A part-bred Arab bloomed in front of a packed audience to land the Horse of the Year Show Cuddy Breeders’ Supreme in-hand ticket at the Royal Cornwall Show — marking a first major win for her owners.
Leading Wycroft Passion Flower to the top in-hand accolade was Andrew Pitman, who described the moment he was called forward with the two-year-old bay filly as “something he had always dreamed of”.
Passion Flower, also known as Flora, won the two and three-year-old class on her way to claiming the Anglo and part-bred Arab championship.
“I’ve never won it before and we are absolutely delighted,” said Andrew, who led Flora for her owners Lynda Goodall and her mother Jacky Upward. “As a breeder it’s very difficult to get recognised — it’s all my breeding which makes it even more special,” he added.
Eighteen breed champions made it back for the Cuddy on the second day of the show, all closely inspected by judge Frances Cash, who made the trip to Cornwall from Ireland.
“She’s very elegant and a lovely model,” said Frances. “She has the makings of what I would like to think will be a very nice child’s show pony,” she said.
Don’t miss H&H’s full report from Royal Cornwall in a forthcoming issue of H&H
