Dartmoor claims Horse of the Year Show ridden M&M title

A Dartmoor stallion followed in some illustrious family footsteps when a foot-perfect performance captured the Mace Group ridden Mountain and Moorland title at the Horse of the Year Show.

Sue Hughes’s charismatic seven-year-old Pumphill Buckthorn is out of the former Cuddy champion, Pumphill Bella Donna, who also produced last year’s ridden class winner, Pumphill Bennet, but this was a ridden championship ‘first’ for Yorkshire-based breeder, David Hinde.

Sarah Challinor’s class result with Buckthorn was a repeat of this year’s RIHS result, when he again beat Parkbourne Piper into second spot.

A huge circle of ‘fans’ had surrounded Burnley-based producer Terry Clynes when Lorraine Thomas’s wonderful mare, Winneydene Mayflower, was called forward to head the section Ds, but major celebrations were ordered when the pair captured reserve. This was not without incident though, as a saddle slip during the gallop almost saw Terry hitting the deck.

Sam Roberts continued her fairytale return to the show ring with a decisive win on the Carters’ Welsh B stallion, Millcroft Iska Roc. Despite this being only the five-year-old’s sixth outing of the season, he belied his lack of mileage to give a foot-perfect performance.

The Dowdeswell family notched up a notable double, heading the first class with the Connemara gelding, Johns Cuckoo, partnered by producer Mathew Lawrence, and the Welsh section C class with their home-produced 10-year-old, Rhyd Ddu Glyndwr, ridden by a delighted Sophie Dowdeswell.

After a 14-year drought, substitute jockey Natalie Middlemass, having only her second ride on the Southworths’ experienced — but lightly-shown — section A gelding, Mynyddtarren The Maverick, scored her first HOYS win.

Jonathan Stevens returned to the winner’s spotlight after a seven-year absence to head the large breeds on his mother’s Dales stallion, Waterside Black Prince. This typey five-year-old is in only his first season, so the win was all the more creditable.

Results

Mace Group M&M (T Barron, Mrs B McGrath) New Forest/Connemara. 1, S Dowdeswell’s Johns Cuckoo; 2, J Bloor’s Knockanroe Champ; 3, B Miller’s Rosenaharley Ban Rion. lge brds. 1, L Stevens’ Waterside Black Prince; 2, L Gatland’s Sunglow Lady Paula; 3, Mr & Mrs Bright’s Moss-Side Mclaren. sml brds. 1, S Hughes’ Pumphill Buckthorn; 2, S Fitzgerlad’s Parkbourne Piper; 3, C Anderson’s Rushfield Bailey. Welsh sec A. 1, J Southworth’s Mynyddtarren The Maverick; 2, J Russell’s Gartconnel Shooting Star; 3, S Arrowsmisth’s Glenwood Sionyn. sec B. 1, Mr & Mrs J Carter’s Millcroft Iska Roc; 2, L Bates’ Bronheulog Harvey; 3, G Simpson’s Wortley Imagination. sec C. 1, S Dowdeswell’s Rhyd-Ddu Glyndwr; 2, M Simons’ Yrallt May Day Surprise; 3, L Bates’ Mowcastle Mickey. sec D. 1, L Thomas’ Winneydene Mayflower; 2, M Reeves’ Ffoslas Ceredig; 3, J Watt’s Llanarth Old Fashion. miniature (J Careless) stallion. 1, R Armitage’s Ltds Wildcard; 2, M Armstrong’s Tanzian Tripoli; 3, P Armitage’s Mostly Minnies Key West . mare/gelding. 1 & ch, M Foulkes’ Zealshouse Black Jack; 2, E Yaxley’s Seahorse Scouts Gold Melody Glitz; 3, M Foulkes’ Looking Glass Fabuella. ystk. 1 & res, B Thompson’s Scott Creek Sum Kinda Whiz; 2, E Richardson’s Barley Sweet Pea; 3, C Leonard’s Leonard Diamond Doll.

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