Strathmore Show, run under the auspices of Strathmore and District Riding Club as a previously biennial competition, returned to the local event calendar for this year with a bang.
Topping the final line-up of 16 champions and reserves the eventual supreme of show adjudicated by Cath Brewster, of Lanark House, Kirriemuir was Cliftons Amaretto, owned and ridden by Marissa Stephen.
The mother of two travelled south to the show at Brechin Castle from Aberdeen, where she works as a company director for Effectus UK.
“We originally bought Amaretto for my daughter, who was 11 and coming off ponies at the time,” said Marissa. “She proved to be something of a diva, so I started schooling her but if you ask Robyn, she’ll tell you I stole her ride.”
They bought the now 10-year-old mare by Accondy, which was home-bred by Alex Brewster out of Cliftons Arizona, three years ago from Drumcarrow.
However, a field injury saw the partnership lose much of last season together.
Marissa added: “She came back into work this January, competing successfully at dressage.
“Her first show outing was to one of the Puddledub winter shows in March.”
On that occasion, they topped their ridden horse class before standing champion and scooping the supreme.
They planned to head next to New Deer, with Turriff, Blair and the Caledonian Championships also in mind.
The reserve supreme of show was won by seven-year-old Dun gelding Woodytwoshoes, owned and ridden by Courier reporter Philippa Merry.
Sired by the registered Connemara stallion Brian Boru and bred by Sean Kelly, of Ballynahia, County Mongahan, out of Ballynahia Lass, Woody lifted both the working hunter championship title and reserve from the ridden hunter ring en-route to the overall competition.
Only shown a handful of times since being purchased in 2012, due to work commitments, this young horse previously stood reserve hunter champion at the Brechin Autumn Show and first at Fife Show last season; was second as a ridden hunter at Turriff and Keith shows in 2013; and won at the Puddledub Summer as a four-year-old.
Outside of the show ring, he also affiliates to both British Showjumping and British Eventing jumping double clear on his most recent outing at Floors Castle at BE100 level and achieving top five results at BE80/90 level at Hopetoun,
Auchlinleck, Dalkeith and Burgie.
equestrian@thecourier.co.uk RESULTS
SUPREME CHAMPION Marissa Stephen, Cliftons Amaretto. Reserve supreme: Philippa Merry, Woodytwoshoes.
COLOURED Bethan Whamond, Aodh Fin. Reserve: Zoe Guild, Rubix Cube. Coloured native in-hand: 1 Ruth McLean, Lionheart Stud Dreammaker; 2 Louise Todd, Mr Slipper. Coloured non-native in-hand: 1 Gemma Morrison, Marco; 2 Zoe Guild, Rubix Cube; 3 Marc Mitchell, Siangie Miami. Coloured native ridden: 1 Bethan Whamond, Aodh Finn; 2 Ruth McLean, Lionheart Stud Dreammaker. Coloured non-native ridden: 1 Zoe Guild, Rubix Cube; 2 Carol Petrie, Caldecott Domino; 3 Anne Shaw, Bella.
VETERAN Kirstie Finnie, Littlehill Flynn. Reserve: Catherine Blundell, Abbie. Pre-veteran in-hand: 1 Kirstie Finnie, Littlehill Flynn; 2 Kara Hodnett, Lippens Sweetcorn; 3 Hannah Burns, Kirkhill Autumn Wind. Veteran in-hand: 1 Catherine Blundell, Abbie; 2 Gail Foreman, Falla. Pre-veteran ridden: 1 Kirstie Finnie, Littlehill Flynn; 2 Stephanie Forbes, Bex; 3 Courtney Steel, Grey Glory Lady. Veteran ridden: 1 Catherine Blundell, Abbie; 2 Gail Foreman, Falla.
RIDDEN HUNTER Fiona Walker, Worsenden Liberty. Reserve: Philippa Merry, Woodytwoshoes. Novice: 1 Sally Finnie, Hamlets Heiro; 2 Fiona Walker, Worsenden Liberty; 3 Gemma Morrison, Marco. Large: 1 Philippa Merry, Woodytwoshoes; 2 Sally Kidd, Just Aske Darcy; 3 K Adamson, Kevin. Small: 1 Fiona Walker, Worsenden Liberty; 2 Donna Webster, Suprime Star.
