The oldest pony to compete at this year’s London International Horse Show secured the overall 2022 SSADL supreme in-hand championship.
The ever-green 33-year-old gelding Charlie Brown, handled by his owner Emma Coates, sparkled his way around the famous arena to secure the hearts of judges Penny Clifford and Jackie Webb, despite being an impressive 18 years older than the required age of a senior contender.
Charlie has secured his spot in the history books as prior to his victory, the oldest animal to win in London was Laura Oughton-Auker’s late New Forest-thoroughbred cross Hot Fuss, who won the honour in 2019.
Emma, who is a BHS accredited coach and is the equestrian manager at Lucton School in Leominster, has owned Charlie, a former trekking horse, since he was 23 years old.
“He was based at Tregoyd Riding and would trek up the Brecon Beacons,” said Emma. “I would often take some of the trekking horses on to school for the winter, and Charlie was one of them. When he was 23, Carol Church from Tregoyd asked if he could retire with me.”
Alongside his showing career, Charlie — who is also affectionately known as Mr Brown — is based at Lucton School during term time.
“This was his first and last trip to London,” said Emma, who qualified Charlie at the SSADL championships in September. “He will retire now, aside from possibly doing the odd local show with children who need the experience. He’s taken to showing so beautifully and he’s such a character; I can’t turn him out with mares as he gets too excited, and he can still buck people off if it’s windy, though he’ll let you know if that’s going to happen with a squeal.”
Emma, who also runs a 120 acre beef suckler and sheep farm and does the majority of the stock work on horseback, said Charlie was at a Pony Club rally the week before London.
“I also had to hire a lorry as mine was too old to take into London,” she said. “Charlie wasn’t too sure about going in it as it was a bit new and different for him!
“This means so much to me and it’s been made even more special as Charlie was the last horse my father ever rode. I think Dad was talking to him in the ring; Charlie had his ears on all day. He floated around the ring and was certainly faster than me!”
Reserve in the 2022 SSADL in-hand championship was Beth Hutchinson leading her own Tamiros (Tam).
The 22-year-old gelding, a former eventer, last trotted on London soil in 2019, finishing fifth overall. He booked his return ticket to this year’s final at Netherton Equestrian in September.
Tam evented until was he was 13 years old. A rotational fall ended his career and Beth began showing him in veteran classes as a 16-year-old, after he took a serious disliking to life as a field ornament.
“He then had two years off due to the pandemic and I brought him back out this year in spring to see if he was still up for the game; it’s safe to say he was as he’s won five championships this year, and now this,” said Beth, who works as a production operations manager for a pharmaceutical company.
Barnard Castle-based Beth’s journey to London was far from smooth sailing:
“It took us six and a half hours and we had to travel down in a hired lorry as mine blew up three times,” explained Beth, who was “running on steroids” after having her spine injected last week.
“I was in a car crash in March and an MRI scan revealed that I had a bulging disk. The aim was to get me sound enough to run around this big ring with Tam who has a new-found length of stride.”
Beth credits Tam’s increased movement and zest for life to regular water treadmill sessions which he commenced six weeks ago in the run up to London:
“He’s unrecognisable; he was pinging around the warm-up and I could barely hold onto him! The difference in him is unbelievable. When he’s done his treadmill sessions we go on the Theraplate together, too, as that helps my back.
“I didn’t get nervous ahead of the class; Tam owes me absolutely nothing and he just loves it in that ring.”
Third went to this year’s RIHS SSADL in-hand champion, Louise Swallow’s 20-year-old Monarch’s Retreat, handled by Jess Regan.
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