At the annual NPS Championship show New Forest Ponies did well in various disciplines over the three days of the show. On the first day Mrs Mary Bryant's Stallion Wayland Loganberry ridden by Caroline Saker won the open Working Hunter Pony class and qualified for the final at Horse of the Year Show. Loganberry is by the famous Wayland Cranberry and competes with notable success in affiliated dressage and eventing. This means we have a new forest pony in each of the height sections of the WHP final at HOYS, Burley Showman, n/e 128cms, Ladybrooke Amaretti n/e 138cms & now Loganberry in the exceeding 138cms.

Mr and Mrs Simon Young's grey stallion Farriers Fingerprint had a good first day not only winning the section for the New Forest & Connemara Olympia class judged by Pat Renwick but also winning the ridden New Forest Class. The next day Fingerprint's winning roll continued when he qualified for the Addington dressage finals with Martine Reeves and won the open silver medal section of the New Forest & Connemara class.

Rodlease Jubliation owned and bred by Avril Darnton and ridden by Suzanne Kempe, came a credible 2nd in the Novice WHP final and qualified for the Thursday's evening Championship. Jubliation seemed to enjoys all of the lights and music.

This year the Novice ridden Picton Final for New Forests had its own class rather than being judged with the connemaras, which was a refreshing change. The only slight disappointment was that there were only 7 entries where as the other breed sections had a large number of qualified ponies through to the final. Mr and Mrs Large's homebred Willoway Memory was pulled top by Judge Ms P Rennie ahead of Kay and Alan Baileys Applewitch Fantasia in Second and Applewitch Magister, ridden by Matthew Lawrence in third place and owned by MJM Show Team.

The Willoway Stud's luck continued when their young stallion Willoway Free Spirit won the 'Fit for the Future' award of £250. This competition which promotes show ponies being the correct weight for their height also saw another forest pony collecting the spoils, both in the in hand and in the ridden section of the competition. Woodrow Portman, ridden by Lucy Booth and jointly owned with his breeder June Witham, also collected a large cheque in the 'Fit for the Future' competition.

On the final day of the show the in hand New Forest Classes took place with the eventual champion being Willoway Patience, shown by Paula Whitlock. Reserve went to June Withams bay brood mare Woodrow Delights Double who later in the afternoon claimed the in hand mare Mountain and Moorland championship much to the delight of June, judged by Mr T Barron.

Kerry Humble

Moorcorner Minstrel & Ashley Sensation About to go in the pairs evening performance. Photo courtesy: Nick Pound