It was the British Piebald and Skewbald Association (BSPA) who spectacularly kicked off winter champs season with their annual festival of showing which was held at Keysoe Equestrian Centre, Bedfordshire (24 February 2018).
Check out these 14 exciting combinations who took to the stage and bagged some of the top slots. Be sure to keep an eye on them for the rest of the season.
Photos by Peter Nixon
1. Sonidors Edith’s Pride
Harry Bennett-Hibbert’s homebred three-year-old colt Sonidors Edith’s Pride clinched the in-hand supreme title in the evening gala. Out of Harry’s former jumping mare High Offley Last Business, Edith’s Pride is by Stormhill Mink and was also awarded top marks in the youngstock evaluation championship earlier in the day.
2. Brickell Mr Pickwick
The ridden supreme went to the nine-year-old traditional 138cm coloured gelding Brickell Mr Pickwick who was partnered with Rebecca Lock.
3. Popenhoe Picture Perfect
Piped to the post in the in-hand supreme was Kevin Cousins and Caroline Ward’s sports pony colt Popenhoe Picture Perfect, who had to settle for the reserve sash.
4. Evie’s Pride
Four year old Scarlett Sharp rode the nine-year-old Shetland, Evie’s Pride, to finish reserve ridden supreme.
5. Supermoon
Lynn Russell took the RIHS lightweight qualifier and cob championship on six-year-old Supermoon.
6. High Estate
Riding horse champions were Frazer Atherden and the large class winner High Estate. The 13-year-old was bought for Frazer’s wife, Janay, and they will be sharing the ride this term.
7. Temple Ogue
Jayne Ross took the hunter spoils on the six-year-old lightweight Temple Ogue, who is owned by Kay Campbell.
8. Seabourne Silent Valley
The Team Hood-produced Seabourne Silent Valley owned and ridden by Francoise Babington takes the RIHS amateur hunters class before taking second and reserve in the lightweight hunters.
9. Slievebloom Ester
Leading the RIHS junior mountain and moorland championship was Aliya Taylor and the large breed victor, Vikki Smith’s Connemara Slievebloom Ester.
10. Donation
Owned by The Queen, the purebred Trakehner Donation landed the novice riding horse title with Chris Hunnable, who was standing in for wife Katie who is currently out of action.
11. Randalstown Columbo
Taking the heavyweight qualifier and the reserve cob title was Jayne Ross onboard Randalstown Columbo.
12. Churchtown Minstrel
Churchtown Minstrel and Simon Reynolds bagged an early RIHS qualification in the coloured ranks before leading the championship line-up.
13. Ocknell Mystery
Carly Reardon rode her 12-year-old maxi cob, Ocknell Mystery, to the open ridden horse title.
14. Bricklefield Jack
The Welsh section B gelding Bricklefield Jack exhibited by Savannah Spilman Penn was the best of the P(UK) amateur M&M ridden class.
Don’t miss the full report from the BSPA Festival of Showing and Winter Championships in this week’s issue of Horse & Hound magazine (8 March 2018)