The 30-year-old show pony mare Mountain Gale topped a 66-strong veteran in-hand final at the recent Show Teams And Rising Stars (STARS) Champion of Champions show at Aintree Equestrian Centre (23 — 26 November).
Mountain Gale, a pure-bred Welsh section B who is known at home as Gale, was handled to perfection by four-year-old Grace Speak, who had ridden the ever-green pony to also finish fourth in the show pony lead-rein final and second in the ridden veteran championship earlier in the week.
Grace is a member of Thornton Cleveleys and District Horse Club. Gale has been on loan from the Peake family for a decade.
Last season, Gale won the ridden veteran championship at STARS with Poppy Gorst in the saddle. She is also a former Royal Windsor in-hand senior champion, has previously contended the senior finals at London International Horse Show and is set to return this year with Grace.
“Gale was formerly ridden by my nieces and now Grace has taken the reins,” said Grace’s mother, Lucinda Speak, who led the pair during their ridden finals at Aintree. “They do all Pony Club activities together, and Grace recently rode Gale to pass her D and riding road safety tests. Gale is a true kid’s pony.”
When asked what the secret to Gale’s longevity is, Lucinda said that the mare thrives on a varied routine.
“She doesn’t like to be stabled so she lives out,” Lucinda said. “She lives a very varied life, and she is very rarely schooled. We love her to bits.”
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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.
