Mares take top titles

The option to hold classes both inside and out proved to be popular as a chill in the air and forecasted rain resulted in the ridden classes taking to the indoor arena, but no such luck for the in-hand competitors who had to brave the cold.

It was the in-hand championship which was the first of the day, and Mrs Kate Dykes, of the Mendick stud, awarded the title and a Highland Pony Society Gold Medal to Mrs Heather Gow’s nine-year-old mare, Westray of Alltnacailleach.

“She’s a very sweet mare and I’ve always liked her,” said Mrs Dykes of her champion. “She showed herself well and is just the type of pony I’d like to have at home.”

This Donald of Shielhill daughter is in fact related to Mrs Gow’s last Breed Show champion just three years ago in the shape of Staffa II of Alltnacailleach, as both are out of Kilda of of Alltnacailleach. Westray has been concentrating on the ridden job of late, having picked up the working hunter championship here last year before going on to stand overall champion at the Central Scotland club show.

At the Royal Highland this year, she was third in-hand and fifth in her ridden class, and at Highfield stood ninth in a very strong HOYS class as well as third in her open ridden class when piloted by Kirstie Williams.

Stepping forward in to the reserve spot was the leader from the junior colt or stallion class, Willie Simpson’s Chapelhill MacGregor which was shown by daughter Alison.

The two-year-old has only been lightly but very successfully shown and no wonder as he’s out of Chapelhill Tess, a multi-champion mare which, as well as winning the supreme title at the Highland Show in 2011, bred the 2014 Highland champion, Chapelhill Earl.

MacGregor himself was unbeaten in his class as a yearling and went on to stand reserve male at Perth Show. On his only other outing this year he stood second in the two or three-year-old colt class at the Highland.

Also in the championship tickets was Bowmore Ben Cruachan, a four-year-old Moss-side Iain Mor son from John and Jacqueline Bonar, and Mirren Hay. He’s out of another show-winning mare, Bowmore Lady Laura, and was first placed junior gelding here last year as well as third at the Highland last month.

The best mare and foal combination was George Baird’s Tiffany of Whitefield, a six-year-old Edindurno Benromach daughter, with her Whitefield Prince Platinum-sired colt foal at foot. Winning the foal championship however, was Mrs Jean Ralston’s Moss-side Annabelle, a filly by Moss-side Domhnach out of Moss-side Una.

There was a long wait until the ridden championship held late in the afternoon, but it was the winner from the very first class, the Horse of the Year Show qualifier, which welcomed a whopping 22 entries, that went on to stand open ridden champion before going supreme champion and winning another HPS Gold Medal.

That was Katherine Bowling-Hartenfeld’s Ruby Rose of Strathmore, a six-year-old by Lochlands Royal Flute that was bought from her breeder, Charlie McQuattie, as a yearling. She made a good start to her ridden career last year, taking the novice title here as well as a first in the junior class at the Highland, which pushed her up in to the open section this year.

Bred out of Rose-Bud of Strathmore, this year she’s taken the open title at Aintree as well as a second at Lincoln and third at Norfolk – not bad considering Katherine had a baby girl just five months ago.

“She gave a lovely show and was very forward going and fluid. She went beautifully and coped well with the undulating ground,” said Miss Heather Dick, one of the judges in the HOYS class.

These statements were backed up by one of the ridden judges, Mrs Alison McLeod, who got a shot of Ruby in the open classes and said: “She’s a lovely stamp of the breed with a great outlook that gave me a lovely ride.”

In a repeat from the novice line-up at last year’s show, Aileen Curle’s Harris of Mendick went on to stand overall reserve ridden. Piloted by Brian Williams, this six-year-old stallion by Dougal of Mendick already qualified for HOYS on his first attempt at The Showing Registers’ Spring Show in May, and followed it up with the overall ridden title at the Native Pony Festival.

He’s out of Clover of Mendick and performed well for Alison considering he’s only ever had Brian on board during his ridden career.

During the overall championship it was a case of two mouse dun Mendick stallions against two yellow dun Strathmore mares as John and Kate Dykes’ Islesman of Mendick, the reserve ridden champion at the Highland which has won numerous in-hand titles, won the novice section with Ruth Darling in the saddle. Reserve novice was Aileen Curle’s Rosy of Strathmore, again ridden by Brian.

