42 Horse & Hound 1 August 2019
Pictures
by
Peter
Nixon,
Equinational
and
Margaret
Shaw
Two wins, two championship sashes
and one blistering centre line gallop
The Chief is
untouchable
AFTER experiencing what can
only be described as a dream two
days, young rider Amber Thorpe
topped off her 2019 Hickstead
mountain and moorland fi nal
campaign by galloping down the
centre line of the International
Arena after securing the Vanguard
Property Holdings British Show
Pony Society (BSPS) Heritage
supreme ridden title.
Her partner, who never missed
a beat during the championship,
was six-year-old stallion Highland
Chief Of Talisker (Junior),
who belied his lack of years to
gallop like fury and beat a fi eld
of stunning ponies. It was an
exciting time for native showing
as most of the championship
line-up were also achieving their
fi rst Hickstead victories.The previous day, Amber and
Junior had won the intermediate
young riders class before taking
the section reserve. They returned
just 24 hours later to stand at the
top of the open Fell, Dales and
Highland class.
Amber, who was celebrating
her 25th birthday when she
achieved her second sash, said:
“I’m shaking, I just can’t believe it.
He loved the main ring yesterday;
I think it picked him up for today.
He tried his absolute heart out.”
Junior’s second main ring
ride was equally as perfect. He
campaigned the same fi nals last
term as a novice, but this year he’s
come back better than ever.“He struggled with his canter
but Aimee Devane has helped me
so much with his balance. He’s
a dream to ride now and I never
have to worry about him doing a
‘Highland trip’.”
The duo fi nished reserve in
Sunday’s pony supreme.GIRLS ON FIRE
PIPPING Amber and Junior in
the Ponies (UK) young riders
championship was the consistent
Connemara mare Tyan Ma’Lady
(Tara), who only turned her talents
to junior classes this season. Here,
she reigned victorious in the
overall championship with
up-and-coming junior talent
Annabel Drake at the helm.
Owned by Janine Sehne,
Tara and 14-year-old Annabel —
who won the same large breedssash last season with another
Connemara, Walstead Guinness
— are already HOYS bound in
junior ranks.
“Annabel’s only ridden her
a few times,” said Tara’s usual
partner Sue Deakin, who also
led her to qualify for the Cuddy
in-hand fi nal last term.
“We thought the juniors would
be a bit of fun for her. Last year
was such a hard act to follow
that we thought this would just
take the pressure away from the
open classes. Annabel rode her
perfectly. When you tell her to do
something it just sinks in.”
Reserve for the open crown
was the Sharn Linney-produced
Welsh section A stallion
Thistledown Snow Storm and
Talia Aristidou. The 10-year-old
was brought out as a novice at fourByALEXROBINSON
SHOWING
NOVICE LANDS AMATEUR TITLE
DESPITE being only six and competing on RIHS soil for the first time,
the dun Welsh cob Cilsane Dyminiad Helen (Meg) took the mixed breed
amateur final for her owner/rider Lucy Parr. Lucy bought Meg as a
four-year-old unseen from an advert on Facebook.
“When she arrived we nearly put her straight back on the box,” said
Lucy, who works for Pembrokeshire Agricultural society. “It’s been a
long road. We couldn’t do anything with her, she’d just freak and go.
“She’s easy these days and she has a great jump, so
we’ll pursue the workers next year.”
Lucy’s mother Jude is a key player behind the scenes.
“I couldn’t do it without her,” added Lucy. “She does
a lot of the mucking out while I’m at work.”FIRST
RIHS
WINThistledown Snow Storm, produced by Sharn Linney and ridden by
Talia Aristidou, takes the reserve open Heritage crownLONGINES ROYAL
INTERNATIONAL
Natives