TONY WAREHAM realised a lifetime’s ambition for breeder Val Scouller when her home-bred hunter mare, Bonheur, earned the Cuddy in-hand Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) ticket at Kent County (11-13 July).
“I’ve been showing for her for 40 years and, as Val’s not in the best of health, I’m absolutely delighted to be able to make this phone call,” said Tony.
The mare, by the show jumping stallion Earl Cottage, had previously been reserve twice in Cuddy qualifiers, after standing champion at Devon, Royal Cornwall and Three Counties.
On her only other outing this term, the seven-year-old won her small broodmare class at the Royal. And here, as an added bonus, her foal — by Deltic — was also champion.
Judge Guy Landau — in unaccustomed role — was thorough in his inspection of all 16 finalists, but had little hesitation in awarding reserve to Anna Ash’s Welsh section A mare, Loxwell Pippa. This was totally unexpected by the family and Anna could hardly speak.
“We bought her from Hay-on-Wye sales,” she said through the tears. “Never in our wildest dreams did we think she would do so well — we’ve never even been in a Cuddy qualifier before.”
Read H&H’s full report on all the show ring action from Kent County in the current issue of Horse & Hound (24 July, ’08)
