Coloured champion Tambrook My Destiny has been crowned the new Underwood Supreme Pony winner for 2016.
Following the disqualification of the original winner, a new champion needed to be chosen. But with three ponies finishing in reserve with 25 points at this summer’s Longines Royal International Horse Show, the decision was made to judge the three runners-up one final time to decide an overall winner.
Official Hickstead.tv footage from of the Underwood Supreme Pony championship was shown to all the guests at the Showtime Ball, the end of season party held at the All England Jumping Course, Hickstead on Saturday (19 November).
Showing enthusiasts were given the chance to vote for their new 2016 champion by watching the individual shows from the three runners-up. Each of the tables, totalling almost 150 guests, were asked to rank the three runners-up in order of preference, with the scores collated by Hickstead officials.
After the judging was complete, the Skewbald & Piebald Ridden pony champion Tambrook My Destiny was declared the new Supreme winner – making her the first coloured pony to win the Dick Saunders Trophy at Hickstead.
Tambrook My Destiny is owned by the Farmbrough family and ridden by Lulu Farmbrough. Known as ‘Hattie’ in the stable, the eight-year-old is by a coloured Grade A showjumper and out of a show hunter pony mare. She was shown successfully in hand as a youngster before the Farmbrough’s bought her four years ago. They home produced her until last season, when she was moved to top producer Allister Hood’s yard.
While Lulu was disappointed not to have had the chance to claim the title in the International Arena back in July, she was both shocked and delighted to hear she had been chosen as the new Supreme winner. “I was really gutted I couldn’t go to the ball on Saturday as I’m currently in Barcelona, but I’m over the moon to win,” said Lulu, whose mother Tricia collected the prize at the ball.
Mountain & Moorland champion Slieve Bloom Jill and show hunter pony champion Wolferlow Esperanto will remain as joint-reserve Supreme champions.
Aside from the important task of choosing the new Supreme winner, guests at the second annual Showtime Ball enjoyed a glamorous evening celebrating in the Beethoven Suite, which overlooks Hickstead’s famous International Arena.
The Ball is run with the aim of raising funds to assist with the development of the showing facilities at the showground. A fundraising auction, conducted by Phil Judge, raised more than £10,000, with this money going towards the long-term plans of making improvements to Ring 7 in order to downscale the use of the River Lawn arena.
Among the guests were some of showing’s best known personalities, including Allister Hood, Richard Ramsay, Sue Rawding, Jo Bates and former Hickstead Showing Director, Roger Stack.
Hickstead’s Lizzie Bunn was delighted to see the Showtime Ball grow in status, and thanked everyone for their support. “We were really pleased to see so many showing competitors, owners and enthusiasts at the ball,” she said.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who played a part in this event, in particular those who donated prizes for the auction, and everyone who bid on the night and helped us raise such a good sum to go towards improving the showing facilities here at Hickstead.”
