Tony Bull’s home-bred Arclid Minshull Monty took the coveted King George V Champion Challenge Trophy for best stallion at the 2007 National Shire Show at Peterborough.
After heading his four-year-old line-up, the impressive bay retained his sparkle to clinch the supreme title, and his ticket to the Shire Horse of the Year final.
Martin Fountain took reserve with Hillmoor Double Coin, who headed a high-quality line-up of senior stallions.
Making it a good day for Cheshire breeders and exhibitors, Alistair King took the junior title home to the Cotebrook Shire Horse Centre after Cotebrook Ben Macdhui headed the three-year-old stallions.
The best gelding title went back to Yorkshire, courtesy of Paul and Walt Bedford’s Farholme Prince William.
An emotional Graham Ward clinched the overall female title with his home-bred Decoy Princess Dawn.
Reserve champion was Paul and Walt Bedford’s Brownroyd Midnight Sensation, who stood second to the champion in the senior mare class.
Junior female champion was John Wilkinson’s Hainton Charlie Girl, a two-year-old filly by Wheatland King out of Hainton Laura.
Read this show report in full in the current issue of Horse & Hound (22 March, ’07)