A renowned Welsh section A pony, who has won the Royal International (RIHS) on five separate occasions with five different jockeys, has cemented his reputation as a true mini pony.
Blisland Echo — who is simply known as Echo at home — enjoyed a day out at the Thurlow Hunt’s opening meet with his nine-year-old jockey Ness Kerr.
Echo, who is now 11, has won at the RIHS as both a junior ridden pony and as a first ridden. He was placed second in the mountain and moorland (M&M) first ridden final at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) last year and was also crowned mini supreme at the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) Heritage championships in 2018 (below).
The Kerr family have owned Echo for two years and during the show season he is produced by Craig Elenor and Sara Parrott at their yard in Yorkshire.
“Echo is the perfect pony to have at home,” says Ness’ mother Lisa Kerr who is based in Newmarket and is local to the Thurlow. “He’s having a break with lots of hacking and hunting when we can get out.
“Even though he’s so quiet you never know how they’ll be out hunting, but he was absolutely brilliant. Ness and Echo just slotted in behind me and didn’t move all day. He even jumped all the jumps; you forget he’s so small but I’d look behind me and his little legs would pick up and take off.”
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Lisa’s older daughter Kate — who rode Echo during 2018 and 2019 — was also out following hounds.
“I can’t keep up with Kate these days and she’s always way ahead of me,” laughs Lisa. “Echo loves his job and he perked up the same as he does in the show ring. He thought it was a special day out just for him and he was striding out all day with his ears pricked.”
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