For the second year in succession Oliviette of Whitefield swept to the top of the in-hand Highland Pony breed contest at Blair Castle Horse Trials.
By taking the win, the upstanding grey broodmare secured a silver medal for local breeders the Bairds, of Burrelton, at Blairgowrie, as top pick of judge Willie Nelson, Kirkland Farm, Girvan.
Shown this year with her April-born colt foal at foot by HS of Fourmerk, oliviette came to Blair Castle having won this season at Drymen and Perth.
The eight-year-old, sired by Belivet Muldoanich and home-bred out of former breed show champion Yvette of Whitefield, has enjoyed considerable success at Blair over the years, having stood overall in-hand for 2013 and also winning the medal championship as a three-year-old in 2009.
The reserve in-hand rosette was won by Anna Robert’s leading three-year-old filly Knockandy Matilda. this daughter of Moss-side Lairig Ghru and Winnie of Cragnetherty had been placed early on in the season at both the well-attended Central Scotland Highland Pony Club Show at Gleneagles, and the NPS Spring Show.
During the summer she was also placed at the highland Pony Breed Show at Strathallan Castle.
Clearly enjoying a return to the show ring having concentrated on driving over the summer and recently contesting a tandem meet in Kelso elinor Steven’s “pony of a lifetime” Glenbanchor Somerled floated around the Bruadar Country Arena to collect the open ridden championship.
Elinor rode ‘Bo’ herself to top the supreme horse championship at Kinross Show, but he returned to Blair Castle with his regular partner under saddle Jo Jack, who was delighted to continue his success.
The nine-year-old gelding, sired by Moss-side Iain Mhor and out of Glenbanchor Lady Fiona, which previously qualified for HOYS in the private driving and finished eighth in Birmingham, has this season stood champion at the NPS Spring Show with Jo.
He won at the Rhinns Point Native Dressage and was reserve champion at the NPS dressage to music championships at Addington.
Margaret Inglis rode robin and Karen Stewart’s eight-year-old stallion Coulacraig Jacobite into open reserve.
Home-bred by Coulnacraig Highlander and out of Denmill Catriona, he began this season by taking the supreme horse championship at the Brechin Spring Show and has since progressed to stand supreme at both Stonehaven and Banchory, and was also breed champion at Turriff.
In the novice ridden championship heather Dick’s six-year-old Dunstruan Duich Mhor took the top plaudits. This home-bred licensed stallion, by Carlung Findlay and out of Kirsty of Gargunnock, was first in the show ring at Puddledub winter, and has also proved equally adept in the dressage arena.
Virginia Osborne rode her mother Marguerite’s young home-bred mare Rosebush II Na Dailach to take the reserve novice ticket.
This six-year-old mare by Glenmazeran Na Dailach, out of Rosedew Na Dailach, was first at the royal highland and stood reserve in the four, five and six-year-old championship at NPS Malvern.
In the working hunter highland pony ring, Kirstin McMurray was thrilled to add another championship rosette to the considerable tally of success she has enjoyed with Trailtrow Texa Beag this season.
“She jumped a really nice, fluent clear. She’s very forward-going and workmanlike,” said judges Bruce Haliburton and Mrs AM McLeod.
Owned and home-bred by her mother Gillian, the eight-year-old mare by Rummlegair of Trailtrow, which was got from texa of Carrick, demonstrated her agility with a faultless clear over Graham Barclay’s testing tracks to win the intermediate height class.
Having taken a championship early on in the year at Ayr Show,texa Beag and Kirstin progressed to stand reserve under saddle, having won the small height ridden class at the Royal Highland Show.
As novice workers they won their classes at Braco and the Border Union where they also added the ridden Highland championship while at the Highland Pony Breed Show they took the working hunter title before scaling the ranks to take the open ridden championship and stand overall ridden champions.
“She really enjoys the working hunter pony classes,” said Kirstin.
The winners of the novice worker class, Christopher Grant and Dewley Standfast, were drawn forward to stand in reserve.
“He’s obviously still young and still learning, but he showed plenty of promise and it will be nice to see him progress,” Bruce said.
“He jumped a very nice round.”
This seven-year-old dun gelding was sired by McNab of Denmill and is out of Burnside Erin. Only lightly shown this year, he was recently third in the Picton final at the NPS Summer Championships at Malvern, took first place as a novice worker at the Hexham Native Pony Festival, and was second of the novice working hunters at the Strathallan breed show where he also won in the dressage.
equestrian@thecourier.co.uk Results
Highland pony in-hand champion: JA Baird, Oliviette of Whitefield. Reserve: Anna Roberts, Knockandy Matilda.
