“I’ve done an awful lot in my lifetime,” says Jeff Osborne. “And everything I’ve been involved in, is fast.”

The founder of Osborne Refrigerators, a name known throughout the equestrian world, has done it all, within horse sport as well as outside it. But as he enters his 90th year, it’s the scurry driving that continues to inspire him to compete – and succeed – week after week.

“It’s you and the ponies,” he says. “Nobody else’s views on it matter at all; if you make a mistake, you made a mistake. It’s all about the rapport between you and your ponies, and when I started, that was – and still is – the adrenaline.”

Jeff founded Osborne Refrigerators 65 years ago, and it’s going strong, as one of only a few companies still manufacturing fridges in the country. But as well as working hard, he’s played hard along the way too; his interests as well as – or before – horses include skiing all over the world, motorbike racing and flying in an air display team.

“I took my pilot’s licence a long time ago,” he says. “We had a display team called the Red Sparrows – the aeroplanes weren’t red, they were white, actually, but the name seemed appropriate. I once flew the Red Arrows commentator back and it was the first time he’d ever got home before his team.”

Then there was the motorbike racing, which came about as the sport used to be on the television on a Saturday afternoon and “I wanted to qualify and get on the television”.

And did he? “Oh yes,” he says. But then his children got him into horses instead.

“I started when I was 35, because they said, ‘You make Mummy go skiing and Mummy doesn’t like skiing; she likes riding and we like riding, why don’t you ride?’ So I did,” he explains.

“I got placed second, in my first year, in the hunters at the Royal International, and got hooked,” he adds. “I sold my aeroplanes and spent my time riding and showing hunters.”

Jeff showjumped as well as the showing; his ambition was always to jump in the International Arena at Hickstead.

“After I did that, I realised it was too much time and effort,” he says. “You really have to be semi-professional to do it, so I took up showing. I think I won most of what you can win showing, then was introduced to scurry driving.”

This was more than 40 years ago, and he hasn’t stopped yet.

“Because I’ve always been involved in things that are fast; cars, bikes, aeroplanes and boats, I just thoroughly enjoy it,” he says. “I carry on doing it. I can’t beat my wife – I’ve taught her too well, I think! – but I’ve always said how nice it would be to come down the centre line at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) when I’m 90 and drop dead halfway down.

“That would be nice, wouldn’t it – what a lovely way to go.”

“More mishaps with ponies than motorbikes,” says Jeff Osborne

Jeff has had his share of injuries during his time racing between the cones, but it has never put him off.

“Someone asked me once, ‘Is it dangerous?’ he says. “My reply was: ‘Since I started driving, I’ve seen the inside of more A&E departments than ever before’. In my motorcycling days, I ended up in hospital once, when someone ran me over, but I’ve had more mishaps with the ponies, it’s unbelievable.”

Jeff and his wife Alison, who is also a speed demon at shows across the circuit, have eight ponies competing in any season, and seven or eight in reserve. They never race them at home; that’s just for shows so they stay fresh and enjoy it.

At home, there are a couple of miles of woodland paths to ride or be led round, the ponies are schooled, then there will be a fast spin at home before a competition. Jeff is there every day – “Although I haven’t mucked out for 50 years,” he reveals. “You don’t have a dog and bark yourself, do you?” – and the ponies prick their ears when he arrives.

“The thing about scurry ponies, they either like it or hate it,” he says. “You might look at 10 pairs to find one that’s suitable. They have to like each other, and like you and want to do the job. And those who do want to do the job, really do want to do it.

“I took a 30- or 31-year-old to HOYS a few years ago; one went lame at the last minute so I took him out of the field and he got placed. They love it; if I get the vehicles out, to go to a show, they’re jumping up and down, thinking, ‘The silly sod’s forgotten us!’ You get nowhere if you don’t have a decent rapport with your ponies.”

Alison’s Woody and Buzz, with whom she has won at HOYS, will not go as well for him, Jeff gives as an example.

