A seven-year-old home-produced Welsh section D pony fulfilled a lifetime’s ambition for full-time nursing home carer Laura Rowe when scooping the NPS/Baileys Horse Feeds ridden native title at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).
It was a close call with 12 high-class finalists forward in the main arena, but Laura Rowe’s typey black gelding, Sydenham King George, remained foot-perfect throughout on his HOYS debut. “It was just awesome,” she said.
Reserve went to Jocelyn Price’s five-year-old section A mare, Brynodyn Sirius, beautifully ridden by Lucy Morris. This lovely five-year-old is a half-sister to the class runner-up, Brynodyn Sirius. Both ponies are out of Brynodyn Scarlet, who was successfully shown on the leading rein by Jocelyn and appeared at this show some years ago.
At the other end of the age scale — and after appearing eight times at HOYS — the Bright family’s 13-year-old Welsh C stallion, Waxwing Rheel, posted his first HOYS win. Another Waxwing pony, the Vines family’s Scottish-bred seven-year-old dun stallion, Waxwing Prince Hal, took the Welsh B class.
Despite being dominated by Dartmoors, a marathon small breeds class resulted in a notable victory for Ann Nicholls’ Exmoor mare, Blackthorn Blush Rose, ridden by producer Katy Marriott-Payne. The six-year-old was sent to Katy in April this year and won the Picton final at the National Pony Society (NPS) championships in August.
“She arrived wild — she was completely feral — and has turned into ‘wonderful’ today,” said Katy. “We just brought her to see how she would cope, so to win was just amazing.”
The Miller sisters’ seven-year-old grey mare, Rosenharley Ban Rion Laura, ridden by Katie Roberts, headed her Connemara/New Forest class, while the Fell/Dales section fell to Tracey Milward with the reigning £1,000 Torne Valley champion, Waterside Ben. Matthew Lawrence claimed the Highland class — newly-split this year — with Gemma Stanford’s Tower Clyde.
HOYS showing results: Wednesday
NPS/Baileys M&M (Mrs G Chapman, J James) New Forest/Connemara.– 1, Misses Miller’s Rosenharley Ban Rion Laura; 2, J Sehne’s Rudgeway Silver Trinket; 3, S Young’s Farriers Fingerprint. fell/dales.– 1, T Milward’s Waterside Ben; 2, A Dawson’s Kilmannan Kilty; 3, A Ravenscroft’s Castle Hill Magic. highland.– 1, G Stanford’s Tower Clyde; 2, W Bridges’ Holmedown Chicago; 3, A Atherden’s Stirlingdene. sml brds.– 1, A Nicholls’ Blackthorn Blush Rose; 2, K Alway’s Uppacott Mondavi; 3, P Starkie’s Pumphill Bennet. Welsh A.– 1 & res, J Price’s Brynodyn Savannah; 2, T Landon’s Brynodyn Sirius; 3, L Kilbey’s Kenilwood Monarch. Welsh B.– 1, Mrs M Holt & Mrs K Vines’ Waxwing Prince Hal; 2, J Carter’s Millcroft Iska Roc; 3, N & A True’s Thistledown Lucky Strike. Welsh C.– 1, R Bright’s Waxwing Rheel; 2, M Simons’ Yrallt May Day Surprise; 3, L Thomas’ Cheshmere Flashman. Welsh D.– 1 & ch, L Rowe’s Sydenham King George; 2, L Rushton’s Pentrefelin Bonny Prince Charlie; 3, M Alford’s Llanarth Old Fashion.
