well received on what was a very typical ‘Exmoor’ day where you could barely see 50 yards in front of you due to the mist and drizzle that had descended on the hills outside Simonsbath.

Proceedings kicked off with the Stallion Parade and there were three ponies presented: Anchor Quality Street, Westwilmer Dicentra and Boswarthen Ross Poldark.

Onto the showing classes, which were being judged by Mrs Pam Cox and the largest class of the day was the Youngstock class for fillies/geldings, with 7 ponies forward. This was won by 2-yearold recently gelded “Tawbitts Squirrel Nutkin” owned by Deborah and Mark Drummond, and shown today by Deborah. This smart gelding had been Youngstock Champion at the 2022 breed show at Exford.

Standing 2nd was 3-year-old Anchor Precipitation, another Gelding who has been shown very successfully for herd owners Emma and David Wallace and has a future as a ridden pony.

Only one colt was forward this year, Anchor Quality Street, also owned by the Anchor herd and he stood reserve youngstock

Tawbitts Squirrel Nutkin Tricia Gibson

champion to Tawbitts Squirrel Nutkin.

The senior classes for ponies 4 years old and over were dominated by the boys, with the Gelding Tawbitts Alfred taking first prize in the Mares/Geldings class, shown by Sheralee Matravers. Second was another Gelding - Greystonegate Elm – shown by Thomas Prideaux.

Taking top spot in the stallions was Westwilmer Dicentra, owned

by Rob and Sarah Taylor, with Deborah Howe’s Boswarthen Ross Poldark standing second, in his first as a senior stallion having been supreme here last year as a 3-year-old. The Senior championship went to the two stallions.

Onto the Overall Supreme, and after a thorough analysis, judge Pam Cox gave the nod to Westwilmer Dicentra for the Supreme, with the youngstock champion Tawbitts Squirrel Nutkin in Reserve. On her Supreme championship, Pam comments “the young stallion outmoved everything today, he was a little powerhouse with ample limb and displaying the correct action that would see him get through the Exmoor terrain.

Reserve Supreme was an outstanding youngster – a very promising quality gelding who is sure to go on to be a top ridden prospect”

Westwilmer Dicentra - Tricia Gibson

Remarkably, Dicentra (‘Dicky’) was still on the moor in thick fog with his mares an hour before the show started. He came happily to Sarah when she called him, loaded into the trailer and will have been back with his wives before most of us got home. Dicky’s story could have been very different. He was found as a youngster living in less than ideal circumstances.

Realising that his breeding was important to the breed Rob and Sarah managed to secure his future and he certainly repaid all their hard work today.

info@showingworldonline.co.uk | July/August 2023 Issue | The Native Pony | 37

Show Results Class 1

1, 2 and 3 year-old Colt

1st

Anchor Quality Street

Class 2

1, 2 and 3 year-old Filly or Gelding

1st

Tawbitts Squirrel Nutkin

Mr & Mrs Drummond

2nd

Anchor Precipitation

Mr & Mrs Wallace

3rd

Anchor Rock Dove

Mr & Mrs Wallace

Mr & Mrs Wallace

Youngstock Championship and Pony of the Year Qualifier Champion: Tawbitts Squirrel Nutkin Reserve: Anchor Quality Street

Class 3

Related Pairs

1st

Greystonegate Juniper and Gresytonegate Elm

Mr & Mrs Drummond

2nd

Anchor Quality Street and Anchor Precipitation

Mr & Mrs Wallace

Class 4

Stallions 4yrs and Over

Stallions 4yrs and Over

1st

Westwilmer Dicentra

Mr & Mrs Taylor

2nd

Boswarthen Ross Poldark

Debbie Howe

Class 5

Mare or Gelding 4yrs and Over

Mare or Gelding 4yrs and Over

1st

Tawbitts Alfred

Miss C Matravers

2nd

Grestonegate Elm

Thomas Prideaux

3rd

Withypoole Anstey Duke

Faye Kirby

Senior Championship and Pony of the Year Qualifier Champion: Westwilmer Dicentra Reserve: Boswarthen Ross Poldark