“You either gel with them or you don’t,” he says. “We don’t breed ponies; I found from my days of trying to breed showjumpers, you’re always a step behind what’s wanted. It’s too long a process; you’ve got to go out and find the right ones.

“We spot ponies in the Prince Phillip Cup; we’ve been known to approach people at HOYS to say, ‘When your child outgrows him, let us know’; we’ve found several like that.”

HOYS is a key Osborne Refrigerators event; the company sponsors the championship there, as it has so many equestrian events.

“We only started sponsoring because in those days, the breweries were big into heavy horses, it was a good advert to have the ponies close to those horses, and it’s carried on ever since,” he says.

“And you’ve got to put something back, haven’t you? You can’t just take, you have to put back into the sport.”

The sport is still a huge crowd-puller – anyone who’s been to HOYS or Hickstead will have been caught up in the fast and furious action.

“I try to get the result that the last to go is going to be the winner, so we keep the suspense right to the very end,” he adds. “It is outright competition – with a bit of theatrics thrown in. Someone said the other day, ‘I can tell when you’re on, because of the noise’!”

And although Jeff and Alison are both out contesting the classes at every show, it’s not competitive between them.

“We’re a team,” he says. “She’s won every small class this year, and most of the large ones too. But she has in the past few years won every class at HOYS too.”

“I won’t retire unless I look a fool”

Jeff Osborne is speaking midway through the season; it starts about April and runs until HOYS, after which it’s time for a break for the ponies, and some travel for Jeff and Alison – “you can’t run your life just round ponies,” he adds – but for that “silly season”, they might be at three shows “almost on the trot”.

It’s full-on, but Jeff wouldn’t want to do anything else. He had a pacemaker fitted four years ago and was told to have 10 weeks off, although he “negotiated it down to six”.

“I go in once a year and they give it a tweak,” he says. “It’s still going!

“I wouldn’t want to keep going if I was down the line; Hickstead was a bad show for me; I bumped my head on the way in and wasn’t on my best form, but all the time I can get into championships and not look a fool, I’ll carry on. I won’t carry on till I’m last every time.

“How long that’s going to be, I can’t tell you. I won’t retire unless I absolutely have to; if I start looking a fool, I’ll stop; if not, I’ll carry on.”

Jeff says his legs aren’t up to course-walking any more; he does that in a buggy, and it “does the job”,” he says.

“I have a constant battle every year to keep my HGV licence; they don’t think I should but I don’t agree,” he adds. “If they say my eyesight isn’t good enough, I’ll suggest they have a ride on the back of the scurry cart and then they can decide!”

And if he were to retire, his huge fan club would be devastated, although he sometimes thinks people don’t want to interrupt or approach him.

“It’s a bit of a laugh because I get more cheers for coming third than my wife does for winning!” he says, “I think people want to see us oldies are not finished yet.”

And looking back on his decades of driving, Jeff is clear what it has done for him.

“It’s kept me active, it’s kept me alive,” he says. “When you’ve got to get through a dozen cones within 40-50 seconds, you’ve got to be on the ball, and pay attention.

“We walk the course at HOYS on Tuesday and won’t walk it again and you have to remember every inch of it. There’s no time for thought, you have to know exactly where you are, and it keeps your mind active.

“I love it just as much as I ever did, and I hope to keep on going. I won’t say 100 – but my grandfather was still riding a bike at 96, so you never know. I’m still in with a chance.”

Did you enjoy this article? You may also like to read…

‘I might stop when I’m 90!’: meet the 85-year-old competing at HOYS

‘I’d intended to retire at 90… but I think it might now be 95’: double Hickstead celebration to treasure for husband and wife

‘She wants to do it again on her 100th’: former rider enjoys surprise Friesian carriage driving lesson on her 90th birthday

‘He was a legend’: farewell to champion Welsh pony who met royals and starred on television

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Eventer Pippa Funnell is determined to be in the winning team in World Horse Welfare’s Santa vs Scrooge Scurry Stakes at Olympia on Friday (18 December).

