One of the most successful Fell ponies of all time made a glorious debut in veteran classes as he captured the 2024 Royal Windsor in-hand senior championship, qualifying for Hickstead in the process.
The 15-year-old stallion Townend Schubert, who was handled by his long-term leaser Ellena Thomas, proved there is nothing he cannot do.
Under his long-term owner, H&H columnist Rebecca Penny, “Bert” was a multi-garlanded ridden pony. At the age of six, he lifted the 2015 M&M supreme championship at Olympia, and he also won at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and the Royal International (RIHS) during his career.
When Bert bowed out of flat classes, he forayed into the working hunter scene. Three years ago, Ellena began leasing him and the pair have appeared at all the major finals over fences. This year, Bert is unable to attend the RIHS as a working hunter due to a connection to the judge so Ellena decided to try for a senior ticket.
“He’s old enough so we thought why not give it a go,” said Ellena, who owns the reigning London International Senior Showing and Dressage Ltd supreme in-hand champion Gwenllan Birt.
At home, Bert has an all-round life, as Ellena explained: “He hacks regularly and he’s pampered every day. He also serves mares; he might have a date lined up for later today! Thankfully, he’s such a straightforward pony who is so easy to show.”
Bert has performed at Windsor several times, including when he was the star of The late Queen’s Birthday Pageant in 2016 when he was partnered with then 13-year-old Kinvara Garner, who was portraying The Queen as a young girl. The duo also performed in the 2019 Pageant that was held to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Queen Victoria.
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“He won here under-saddle quite a few years ago, too, so he knows the ground very well,” said Rebecca.
Reserve for the 2024 Royal Windsor in-hand senior championship was the winner of the final age category, the 26-year-old gelding Sir Loxley, handled by his owner Helen Jones.
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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.
