The prestigious Brineton Colne M&M Mini Championship will see established campaigners facing strong opposition from the new entry
Despite FMD decimating early HOYS qualifiers, a strong line up of lead rein and first ridden M&M ponies has qualified for the prestigious Colne and Brineton classes.
The classes will be presided over by Pauline Barfield from the Peak District in Derbyshire, who is judging at Wembley for the first time in her 27-year judging career.
In the lead rein, the Shemilt/Burchell-Small team has five-year-old Rowfantina Orchidacious, full sister to the 2000 mini champion Rowfantina Old Fashioned. Ridden by Owen Burchell-Small, this grey mare by Coed-Coch Pernod, qualified at NPS Malvern.
Ponies which are making a return visit to HOYS include the nine-year-old Dartmoor gelding Hisley Saunter – who qualified for all four M&M classes at Wembley last year – as well as Menai Silver Sian, ownedby Jocelyn Price and ridden by her granddaughter Gemma Morris, and Wharley Rosanna, a former HOYS first ridden finalist.
Three Roseisle ponies have qualified for the two classes, with Roseisle Tudyr Melody the only pony in the field to contest both. The nine-year-old grey mare, owned by the Homfray-Jones family from Cheshire, will be ridden by son Ryan in the lead rein, while sister Jade will take over for the first ridden.
The family also owns Roseisle Piccolo, who Jade qualified for thefirst ridden at Town & Country Festival. Young Sophie Rowland deputises for Jade on this occasion.
Other first ridden entries include the experienced Cwmbachstel Dion, ridden by Robert Bright, and the on-form Vean Hobajon, who took home £3,000 andthe supreme of show at this year’s Ponies (UK) Summer Championships.
Ponies making their first visit to Wembley include the nine-year-old grey mare, Oldmere Holly, ridden by Tuffy (Lucinda) Stockdale, who was best of breed at Olympia in 1999 and Sam Darlington’s Oakwood Just William, a five-year-old home-bred chestnut roan gelding who is in his first season.
Other on form combinations include the nine-year-old Welsh Section A gelding, Springbourne Crusader, with his young rider JessicaLewis, who only began showing this year and Glenwood Caradog, champion at NPS Summer, who was running on the Welsh Hills until last November.
Visit H&H Online daily this week for all the latest reports from HOYS, including a report on the M&M Mini championship.