Pippa, a patron of the charity, is riding pillion in the head-to-head scurry competition against Fiona Powell, founding editor of In-Harness magazine.

The scurry is set to take place at 8.10pm.

The losing celebrity will be face a forfeit — details yet to be confirmed — in front of the packed crowd at Olympia.

“We have yet to confirm whether Pippa will be on the Santa or Scrooge team but she has assured us she will make sure she is not on the losing team,” said Carys Samuel from World Horse Welfare.

Both ponies taking part in the scurry have been rehabilitated at the charity’s rescue and rehoming centres.

Yogi (pictured above), a 12.1hh pony was nervous and unhandled when he was rescued in 2006 as a two-year-old. However, with lots of work Yogi has now “matured into a well-mannered pony”.

Broken to harness five years ago, Yogi has been successful as a solo driven pony with his rehomer and has just started tandem work.

The other driving pony in the scurry, Saphire (pictured below), came into World Horse Welfare’s care in 2012 when she was nine.

Extensive physiotherapy was needed to build up her strength but now she “is progressing well and loves showing off her driving skills”.

Both ponies have been to driving competitions before but never competed in an Olympia-sized arena.

For more information visit: www.olympiahorseshow.com

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Small ponies make wonderful carriage driving partners and are very popular for this purpose. It is the ideal way to keep a much loved outgrown pony happily working in the family as once broken to harness it can comfortably pull adults as well as children.

This means the whole family can enjoy the pony, going out in various combinations of ages and enjoying a wide range of activities.

The Shetland pony is understandably popular as it is so strong for its diminutive size and so hardy.

My first driving pony was a 9hh Shetland called Sherry (pictured top) and she was very happy pulling me and my father or another adult. I had a tremendous amount of fun with her and we especially enjoyed cones driving.

Being so small she was extremely nimble and could turn on a sixpence. She would canter the whole course with obvious enjoyment. Likewise, in obstacles Sherry would keep up her momentum throughout and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

We even qualified for the National Indoor Driving Trial Championships in our first year of trying.

Small ponies have become so popular that there are now special classes at the finals for ponies under 11hh which can be driven by just one person so they can enjoy all three phases without getting unduly tired.

The carriages

Specialist carriage makers such as Sycamore Carriages build two and four wheeled carriages which have the correct axle width of 125cm for indoor and club level driving trials, yet the vehicles are also smart enough for showing in pleasure and exercise classes.

Hillam vehicles are also ideal for the stronger small ponies and I used one with Sherry which is still in excellent condition. I have used it to break in and exercise Welsh section A and B ponies and a friend has driven her 13hh pony in it for pleasure and showing.

The Hillam easy access design makes it very suitable for a disabled driver or passenger. It can be supplied with pneumatic tyres which are ideal for soft surfaces like sand or field work or steel carriage wheels of traditional appearance.

At the upper end of the price range, Bennington manufacture elegant well engineered small carriages and also make fun bugs (a four-wheeler — pictured left). For pleasure driving and for novice drivers this carriage also has the advantage that it can’t jack-knife.

Amanda Saville uses these very successfully with her speedy small ponies for the disabled drivers she coaches and a special pole option enables driving pairs as well as single small ponies.

Getting competitive

Without doubt one of the great thrills of driving small ponies is to drive a pair. Doubling up increases the pulling power hugely so a small pony pair can take on more strenuous activities than a single — such as long hilly drives, outdoor marathon courses and longer beach drives.

For years people have enjoyed the thrill of scurry driving — the speedy pairs of small ponies are exhilarating to watch as well as to drive.

The Scurry and Trials group have introduced a special category for very small ponies — singles as well as pairs — enabling the tiniest of ponies to compete on more equal terms against ponies of 11hh and over. With all these new competition classes and incentives, there has never been a better time to be a small pony driver!

