{"piano":{"sandbox":"false","aid":"u28R38WdMo","rid":"R7EKS5F","offerId":"OF3HQTHR122A","offerTemplateId":"OTQ347EHGCHM"}}

‘She enriched our lives’ — Farewell to HOYS and RIHS winning show pony with a prolific legacy


  • Liz Mansfield-Parnell home-bred show pony mare Rotherwood Flight Of Fancy has died aged 25.

    Fancy, who was by Strinesdale Matador out of Chirk Windflower, took many jockeys to the top as an open ridden 148cm show pony, a small intermediate show riding type and a part-bred Arab. As a 148cm she won the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) in 2003 and Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) 2009. In 2008, she won the Sporting Sam intermediate supreme.

    Fancy is a full sister to former HOYS reserve show hunter pony of the year Rotherwood Maybe and Rotherwood Spring Flower, dam of the multi-HOYS winning show pony and part-bred Rotherwood Rainmaker.

    “What’s interesting is that all three sisters are different heights; Fancy is 14.2hh, Spring Flower is 12.2hh and Maybe is 14hh,” said Liz.

    Liz sold Fancy as a foal to the Sanderson family and she was produced by the Jago family, John Harvey and Karen Burkin during her lengthy career saddle.

    “She bred one foal for the Burkins before I bought her back in foal to Landemann Nighthawk,” added Liz. “She was carrying Rotherwood Fantasia at the time, and she since bred me two more foals, Rotherwood Touch Of Distinction and Rotherwood Fancy That.

    Fancy’s in-hand achievements included standing supreme champion at the National Pony Society summer championships with a foal at foot.

    “After speaking to those who worked with her over the years I came to realise that Fancy had to like you to do anything for you,” added Liz. “She was either no trouble at all or an absolute monkey. You had to humour her and there were certain things you had to work around so she would oblige.

    Continues below…



    “I remember the day she was born and thinking she was possibly one of the best foals I had ever bred. In typical Fancy fashion she arrived unexpected in the field. We had cameras set up in the stable for weeks prior, but she did it her way, as per usual.

    “Fancy enriched our lives and she taught us a lot. She was always the boss. It’s lovely to have her legacy live on in her successful offspring.”

    Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

    Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout major shows like London International and more with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

    You may like...