A trip south of the border paid dividends for the connections of a 10-year-old first-ridden jockey and his Welsh section B pony as they won the 2024 HOYS mini M&M tricolour on day one of the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).
Dumfries-based Prestyn Patterson was riding at HOYS for the first time. His partner was his mother Ashley’s Celton Avallon (Alfie), an eight-year-old Welsh section B by Heaton Romeo bred by the Williams Family.
The pair are produced by Kirstine Douglas and they qualified for the final at the NPS summer championships in August.
Prestyn has been riding since he was five, though he’s in his first season with Alfie.
“We got him just over a year ago and he’s a brilliant little pony; we do absolutely everything with him,” Ashley said. “Prestyn was so excited to just get here, let alone win and go champion. This is a dream come true.”
Alfie was purchased from Pippa Kirby where he was campaigned as a junior pony by Pippa’s daughter. Prestyn will be returning to the TopSpec Arena to ride Alfie in the junior final later in the week.
Producer Kirstine had her eye on Alfie from the beginning of their hunt for the perfect pony: “I knew that if we wanted a first-ridden that he’d be the one. Prestyn is very committed; he is at the yard every night to ride.”
This was a bucket-list win for Kirstine, too, as Alfie is the first mini pony her team has qualified for HOYS.
Despite it being a day of firsts, Prestyn remained cool, calm and collected throughout the whole experience.
“He doesn’t really get nervous, though I do as Mum at the ringside!” Ashley confirmed. “And he trusts Alfie completely.”
After his win Prestyn said: “Alfie is an easy pony; he’s a good horse who doesn’t need a lot of work. I wasn’t nervous before going in, but when they called my number forward I wondered if I’d heard it right.”
Reserve in the 2024 HOYS mini M&M championship went to the lead-rein winner, Brynrodyn Danika, a five-year-old grey mare owned by Dorian Lloyd and ridden by Medi Rowles Lloyd. The Welsh section A won two qualifiers this term en route to the final.
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