Supreme Championship Supreme: Westwilmer Dicentra Reserve Supreme: Tawbitts Squirrel Nutkin

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38 | The Native Pony | July/August 2023 Issue | info@showingworldonline.co.uk

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CONNEMARA ROUNDUP

Jane Somerset and Tesremos Sunnybear Supreme Champion 2023

Connemaras take Supreme at the rescheduled South East M&M Show Intermediate and Open classes. Interestingly the age classes for the 4/5/6 year old Dargavel qualifier proved to be the largest class of the day with some very mannerly and balanced young ponies. The Ridden Championship went to Alice Barr riding Rusheen Mason with Jane Somerset and her own Tesremos Sunnybear in Reserve The grand finale of the day, the Supreme Championship, saw Jane Somerset deciding to bring ‘Tess’ back in-hand, and with Rusheen Mason plus the WHP Champion and Reserve also forward, it became a tough

decision for both the judges to pick their Supreme of the Show. After careful deliberations they called forward Tesremos Sunnybear as Supreme and Rusheen Mason as Reserve, but with very high praise for the WHP champion as well.

The rain didn’t hold off all day, but it didn’t dampen the enjoyment of competitors and ponies and the next event being run by the committee will be a WHP show on 17th September also at East Bysshe. Full details will be available on the SE Connemara Facebook page shortly.

Alice Barr and Rusheen Mason Reserve Supreme 2023

The Coronation Concert, Badminton XC and the South Eastern M&M Show were all scheduled to be held on the 7th May 2023.

One of them had to move! The logistics of moving the show was definitely less complicated than moving the others so the South Eastern M&M Show, run by the South East Connemara committee, was rescheduled to 18th June with a new venue at East Bysshe Showground.

Another gloriously sunny morning saw small but quality in-hand classes in one grass ring where they were expertly judged

by Amanda Gomersall; the Youngstock Championship being taken by Sam Fowler’s Manor Lodge Mercury and overall Inhand Champion going to Jane Somerset’s Tesremos Sunnybear.

Meanwhile the popular Training Stakes took place in the sand arena. These classes are growing in popularity and are open to all horses and ponies, regardless of breed, type or size. They are a lovely way to introduce youngsters or novice riders to the working hunter ring and judge Lala Micallef was generous with her feedback and advice for all taking part.

Following on in the worker ring were the NPS affiliated classes with good entries for some sections although disappointingly light for the Open heights. However the standard of pony and jumping was very high and judge Gill Evans had no hesitation in calling forward Peasedown Teddy as her WHP Champion with Lyndhurst Knight Cap in Reserve.

In the ridden ring Amanda Gomersall expertly judged classes from the popular ‘Very Novice Ridden’ class, where competitors do not canter as a class, through the Junior Riddens to the Novice,

40 | The Native Pony | July/August 2023 Issue | info@showingworldonline.co.uk

DALES

ROUNDUP ESSIECROFT DALES PONIES Photos courtesy of Marlyn McInnes.

Stud Visit 1st July 2023

Essiecroft Wilfred and Castledales Trojan.

The first of the Dales Pony Society Stud Visits 2023 started in Aberdeenshire in the North-East of Scotland.

Then the mares, fillies and gelding Essiecroft Jubilee George were introduced in the arena before meeting the mares and foals which were brought down for all who had come for the day including some local Dales Pony Society members as well as others who had made a huge effort and travelled from as far afield as Leicestershire and Co Durham with the Dales Pony Society President Mr Jeff Daley talking about Dales Pony breed. A brilliant day was had by all.

Essiecroft Dales Ponies courtesy of Mark and Helen Snowden held their stud visit on the 1st July.

Unfortunately, as the guests arrived the heavens opened, though it didn’t last long and didn’t spoil the day as the sun came out for guests to be introduced to the three stallions: Essiecroft Thomas,

info@showingworldonline.co.uk | July/August 2023 Issue | The Native Pony | 41

NEW FOREST ROUNDUP

New Forest Livestock Society Beaulieu Road Pony Sales | Thursday 1st June 2023 Following the COVID restrictions, an arson attack and then strangles close by, the New Forest Livestock Society (NFLS), in conjunction with Southern Counties Auctioneers (SCA), were pleased to see the return of the face-to-face pony sales at the Beaulieu Road on 1st June after a three-year absence.

