Heavy Horses at the

the Cheshire County Show



Tabley, Knutsford
20th - 21st June 2006


by Rosemary Cooper.



The Cheshire County Show rewarded heavy horse enthusiasts with almost six hours' unbroken judging on the first day, and nearly as much on the second.

'There was a very good show of excellent horses,' commented Mr Jim Yates, who judged together with Mr Walter Bedford.' It was a wonderful show all through, and Walter and I agreed with each other all day. We didn't have to consult Steven Flewett, the referee. It was a pleasure to judge.'

Youth prevailed in the in-hand classes, where Jonathan Worthington's two year old filly Alderley Diana, by Moorfield Edward, won the championship. 'She was in very good condition with lots of lovely feather, and looked a very proud animal,' commented Mr Yates.

Among the horses she beat was another of Moorfield Edward's offspring, Ray William's Moorfield Ted, who won the stallion class, after being top senior stallion at Peterborough.

Reserve champion was Chris Malkin's bay Styal Miss Fashion, winner of the barren mare class. A four-year-old by Acle Merlyn, she has notched up numerous wins, and is in foal to Ddrydwy Cotebrook King. 'She was also a very proud animal, and there was little between her and the champion.' said Mr Yates.

Third in the championship was Mr Richardson's Mawstone Winnie, by Snelson Magnus, winner of the brood mare class.

Moorfield Ted sired the winning colt foal, still unnamed and out of Ray William's Moorfield Sarah, another one of Moorfield Edward's progeny. Second was Messrs Callwood's Manor Farm More Than Lucky, so named because he lost his mother at birth and was bottle-fed before a foster mother could be found. However the champion foal was a filly, Philip Moss' Hillmoor Angelina, by Acle Lord James out of the Walton Supreme mare Hillmoor Annie.

Winner of the Young Handlers class was 16-year-old Patrick Nulty, showing the bay mare Hainton Celebration. He beat 12-year-old Philip Moss, who showed a roan gelding, Bob the Flasher, and third was 17-year-old Verity Knowles, with a foal, Manor Farm Monday Girl.

The first day's judging concluded with a dash to the main ring to watch trade turnouts, where œ400 appearance money per exhibit attracted three unicorns. John Lawless drove the Brookfield Shires, Comet, Horace and Beatrice to victory over Gawin Holmes' Clydesdales, Jimmy, William and Tommy. Third were Randy Hiscock's Donhead Hall Suffolks, Alexandra, Imogen and Stefanie.

On the second day there was still plenty of action in the Heavy Horse Ring, but with a few breaks as competitors needed time to attend to their harness. Frederic Robinson's dappled bay Saracen, who is a replacement for Statesman and has recently been weighed at 1005 kilos, headed the gelding class. Seven horses came forward for the neatest and cleanest class, won by John Wakeling's Beau.

An excellent ridden class included a four-year-old Suffolk mare as well as eight Shires and Clydesdales. Every competitor tackled an optional jump, although one horse refused and another made such an enormous jump that his rider fell off, but happily was able to remount. Steven Haines, who had come all the way from Bath, won first and third with his black Shire geldings Winestead Winston, who was exactly ten years old to the day, and Barwood Blend, a four-year-old who was shown as a stallion last year. Separating them was a Clydesdale, Cheshire County Council's Arclid Finn McColl.

Best decorated horse was Mr and Mrs Heap's sixteen-year-old grey Captain, decked out in dark and light blue, while Janet Joyce's bay Titan, who came second, wore red and yellow.

The Trade Singles were also judged in the Heavy Horse ring. John Fairbairn, who lives on the Scottish Borders, won with his Clydesdale Mick, beating Saracen into second place, while Randy Hiscock came third with his very successful mare Donhead Hall Alexandra. Finally the same competitors appeared in the main ring in the Pairs class. Frederic Robinson's Saracen and Sportsman won from John Fairbairn's Blaze and Mick, while Randy Hiscock paired five-year-old Donhead Hall Imogen with Alexandra.



RESULTS.

Shire in-hand. Judges Mr Walter Bedford, Mr Jim Yates, referee Mr F S Flewitt.

Stln, 2-y-o & over - 1, E R Williams' Moorfield Ted; 2, W E Massey's Primrose Hill Eds; 3, M Booker's Moorfield Tom.

Gldng, 3-y-o & over - 1, W A King's Cotebrook Blaven; 2, T Pleavin's Shordley Earl; 3, P Moss' Hillmoor Bob the Flasher.

Barren mare, 3-y-o & over - 1 & res ch, C J Malkin's Styal Miss Fashion; 2, S Ford & E Cosgrove's Hainton Celebration; 3, M Booker's Moorfield Beth.

Gldng or filly, 2-y-o - 1, ch & jnr ch, J Worthington's Alderley Diana; 2, J Dale's Norcliffe Olympia; 3, O C Whittaker's Styal Divine Gift.

Yrlng - 1, P Moss' Sladbrook Gem; 2, G W Kitching's Moores Gay Anne Marie; 3, D Shardlow's Eastcote Resolution.

Brood mare - 1, F W O Richardson's Mawstone Winnie; 2, S Ford & E Cosgrove's Hainton Amy; 3, H S & A Callwood's Manor Farm Lady of the Knight.

Colt foal - 1, E R Williams' foal; 2, H S & A Callwood's Manor Farm More Than Lucky; 3, O C Whittaker's Knutsford Maverick.

Filly foal - 1 & foal ch, P Moss' Hillmoor Angelina; 2 & res foal ch, F W O Richardson & Sons' Bewholme Aurora; 3, E Williamson & Sons' Snelson Lady Marion.

Young handlers - 1, Patrick Nulty; 2, Philip Moss; 3, Verity Knowles.

Heavy Horses. Judge Mr F S Flewitt.

Gldng, 2-y-o & over - 1, Frederic Robinson's Saracen; 2, F Whitlow's Millfield Merlin; 3, Miss H M Taylor's Arclid Jubilee Lad.

Neatest and cleanest - 1, J Wakeling's Beau; D Heap's Captain; R Hiscock's Donhead Hall Imogen.

Agricultural turnouts - 1, J Cowen's Sandbed Superstar; 2, F Whitlow's Millfield Merlin; 3, P Bickerton's Risgate Jimmy.

Decorated harness - 1, D Heap's Captain; 2, Mrs J Joyce's Titan; 3, Mrs A N Bailey's Moorhall Grant.

Ridden (Judge Mr J Lloyd) - 1, S Haines' Winestead Winston; 2, Cheshire County Council's Arclid Finn McColl; 3, S Haines' Barwood Blend.

Trade Turnouts. (Judge Mr F S Flewitt)

Teams - 1, Brookfield Shires; 2, G Holmes; 3, R J Hiscock. Pairs - 1, Frederic Robinson; 2, J Fairbairn; 3, R J Hiscock.

Singles - 1, J Fairbairn; 2, Frederic Robinson; 3, R J Hiscock.


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