An orphaned Exmoor filly was crowned in-hand champion at the first Moorland and Exmoor Pony Breeders Group (MEPBG) show earlier this month.
The show was held at Bredon Country Show at Brendon Barton in the Exmoor National Park on 10 August.
The winning three-year-old filly Que Sera Sera was bred by the Bryant family and owned by Bethany Hernaman.
Ms Hernamen reared the filly after the pony’s mother was killed by a car when she was just two-weeks-old.
The in-hand judge, Rex Milton, said she was a good, strong, traditional pony with good points and was “everything an Exmoor should be”.
Steward Mrs Liz Bulled said: “They were perfected impeccably, especially the yearlings who had never been out in public before.”
The quality of the ponies at the show was described as “very encouraging” by Mr Milton.
He described the winning unhandled moor-bred mare and foal combination as a “lovely, typical Exmoor mare,” while he felt the foal had a good future as a showing or riding pony.
“We need these ‘modern Exmoors’ as it allows the breed to slightly evolve to protect the future, combining the traditional characteristics with modern flare,” added Mr Milton.
The MEPBG was set up to promote moorland Exmoor ponies and recognise the wider genetics in the breed.