‘He always gives 100%’: athletic Connemara shines in RIHS M&M worker championship
(Image credit: Andrew Sydenham)
“The journey home will seem a hell of a lot shorter now,” said Scottish rider Kirsty Aird, after she took the NPS / Supreme Products RIHS M&M working hunter pony supreme championship aboard Cheryl Mackintosh’s Connemara Woodbank Smokey Sam at the 2022 Royal International Horse Show (RIHS).
The Fly The Last Flute 13-year-old, a winner here and section reserve in 2019, made light of the stunning track, which included an open water jump and a bullfinch.
“We left at 10.30pm on Sunday night and were here at 9.30am on Monday morning,” said Kirsty, who is based at Netherton Equestrian in Perthshire.
Kirsty last won the RIHS M&M working hunter pony supreme championship in 2013 with Connemara Falfield Beeleaf.
“The course today was challenging, as in the distances were quite open and there were some tricky bits in there to make the riders and ponies think about their lines,” said Kirsty, who also rode Sam to win Horse of the Year Show in 2018, the same year she took champion with Greenholme Emblem. “Sam loved it; the difficult parts made him think and I could feel his athleticism come out.”
Kirsty has ridden Sam for four seasons. He’s based with Kirsty during the season, and heads home to Cheryl during the winter months.
“After being reserve with him here in 2019 it was incredible to go one better,” she said. “Lockdown in Scotland was a lot stricter, too, so the ponies didn’t get the outings that many of the English ponies got. I love the course and the ring here at Hickstead.
“Sam is the kindest pony and he’s such a trier. He loves the crowds and rises to the occasion. He’ll head to Blair Horse Trials for the Scottish Finals before going to HOYS in October.”
Cheryl was ringside to watch her pony triumph:
“He’s a darling of a pony and he always gives 100%,” she enthused.
Cheryl bought Sam from Steph Peto as an eight-year-old:
“He wasn’t for sale but I pestered Steph to sell him as I’d always adored him,” she said. “During winter he has four months off. He lives like a pony out on the hill. He’s got a Shetland named Gucci to keep him company. He lives a very varied life which is nice.”
Gemma Pallett and her five-year-old first-season Welsh section C mare Dycott Sparkling Lady won the 133cm class before claiming reserve in the championship. They added this victory to the championship title they achieved at Royal Windsor back in May.
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