When you have as much natural talent in the saddle as Jayne Ross, it’s not uncommon for most horses you train to reach the top end of their potential. But even leading professionals like Jayne have a few notable stars who they can pinpoint as the ones who helped them on the way to greatness.
Jayne detailed a few prolific horses who she noted as stand out characters in her glorious story so far when she chatted to H&H’s showing editor Alex Robinson on episode 137 of The Horse & Hound podcast.
“I’ve had the most amazing horses over the years,” confirms Jayne. “And each has their own story and has created memories which will never leave me. I’d love to have all of them back again. I’m getting a bit long in the tooth now, but I do reminisce. In honesty, I’d do it all over again in a flash!”
Five special horses Jayne Ross won’t forget
1. Cusop Pirouette
Jayne rode her first championship centre line in 1966.
“When I started riding many, many moons ago I was lucky enough to get the ride on a show pony named Cusop Pirouette for the Gilbert Scotts,” she says. “Aged nine, I won the children’s riding pony of the year championship at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) with this pony, which really gave me a taste of top level showing.”
2. Southern Flight
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“The first one who really put me on the map was probably Southern Flight,” Jayne continues. “He was a lovely chestnut horse, owned by the late Norman Swallow, and I used to do the ladies’ classes with him. He was a great horse who gave me a first ladies’ win at HOYS. I was completely bitten by the bug after that; I then knew I couldn’t get out of it and I was in showing for the long run.”
3. The Philanderer
The iconic grey gelding (pictured top) who was known for his quirky temperament and unique presence in the ring was supreme at HOYS in 2009.
“How could I forget this fabulous grey riding horse,” says Jayne, of the horse who was also a double Royal International (RIHS) supreme winner. “He wasn’t easy, but he was great fun.
“He pushed a lot of people’s buttons. He was spooky and nervous; if you changed the colour of his water bucket in his stable he’d freak out. For some reason, when he got to a big show like HOYS he became Mummy’s best friend and he wanted to be close to you, and he’d always give me his all. This wasn’t the case at other shows.
“The first time he went to HOYS it took me at least 15 minutes to get him around the ring. Thank goodness we had time to warm-up early in the morning before the show got going, or I don’t think I’d have gotten him into the ring!”
4. The Humdinger
The Humdinger
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
The multi-garlanded show cob was retired in 2015. Prior to his final foray he won the coloured championship at HOYS three times in a row, from 2010 to 2012.
“He was found by David Tatlow under a tree in a field with about 25 other horses,” says Jayne. “I was at a show and I got a phone call from David. He said that he had found a coloured cob in the middle of nowhere in Ireland. He said he had no idea what it was, or how old it was, but that he’d seen it trot and stop and that it was a humdinger of a horse. And that’s how he was named.”
5. Time 2 Reflect
Time 2 Reflect
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
“Time 2 Reflect, or Betty as she was known, was so special in everyone’s eyes,” says Jayne. “She was supreme at HOYS and she was also twice supreme at the RIHS. To gallop her around the big ring at Hickstead was just so thrilling.
“We’d all love another Betty back. She was just so easy as well as being so special in the ring. She was the favourite both on the yard and at a show; they broke the mould after her!”
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Former H&H showing editor and deputy features editor
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.