There are many advantages to small ponies — they are cheaper to keep with appetites in proportion to their size and native breeds are very hardy as well as good-doers.

Good equipment is widely available with Shetland and mini harnesses on the market

from excellent makers such as Zilco. The equipment is scaled down so it takes up less space — which is a real advantage when transporting pony and carriage as both can fit in a standard double horse trailer — making a small turnout a real option for a riding family hoping to break their outgrown small pony to harness.

Owners of small ponies will never be short of helpers as people generally feel very comfortable around them. They are a very manageable size and even a pair instils confidence. At events a group quickly gathers round a small pony turnout as they definitely have the appeal factor for all ages!

Emily

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October is the start of the indoor driving trials season which runs until the championships at Keysoe in the first week of April. Like many drivers I love these one-day events and so do the ponies!

This year the national organisers responded to the members’ request for a more challenging dressage test for the more experienced drivers and produced two new tests.

Both have the same floor plan including a three loop serpentine, 20 metre circles on each rein and four steps of rein back, but the open test gives the drivers the opportunity to drive one handed for the deviations and show some collected trot as well as extended trot. The novices keep to walk and working trot with some lengthened strides on the diagonal.

Having an open test in tune with the national championships for the season’s events is so much better. It certainly helps keep my ponies focussed and interested for the dressage phase. It is far more enjoyable to drive at a more challenging level and is also interesting for the spectators and novice competitors as they can see how the dressage training progresses for driven dressage.

Success for Mr J

Mr J has started the season brilliantly with wins in both his competitions – the Open Pony at the Wales and Gloucester event held at Cricklands and the Mid Wales event held at Llwynon Saddlery, Trecastle.

On both occasions he was calm and responsive in his dressage and effortlessly produced his wonderful extended trot. The new Revolution carriage is superb to drive and makes a straight reinback easy. It also holds the ground so well my dad feels a lot happier backstepping for me when I pick up speed in the obstacles.

At both events Mr J was superb – driving clear in the cones and achieving the fastest times in the obstacles. I was thrilled with his performance and to achieve the best score of the day at both venues in very good company.

Attracting a crowd

The popularity of winter driving trials is evident by the fact these venues are filled to capacity. Thirty drivers competed at Cricklands, enjoying the vast all-weather facilities that enable you to move through all three phases without unharnessing. Fifteen drivers were at Llwynon which is a brilliant venue with an amazing indoor arena, although it has limited parking.

The appeal is to all, with 16 and 17hh horses towering over Shetlands and pony pairs. Competitors span the ages, from primary school children to pensioners, with disabled drivers able to compete on equal terms. The junior drivers certainly keep the adults on their toes – at both venues winning Novice Pony and heading the leader-board in the classes.

The sport welcomes helpers and spectators and for many this is an excellent way of enjoying a winter’s day with horses. Be warned – it is addictive and inspirational – many a small outgrown pony is asked to turn a hoof to a new equine adventure by being broken to drive as a result of coming along!

October being the month of Halloween there was a smattering of fancy dress to add colour and atmosphere. At Mid Wales PCDG club chairman Peter Sidebottom and his wife Janice put on a superb show winning the optional fancy dress category and mesmerising the delighted onlookers.

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Apologies for the delay in an update from the World Championships for Scurry and Trials. It’s been all systems go.

I have been so incredibly fortunate as Simon Willis has hand built me the carriage of a lifetime and it was finished in time for this exciting event. As befits a carriage with innovative design features and the highest specification, it is called the Revolution. Cleverly, mine is designed to fit both of my competition ponies so that I can take both to events and compete with a top of the range carriage.

My new Revolution carriage is absolutely fantastic and I’m totally over the moon with it — we jumped straight in at the deep end and used it for the competition with Simon backstepping for me. It is amazing in the way it holds the ground with no snaking or lifting and has a design feature to minimise the resistance through the collar making it light and manoeuvrable behind the pony.

