Show ponies of the future kicked off judging proceedings on the final day of the 2023 Royal Windsor Horse Show, as six contenders vied to win the coveted Royal Windsor novice show pony championship.
Taking the title was Vanessa Anders’ winning 138cm contender, Field Aston Ark Royal, ridden by 12-year-old Sofia Anders.
The four-year-old, bred by leading showing figure Julie Templeton, hails from elite stock, being by Whiteleaze Democrat and out of former ridden star Rhos Elise, Julie’s foundation broodmare.
Elise enjoyed a very successful run under-saddle, winning Royal Windsor as a novice and lifting many major championships, prior to being retired to the breeding paddocks. Her first foal, Field Aston Royal Fanfare, qualified for the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in-hand supreme final as a three-year-old before going onto win in the ridden 128cm show ponies at HOYS later in her career.
Ark Royal is produced by Karl Morris and Liam Glynn of Lancashire-based Team Morris.
“We bought him as an unbroken three-year-old and he’s been a very straightforward pony,” said Vanessa.
Reserve in the Royal Windsor novice show pony championships was the 148cm class winner, Anne Thornhill’s Dibynn Miss Congeniality, ridden by Scarlett Doswell.
Royal Ark’s stable mate, Copybush Time Lord, the second placed small part-bred, was called forward to take section reserve in the Royal Windsor part-bred and Anglo Arab championship, under Harriett Storey.
The part-bred accolade went to another promising first-season prospect, Annabel Pope’s large class winner Stage Diva, ridden by Hannah Horton.
The six-year-old mare is by leading stallion Tiger Attack, out of equally prolific Stage Music. Both horses have attended the HOYS supreme in-hand final several times.
Diva, who is also in her first ridden season, is a full sister to the successful Stage Tiger. Annabel bought her as a three-year-old directly from her breeder, Virginia Russell-Wood.
“She’s gone from strength to strength under-saddle; we’re so excited about her,” said Hannah, who also competes Diva as a riding horse. “She loves attention, which is why I think she’s enjoyed being here at Windsor so much.”
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