11 ponies to look out for this coming show season
Heading out with a novice pony this year? Check out these 11 potential future stars to see if you and your pony might be competing against any of them.
Which combinations do you think will hit the big time?
Don’t forget to check out our 12 show horses to watch out for during 2019.
1. Dunedin Mascot
Katie Common is bringing out the seven-year-0ld Highland for a full novice season. The gelding, who is a full brother to the big winning Dunedin Merlin is owned by Jane McNaught. “He was shown twice last year and was supreme at the Highland Pony breed show,” said Katie. “I plan to qualify for the Picton final and will hopefully do a couple of Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifiers at the back end of the season. We really feel ‘Scottie’ has it all and are very excited about him.”
2. Hestigarth Prolific
The four-year-old Shetland stallion will be hitting the circuit under saddle with Frankie Currell. Licenced with both the Shetland pony stud book society and the Coloured Horse and Pony Society (CHAPS), he was purchased from Aberdeen Shetland sales as a foal. “We are aiming him for the Picton and four-year-old final at the NPS summer champs as well as the CHAPS championships,” said Frankie.
3. Bunbury Starbuck
Natalie Vincent of Jesters Equine will continue to produce the Welsh section B gelding as a lead rein show hunter for her daughter on her string of ponies. “He was broken in summer last year and had a premature outing to the Great Yorkshire where he just missed the placings. He’d only been under saddle for six weeks,” said Natalie. “We will be aiming him at the qualifiers this year.”
4. Barcliffe Balmoral
This six-year-old grey 153cm show hunter pony will be contending novice and open classes this term with his owner Katy Schreiber. “Unfortunately his novice season last year was cut short when he had to have emergency colic surgery in July,” said Katy. “After a very difficult few months and a lot of hard work we are really excited to see him back in the ring.”
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5. Lostock Uptown Funk
With an in-hand record which includes three CHAPS supreme titles on the trot, Tayla Lewis’ coloured gelding will certainly be one to look out for in the ridden ranks this season. Unbeaten on every outing during 2016 and 2017 — including landing championships at Derbyshire Festival, Royal Three Counties, Cheshire and the Scottish Horse Show — the four-year-old is to be produced by Tayla and John Cutts, with Tayla taking the ride.
6. Cool Jack
Amy Smith is set to introduced the five-year-old class 1 Connemara to the novice circuit. A half brother to Amy’s 2017 HOYS working hunter champion Laburnum Richard, Amy will be aiming the gelding towards Clifden Connemara show in Ireland. “He will mainly be aimed at novice classes, although his forte is in the jumping arena,” said Amy.
7. Cloneyogan Squire
Another Connemara, this time a six-year-old grey owned by Emmie Collier, is also ready to take the show ring by storm. The gelding was bought from Sophie Davies and will be contending novice working hunter classes. “My niece, Izzy Harts-Wood Collier, is also hoping to take her novice Welsh section A, Vennabos Pearly King, into some HOYS qualifiers this season after mainly campaigning in novices and cradle stakes classes last year,” said Emmie.
8. Fiorello Dior
By Co-Pilot and out of Yorkshire Rose, the four-year-old, owned by The Horse Bit Bank and Jodie Hooks, will be campaigned in intermediate show hunter classes by James Knight. He will be introduced to novice classes at the Winter championships with the possibility of contesting the later HOYS qualifiers. The gelding is a full brother to James’ coloured ride, Papaver Dior.
9. Sangrug Dusty Bin
Joe Watson has already turned some heads on his Welsh section D stallion, pictured here with Molly Rice-Gibson. The five-year-old was lightly shown last season and won on his 2019 debut at BSPS Area 1B. He will be competing in the novice ranks on the county show circuit. “I bought Dusty from the Sangrug Stud who had shown him as a youngster,” said Joe. He will also be riding Peter and Eliane Graham’s palomino Welsh section D stallion Boothroyden Artorius in the novice classes this year.
10. SD William
The 14.2hh traditional stallion, now five, will be competing in coloured classes with Esther Lloyd. The home-produced ‘hairy ’was bought by Esther at six-months-old: “I went down to SD Stud to help my friend look for a new pony and we ended up coming home with one too,” explains Joe. “I have backed him myself at home and this year we plan to have him graded and compete in some RIHS and HOYS qualifiers.”
11. Murthwaite John
The six-year-old stallion by Murthwaite Ice Man and owned by Jenny Crane has been unbeaten to date in his two ridden outings. Produced by Steph Peto, John was broken late last year and was supreme at NCPA Maelor in November before standing silver medal champion at NCPA Staffordshire at the beginning of February.
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Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 as showing editor, cementing its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK. She moved on in October 2024 to pursue other opportunities, but continues to write for us on a freelance basis.