The return to Beaulieu Road attracted much attention from the public in the traditional half term week, as well as a good number of perspective buyers. The atmosphere

was positive, energised and the sun was shining.

Prior to the start of bidding, Richard Deakin, NFLS Director welcomed everyone back to the sale yard after this challenging three-year absence and paid thanks to all the many contractors, organisations and individuals who had played a vital part in the reinstatement of the site from the arson attack.

Building on the work undertaken to market the ponies in recent years, the Auctioneers produced a

comprehensive catalogue that was available online which included photos and descriptions of animals entered to help perspective purchasers decide what to come and bid for.

Despite an entry of around 50 in total across all the sections (Section 1 registered New Forest; Section 2 part bred New Forest ponies and Section 4 other horses / ponies / donkeys), there were some quality animals that attracted much interest with prices reflecting this.

Some animals really did challenge perspective buyers to keep going with their bids.

Rushmoor Easter, a bay Registered New Forest two-year-old filly, owned by Ms Satu Heinonen was the top price of the day selling for £2320. Rushmoor Easter was also Forest Bred (sired and born on the open New Forest) sired

by Bunny II. Other top prices in Section 1, Registered New Forest ponies included Ms Jade Palmer’s six-year-old bay gelding Jades Fire Fly fetching £1900 and her liver chestnut mare Jades Bell of the Ball topping £1420. Mr Tom Hordle’s three-year-old dark bay gelding reaching £1340 and Mr John Stride’s two-year-old bay filly going for £1220.

Mrs Annita Smith’s Janesmoor Prima Armista (Reserve Overall Champion)

Ms Satu Heiononen’s Rushmoor Easter (Forest Bred Champion)

42 | The Native Pony | July/August 2023 Issue | info@showingworldonline.co.uk

Prior to the start of the auction, the NFLS held a pre-sale youngstock show for Registered New Forest ponies. All animals entered are required to be halter broken, be able to lead out and be presented to Mrs Rebecca Diamond, an independent judge. There were two classes (one for yearling fillies, colts, and geldings and the other for two- and three-year fillies, colts, and geldings). The highest placed Forest Bred animal from each class then went forward to a championship. Finally, there was an Overall Championship were the top two from both classes came forward.

Mr John Stride’s Rushmoor Haven (Overall Champion)

Results of the pre-sale youngstock show include: Class 1 (registered New Forest yearlings – fillies, colts, and geldings) 1st Mrs Annita Smith’s Janesmoor Prima Armista 2nd Mr Jonathan Gerrelli’s Portmore Mr Wickham 3rd Mr James Gerrelli’s Blakeswater Smooth Jazz (highest placed Forest Bred in the class) 4th Mrs Kathy Clarke’s Cameron Russian Doll.

Class 2 (registered New Forest two- and three-year-olds – fillies, colts, and geldings) 1st Mr John Stride’s Rushmoor Haven 2nd Ms Satu Heiononen’s Rushmoor Easter (highest placed Forest Bred in the class) 3rd Mr Tom Hordle’s Broomcopse Royal Scandal who also took the best Young Commoner award for the class the judge of the day.

Forest Bred Champion went to Ms Satu Heiononen’s Rushmoor Easter and Mr James Gerrelli’s Blakeswater Smooth Jazz stood reserve.

Overall Champion was Mr John Stride’s Rushmoor Haven and picking up reserve was Mrs Annita Smith’s Janesmoor Prima Armista.

Future sale dates for 2023 include Thursday 21st September, Thursday 26th October and Thursday 30th November.

For more information about the pony sales please visit the New Forest Livestock’s website www.nfls.org.uk New Forest Livestock Society -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Photos by Lucinda Lang info@showingworldonline.co.uk | July/August 2023 Issue | The Native Pony | 43

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