Mr J was a star with no hesitation about cantering through the water tray or under the hoops, though he does duck his head as he imagines he is at least 16hh! The ringside distractions were ignored and he galloped the cones and powered round the obstacles as fast as he could although he found them quite tight. Mr J, at 13.2hh, was one of the tallest ponies competing even though the height limit is 14.2hh.

We drove three very fast clear rounds and as a result we finished in fifth place in the single pony category and in sixth place overall from over 28 competitors consisting of singles and scurry pairs. Unfortunately only the top three went through to the main arena for the medal contest so we were unable to compete for the championship title. But Sue Denny absolutely flew and is a very deserved world champion!

The Welsh team did themselves proud and finished in sixth place ahead of Ireland and Australia with a very respectable score, especially for such a young team. All the other team members are in their first season of speed driving and two were juniors.

The venue on the royal estate was world class and the driving started with a parade of nations with the drivers of each turnout carrying their country’s flag into the ring.

The two competition rounds on Saturday were hotly contested and only seconds separated the top drivers, so the Sunday morning rounds were crucial. Nerves and the pressure of the event unsettled some drivers and more balls were knocked off in this round than any other. Each driver had a drop score and for many this was it, but Mr J did a cracking round and was incredibly responsive.

He completed the last section, including the water obstacle with one rein snagged so he was relying on the other rein and my voice to complete the course. At the time I thought he had just become a bit headstrong, little did I realise he was actually being a super star!

The whole competition was friendly and designed to encourage socialising with activities for everyone in the evenings. It was a lovely opportunity to mix with the other teams from Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland, England Red and White and also Denmark.

New Zealanders borrowed British ponies and drove them very determinedly.

Henriette Bendorff’s super small Maxi was the furthest travelled pony having made the long trip over from Denmark, but I think it’s safe to say they enjoyed their adventure

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Excitement is mounting as the World Scurry and Trials Championship (12 to 14 September) draws closer. Both my ponies are in training and Mr J is working up his fitness as he will be my pony for the Welsh team. He has proven form in this type of event having consistently won numerous Arena Challenge and World Cup style courses including those at the Three Counties Show. He was also overall champion at the Scurry and Trials held at LLanfair Cerinion in 2012.

Our Welsh team is an inspiration to grassroots drivers everywhere so I would like to introduce them to you through my blog. We very much reflect the ethos of the Scurry and Trials organisers, that it is a competition open to all ages, types and sizes of pony, driver and backstepper!

The organisers are very keen to promote Scurry and Trials for all drivers to take part in at the show competitions through the year. They have made it an ideal sport for small ponies to enjoy with separate classes for them and a requirement that there is a small pony representative on every team at the World Championships. This can be a single or a pair but must be under 11hh.

For Wales we have a wonderful combination. Jo Jo is a small powerhouse driven by Melita Powell aged just 13 with her mum Clare as the backstepper. Melita has only been driving for a year but has formed a great partnership over the six months she has had Jo Jo. This fit little pony drives the Welsh hills daily and competes with her at indoor and outdoor driving trials, even tackling full two-day events with the rigorous marathon through the forestry. Together they qualified for the Trec Championships on their first try, making easy work of the eight-mile timed road drive. The crowd loved them!

Our designated junior on the team Emily Curnock is 14 and again relatively new to driving. Emily became interested in driving two years ago when I did a talk at her Pony Club. The family broke their much loved outgrown Section B Pony Club pony to drive over the spring of last year and they have gone from strength to strength with great success at showing, cones driving and more recently indoor and outdoor one-day events. Her dad is her backstepper.

Pairs driver Jane Logan is our “proper scurry driver”with a scurry vehicle and speedy Welsh ponies Tri and Star. Jane competes regularly and enjoys great success including being Reserve Champion at Bridgend. She drives for Tristar, a Welsh business that builds horse lorries, and arrives in the most enormous and splendid lorry on the circuit. She is a real force to be reckoned with!

Accompanying us as individuals are Alison Dascombe and Ray Hopkins driving single ponies – though to us they are still part of the Welsh team!

