Heavy horse specialist Emma Green posted a first HOYS British ridden heavy horse of the championship at the 2022 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in the saddle of Lindy Winship’s exceptional Shire mare Westfield Calendar Girl (Callie).
“I’m so pleased that other people appreciate her as much as I do,” said Emma. “She works so hard for me, sometimes too hard.”
Emma purchased Callie, who stands at just 17.2hh, as an unbroken three-year-old.
“We bought her unseen,” explained Emma. “I owned her brother so I wanted something from the same line. I broke her in and from the beginning her work ethic has been second to none. She’s a pleasure and even when I’m not asking anything from her, she gives me her all. If I ever walk past her stable with a saddle to go and ride another horse she’s not happy and she starts kicking at the door.”
The Bickerscout William eight-year-old, who is out of Westfield Cover Girl, was bred by the Clayton Family.
She made history this year by becoming the only breed representative to qualify for both the HOYS ridden heavy horse championship and the in-hand Shire of the year final in the same season.
“She might not be the biggest, but as they say, though she be but little she is fierce,” said Emma.
Lindy spotted Callie win at last year’s BSHA championships.
“Lindy ran up to me and said she wanted to buy her,” said Emma, who will lead Callie in this afternoon’s in-hand final. “She bought her straight after her class and now she has two Shires with me.
“Callie owes me absolutely nothing. She wants to go out and do the job, and all the way round the ring I’m talking to her. Today she rode effortlessly; her movement was there the whole time. Callie and I are a bit of a dream team.
“Now, she’ll have some recovery mash, go to bed for a while and then we’ll be back out for the in-hand!”
Reserve in the HOYS British ridden heavy horse final was Hollie Butterworth riding her own Shire gelding Acle Director.
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