Loraine Homer’s showing blog: new ponies, new judges and a goal for the Winter Champs

We have had a fun lead up to our annual trip to the BSPS Winter Championships.

Three very different events in the past 4 days started with a trip to Mid Herts Spring at Patchetts, where Alice took the show hunter pony championship on Annandale Maria.

The season had started well for the new combination, but at this show they took it up a notch after a lesson with Grandy [David Tatlow] the night before. They ticked all the boxes with several superb gallops.

It was one of the first shows where we have seen the newly appointed BSPS judges and they seemed to have good control of their ring and a positive way to set about judging their classes.

The next day we were at Addington for the NPS Spring Show, which had a different emphasis with the jumping. We took the plaited working hunter pony title with Lemington Nougat, who put up a really lovely performance.

The plaited classes were not strong in number nor quality, which is a shame as the show put on a fabulous course at a super venue.

Seeing the masses in the ring for the first mountain and moorland Horse of the Year Show [HOYS] qualifiers, it is not difficult to see where showing is headed. M&Ms are not my favourite, but they are so incredibly popular, along with the coloured horses and ponies.

Then on Sunday it was our Pony Club hunter trials (pictured top) where we had a fabulous day with all our local friends at the super cross-country course at Swalcliffe in Oxfordshire.

I don’t do so much competition with my son Harry, so I took a great deal of pleasure in watching him on his new pony jump 2 faultless rounds. My dad became obsessed with a grey pony he had seen in a Goresbridge catalogue and chased it round Ireland until eventually buying him. I have to say his intuition was right and he is a superstar pony.

Alice was riding her new mount Springwind Pro Set — aka Min — whom we are really enjoying.

Now to pack the lorry for an early start on Thursday. My goal is to win one class with each pony at the Winter Championships. Not easy with the standard that will be on display at Arena UK. The children will have a fab time with their friends and I look forward to catching up with the wonderful mums! Glass of vino perhaps…

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now