A cracking turnout of horses and ponies for the Royal Northern Spring Show, saw two natives take centre stage – the supreme Clydesdale landed the overall while the lead standard Shetland was reserve.
Overall judge, George Skinner, Strathorn, was most impressed by the quality on parade, finding his winning horse in the Black family’s two-year-old filly, Collessie Victoria, from Newton of Collessie, Ladybank, Fife.
“She’s a tremendous horse, the complete Clydesdale and full of breed character, style and with the feet and feathers to match. Good feet and feathers on a Clydesdale makes more money than tops and bottoms,” said Mr Skinner.
“It’s been a great show of horses with so many people keen to get back to the show ring. It was one of the best shows of light-leggeds I’ve seen here too,” he added.
Show stopper from This Farming Life heroes, Ronnie, Mike and Pete Black, Collessie Victoria is a daughter of their home-bred stallion, Collessie Challenger and bred from Glenbervie Duchess. Already a star performer, she stood senior champion at the Forfar Foal Show on her sole previous outing.
Taking the blue and white sash was the Sleigh family’s 12-year-old stallion, Wells Legend, shown by Emma Jamieson, St John’s Wells, Fyvie. Backed by home-bred genetics on both sides, this former champion at the Great Yorkshire and red ticket holder at the Royal Highland Showcase last year, is by Wells Extra Special and out of Wells Vita.
Shetland pony champion and reserve overall horse overall champion was Wells Legend, from HP Sleigh and Son
LEADING awards:
Clydesdale (Judge: J Graham, Stirling). Champion and supreme horse – RH Black, Newton of Collessie, with the rising two-year-old Collessie Victoria, a daughter of Collessie Challenger out of Glenbervie Duchess, bought privately. She was senior champion at Forfar Foal show. Reserve – J Ingram, with the yearling filly, Barns Lady Joanne, by Collessie Highlander and out of Barns Rachel which was a former winner as a yearling. Yearling colt – G and R Skinner. Yearling filly – J Ingram. Two-year-old – RH Black. Mare – J and L Martin. Gelding – D and B Waler. Young handlers – Kayleigh Nicol (14).
Shetland ponies (Judge: K Adam, Alloa). Champion and reserve overall – HP Sleigh and Son, St Johns Wells, with Wells Legend, a 12-year-old stallion by Wells Extra Special out of Wells Vita. He was champion at the Great Yorkshire Show in 2019, first at the Royal Highland Showcase, last year and was shown by Emma Jamieson. Reserve – Eynhallow Stud, with Eynhallow Dutch Corrie, a rising three-year-old mare by Eynhallow Dutch Prince out of Eynhallow Belle, shown by Brenda and John Laing. First and champion foal at the LiveScot and at the Central Scotland Shetland Pony Show, she is also a former first prize winner at the Great Yorkshire. Stallion – HP Sleigh and Son. Two/three-year-old – Eynhallow. Yearling – 1, J Watson.
Miniature Shetland (Judge: K Adam). Champion – Ann Irvine with the veteran home-bred show stallion, Rocky of Haybrake, a 12-year-old by Rocky of Haybrake out of Erica of Haybrake. He is a former champion here and at several other events. Reserve – JE Burr with Swells Barron, a 28-year-old stallion that stood second in his class to the champion. Another veteran show champion having won here on several occasions and at all events in the North-east, he is by Swell’s Barron and out of Scapa Swell. He was bought as a foal for £50 from Gibby Whiteford. Stallion – A Irvine. Mare or gelding – LM Wilson. Two/three-year-old – L Cochrane. Yearling – Fiona Johnstone. Young handlers – 1, Kayleigh Nicol.
Highland ponies (Judge: H Duncan, Turriff). Champion – Dr Aylwin Pillai with Fandango Na Dailach, a six-year-old stallion bred by Aylwin’s mother, Margarite Osborne, and shown by her sister, Virginia Osborne. A former mountain and moorland champion here, reserve at the Great Yorkshire and supreme at the Crathes Grass Sickness Show, he is by Glenwestcastle Loch Rannoch. Reserve – Lynne McDonald with the home-bred seven-month-old colt, Mortlich of Coynach, by a home-bred sire out of Morven of Coynach. First at the Grampian Foal Show. Stallion – Dr A Pillai. Mare – R and K Stewart. Gelding – Leanne Gilliland. Two/three-year-old – S MacIntosh. Yearling – Lynne McDonald.
Mountain and Moorland ponies (Judge: H Duncan). Champion – R and K Stewart with the home-bred rising three-year-old, West Lodge McNair, by Glenmazeran Na Dailach, out of West Lodge Catriona. Reserve – D and L Anderson, with the rising three-year-old Greenferns Rio, by Shilstone Rocks Roja, bred from Greenferns Roma, first outing. Stallion – Linda Gerrard. Mare or gelding – Fiona Thomson. Two/three-year-old – R and K Stewart. Yearling – D and L Anderson.
Performance (Judge: R Telford, Ayton Castle Stables). Champion – C Chisman with Tylo Erebus, a September, 2021-born yearling by Small Land Entertainer. Reserve – D and L Anderson with Greenferns Rio, a home-bred April, 2019-born entry by Shilstone Rocks Roja out of Greenferns Roma.
Ride and drive (Judge: Mrs N Craigen, Durno). Champion – Fiona Thomson with the six-year-old coloured gelding, Nova Venture, shown by Leanne Patterson (16).
Light-legged horses and ponies (Judge: R Telford). Champion – C Chisman with Tylo Erebus, by Small Land Entertainer. Reserve – Helen Fraser with the rising two-year-old, Westling Shades of Glory. Yearling – C Chisman. Two/three-year-old – K Fraser. Mare or gelding – Katherine Grant
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