A new trophy featuring a shoe belonging to Fell mare Carltonlima Emma, the beloved pony ridden by the late Queen Elizabeth, was presented at British Champions Day (19 October).
North Yorkshire cabinet maker Sam Hewitt crafted the Emma trophy for the Worshipful Company of Farriers (WCF) best shod horse of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot racecourse. The trophy includes one of Emma’s shoes that has been “left as worn, but lacquered” – with a base turned from a piece of Yorkshire wood.
Emma, who was a successful show pony, was The late Queen’s companion for the last 13 years of her life. She touched the hearts of the nation when she was pictured standing on the Long Walk at Windsor Castle, with Her Majesty’s headscarf folded over the saddle, as the funeral cortege arrived.
On British Champions Day the WCF and Princess Anne presented the Emma trophy to Jason Gajczak, farrier to Ice Max, trained by Karl Burke and owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum.
“To win the WCF best shod horse on Champions Day at Ascot is amazing and to receive the Emma trophy for the first time has topped off a truly amazing season for me,” said Jason.
“I’m very lucky to shoe some of the best horses in the country for one of the best Flat trainers in which he puts his trust in me. I am only a small part of a big team.”
WCF liveryman Trevor Clarke, who came up with the idea with Major General Sir Evelyn Webb-Carter, said he was “deeply grateful” to Ascot for allowing the company to hold the best shod competition for the first time at a Flat race meeting.
“The judge, Robin May AWCF, was highly complimentary about the outstanding standard of shoeing. The Emma trophy serves as a wonderful tribute to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her enduring commitment to the welfare of the horse, which lies at the very heart of the WCF’s mission and history,” he said.
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