Melanie Stanford’s Benbreac of Croila, ridden by Matt Cooper took home the De La Hey Family Supreme Pony Championships at the Royal International Horse Show after a superb performance.
The difficult task of sorting the champions into a final line-up was down to Badminton Horse Trials winner Nicky Coe, Andrew Charley owner of Townfields Saddlery and former show producer Jane Crofts.
There was a tie of scores between the BSPS Heritage Mountain & Moorland Champion and the Leeman Family BSPS Supreme Show Pony Champion, both finishing on 25 points which resulted in a ride off between the two.
They both worked hard for the judges’ attention as they competed together at the same time, but it was the stunning Highland Pony that took the top award with reserve going to Isabella Whittle and Moluccas Bengal Beauty.
The 11-year-old Benbreac of Croila, looked in fantastic condition with his TopSpec feed regime of TopSpec Comprehensive Feed Balancer, TopChop Lite and TopSpec Joint Support helping to keep him in peak fitness. The attractive grey gives Matt an athletic ride and his gallop wowed all the judges and turned spectator’s heads.
With the weather being so extreme at Hickstead, Melanie added TopSpec Electrolytes to his diet to help replace his body salts due to the heavy sweating early on in the week.
Having bought him unhandled straight from the hillside in Scotland he really is a once in a lifetime pony and I enjoy every moment with him,” said Melanie.
A working stallion, Breac is by Ulleam of Croila out of the mare Shelagh of Croila and has an incredible showing career.
Some of his fantastic achievements include the Supreme Heritage BSPS Summer Championships, Supreme BSPS Heritage Show, HOYS 2014 to 2017, Olympia Best of Breed 2015, Best of Breed & Reserve Champion overall 2016.
He has also taken many in-hand championships including, Royal Highland, Royal Norfolk, Royal Cornwall, Great Yorkshire, Cheshire County, Stoneleigh, South of England, East of England, Supreme Southern Highland Pony Show and the Scottish Horse Show. At Royal Windsor two years running, 2013 and 2014, Breac took the Mountain & Moorland Supreme In Hand title.
“He’s had an incredible in-hand career and now he’s having an incredible ridden career too. He’s a working stallion and his offspring are now starting to show with great results. He’s like a Thoroughbred in a Highland’s body” said Gemma, Melanie’s daughter.