A well-supported working hunter section saw the winner of the novice section, Sharon Hutcheon’s Spirit of Sunnyneuk go on to take the championsip and the HPS Silver Medal. The 10-year-old Concorde of Whitefield son, out of Selina of Caenlochan, has done rather well and is another multi-purpose pony. He’s won numerous championships – in-hand, ridden and working hunters – and did the hat-trick at the NESHPES show in April.

Piloted this season by Kayleigh Evans, as Sharon takes time out on maternity leave, he’s also qualified for the NPS finals at Blair and stood ridden champion at Strathbogie as well as reserve supreme at the SWPCA show.

Achieving the best dressage score and claiming a HPS Silver Medal was Susan Fox’s Holmedown Charlotte, the nine-year-old Glenmuir Buzzard daughter that won the ridden championship at the Highland Show.

LEADING awards:

In-hand (Judge: Mrs K Dykes). Champion – Mrs DJH Gow’s nine-year-old mare, Westray of Alltnacailleach. Reserve – WD Simpson’s two-year-old colt, Chapelhill MacGregor. Best gelding – J and J Bonar’s four-year-old, Bowmore Ben Cruachan. Senior mare (performance) – 1, best yeld mare, best bred by exhibitor and overall champion, Mrs DJH Gow’s Westray of Alltnacailleach; 2, J and G Grant’s Dunedin Rhiona; 3, M Campbell’s Knockandy Abigail. Senior gelding – 1, R Davidson’s Trowan Maverick; 2, SA Clarke’s Ellister Islay Forester; 3, Miss J Vasey’s Highland Piper of Sunnyneuk. Senior stallion – 1, Miss J Voules’ Noah of Meggernie; 2, S Osborne’s Talisker Bow Bells. Junior mare (performance) – 1, A Curle’s Rosy of Strathmore; 2, E Starke’s Miley of Millfield; 3, R Chalmers’ Fourmerk Heather Gem. Junior gelding – 1 and best gelding, J and J Bonar’s Bowmore Ben Cruachan; 2, L and L Bone’s Hirstmund Beaujolais; 3, C Grant’s Dunedin McGregor. Yeld mare (non-performance) – 1, WKA and JA Allan’s Mara of Millfield; 2, C McQuattie’s Katrina of Strathmore; 3, JBW Connell’s Selkie Bheag of Achnacarry. Brood mare – 1 and best mare/foal combination, GM Baird’s Tiffany of Whitefield; 2, JA Baird’s Oliviette of Whitefield; 3, Mrs WJ Ralston’s Moss-side Una. Filly foal – 1 and foal champion, Mrs WJ Ralston’s Moss-side Annabelle, by Moss-side Domhnach; 2, LC Wright’s Shanquhar Maggie May, by Brae of Shanquhar; 3, JBW Connell’s Jasmine of Achnacarry, by Eros of Achnacarry. Colt foal – 1, GM Baird’s foal, by Whitefield Prince Platinum. Three-year-old filly – 1, HM The Queen’s Balmoral Faith; 2, I Bergius’ Cora of Over Langshaw; 3, K Lawson and W Sinclair’s Lochlands Arizona Lady. Three-year-old gelding – 1, Miss N Saunderson and D Cant’s Strathmore Solitaire; 2, Mrs WJ Ralston’s Moss-side Ximen; 3, R Chalmers’ Daurknin’ Hector of Millhorn. Junior colt or stallion – 1, best opposite sex to the champion, best licensed stallion and reserve overall, WD Simpson’s Chapelhill MacGregor; 2, HM The Queen’s Balmoral Lord. Two-year-old filly – 1, Miss S Macintosh’s Louise of Strathmore; 2, A Baird’s Xenya of Whitefield; 3, Mrs WJ Ralston’s Moss-side Yakeira Lady. Two-year-old gelding – 1, Ms J McCormack’s Gleann Tullie of Rynuan. Yearling filly – 1, WKA and JA Allan’s Maeve of Millfield; 2, JA Baird’s Yvetta of Whitefield; 3, I Bergius’ Ezna of Over Langshaw. Yearling colt or gelding – 1, WD Simpson’s Chapelhill Kyle; 2, WKA and KM Allan’s McKeown of Millfield.

