There were tears of joy from Edward Whittaker when his and his father John’s six-year-old bay mare, St Giles Morgana, won the Shire Horse of the Year Championship supported by the Shire Horse Society. The sheer delight showed not just what this prestigious accolade means for Edward, but what the mare means to him too.
Edward found Morgana for sale on the internet, liked the look of her and bought her. At 25 he is one of the youngest competitors to have won the prestigious title – and the mare is still only six. She has only been to three shows this year and is out of Daresbrook Charlotte by Acle Timelord.
Speaking after the Championship, Edward said: “I’m lost for words. She has tremendous movement, she really picks her knees up.” He added: “I thought I’d messed it up in the preliminary judging but she’s come in here and just pulled it out the bag. She’s my best friend.”
Heavy horses are in Edward’s blood, with his dad and grandad having both owned Shires. They have around 20 at home in Cheshire, along with 400 cows on their dairy farm. Edward explained that he spends half an hour at the end of each day sitting with Morgana so that the cows she shares her field with can’t steal her feed!
William Bedford’s Landcliffe Charlie took Reserve. This bay stallion is just four years old and is by Martonian Norman out of Landcliffe Wendy.
ENDS
Image credit: 1st Class Images
For more information on Horse of the Year Show 2018, or to request a selection of copyright free images, please contact:
Horse of the Year Show Press Office
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Email: press@hoys.co.uk
