Tandem claims BDS top honours
New tandem takes top honours at the British Driving Society’s annual show at Smith’s Lawn, Windsor
Nicola Blandin’s beautifully matched tandem of half-brother palomino ponies, Wharley Pageboy and Wharley Cadet, caught championship judge, Cynthia Haydon’s eye to claim the Brewin Dolphin Securities supreme show championship at the British Driving Society’s annual show at Smith’s Lawn.
Minta Winn, who was driving the ponies as a tandem for the first time in competition, was overwhelmed when she added the overall championship to an earlier triumph in the tandem class.
“It’s just amazing,” she said. “I’ve only driven them as a tandem three times and they’ve really taken to it.”
Minta has produced these ponies for Jersey-based Nicola since buying them for her four years ago. Nicola showed them successfully as a pair in 1998 and 1999, since when she has been driving Pageboy as a single.
“I had a feeling that they would look good as a tandem,” said Karen.
Janice Clough and Graham Schofield’s eye-catching eight-year-old black section D, Gwynfaes Sion took reserve, after claiming the Welsh Cob championship. By the champion in-hand stallion Horeb Euros, this is Sion’s second season of showing.
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“He’s still very novicey,” said Janice, who produces and drives him. “But he’s getting more settled.”
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