Oxfordshire-based Clementine Proud, a nursery stakes campaigner only last year, sprang a major surprise today when snatching the working hunter pony tricolour ahead of strong competition which included last year’s champion and reserve.
Clementine, 12, has had the 143cm dun Gold Digga only since September, but won the novice Gold Cup with him at the BSPS Championships.
“She grew so tall that we skipped the 133cm class,” said her mother Caroline. “We got this pony through Kelly Ward and he’s an absolute star.”
These classes produced good competition over a substantial course and there were not too many clears. Reserve went to last year’s champions, Jasean Spraggett and the prolific-winning 153cm campaigner, Gigolo.
Show hunter pony numbers were also up and after a solid main-ring finale, where all the ponies behaved impeccably despite the distractions, the top spot went to Team Harvey’s 143cm winner, Spot On Harrison.
This mannerly five-year-old, who came from Oliver Burchell-Small last September, is in his first season showing but is already qualified for HOYS. Rebecca Harvey took the ride here, as his usual jockey, sister Sophie, 11, was required at another show.
The 143cm runner-up took reserve. This was the Cambray family’s eight-year-old Nutwood Spring Charm, produced by Gill Thompson and partnered by Millfield pupil Daisy Cambray, who only meets the pony at shows.
The intermediate title went to a delighted Becky Edwards with the reigning Cherif champion, Valantinos Royal Touch, who won the small show riding type class. It was the conclusion of a great weekend for the Edwards family as Becky qualified him for RIHS as a hack the day before at Newark.
“Windsor is our local show, but we’ve never won here before,” said her mother, Leigh.
Full report on all the showing classes from Royal Windsor Horse Show in Thursday 17 May issue of Horse & Hound magazine
Windsor showing results
WHP (Mrs S Rawding, S Somers) nursery 1, R Regis’ Trewithian Woodrough; 2, L Bowen’s Purple Ronnie; 3, T Cresswell’s Courtland JP Benjamin. 133cm 1, C Bower’s Zelston Bellquest; 2, Purple Ronnie; 3, V Hogarth’s Tina Glitters. 143cm 1 & ch, C Proud’s Gold Digga; 2, H Collard’s Optimist; 3, M Dent’s Good Friday. 153cm 1 & res, J Mastroianni’s Gigolo; 2, D Worrow’s Dancing Hero; 3, H Gibbon’s St Patrick. int. 1, M Banks-Browne’s Kidside Ferguson; 2, T Strapp’s Tequila Royale; 3, C Peake’s Valleys Sent. int SRT (D Puttock) novice 1, Calowette; 2, V Rudd’s Burfordly Sea Wolf; 3, H Rumney’s With A Twist. 153cm 1 & ch, L Edwards’ Valantinos Royal Touch; 2, J Findlow’s Calowette; 3, S Church’s Catwalk Little Star. SHT (Mrs P Pattinson) 1 & res, A Bosworth’s Trudi Thornton; 2, M & R Cooper’s Suwannee River; 3, D Lacey’s Halfmoon Bellavista. SHP (Mrs C Whiteley) 133cm 1, S Horne’s Parkhills Beckham; 2, K Bankier’s Parkhills Ronaldo; 3, S Mace & D Murrell’s Wicklea Makanda. 143cm 1 & ch, T Harvey’s Spot On Harrison; 2 & res, J Cambray’s Nutwood Spring Charm; 3, V Windsor-Phillips’ Nook School For Scandal. 153cm 1, A Curry’s Noble Star; 2, A Baybutt’s Tom Thumb; 3, Mrs Spink’s Carrow Keel Boy. LR 1, H Barton’s Coeden Sir Galahad; 2, S Wood’s Nanflais Gwerthfawf; 3, D Kersley’s Tommy Pocket. Lusitano (Lady Loch) ridden 1, J Stevens’ Bailina; 2, J Jevon’s Xique Tramqagueira; 3, F Roiz De Sa’s Xa. Spanish Andalucian 1, C Kershaw’s Hermoso; 2, Mrs Furlong’s Novato Salvatello; 3, R Share’s Quiron. Lusitano, parade 1, Pine Lodge School of Classical Equitation’s Sa Sa; 2, J Fernandez’s Bombastico; 3, M O’Hare’s Zig Zag Da Tramaguiera.