As so often is the case, driving is sport for all the family to enjoy with children and parents, children and grandparents and husband and wife partnerships.

Through Scurry and Trials, Alison, driving for Wales, has certainly got husband Tony hooked on the sport. Their first event in April was Fonmon Castle with four-year-old Rockwood Dream Catcher…the verdict: muddy, fast and fun! But the selection event at Bridgend blew Tony away with the sensation of speed behind their fast mare Rockwood Lady as well as competing with the four-year-old. At one point he was literally hanging on for dear life– pure adrenalin rush coupled with a handsome trophy for being winning backstepper and now Tony can’t get enough of the sport.

Through Alison’s Facebook page we have all been able to see how the new water obstacle looks and drives. This might well feature at the Worlds and as Alison found out its one thing to get your pony through in practice but catches them by surprise out on the course! Something to bear in mind in our training programme.

Ray Hopkins is our other Welsh single driverand proof that driving and even speed driving is an inclusive sport for all ages. Ray is a “veteran” – ie over 65- and so is his pony Flint who at 25-years-old is probably the most senior pony on the circuit. They both love it!

The whole team is very grateful to Tristar for sponsoring smart team tops and to Swansea based club and national open horse driver Jonathan Rees of JM Rees Metals for sponsoring team caps for the big occasion in September. I also am extremely fortunate to have the support of Equilibrium Products who are generously providing me with top specification competition boots for the event.

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There is great excitement in Wales with preparations well underway for the first ever World Championships for scurry and trials at the Sandringham Game Fair in September. This is an exciting arena sport open to singles, tandems and teams of ponies, as well as the pony pairs you see in the usual scurry competitions.

As competitors can drive any four-wheeled competition vehicle, this means drivers like myself, who enjoy three-phase driving trial events, can use our marathon vehicles, while scurry drivers can take part with traditional scurry vehicles. In the pony pair classes you will see both types of vehicle flying round.

Scurry and trials competitions are run as arena entertainment at county shows and game fairs around Britain. The crowd enjoy cheering on ponies of all shapes and sizes as they tackle the timed obstacle course comprising cones, arches, barriers, flags and ramps. Music and commentary adds to the atmosphere for the crowd and competitors alike.

It’s really exciting racing through the cones and round the obstacles. The challenge is combining accuracy with speed. You need to avoid knocking down balls while keeping time penalties as low as possible. Mr J (pictured right) is tremendous fun to drive, can turn on a sixpence and really responds to a cheering crowd making him ideal for this type of competition.

The sport began back in 2012. It was founded by Ivor Williams and Carole Davenport, who are still the main organisers and driving force (excuse the pun!) behind it today. Carole explains: “We wanted to start something that was attainable for all carriage drivers, giving a weekend of fun with their pony or ponies. We didn’t want anyone to have to go out and buy specialist equipment and we also wanted it to be entertaining to a predominately non-horsey audience.”

They have certainly met their objectives. Newcomers are made very welcome and quickly become addicted to the atmosphere and social side, as well as the thrill of speed driving in front of an appreciative crowd. The sport has gone from strength to strength and they are busy throughout the season at shows across the country.

This year I took Alfie (pictured top) to the selection event for the Welsh team at Bridgend. At 14.2hh he is a full-up size for this sport. I found it much more of a challenge to keep his momentum up through the obstacles, which were tight for him, compared to driving Mr J. I was also a bit cautious as I didn’t have my usual experienced back stepper and could tell we were ‘light’ at times as Alfie surged round! He did me proud though. We came second in each of the mixed classes, being the highest place single turnout, and on Sunday (championship day) he won the single pony event.

So now we are busy preparing with the other Welsh team members. I will be driving Mr J for the team and we really cannot wait. Team kit is ordered — kindly sponsored by Tristar — and training is in full swing. We are all very much looking forwards to the inaugural World Scurry and Trials Championships at the Sandringham Game Fair on 12-14 September.

