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Scrooge was a winner at Olympia this year as rescue ponies went head-to-head at the London International Horse Show.
Ponies Yogi and Saphire were accompanied by Rolex Grand Slam winner Pippa Funnell and founding editor of In-Harness magazine Fiona Powell, who acted as backsteppers, in the World Horse Welfare Santa vs Scrooge Celebrity Scurry Stakes.
Team Scrooge — featuring Yogi, Fiona and driver Liz Harcombe — was victorious in the festive race on 18 December.
Their prize was to throw a bucket of iced water over World Horse Welfare’s chief executive Roly Owers.
“It’s been a fantastic evening and wonderful opportunity to showcase the amazing talents of our ponies in front of such a huge audience,” said Mr Owers.
“I’m immensely proud of what our team has achieved in putting this display together and very grateful to both Pippa and Fiona for taking part — it certainly made the ice bucket worthwhile!”
Yogi arrived at the charity’s Hall Farm rescue and rehoming centre in 2006 as an untouched two-year-old.
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He was broken to drive more than five years ago and has enjoyed success at national level with his rehomer, Liz, and has recently started tandem work.
Pippa, who was on the defeated team Santa along with pony Saphire and driver Amy Last, urged people to consider rehoming.
“I’d love to take both Yogi and Saphire home tonight but I’m not too sure William would be very pleased,” she said.
Saphire was taken in by World Horse Welfare three years ago as a nine-year-old.
She needed intensive physiotherapy to build up her strength and is now “progressing well” in her training.
Mr Owers added: “We are deeply honoured to have been chosen as charity of the year for the Olympia London International Horse Show 2015 and hope that the display will encourage more people to think about rehoming when they see the quality of horses and ponies that we have on our rehoming scheme.”
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.