Ridden (Judges: HOYS, novice and nursery novice – Miss H Dick (ride) and Ms PE Gray (conformation); open – Mrs A McLeod (ride) and R Stewart (conformation); junior ridden – Miss H Dick). Champion – K Bowling-Hartenfeld’s Ruby Rose of Strathmore. Reserve – A Curle’s Harris of Mendick. HOYS qualifier – 1 and overall ridden champion, K Bowling-Hartenfeld’s Ruby Rose of Strathmore; 2, E Steven’s Glenbanchor Somerled; 3, J Carnegie’s Eran of Croila. Junior – 1, E Steven’s Glenbanchor Somerled; 2, B Burton’s Hero of Mendick; 3, Miss S Macintosh’s Lochewe Magnus. Nursery novice, under 143cm – 1 and reserve novice, A Curle’s Rosy of Strathmore; 2, Mrs EJC McNaught’s Knockandy Archie; 3, C Harding’s Moss-side Vallievore Lad. Nursery novice, 143cm-148cm – 1, C Grant’s Dunedin McGregor; 2, L Butchart’s Moulize Grouse; 3, R Chalmers’ Fourmerk Heather Gem. Novice, under 143cm – 1 and novice champion, Mr and Mrs Dykes’ Islesman of Mendick; 2, L Dawson’s Trowan Primrose; 3, N and R Gillon’s Strathearn Bonnie Mae. Novice, 143cm-148cm – 1, E Long’s Jura of Ryedale; 2, Miss AS Mitchell’s Dunedin Fhouran; 3, L and Mrs F Gunn’s Lachlan of Gersa. Open, under 143cm – 1, open champion and overall ridden champion – 1, K Bowling-Hartenfeld’s Ruby Rose of Strathmore; 2, Mr and Mrs A Munro’s Strathmore McNair; 3, R Chalmers’ Moulzie Thunder. Open, 143cm-148cm – 1, reserve open and reserve overall ridden, A Curle’s Harris of Mendick; 2, S Davidson’s Burnside Vorlich; 3, Mrs DJH Gow’s Westray of Alltnacailleach.

Working hunter (Judges: Mrs A McLeod (jump) and R Stewart (conformation)). Champion – S Hutcheon’s Spirit of Sunnyneuk. Reserve – L and Mrs F Gunn’s Lachlan of Gersa. Intermediate – 1, K McMurray’s Trailtrow Texa Beag. Novice – 1 and champion, S Hutcheon’s Spirit of Sunnyneuk; 2, G McMurray’s Trailtrow Tanera; 3, K Bowling-Hartenfeld’s Ruby Rose of Strathmore. Nursery novice – 1 and reserve, L and Mrs F Gunn’s Lachlan of Gersa; 2, C Grant’s Dunedin McGregor; 3, JE Dow’s Ruban Ceo of Netherby.

Dressage (Judges: Intro B – Mrs S Melvin; Prelim 18 and Novice 30 – Lady Hope). Best score – S Fox’s Holmedown Charlotte. Intro B – 1, C Grant’s Dunedin McGregor; 2, SA Clarke’s Ellister Islay Forester; 3, M Campbell’s Knockandy Abigail. Prelim 18 – 1, S Fox’s Holmedown Charlotte; 2, Mr and Mrs Dykes’ Islesman of Mendick; 3, S Johnston’s Trailtrow Giorsal. Novice 30 – 1 and best novice/beginner, E Long’s Jura of Ryedale; 2, R Chalmers’ Moulzie Thunder; 3, K McMurray’s Trailtrow Texa Beag.

Working harness (Judge: Mrs C Lackie). 1, HM The Queen’s Balmoral Don; 2, E Starke’s Miley of Millfield; 3, E Starke’s Leading Lady na Dailach.

Veteran, progeny and young handlers (Judge: Mrs VJ Fletcher). Veteran in-hand – 1, A Taylor’s Eagle of Moulzie; 2, Miss AS Mitchell’s Dundein Marigold; 3, J Murray’s Spruce of Moulzie. Veteran ridden – 1, Miss AS Mitchell’s Dunedin Marigold; 2, J Murray’s Spruce of Moulzie; 3, A Taylor’s Eagle of Moulize. Progeny – 1, C Lackie’s Corrybrough Rosie and R Smith’s Corrybrough Fergus, by Bodach Dhu of Glenshiel. Junior young handlers – 1, Lucy Allison with Mrs MB Gourdie’s Ardnagaisk Edan. Senior young handlers – 1, Mirren Hay with J and J Bonar’s Bowmore Ben Cruachan.