The Wells Stud secured the top accolade in the Shetland Pony ring at the Grampian Foal Show, at Thainstone, on only their second time of trying.
Although judge Shearer Pitcairn, of Alloway Drive, Kirkintilloch, was disappointed with the lower number of entries forward on the day, he praised the overall and black section champion as a “particularly nice pony”.
This was the Tayside Foal Show’s leading Shetland Pony, Wells Vitesse.
“She’s very well matured for a pony of only two years,” said Mr Shearer. “She goes really well and really was the stand out winner on both this occasion and previously at Tayside where I judged her also.”
Taking the reserve overall rosette to her on this occasion was the coloured section champion, Warrackstone Tiger Lily, from Ian Spence and Sue Pye.
“She’s really nicely put together, good moving filly with plenty of hair, but she was just lost the edge on maturity,” said Mr Shearer.
Tiger Lily came to Grampian fresh from a win at Tayside and as the coloured champion from the Central Scotland Shetland Pony Group’s recent youngstock event. The two-year-old May-born filly by Tarves of Hutton was home-bred by Ian out of Tay of Hutton.
This is the second year in succession which she has taken Grampian’s reserve supreme ticket in the Shetland ring. She also previously stood overall champion at Tayside as a foal and was champion at the Royal Northern Spring Show last year.
The reserve rosette from the black section championship also went home to Fyvie with the Sleighs, this time for their yearling filly Wells Fashion. Foaled in April, she was home-bred out of Wells Fyona and was sired by the Wells Highlight son Wells Extra Special.
Similarly reserve black section champion and best foal at Grampian last year, she latterly progressed to win at New Deer and was second at Echt.
Reserve coloured was Nina Macdonald-Lewis’s May-born colt foal, Filska Charleston. This son of Merkisayre Sea Dancer which was bred by Sheena Anderson at Doonbye, Ollaberry, on Shetland, out of Mill of Towie Catrina was junior coloured at the CSSPG’s youngstock show. During the summer he was also placed first in the standard colt foal class at Cunningsburgh Show.
Best among the miniatures was Ann Irvine’s yearling filly Magenta Rose of Haybrake, home-bred at Rothienorman out of North Wells Moss Rose. This May-born daughter of Edward of Haybrake was previously first at the Royal Northern Spring Show, third at the North of Scotland Shetland Pony Show and second at Echt.
Building upon the success they achieved in Forfar, the section reserve went to Ken and Anne Scott and their April colt foal Kerryston Eddie. Eddie travelled to Thainstone fresh from standing champion of the miniature entry at Tayside Foal Show.
As in previous years, the Shetlands dominated the show, which took place for the 24th time, with by far the largest entry.
The Black Family of Ronnie, Mike and Pete, from Newton of Collessie, Fife, continued their unrelenting run with Collessie Jennifer to top the Clydesdale championship.
Beaten on her first outing only at Kilmarnock, she since has topped the awards at Lanark, Cupar, Lothian and Borders, the Winter Fair and Forfar. This April-born filly home-bred out of Ormiston Mains Amber was sired by Redcastle Brelee Majestic.
Last year’s Grampian breed leader Newton Glens Kara, from joiner Sandy Aitken, had to settle for the Clydesdale reserve. This May-born filly, by Muirton Sabre, was home-bred out of Redcastle Pretty Amazing Grace.
She stood senior champion at Forfar, senior reserve at Cupar, champion at Inchture and was reserve female and reserve supreme at Aberdeen.
Reserve foal and best bred in Grampian was Shonah Campbell and Amanda Merchant’s April-born filly, Rolling Thunder Maggie May. The self-confessed “horsemad” Laurencekirk duo share five Clydesdale horses and Maggie May is their first foal.
Shonah, who has been involved with Clydesdales for more than two decades, recently introduced Amanda to the breed. They now have five horses under the Rolling Thunder prefix a name born from Shonah’s husband Andrew’s passion for cars and American racing.
“Shonah’s meticulous eye for detail along with careful choice of breeding lines has given us Maggie May and what a star she is,” said Amanda, a former mounted policewoman. “Maggie has a sweet nature as well as being stunning to look at. We couldn’t have asked for anything more perfect.”
This black filly, by Singlie Storm, was bred out of foundation mare Heatherwick Lady Lucinda. During the foal season she was third at Lothian and Borders and second at Cupar and Forfar, whilst in the summer she was best filly at Perth and Aberdeen and best foal at Lourin. The pair now hope to breed more black horses to re-populate the traditional colour within the breed.
In the Highland ring, Charlie McQuattie only had eight ponies to decide between, but opted for “a nice traditional pony” as his supreme. This was Priscilla Crockett’s home-bred three-year-old filly Cairn’s Jude, by Donald of Sheilhill, out of the Strathbogie champion Naomi of Forglen. Not otherwise shown this season, Jude was New Deer champion and Echt reserve last year.
Stone Roses Na Dailach, Lynne McDonald’s two-year-old colt, by Charlie of Muck, took the reserve. Last year, he was champion Highland and reserve overall at the Royal Northern Spring Show.
Frank, Morven and Shonagh Lawson took the supreme honours from the M and M ring home to Invergowrie courtesy of their yearling fell Waverhead Black Beauty.
Credited by judge Mary Seivwright as “well put together and a beautiful mover” this filly, by Fitzview Dazzler, had stood reserve overall at the show last year and was also reserve overall this season at Fettercairn.
Mrs Seivwright took the part-bred champion, Don Diego, forward as overall section reserve for Allison Bruce.
This home-bred Welsh section D cross Hanoverian yearling is sired by the Moray Firth Stud’s Don Aqui. He was previously second at New Deer.
