For the first time in recent history equestrian competition was brought back into the fold at Angus Show with light and heavy horse classes all held on the same day as the ‘main’ agricultural event.
In the light horse supreme, the overall accolade went home once again with the Brooks family, from nearby Kirriemuir, with their relatively new acquisition Rotherwood Mr Pepys.
This 138cm show pony, which was bought by Terri and Austen for their daughter Annabelle in April, had previously stood reserve supreme of the SEIB’s Search for a Star championship at the Horse of the Year Show last season.
Since his move to Scotland, Mr Pepys and Anna have forged a successful partnership, standing as supreme champions at Ladyleys and reserve of the show pony section at Puddledub Spring, last month. With the Brooks family spoiled for choice in the supreme, having won both the Arab and part-bred rings and the part-bred M&M championship, Anna had to make a tough call over which pony to ride in the overall competition.
“Angus Show means an awful lot to us,” explained Terri. “It was the show that gave us our first ever supreme championship as a family.”
Indeed, Anna’s brother Kyle had shown the family’s veteran show pony Mr Cloudy to top the competition five years previously.
High winds made for some testing conditions during the day’s judging.
“Sam stood like a rock throughout the supreme to keep Anna safe,” said Terri, who credited the pony for being every mother’s dream.
An opportune twist of fortunes saw the reserve champion coloured horse Dolly XIII step forward to win the reserve supreme title for her owner/rider Rebecca Copland, from Cupar.
With their section champion, the Highway Man, absent from the ring after Tina and Shirely Moro were called back to their stud at Fordoun early to tend to a mare on the cusp of foaling, Dolly was given the opportunity to shine above the remainder of the competition.
Now 10 years old, this traditional mare is backed by a wealth of former championships on her curriculum vitae, having already stood supreme both in-hand and under saddle at the Coloured Horse and Pony Scottish Regional competition and reserve supreme at the Festival of Champions.
Last season the partnership collected overall trophies from Alyth and the Grand Slam shows and they were also top of the supreme at Angus. Within the hunter and riding horse arena, the champion ridden entry progressed to stand as the overall in the head-to-head competition with the best from the in-hand competition. This was Rebecca Chalmers’ seven-year-old ex-racehorse gelding Eduardo, from Blairgowrie.
This son of Beat Hallow, bred out of Cuyamaca, previously trained with Jedd o’Keeffe, has proved himself a force to be reckoned with in the dressage arenas collecting the Novice ROR dressage championship title for the last two consecutive seasons.
He has also qualified for the PetPlan Finals twice, as well as the under-25 championships in Bedfordshire, with Rebecca’s daughter Georgina. “He can be a little tricky when he’s in a fit condition, but he behaved brilliantly at Angus,” reflected Rebecca.
RESULTS
SUPREME Annabelle Brooks, with Rotherwood Mr Pepys, a nine-year-old 138cm show pony, sired by Strinesdale Matador and out of Rotherwood Bo-Peep, which stood reserve champion at Puddledub and supreme at Ladyleys. Last year this gelding was reserve supreme of the SEIB Search for a Star series at the Horse of the Year Show and has previously qualified for the Royal International. Reserve: Rebecca Copland, with Dolly XIII, a 10-year-old traditional mare bought unseen from Lancashire in 2013. Has this season stood supreme both inhand and under saddle at the Chaps regional show, reserve supreme at the Festival of Champions and reserve coloured in-hand and ridden at both Inchcoonans Spring and Fife Shows. Last year, Dolly stood supreme at Ingliston Grand Slam, Angus and Alyth shows and reserve supreme Brechin Spring Show and champion at Perth.
HUNTERS & RIDING HORSES RIDDEN and OVERALL Rebecca Chalmers, with Eduardo, a seven-year-old ex-racehorse, sired by Beat Hollow and out of Cuyamaca, which won the ROR novice dressage championships for 2014 and 2015.
IN-HAND Lorna Gilbert, with Expensive Decision, a three-year-old gelding sired by the Holsteiner stallion Hemmingway and home-bred out of Irish draught cross thoroughbred mare Katanna Shan, which stood home-bred supreme and hunter/sports horse in-hand champion at the Royal Northern Spring Show. Last year, he stood supreme at Turriff and champion hunter and reserve sport horse at Angus. As a yearling, he was second at the RHS and collected five in-hand championships and four reserves.
SPORTS HORSE Andrew and Andrea Nicol, with Unique, a home-bred two-year-old gelding, sired by Solaris Buenno and out of Chellena Z, which last year stood reserve champion at Fife, champion sports horse and reserve coloured at the Spring Grand Slam. As a foal, he stood champion of three sections at the Puddledub winter youngstock show. Reserve: Yvonne Kerr, with Colourville Merlot, a two-year-old which was bred at the Whitegate Stud, Glamis, and was coloured champion and reserve sports horse at the Puddledub Youngstock Show last year.
MISCELLANEOUS Lucy Craighead, with Creevelea Domara, a seven-year-old part-bred Welsh mare, of unknown breeding, which previously stood reserve in-hand at Fettercairn, won at Angus, Brechin, Inchcoonans and the Grand Slam and was champion at Brechin Autumn. Reserve: Ruth McLean, with Capitall Quinn, a nine-year-old gelding, sired by Capitall Arthur and out of Redline Amber, which was Appaloosa champion and won the open Blair working hunter qualifier at Brechin Spring. Last year, Quinn was Appaloosa champion at Brechin Autumn, reserve novice worker and champion Appaloosa at Kirriemuir, champion working hunter at Perth and won the championship final of The Courier/BHS Scotland Riding Club working hunter at Blair Castle.
