Ponies flock to Winter Championships

Tuffy Stockley and Chiddock Over The Limit crowned their Ponies (UK) Championships by taking the winter champion of champions and supreme of show titles at The College EC, Keysoe.

Over a hectic three days, they also collected three wins in the Mirage show hunter pony, potential dressage and part-bred Arab classes, and an additional two championships before their final exit down the centre line.

“He’s a very correct hunter pony, the sort I used to look for when I was showing. If he were 16.3hh, he’d just do me,” enthused supreme Judge Vin Toulson.

“He’s such a star. He’s had a week in the field after winning last week, and he’s come out again and done the business. He’s living up to all expectations,” said Tuffy’s mother, Jo.

Reserve supreme was Emma Walker, riding Sharon Curtis’s intermediate show hunter type champion Rufforth Rowena, a 10-year-old chestnut mare by Roberto Skovgaaro.

It was “high fives” all round for Joshua Atkinson, who celebrated his ninth birthday by taking the overall Lee Smith championship, riding the palomino M&M lead-rein pony Dryfe Spring Daffodil.

Vin Toulson had a strong final line-up from which to choose. “The standard was very high, and the ponies were outstanding, but this little pony had manners to burn,” he concluded.

One pony not needing his lucky horseshoes was Sannan Valley Imitation, who clinched the confined novice champion of champions for Sam Roberts with a brilliant gallop.

Although the eye-catching grey section B — a 2004 Welsh national performance winner — thrives on hacking, hunting and affiliated show jumping, the six-year-old has never been shod.

“Our blacksmith says he has perfect feet,” explained Sam. “Imitation is the most outstanding character and ride. He lives for anything to do with jumping.”

Read the full report from the Ponies (UK) Winter Championships in today’s issue of Horse & Hound (28 April, ’05)

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