WORKING HUNTER Philippa Merry, Woodytwoshoes. Reserve: Sally Kidd, Just Aske Darcy. Novice: 1 Diana Ewart, Derby; 2 Eve Beveridge, Seville; 3 Jacqui Nicol, Sligo Star Lady. Intermediate: 1 Philippa Merry, Woodytwoshoes; 2 Gillian Fotheringham, Dunleer Dixie; 3 Laura Halil, Copper. The Courier/BHS Scotland RC Working Hunter Qualifier: 1 Sally Kidd, Just Aske Darcy; 2 Laura Halil, Copper; 3 Anne Shaw, Bella.
ROR/EX-RACEHORSE Sarah Spence, Tallula. Reserve: Carol Bunting, Roman Sioux. RoR Challenge: 1 Sarah Spence, Tallula; 2 Gillian Fotheringham, Dunleer Dixie. RoR Show Horse: 1 Carol Bunting, Roman Souix; 2 Sarah Spence, Tallulah; 3 Erin Logie, Katiesister. Blair Ridden Ex-Racehorse Qualifier: 1 Sarah Spence, Tallula; 2 Carol Bunting, Roman Sioux; 3 Erin Logie, Katiesister.
MOUNTAIN & MOORLAND Julie Speirs, Dunard Colleen. Reserve: Sandie Kydd, Burnside Vorlich. M&M WHP: 1 Julie Speirs, Dunard Colleen; 2 Jennifer Adams, Troustrie Minnie Moose; 3 Kirstie Williams, Usworth Silver Rocket. Small breeds in-hand: 1 Kara Hodnett, Lippens Sweetcorn. Large breeds in-hand: 1 Alison Walker, Passford Pollyanna; 2 Zoe Guild, Dun Archer; 3 Kirstie Williams, Usworth Silver Rocket. Highland pony in-hand: 1 Sandie Kydd, Burnside Vorlich; 2 R Stewart, West Lodge Ashley; 3 Hamish Cameron, Maymorn of Turin Hill. Small breeds ridden: 1 Kara Hodnett, Lippens Sweetcorn. Large breeds ridden: 1 Jennifer Adams, Troustrie Minnie Moose; 2 Kirstie Williams, Usworth Silver Rocket; 3 Zoe Guild, Dun Archer. Highland pony ridden: 1 Sandie Kydd, Burnside Vorlich; 2 Ali Caldow, Juanjorge of Moulzie; 3 Kirstie Smith, Ruban Ceo of Netherby.
RIDDEN HORSES AND COBS Marissa Stephen, Cliftons Amaretto. Reserve: Suzanne Cargill, Ellie-At. Novice: 1 Ruth McLean, Lionheart Stud Dreammaker; 2 Morag Thomson, Balhagarty Quest for Scarlet; 3 Adrienne Milne, Preston. Ridden show cob: 1 Anne Lindsay, Mister Benn; 2 Louise Todd, Blossom Hill. Ridden traditional cob: 1 Lynn Milby, Jack; 2 Bethan Whamond, Aodh Fin. Small riding horse: 1 Marissa Stephen, Cliftons Amaretto; 2 Katie Blewitt, Traemarr Seattle; 3 Lynne Sawers, Poppy. Large riding horse: 1 Suzanne Cargill, Ellie-At; 2 K Adamson, Kevin; 3 Joanne Sinclair, Alaska Der Bride. Ridden foreign breeds: 1 Joanne Sinclair, Alaska Der Bride; 2 K Adamson, Kevin.
RIDING CLUB HORSE
Suzanne Cargill, Ellie-At. Reserve: Eve Beveridge, Seville. Large RC horse: 1 Suzanne Cargill, Ellie-At; 2 Eve Beveridge, Seville; 3 Chelsea Donald, HP. Small RC horse: 1 Anne Lindsay, Mister Benn; 2 Donna Webster, Suprime Star; 3 Julie Speirs, Dunard Colleen. Showjumping: 1 Tia Steel, Gems Flavia; 2 Eve Beveridge, Seville; 3 Nicki Flood, Penny. Style jumping: 1 Anne Shaw, Bella; 2 Jennifer Adams, Troustrie Minnie Moose; 3 Erica Double, Shean’s Paddy.