The traditional coloured mare Dolly XIII continued her run of supreme form for the 2014 show season by taking the overall horse championship at Alyth Show.
Granted passage to the overall in-hand contest as the top choice of coloured judge Victoria Harvie, Dolly XIII progressed to stand in-hand supreme for her owner Rebecca Copland, from Cupar, before surpassing the ridden overall to stand as the best horse in the show under judge Mary Sivewright, from Rothienorman.
It was the third time this season that Dolly XIII had achieved a supreme accolade under the adjudication of Mrs Sivewright, after she judged the mare to stand reserve supreme at the Brechin Spring and then supreme champion of the light horse day at Angus.
“As a traditional mare she ticks all of the boxes,” commented Mary.
“She used herself so well, and she also has a beautiful head for a coloured pony.”
Looking for “movement all the time” from all the in-hand and ridden champions, Mary gave the overall ridden champions the nod to stand as reserve supreme of the show.
This was Jennifer Green’s mini mountain and moorland champion Gwynrhosyn Demelza, shown by Charlie Cousens, from Edinburgh, and ridden lead rein by five-year-old Rebecca Green.
The partnership, which has already qualified for the Royal International at NPS Spring and counts the mini M&M championship a NPS Summer among recent accolades, impressed Mary by “floating across the ground”.
“The pony’s movement is just fantastic, she is such a machine,” said Mary.
Taking Sue Williamson’s previously unshown homebred yearling Eskside Carmellian forward to stand as reserve overall in-hand champion, Mary commented: “It’s still immature, but it will come on and its day is definitely yet to come.”
Her reserve pick in the supreme ridden championship was Laura Hercus and the show hunter pony Deanburn Regal Splendour.
This four-year-old gelding, in his debut show season under saddle, has amassed an impressive list of plaudits, recently standing second at the Royal Highland, champion at several shows including Central and West Fife, and supreme at Puddledub.
“It’s just a lovely pony,” said Mary. “There is an awful lot to like about it and, given that it is still so young, it has a very bright future ahead of it.”
Again, movement proved key to Mary’s decision making in the native horse supreme.
Here, the Eynhallow Stud’s Shetland pony leader Eynhallow Celia prevailed.
“It showed itself very well,” said Mary. “It ran like a train.”
The home-bred three-year-old filly had previously stood reserve champion at Angus Show, was junior champion at Fife and took a second at the Royal Highland.
Results
Supreme horse – Rebecca Copland, with Dolly XIII, a nine-year-old traditional coloured mare, of unknown breeding, bought unseen from Lancashire last year. This season Dolly has stood supreme of Angus Show’s light horse day, supreme at the Grand Slam, reserve supreme of Brechin Spring and reserve coloured at the City of Edinburgh Horse Show. She was reserve coloured at Alyth last year. Reserve: Jennifer Green, with Gwynrhosyn Demelza, an eightyear- old Welsh section A mare, sired by Waxwing Hurricane and out of Callernish Cara, ridden lead rein by Rebecca Green, five, and shown by Charlie Cousens. Qualified for the Royal International at NPS Spring, they were also mini M&M champions at NPS Summer, champion at Scottish Friends of P(UK) and fourth at the Royal Highland.
Overall in-hand – Rebecca Copland, with the supreme horse Dolly XIII. Reserve: Sue Williamson, with Eskside Carmellian, a part-bred M&M yearling, sired by Roseberry Model Man and home-bred out of Eskside Amethyst, which was on his first show outing.
Overall ridden – Jennifer Green, with the reserve supreme horse, Gwynrhosyn Demelza. Reserve: Laura Hercus, with Deanburn Regal Splendour, a fouryear- old show hunter pony, sired by Stanley Grange Regal Heights and bred by Sherlene Murray out of Broadstone Lavendar, which has this season stood champion at Central and West Fife, the BSPS Spring and Scottish Friends of P(UK), supreme at Puddledub and second as a show hunter pony at the Royal Highland.
Heavy horse supreme – Eynhallow Stud, with Eynhallow Celia, a three-year-old Shetland filly, sired by Wells Champion and homebred out of Eynhallow Belle, which stood reserve champion at Angus Show, was junior champion at Fife and second at the Royal Highland. Reserve: Brian Alexander, with Rosemount Reggie, a yearling Clydesdale gelding, sired by Muirton Sabre and home-bred out of Newlife Violet, which was on his first outing of 2014, but last year won as a foal at foot at Alyth.
Overall mountain and moorland – Fraser and Lorna Boyd, with Peggy of Combebank, an eight-yearold novice ridden Highland Pony, sired by Sergeant Major of Whitefield, bred in Yorkshire and purchased as a four-year-old. In her first year under saddle, and ridden by Lynn Paisley, she was nursery novice champion at NPS Summer, second at Fife and second at Drymen. In-hand she stood supreme champion at Drymen and fourth at the Royal Highland. Reserve: JPG Cameron, with Beannachadh of Abernethy, the reserve novice champion, which had earlier in the day also won the ridden Highland pony championship. Sired by Kincardine Ben MacDhui and home-bred out of Glenbanchor Rhona, she previously won at Brechin Spring and has qualified for the Kilmannan novice finals. Last year, she stood champion of the Central Scotland Highland Pony Spring. Also ridden Highland Pony champion.
Best Welsh: Lynneann Cameron and Alison Walker, with Cadlanvalley Sweet Elation.