Ruby Ward added another feather to her cap aboard the impressive dun Connemara mare Lady Dublin of Corderry (Dory) when she clinched the Mountain and Moorland (M&M) working hunter pony championship at Royal Windsor Horse Show.
Owned by Angela Hunt for the past four years, Ruby and 11-year-old Dory won here last year in the plaited equivalent, in what was Ruby’s final year in 143cm classes.
“I’m absolutely ecstatic, this is really special to win the championship at Royal Windsor,” said Angela, who purchased Dory from Fiona Cork.
“Fiona brought her over from Ireland; she had three foals before she started her jumping career over here with Ruby and her mother Kelly. They have been absolutely brilliant and made her the pony she is today.”
This was the only win missing from their impressive string of results, which includes first and reserve champions at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in the M&M working hunter pony section and a dual winner at Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) in both the native and plaited working hunter pony sections, eventually standing champion and reserve respectively there.
“It was a tricky, challenging course so it was fantastic for her to jump round it clear. She is honestly perfect,” said jockey Ruby.
Royal Windsor M&M working hunter pony reserve
Taking the reserve was the winner of the not exceeding 133cm class, Glynceirch Endeavour (Eddie) and worker specialist Georgia Darlington. Owned by Sophie Bettison and her mother Claire Watson, they purchased Eddie from the Builth Wells cob sales as a foal.
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“We originally went with the intention of looking for a Welsh Cob for Sophie, but nothing caught our eye apart from Eddie so we took him home with us. We had some help from Chloe Tyler along the way who backed him and started him off, then he went to Georgia to start his ridden career,” explained Claire.
This is his third season with Georgia. The nine-year-old gelding qualified for both RIHS and HOYS last term.
“It was a great course with two very tricky questions which, when I walked it, I didn’t think would suit my pony but he proved me wrong,” said Georgia of Lisa Kelly’s challenging track that featured an offset treble and a corner pen with an open water tray.
Poppy Rowlands and Delami Bravado won the M&M working hunter pony class not exceeding 122cm. Credit Elli Birch/Bootsandhooves
(Image credit: Elli Birch)
The winner of the not exceeding 122cm class was the Welsh section A gelding Delami Bravado (Benny) and Poppy Rowlands. The 10-year-old was the 2023 HOYS M&M working hunter champion with Poppy’s brother Ollie, who also stood reserve to Ruby and Dory at Hickstead last season in the native ranks.
Poppy and Benny only contested their first open RIHS back in February, which they duly won, however the pair took a spin in the M&M working hunter pony championship at HOYS last season after they finished second in the junior M&M workers final.
The exceeding 143cm class went to Imogen Philp, 15, and her Connemara Lammermuir Bailey. The 10-year-old grey gelding also competes in the plaited workers and were placed at Hickstead last season.
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Celeste is an experienced equestrian journalist based in Cornwall, specialising in native breeds and carriage driving. She has been reporting showing for Horse & Hound since 2012. Celeste brings a lifelong passion for ponies to her reporting. She competed both plaited and native working hunter ponies up to her teenage years, then taught herself to carriage drive in 2018 and has successfully competed and won at county and national level.