Results
Shetland Ponies Black. Three-year-old: 1 Harry Sleigh, St John’s Wells, Fyvie, with Kerloch Elixia. Two-year-old: 1 Harry Sleigh, with Wells Vitesse; 2 W and P Robertson, Newhame Road, Montrose, with Hedderwick Princess. Yearling: 1 Harry Sleigh, with Wells Fashion; 2 Nina Macdonald-Lewis, East Drumnagair Cottage, Laurencekirk, with Hools Royal Perfection; 3 W and P Robertson, Newhame Road, Montrose, with Northview Eve. Colt foals: 1 Nina Macdonald-Lewis, with Hools Prince Alfred. Young handler: 1 Lisa Wilson; 2 Harry Sleigh; 3 Stewart Sleigh. Coloured. Three-year-old: 1 Margaret Greaves, Balcraig, Kintore, with Ryan of Chapelhill. Two-year-old: 1 Ian Spence, South Mains of Barra, Oldmeldrum, with Warrackstown Tiger Lily; 2 Margaret Greaves, with Shaun of Chapehill; 3 J and G Wilson, Leys Farm, Muckhart, Dollar, with Myreton Galaxy. Yearling: 1 Margaret Greaves, with Talulah of Chapelhill. Filly foals: 1 J and G Wilson, Leys Farm, Muckhart, Dollar, with Myreton Salsa. Colt foals: 1 Nina Macdonald-Lewis, with Filska Charleston. Miniature. Three-year-old: 1 Linda Steward, Tofthills Cottage, Clatt, Insch, with Lynemore Fraser; 2 NS Wilson, Mingulay, Alford, with Stranduff Kiss-me. Two-year-old: 1 NS Wilson, with Mingulay Kutie; 2 Margaret Greaves, with Sonny of Chapelhill. Yearling: 1 Ann Irvine, Kininvie, Blackford, Rothienorman, with Magenta Rose of Haybrake; 2 NS Wilson, with Mingulay Lilly; 3 Margaret Greaves, with Tamerin of Chapelhill. Filly foals: 1 Ann Irvine, with Roxy of Haybrake; 2 Ann Irvine, with Moonshadow of Ore; 3 Ann Irvine, with Octavia of Haybrake. Colt foals: 1 Ken and Anne Scott, Braes of Kerryston, Kellas, Dundee, with Kerryston Eddie; 2 Margaret Greaves, with Uranium of Chapehill; 3 Linda Steward, with Lynemore Inca.
Clydesdales Three-year-old filly or gelding: 1 Norman Christie, Woodside Croft, Kinellar, with Anguston Iona. Two-year-old: 1 Vic Peterkin, Bogincaber House, Auchenblae, Laurencekirk, with Glenbervie Elizabeth. Yearling: 1 Sandy Aitken, Newton Cottage, Memus, with Newton Glens Kara; 2 Vic Peterkin, with Bogton Fearn; 3 George and Ruth Skinner, Strathorn Farm, Pitcaple, with Strathorn Ruby. Filly foals: 1 RH Black, Newton of Collessie, Ladybank, Fife, with Collessie Jennifer; 2 Shonah Campbell and Amanda Merchant, Parklands, Fettercairn, with Rolling Thunder Maggie May; 3 Vic Peterkin, with Bogton Gem. Colt foals: 1 D Hill, c/o Newton of Collessie, Ladybank, with Collessie Prestige; 2 George and Ruth Skinner, with Strathorn Archie. Cross bred: 1 George and Ruth Skinner, with Strathorn Breeze. Young handlers: 1 Hamish Whyte; 2 Iona Christie; 3 Arran Christie.
Highland Ponies Three-year-old filly or gelding: 1 P Crockett, Crannoch Hotel, Blantyre Street, Cullen, with Cairn’s Jude; 2 Lynne McDonald, Mains of Coynach, Tarland, Aboyne, with Royal of Coynach. Two-yearold: 1 Lynne McDonald, with Stone Roses Na Dailach. Filly foals: 1 Jill Munro, New Keig Cottages, Keig, Alford, with Dixi O’Noth; 2 Lynne McDonald, with Ruby May of Coynach; 3 Jillian Christie, Newbigging Croft, Gordonstown, Inverurie, with Gordonstown Hill Caledonia. Colt foals: 1 John A Reid, Jackstown Cottages, Rothienorman, Inverurie, with Frodo o’The Glens. Young handler: 1 Abie Christie; 2 Penny Moncur.
Mountain and Moorlands Overall: Frank and Morven Lawson, Chapel of Dron, Invergowrie, Dundee, with Waverhead Black Beauty. Allison Bruce, Main Street, New Deer, Turriff, with Don Diego. Small breeds. Champion: Linda Cheyne and D Andrew, Auchmaliddie Stud, Maud, with Auchmaliddie Katniss. Reserve: David Reid, Denburn, Denhead of Cloghill Farm, Kingswells, with Musbury Prince. Two-year-old: 1 David Reid, with Leucarum Rachel. Yearling: 1 David Reid, with Musbury Prince. Foals: 1 Linda Cheyne and D Andrew, with Auchmaliddie Katniss. Large breeds. Champion: Frank and Morven Lawson, with Waverhead Black Beauty. Reserve: Charlotte Oldan, New Deer, with Glebdale Rhianna. Yearling: 1 Frank and Morven Lawson, with Waverhead Black Beauty. Foals: 1 Charlotte Oldan, with Glebdale Rhianna. Part-bred. Champion: Allison Bruce, with Don Diego. Reserve: G and R Skinner, with Strathorn Hannah. Three years and under: 1 Allison Bruce, with Don Diego; 2 G and R Skinner, with Strathorn Hannah.