Emily

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Jemma Millman’s successful scurry pony Pooh Bear was put down on 24 January, aged 20.

With his partner Piglet, Pooh Bear won six classes at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), plus the championship in 2008 and 2009 (pictured, Pooh Bear is the bay). The pair were also reserve champions on two further occasions. They also won their class at the Royal International five times in a row.

“Pooh Bear was a wonderful pony who was loved by all who knew him,” said Jemma. “Not only was he such a wonderfully special ‘person’ who gave the greatest kisses, he was possibly one of the most successful ponies of the modern scurry sport.

“His personality shone through in the ring and his career was followed by an astounding number of people — many who never had the pleasure of meeting him.”

Pooh Bear’s achievements were all the more remarkable because he had had health problems from a young age.

“He had serious laminitis from 2001-2003 and his life was nearly over before it really began,” explained Jemma. “He came to me in early 2004 and was diagnosed with Cushings in 2007. He ruptured a tendon in the autumn of 2008 and I was told he would never work again.

“He once again defied all odds, coming back to full work and winning HOYS in 2009. He then did another tendon (in the field) the following year, but again returned to full work.

“We had struggled to control his Cushings and as a result he had another laminitic episode. It was the hardest decision to make for a pony who never once gave up.”

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Scurry sponsor Jeff Osborne experienced the highs and lows of his sport at the New Forest Show on Wednesday, 28 July, when his 11-year-old pony Pendley Sculpture had to be put down.

“Zig” was euthanased by injection after sustaining a compound fracture of the fetlock in the large scurry class.

Mr Osbourne had qualified his small pair, Gavin and Stacey, for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in the morning.

“It was a freak accident,” Mr Osbourne told H&H. “Zig slipped and went under the other pony; there was nothing anyone could do.

“I’ve been doing scurry driving for 30 years and never even had a pony come out of the ring lame before.”

Pendley Sculpture’s half-brother, Pendley Replica, will replace him in the “Zig and Zag” pair, said Mr Osbourne.

A spokesman for the show, held from 27-29 July at Brockenhurst, Hampshire, said: “It was a very sad occurrence which thankfully does not happen very often.

“We had vets on hand and the incident was dealt with quickly.”

• A report from the show will be in next week’s issue of Horse & Hound (12 August)

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (5 August, ’10)

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Clipper, trimmer and shampoo manufacturer Wahl (UK) is to sponsor the Orchard Scurry Team.

The company says Chris and Paul Orchard’s two teams of brilliant grey scurry ponies are perfect ambassadors for Wahl products.

Chris discovered Wahl’s Showman range of products after testing almost every other shampoo on the market.

She said: “When you’re in the limelight as much as [our ponies] Touch and Go and Rough and Tumble, appearance is paramount.

“Diamond White is simply the best I have found to get my boys whiter than white.

“And The Detangler is excellent for the manes and tails, keeping them in top condition, looking great and making them quick and easy to comb through.”

Wahl has produced shampoos and ‘detanglers’ for almost 10 years and has refined today’s range to provide high-performance, high-concentrate products that meet the needs of today’s equestrian professionals.

A spokesman for Wahl said the company was “proud to be associated with the continued success of the Orchard Scurry Team”.

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LINCOLNSHIRE COUNTY Grange-de-Lings, Lincs, 20-21 June

Osborne Refrigerators Scurry Sml— 1, Lady & The Tramp (G Roberts); 2, Titch & The Talisman (R Griffiths); 3, Carriagehouse Insurance Touch & Go (C Orchard). Osborne Refrigerators Scurry Lge— 1, Balanced Rip & Tear (C Adams Lane); 2, Punch & Judy (S Cooke); 3, Carriagehouse Insurance Rough and Tumble (C Orchard. Osborne Refrigerators Scurry Ch— 1, Punch & Judy; 2, Titch & The Talisman; 3, Carriagehouse Insurance Rough & Tumble.