A multi-garlanded coloured pony who won Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and the Royal International (RIHS) has passed away, aged 14.
Millpond Looks The Business (Tommy) was ridden by Kinvara Garner for the majority of his career. As well as winning multiple championships in coloured ranks, he also made history when be became the first coloured to qualify for HOYS as an open show pony.
Tommy started his career owned by the Martin family and was ridden by Sammi Elliott who qualified him for HOYS for the first time.
“He was an exceptional pony with a great personality,” said Kinvara’s mum Bridget, who owned Tommy for six years.
“Kinvara just hit it off with him; they sang together in the ring.”
During their time together Tommy and Kinvara qualified for HOYS and the RIHS five times, winning at both shows and taking reserve champion at HOYS. They also won at the Hickstead Derby and took supreme champion at both CHAPS and the BSPA championships on multiple occasions.
“He was slightly contrary,” added Bridget. “You couldn’t boss him around and had to be sympathetic to the mood he was in. The best way to handle him was through bribery; if he didn’t want to do something I would often give him a Polo and he’d come around.
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“In the future I’d like to have a Stevenson Brothers rocking horse made of him as he was so colourful. He really was as his name suggested, he always ‘looked the business’”
Tommy was latterly owned by Francine Spurr and produced by Team Hillyard who continued his success and also qualified him for HOYS.
Kinvara shared her adoration for the gelding on a Facebook tribute:
“Tommy really was one in a million and was the best pony I ever had. He never failed to make me smile and those who are close to me knew how much he meant to me.”
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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.
