Home-produced ponies dominated the Colne & Sweet Dreams Show Confectioners Mountain & Moorland Mini Pony of the Year Championship on the concluding day of Horse of the Year Show (HOYS)
Annabel Makin-Jones’ 11-year-old Welsh Section A, Wernderris Charlie Fox (Charlie), was foot-perfect with daughter Jemima to stand overall Champion after winning the Sweet Dreams Show Confectioners Mountain & Moorland First Ridden Pony of the Year.
“I’m speechless,” said Annabel. “We think he [Charlie] is really special. He’s teaching my sister’s children to ride because he’s so safe and Jemima just does everything on him”.
Charlie was a working stallion and wasn’t broken until he was eight. Annabel bought him a year later and had him gelded.
“Sadly last year he had a leg injury and had a year off,” said Annabel, “so this has been their first season together. He is the apple of our eye”.
Jade Gardner’s striking black Shetland, Latijn V.D. Helling, stood Reserve with daughter Reeva, having won the Westown Stud Mountain & Moorland Lead Rein Pony of the Year Non-Welsh. Jade has owned the pony since December and he’s very much part of the family.
“I’m so proud of Reeva and the pony,” she said. “They’ve only been together since January and he has mostly been ridden by an adult… this is his first proper season as a Mini pony.
“He’s got a really level head on him and knows that Reeva is small and he needs to look after her. He’s just lovely.”
Winner of the Colne Mountain & Moorland Lead Rein Pony of the Year Welsh Breeds was Mandy Burchell-Small’s homebred gelding Rowfantina Principal Dancer, ridden by granddaughter Isabel and led in the ring by Mandy’s son Ollie. The win topped off a fantastic week for the family and made a great birthday present for Ollie.
A rare grey Shire, Cardington Billy Bob, owned and ridden by Emma Green stood The Barber Family British Ridden Heavy Horse of the Year Champion.
Emma was delighted to bring six-year-old Billy Bob to HOYS to help promote the breeding of Shires, particularly grey Shires, of which there are only a few hundred worldwide.
“I bought him as a three-year-old and then realised we’d also had his uncle who had competed here in the past. He’s a really easy, genuine horse… and has taken it all in his stride.”
Emma also had a sixth place with another of her Shires, Higher View Charlie. Charlie is owned by Lindy Winship, who also owns Westfield Calendar Girl, the horse to give Emma her first HOYS win in 2022 and later made history to be the only one to qualify for all three of HOYS’ Heavy Horse finals – in hand, ridden and driven.
“When we qualified him [Billy Bob] we thought ‘we’ve got two in there who are very different, but let’s run him because it will do him good’. So he’s certainly exceeded expectations.”
Winner of the Large Riding Horse, Jane Davies’ bay mare Tremarl Timpani stood Alan Marnie & Family Riding Horse of the Year Champion ridden by Vicky Smith.
A delighted Vicky said: “She’s seven and it’s only her second trip here – I’ve taken my time with her.”
Jane was here at the NEC to watch her homebred mare go Champion. She is full brother to the 2023 In-Hand Supreme Horse Champion, Tremarl Timber, who is now under saddle. Along with his sister these HOYS Champions are now, in Vicky’s words, “a bit of a force to be reckoned with!”
Jayne Ross added to her successes this week standing Reserve after a win in the Small Riding Horse with Danni Radford’s nine-year-old bay gelding, Ladies Man.
“He’s not done many Riding Horse classes as he was a Hack last year,” said Jayne, “but because he’s got such a big scopey stride and he loves travelling I thought lets run him as a Riding Horse to allow him to use his scope. He’s been delicious all day.”
Second in the Large Riding Horse was Debbie Harrod’s King of Clubs ridden by James Smyth. Last year’s winner took second in the Small Riding Horse, Guy Mears’ Times Square III ridden by Danielle Heath.
Minutes after securing a Reserve Championship for the team, Jayne Ross went one better, piloting Diane Stennett’s KBF Lucia into the spotlight in the Coloured Horse and Pony of the Year Championship sponsored by CHAPS (UK).
“This is so special,” said Jayne. “She’s won the class four times in a row and has been Reserve but never Champion.
“We call her Perfect Poppy because she is what she says on the tin.”
Monivea Black Magic, owned by Philippa Kirby and ridden by Indiana Kirby, stood Reserve. The seven-year-old is produced by Lucy Glover and is a true family pony. He has won his class at HOYS for the last three years: once with mum Phillipa, once with sister Isabella and now with Indiana.
The class winners of the Coloured Horse and Pony of the Year Championship sponsored by CHAPS (UK) are as follows:
- Coloured Junior Ridden Pony of the Year sponsored by CHAPS (UK)/ Broom & Sleight Family: Briar Puzzle owned by Amy Lilley and ridden by Alexia Lilley
- Coloured Ridden Native/Cob/Traditional Pony of the Year sponsored by CHAPS (UK)/ The White Crow: Monivea Black Magic owned by Philippa Kirby and ridden by Indiana Kirby
- Coloured Ridden Native/Cob/Traditional Horse of the Year sponsored by CHAPS (UK)/ EJL Stud and Livery: Ad Blue owned by Gillian Eaton and ridden by Kevin Lee
- Coloured Ridden Non-Native Pony of the Year sponsored by CHAPS (UK) /Appleton Grange Stud: Castra owned by Stephanie Fitt and ridden by Rhianon Loader
- Coloured Ridden Non-Native Horse of the Year sponsored by CHAPS (UK)/ Burghwallis Stud: KBF Lucia owned by Diane Stennett and ridden by Jayne Ross
ENDS
For more information on Horse of the Year Show 2025, please contact
Horse of the Year Show Press Office, Grandstand Media Ltd.
Tel: 02476 858205. Email: press@hoys.co.uk
Image credit: 1st Class Images.