WORKING HUNTER PONIES I Bruce, Zara. Reserve: Jennifer Adam, with Barnaboy Paddy a seven-year-old Connemara gelding, sired by Earl of Castlefrench and out of Pretty Kitty, which was recently placed second at Fife Show as well as second in the novice workers and first in the open at Puddledub.
WORKING HUNTER HORSES Gillian Fotheringham, with Capitall Quinn, the reserve miscellaneous section champion. Reserve: Laura Collins, with Donnadoni B, a seven-year-old mare, sired by Vaillant and out of Galixy, which events to BE90 level and was recently seventh at Kirriemuir Horse Trials.
RIDING PONIES Sue Williamson, with Molluccas Royal Amise, a two-year-old show hunter pony gelding sired by Sedgelands Masquerade and out of Kitty Kelly, which stood fourth in the Cuddy In-hand Championship final at the Horse of the Year Show as a yearling. Reserve: Annabelle Brooks, with Cosford Major Mouse, a four-year-old gelding sired by Cosford Versace and out of Cosford Miss Mouse, which previously stood supreme at Brechin Autumn and champion at Kirriemuir as a two-year-old and last year lifted the reserve overall in-hand championship at the North Scotland WCPA spring show. This season, he stood reserve in both the in-hand pony and Arab and partbred rings at Brechin Spring. Ridden by Annabelle, he was also first in the Novice mixed height mini show pony class at Puddledub.
ARAB AND PART-BRED Annabelle Brooks, with the supreme champion Rotherwood Mr Pepys. Reserve: Sue Williamson, with the riding pony champion, Molluccas Royal Amise.
VETERAN Emma MacPherson, with Blackford Wedding March, a 16-year-old 138cm show pony. Reserve: Laurie Carnie, with Soundtrack, a 20-year-old gelding, sired by Western Hope and out of Fourtrack VII, which previously evented to intermediate level and now competes at dressage.
MOUNTAIN AND MOORLAND FM Lawson, with Waverhead Black Beauty, a two-year-old Fell filly, sired by Fitzview Dazzler, bred by Barbara Bell and bought in as a foal, which was placed first at the Royal Northern Spring Show this year. In 2014, this filly was overall M&M and large breed champion at the Grampian Foal Show, overall M&M at Fettercairn, first at the Puddledub Youngstock Show and first at Angus. Reserve: Shonah Wood, with Merieston Daisy Duke, a seven-year-old Welsh section C mare, sired by Hardys Lincoln and out of Erwwastad Danielle, which last season stood champion M&M worker and reserve M&M at Kirriemuir, champion at Echt and the World Horse Welfare show and reserve ridden M&M at Brechin Autumn.
PART-BRED M&M Annabelle Brooks, with the reserve riding pony champion Cosford Major Mouse. Reserve: P Parker, with Viewmont Champagne.
COLOURED Tina Moro, with The Highway Man, a home-bred two-year-old colt, sired by Apollo and out of Travellers Joy, which was champion in-hand at Inchcoonans Spring, champion at Puddledub Spring at Fountain and reserve champion at the Grand Slam. He was also previously reserve at Brechin Autumn as a yearling. Reserve: Rebecca Copland, with the reserve supreme champion Dolly XIII.
OPEN COBS Cathy Petrie, with Bankwell Dizzy Ever, a three-year-old gelding, sired by Gemsike and out of Dizney, which previously stood reserve champion at Inchoonans, the Brechin Spring, reserve horse in-hand at Fettercairn and reserve at Brechin Autumn. Reserve: E Gayler, with Shybont Mighty Quinn, a seven-year-old gelding, sired by Harroway Mr Harlequin and out of Shybont Catkin.
CLYDESDALE Sandy Aitken, with Newton Glens Kara, a two-year-old filly, by Muirton Sabre and out of Redcastle Pretty Amazing Grace. Champion at Northern Spring Show and first at Stallion Show. Reserve: John Anderson, with Redcastle Lyndon, a yearling colt, by Great American GW Carver and out of Redcastle Alena. Champion at Forfar Foal Show and second at Stallion Show.
HIGHLAND Mrs Heather Gow, with Westray of Alltnacailleach, a seven-year-old yeld mare, by Donald of Shielhill and out of Kilda of Alltnacailleach. Reserve champion last year at Angus as a ridden pony and reserve novice at Highland Pony Breed Show. Reserve: George and Alan Baird, with Ulrika of Whitefield, a three-year-old filly, by Oliver of Forglen and out of Queencake of Whitefield. Champion at Drymen 2014.
SHETLAND HP Sleigh, with Wells Tawood Lady, a five-year-old yeld mare, which stood champion at Echt and Banchory in last year. Shown by Emma Jamieson. Reserve: HP Sleigh, with Wells Payton, a three-year-old filly, by Wells Extra Special and out of Wells Phoenix. Champion at Fettercairn and reserve at New Deer last year.