Devon County Show
Local exhibitors take home the spoils
Kirsty Vicary , who lives just twenty minutes away from the showground was over the moon with her 15 year old Dartmoor gelding Briars Magician who behaved like a gentleman in the ring with a borrowed rider , four year old Freya Rafferty from Brixham , going on to head the Mini Championship after their win in the M & M Leading rein class .
Kirsty told us “ I have owned the pony for four years and have taken part in the lead rein class each year , usually he is ridden by my niece , but she was camping with her family so Claire Rafferty allowed her daughter Freya to take up the reins just 15 minutes before the class was due to start . He looked after his tiny jockey like a mothers dream and was rewarded by being called forward in first place . I am over the moon , he is my pride and joy and a true child ’ s pony .”
Kirsty ’ s niece did get to compete at the show in the Young Handler class before going away , she was delighted to get a rosette and ‘ Charlie Brown ’ as he is known at home , performed once again like a gentleman . “ A Devon County our family will never forget ” added Kirsty ’ s father David who went along with his camera representing Southern Horse Magazine .
Local exhibiters Nick and Tony McGuire from Kenton near Exeter clinched one of the biggest accolades of the show ; the Cuddy In Hand Supreme title qualifying for the finals held at the Horse of the Year Show .
Ysselvlieds Highwood their Welsh Section A eight year old bay stallion was bought by the couple last year , he was bred in Holland and was imported to the UK in 2013 where he went on to claim sixth at the Royal Welsh . In 2014 he went to the Celuan Stud and back to his breeders in 2015 and sold to Nicki and Tony .
“ We never in a million years thought he would qualify for the cuddy ” said Nicki “ He ’ s such a wonderful pony . Thigs like that don ’ t happen to people like us ” she went on to add .
The reserve spot went to a local family too , David Jordan handled his parents Dartmoor stallion Moortown Crusader , also eight years old . Crusader is the half-brother to the prolific Moortown Countryman who also gained the reserve cuddy spot at last year ’ s Devon County show .
It was a hat trick for Morley Roberts form Bradworthy , whose Shire mare
Hiraethog Holly won the senior mare class and best Devon bred shire for the third year in succession . Polly , as she is known at home , is a five-year-old daughter of Penrhos Brave Heart .
There was celebration in the Working Hunter rings as 18 year old Chloe Burrough from Yarcombe qualified her homebred nine year old gelding Hares Razzamatazz owned by her mother for Horse of the Year Show in the 153cm section . Chloe said it was her dream to qualify and doing it on a homebred pony made it all the better and Charlie Richards from Exeter won the Intermediate working hunter claiming their ticket to the Horse of the Year Show riding Pebbly Role Model .
Pictured are :
1 Kirsty Vicary leading Freya Rafferty on Briars Magician
1a Smiles all round Mini Champions
2 Leona Horn in the Young Handler with Briars Magician
Competitors enjoying their day at Devon County
Images by David Vicary