Mares lead Horse & Hound M&M in-hand championship *H&H Plus*
Find out who took home the 12 native breed titles as well as the overall championship title
Girl power prevailed in the Horse & Hound mountain and moorland (M&M) supreme championship at the 2021 Royal Windsor Horse Show as a Connemara mare was Jennie Loriston Clarke’s choice to take the overall title over 11 other quality native breed champions.
Leading lady was Vanessa Clark’s nine-year-old Skargaardens Delicious Love who was led out by handler Henry Hird.
“Today was a day off from the office but this was a lot harder work,” said Henry, who made light of the ample space in the Castle Arena and kept up with the mare’s movement. Delicious, who is by Wirtsmühle Delaney’s, was effortless throughout her championship performance, her floating paces captivating judge Jennie and the crowd alike. During her individual trot up, she received the loudest cheer from the grandstand audience.
“I had goosebumps watching her in there,” said Vanessa, who is renowned for her production of Connemara ponies. “I know I’m probably biased but she really looked beautiful. She just loved the space and she could really show her movement and what a superstar she really is.”
Delicious, who is Royal International bound under saddle this year with Jo Jack, recently produced two foals via embryo transfer. The colt and filly, who are by Vansessa’s multi-HOYS in-hand finalist Castle Emperor – who now resides in Germany – were born in May.
“I wanted to do some ridden shows with her this season, but also wanted a foal, so given the situation last year she went down to my friend, Amber Clutton-Brock and her team at Equibreed,” explained Vanessa, of the 2017 HOYS ridden champion. “We love Delicious to bits and we are very blessed to have two healthy, beautiful foals, too.”
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Henry first showed Delicious at Midland Counties in June where she was breed champion.
Reserve was the Welsh section A champion, the Kilbey family’s grey mare Idyllic Guinevere. The eight-year-old by Lacy Buzbee out of Delami Misdemeanour has been a prolific winner in-hand and was shown with a strapping colt foal at foot.
The other breed champions were:
Dales: Carrock Alice
Philip Ward-Burton led out Caroline Threlfall’s six-year-old mare who is by Westwick Taffy out of Carrock Peggy.
New Forest: Sway Supernova
The six-year-old stallion by Perrone Palaver out of Sway Shes A Gem is a home-bred from the Blomfield family.
Fell: Bybeck Timonthy
Colin Robert’s four-year-old grey Fell stallion beat The Queen’s mare in his class on route to the section championship.
Highland: Highland Chief Of Talisker
Amber Thorpe’s 10-year-old stallion by Highland Chief Of Whitefield out of Rhidorroch Of Talisker is best known for his ridden successes, which include standing overall M&M supreme at the RIHS in 2019.
Dartmoor: Moortown Fox Tor
Owned by Julie Barton, this Moortown Crusader five-year-old out of Moortown Hunting Lass is RIHS bound on the flat and was handled here by Katie Bacon. The Dartmoor champion also received a special breed award.
Exmoor: Bluebarn Nancy
The nine-year-old by Buttondown Gideon out of Blossom is owned by Julian Walters and David Hodge and has picked up several accolades in-hand, including at the 2019 NPS summer championships.
Shetland: Blackertor Magento
The biggest breed classes of the day resulted in this seven-year-old stallion by Clivocast Napoleon standing champion for breeders Julian Walters and David Hodge. Magento was reserve in the Price Family supreme at Herts County earlier in the season.
Welsh section B: Rotherwood Rambling Rose
The nine-year-old mare by Lemonshill Topnote out of Milltop Rosebud was victorious for her owner/handler Gareth Roberts.
Welsh section C: Synod Miss Judy
Aimee Devane and her mother Mary Hoare’s 12-year-old broodmare, by Synod Grouse out of Synod Mollie Malone, captured her section title on her Windsor debut.
Welsh section D: Broughton Blonde Bombshell
On only her second show ring outing, this three-year-old filly netted the breed title for breeder Alison Jones and handler Charlie Jones.
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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.