Yeld mare: 1 Carol Rafferty, Margaret of Meggernie; 2 J and J Bonar, Bowmore Lady Laura; 3 Hon S Leslie Melville, Glenbanchor Lady Ferelith. Junior gelding: 1 Morven Campbell, Rory of Longierait; 2 RM Davidson, Trowan Maverick; 3 Catriona Lackie, Fraser of Craignetherty. Senior gelding: 1 Strathspey Highland Pony Centre, Mishnish of Strathavon; 2 Jill Vasey, Highland Piper of Sunnyneuk; 3 N Saunderson, Birchcroft Romeo. Stallion or colt: 1 C McQuattie, Pipe Major of Whitefield; 2 Aileen Curle, Harris of Mendick; 3 Amanda McLennan, Donald of Muck. Yeld mare (in-hand only): 1 Mrs BJ Malim, Eve of Meggernie; 2 Joan Alexander, Ellister Islay Summer Thyme; 3 Dr Wendy Taylor, Rheanna of Sunnyneuk. Broodmare: 1 JA Baird, Oliviette of Whitefield; 2 W and J Ralston, Moss-side Jacobean Lady; 3 Sandy Baird, Purple Heather of Whitefield. Filly foal: 1 W and J Ralston, Moss-side Xellen; 2 Isabel Bergus, Filly. Colt foal: 1 S Baird; 2 Mr and Mrs Munro; 3 JA Baird. Three-year-old filly or gelding: 1 Anna Roberts, Knockandy Matilda; 2 Mrs BJ Malim, Catriona of Meggernie; 3 W and J Ralston, Moss-side Una. Two-year-old filly or gelding: 1 Messrs GM Baird, Ulrika of Whitefield; 2 Mr and Mrs C Munro, Loandhu Silver Lizzie; 3 Blair Castle Estates Ltd, Atholl Hope. Yearling: 1 Catriona Lackie, Meagaidh of Mullachbuie; 2 WE Sanders, Ruwenzori Liosmor Minke; 3 Susan Skea and Anne Groat, Marnonwells Kerrera.
Working Highland pony: 1 Blair Castle Estate, Atholl Lady Jennifer; 2 Mairead Allan, Victor of Alltnacailleach; 3 Kate Ellistone, Ryedale Heidi.
Highland pony working hunter champion: Kirstin McMurray, Trailtrow Texa Beag. Reserve: Christopher Grant, Dewley Standfast.
Novice: 1 Christopher Grant, Dewley Standfast; 2 Mairi Page, Trowan Primrose; 3 Rita Chisholm, Islay of Carlung. Intermediate: 1 Kirstin McMurray, Trailtrow Texa Beag; 2 Marjorie Grant, Trailtrow Eriskay; 3 Rita Chisholm, Islay of Carlung. Open: 1 Debbie Rodwell, Carlung Marksman.
Open ridden Highland champion: Elinor Steven, Glenbanchor Somerled. Reserve: Robin and Karen Stewart, Coulnacraig Jacobite.
Under 14hh: 1 Elinor Steven, Glenbanchor Somerled; 2 Miss H Dick, Carlung Kylestrome; 3 Jill Vasey, Highland Piper of Sunnyneuk. Not exc 14.2hh: 1 Robin and Karen Stewart, Coulnacraig Jacobite; 2 Laura Corsie, Brodie of Drumgarioch; 3 Alice Clark, Trowan Monty.
Novice ridden Highland champion: Miss Heather Dick, Dunstruan Duich Mhor. Reserve: Marguerite Osborne, Rosebush Il Na Dailach.
Novice under 14hh: 1 Marguerite Osborne, Rosebush Il Na Dailach; 2 Gemma McIntosh, Jock of Armoury; 3 Clare Zank, Atholl of Litigan. Novice exc 14.2hh: 1 F and L Boyd, Peggy of Combebank; 2 Mrs M Fawcett, Tower Highland Piper; 3 Mrs S Yeaman, Blacklaw of Craigieloch. Nursery novice: 1 Miss Heather Dick, Dunstruan Duich Mhor; 2 Carol Rafferty, Margaret of Meggernie; 3 Miss H De Lara, Frasmaron Claddagh.