KBIS Young Pony Championships: young stars show their class

Hartpury Festival of Dressage, (6-10 July) hosted the annual KBIS Young Pony Championship four-, five- and six-year-olds not exceeding 149cms.  The competition was excellent with aspiring young ponies showing outstanding talent and future potential.

In the four-year-old championship, Alice Perry and the ‘super’ WfD Champagne Supernova (pictured above) took the trophy with 78.40%.  Owned and bred by Elaine Coleridge-Smith, the gelding by Champagne De Lux was born at Windmill Farm Dressage then backed and trained by Alice.  “He was Palomino as a foal with one blue eye,” Alice told us.  “Then he changed to a really unusual colour which is very striking.  He has been a really easy pony to train, with a wise head on his shoulders, he seems to just take everything in his stride.  I definitely think he has the potential to be on a squad one day – he is such a beautiful ride.  We are now looking for a pony rider for him to carry on his education.”

Elly Darling and Dawn Pack owned Renzo Renaissance DP (pictured above) made the top spot in the Five-year-old class in only their second time out together.  Having qualified for the Championship first time out at Beechwood they were on their way to Hartpury.  Following a squeezed in lesson on the Friday evening with Becky Moody then the arena walk, “which Renzo completely bossed” according to Elly on social media, they planned to do their best and enjoy the experience.

“He may have been the smallest pony there, but he owned the arena, showing off walk to canters and leg yields, which he only started work on very recently.  The cherry on the top of the cake was a brilliant score of 80.00%.  His owner Dawn Pack is now taking over the ride and Elly is sure they’ll have the time of their lives together. “He’s a wonderful pony,” she added.

Charming Duke, owned by Lorraine Grant and ridden by Eilidh Grant (pictured above) won the honours with 81.80% in the Six-Year-Old Class, he clearly knew what he was doing as he was Champion in the 5-year-old-class in 2021.  “He’s such a cool pony and insanely talented,” Eilidh said. “Everyone that sees him absolutely loves him, he has a cheeky personality but is also very clever and quick to learn – if he was 16.2hh he’d definitely go to the Olympics!”

“He has been with me since he was a foal and doesn’t have a bad bone in his body, I think he could turn his hoof to anything as he seems to find it all so easy.”  With a nine on his score sheet for general impression Duke certainly looks like he’s going to have a very exciting future.

Results

KBIS Young Pony Championship for Four-year-olds

1 Alice Perry and WfD Champagne Supernova, 78.04%

2 Carrie Passmore and Bromwich Wizard, 77.40%

3 Leanne Bailey and Ghabar King of Bling, 72.60

KBIS Young Pony Championship for Five-year-olds

1 Elly Darling and Renzo Renaissance DP, 80.00%

2 Leanne Bailey and Day Dream, 78.80%

3 Bryony Goodwin and Asterhof’s It’s Gino, 73.80%

KBIS Young Pony Championship for Six-year-olds

1 Eilidh Grant and Charming Duke, 81.80%

2 Bryony Goodwin and Caederwen Jäger Bomb, 71.80%

3 Alice Perry and WfD Diangel. 70.60%

VIEW FULL RESULTS

Photo © Kevin Sparrow