37-year-old pony wins dressage competition
A 37-year-old pony has proved age is no obstacle — by winning a dressage competition.
Scrumpy, an 11.2hh Exmoor pony cross, won first place in a novice unaffiliated class at Aintree Equestrian Centre on Sunday (23 August).
Despite being almost four decades old the grey gelding, who is kept in Warrington, Cheshire, still loves his work and is showing no signs of his age.
“He’s the most amazing pony,” his 15-year-old owner Jade Abbott told H&H.
“When I told the judge his age on Sunday del-she said she thought he was about four.
“We did a prelim a couple of weeks ago and won with a score of 81.67%.”
Jade added that Scrumpy is still a lively character and often bucks her off.
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“He is not like a 37-year-old pony whatsoever,” Jade’s mother Melanie said.
“He doesn’t like being stood in the stable — he gets quite cross. As soon as we get the bridle out his ears are up.
“Jade does showing and dressage with him. He still loves his jumping but has had to slow down a little bit.
“Jade and Scrumpy are a great partnership, they love each other to pieces.”
Srumpy was given to Jade two-and-a-half years ago by Jacky Jenkins who had owned him since he was six months old.
Jacky teaches Jade and used to compete Scrumpy in dressage, endurance, one-day events and showjumping.
“Scrumpy is so amazing,” Jacky told H&H. “I used to take him all over the country and went up to elementary level dressage — he’s a pretty wicked dressage pony.
“Jade has given him a whole new life and I am very grateful.”
Jacky bought Scrumpy and his mother from the Exmoor Pony Sales and had hired a trailer to take him home.
“I was with my boyfriend at the time and we had bought all this Scrumpy cider to give to our friends, but it was a boiling hot day so we had to pour all the cider away so we could take water to the ponies — that’s why he was called Scumpy.”
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Rachael joined Horse & Hound in 2014, initially as a digital sub editor then became part of the news team as a writer in 2015. The philosophy graduate studied journalism at the Press Association before working as a local reporter at the Brentwood Gazette. Rachael is now a mum of two and still loves all things equestrian, including hacking, dressage and jumping with her cob Bert. Rachael left the H&H staff to go freelance in June 2019, but still contributes to our magazine and website, as well as our sister magazine Country Life, among others.