17-year-old Connemara pony beats the horses to take championship ticket

Georgia Sims on Fairfax Hot Tottie — (Image credit: SBM PHOTOGRAPHIC)

A Connemara pony competing in horse classes – Fairfax Hot Tottie – headed the Heritage Insurance diamond qualifier at Vale View, Leics.

Her rider Georgia Sims is the reigning champion in this class, having won at the Blue Chip championships with Cassina III the last time they ran in 2019, but brought out the 17-year-old mare on this occasion to claim a ticket.

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

TOPICS

Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.

17-year-old Connemara pony beats the horses to take championship ticket

Georgia has owned the 148cm Connemara for six years and jumped up to 1.20m in ponies, switching her to horse classes two years ago when she turned 16.

“My plan is to defend the title with her and Cassina, who I also had in the qualifier but she had a pole,” said Georgia, who is based in Leighton Buzzard. “I have four others in competition, so we’ll be aiming at a few more Blue Chip qualifiers with them.”

Another Connemara was also collecting a red ribbon at Stainsby Grange Equestrian Centre in North Yorkshire last week, where the discovery qualifier was won by Charlotte Teague and Rickamore Barclay, who more usually competes in working hunter pony classes.

“We bought him as a youngster but because of lockdowns we didn’t get him out until August this year and he went straight into open workers,” said Charlotte. “I’ll be doing a bit of BS with him until January, but then I am out of ponies.”

While Charlotte won’t get to contest the Blue Chip Championships in 2022, she plans to carry on competing the pony in workers and plaited under-15hh mountain and moorland classes.

“We’ll hopefully do some horse classes showjumping as well,” she added.

You might also be interested in:

Breeding stallion wins Connemara title on his first Horse of the Year Show appearance

‘We’ve grown up together’: 24-year-old Connemara pony jumps to victory on HOYS debut