Autumn Show Success
Technology has been used to enhance the new annual Exmoor Pony Society’s Autumn Show [Saturday 25 November]
on a sunny but cold day on Exmoor.
Emma Wallace, acting show secretary, said: “The show was a huge success, with many entries using a great online system.
“Having not had a foal show or opportunity to familiarise youngstock with a show environment at this time of year for the past few years, we were delighted with the support shown by sponsors, competitors and supporters alike for this new annual initiative by the Exmoor Pony Society, a charity and guardians of the breed for more than a century.
“The Autumn Show has proved great training for this year’s crop of foals and youngstock and the addition of ridden classes has encouraged more of the society’s members to wrap up warm and give showing ago!”
The organisers used a new show entry system sponsored for EPS by showingscene.com, which provided an online platform to promote and enter. The show was held at Emmetts, near Simonsbath. Rosettes and sashes were provided by Rosettes Direct and Exmoor Catering provided excellent food for all who attended.
The worthy winners were selected by EPS judge Amanda Hill who selected the very best examples of the breed to take home the tri-colour awards.
With 12 classes on the day, Mrs Hill was presented with a lot of fabulous filly foals, which are ultimately the breeding stock of the future for a breed that is still classed as ‘priority’ by the rare Breeds Society. There were a good number of colts and it was this class winner that took the championship tricolour sash, as Tawbitts Baxter, owned by Charlotte Matravers, was judged moorbred champion.
The youngstock classes had good entries and Ilkerton Elsa, a very worthy moorbred filly, won the 3 year old class and went champion, owned by Victoria Eveleigh and shown by J Payne. The ridden classes allowed the youngest competitor of the day to ride her mother’s pony Mystical Master Bee, with Elizabeth Davis winning her class.
In the highly competitive open ridden class two of the entries had been to the Horse of the Year show, but ultimately champion was Kestra French’s Blackthorn Poteen.
EPS will look to build on the show’s success and is already scheduling a repeat date in November for 2024. More information on the work of the society, entries into showing events and ways to donate to protect the breed can be found at https://exmoorponysociety.org.uk/