A Connemara stallion is quickly establishing himself as the native pony of the moment as he added the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) Royal Windsor M&M ridden title to his tally of victories.
Amanda Sharman’s impeccable Glencarrig Knight eight-year-old Castle Kestrel, piloted by his long-term producer Lucy Glover, was ever the professional as he shone his way around the championship showdown, which was held in the Castle Arena for the first time in several years.
His exemplary manners and effortless way of going was enough for judges Martin Jones and Charlotte Miller to pull him forward to accept the overall accolade, alongside a coveted BSPS M&M supreme ridden final ticket. Kestrel will be returning to London at the end of the year in an attempt to reclaim the supreme M&M crown he lifted last December.
During the M&M classes, Martin Jones set a show which required the ponies to be on the aids.
“It was quite a complex show — we had to canter on the straight and then also ride a walk to canter transition — but Kestrel is so light in the hand and he’s on the leg that it was easy,” said Lucy, who, despite her similarly strong form at the major championships, had only ridden in the Castle Arena once prior to today.
Kestrel won his class at Windsor in 2022, but it wasn’t to be his time in the overall championship.
“It’s lovely to go one better and take the overall,” said Lucy. “I did feel the pressure coming back out this year after London.”
“He’s so special to us. We have had him with us on the yard since he was a three-year-old. I backed him myself and have seen him through the ranks.”
Amanda, who took a chance and bought Kestrel unseen from PJ Watson when he was a yearling, was ecstatic:
“To watch him trot down a centre line, again, is what dreams are made of,” she said. “He’s still only eight years old and it’s incredible to think he’s done all of this so soon.”
Sarah Parker riding Sarah Weston’s home-bred Dartmoor stallion Westown Wild Fire was reserve Royal Windsor M&M ridden champion, also securing a pass to London International in December.
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