| The Shire Horse Society's Spring Show.
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East of England Showground, Peterborough.
15th – 17th March 2013.
by Rosemary Cooper.
Last year’s champion, Paul Bedford’s Metheringham Upton Hamlet, became the first back-to-back winner of the King George V cup for 20 years. The bright bay son of Moorfield Edward took the class for four-year-old stallions before retaining his crown. ‘There was never any question about who was going to be champion,’ said co-judge Tony Bull. ‘He's special. It was good to get my hands on him.’ Paul Bedford added: ‘Everyone tells me he is the best they have ever seen. He’s grown to 18.2 hh and never looked better.’
With 10 victories, Paul holds the record for winning the King George V cup and the last back-to-back winner was Deighton Commodore, shown by Paul with his brother Walt in the early 1990s. Paul also broke another record because a fortnight previously his Cawood Commodore won the supreme Clydesdale championship, the Cawdor Cup, the first time the same stable has won these two honours in the same year.
‘Hamlet’s breeder, Philip Shipman, has been in the job a long time, and now he’s bred a world-beater.’ commented Tony Bull. ‘He is very pleased we are flying the flag for him,’ said Paul. Hamlet is out of Kerrial Hester, a daughter of Walton Supreme and one of the fifth generation of Philip’s home-bred mares, line-bred to the famous Cubley Charlie. Hamlet was sold as a foal to Geoff Robinson, who named him. The following April, Paul was visiting Geoff while he was turning out horses. Paul took a shine to Hamlet and took him home the same day. As a yearling Hamlet was never beaten in his class, and went on to win the end-of-season championship at Marchington.
‘His first foals are on the ground. Geoff Robinson has a grey filly and I’ve got three mares in foal to him,’ said Paul. ‘He has a lovely nature and he’s really easy to work with.’ I experienced this for myself. When I befriended Hamlet after the show, he was as quiet and friendly as a senior gelding. ‘
The reserve champion, Mr P Clayton’s Sladbrook Benefactor, a 7-y-o by Walton Supreme and shown by Walt Bedford, took the senior class for the second year running. Last year he turned the tables by beating Hamlet for the title of Shire Horse of the Year. Paul Bedford will be judging this year’s class, so the qualification passes to Benefactor.
A yearling, Matthew Gregory King’s Hillmoor Eden, took the junior championship. King George V presented two cups to the Shire horse world, and as last year’s champion foal at Bakewell Show, Eden is the current holder of the second one, an honour that his breeder Philip Moss has won ten times.
However the judges had to call in referee Mr Bryan Morgan to choose between Hillmoor Eden and the winning two-year-old, Lockley Sir George, to decide the junior championship. ‘Eden is such a picture – lovely in his hair and lovely in his movement, ‘said Bryan Morgan. ‘He’s a proper yearling colt – a possible stallion for the future.’ After Hamlet, he was the best mover in the field, both leaving you and meeting you,’ added Tony Bull. ‘Judging him on the day, he has four good legs and knows how to use them.’
By Tree House Prince George, Hillmoor Eden is out of the Hillmoor Double Coin mare Bog Bank Elizabeth. The eventual reserve junior champion, Lockley Sir George, also belongs to Matthew Gregory King. He is by Matthew’s 2006 supreme champion Ddrydwy Cotebrook King out of Mrs Jayne Malkin’s very successful Acle Merlyn mare Styal Miss Fashion.
Bryan Morgan and Tom Brewster judged the next day’s mares and fillies. ‘It’s an honour to judge here and an honour to judge with Tom Brewster,’ said Bryan Morgan. He is an absolute gentleman and we had excellent stewards who helped us tremendously with big classes, very important because Tom is recovering from an operation. There wasn’t a lot of time to judge because of the size of the classes, and we had good quality animals all the way down the line. The first time exhibitors especially deserve praise because they turned out their horses and themselves immaculately. We really need these new young people who are taking an interest in Shires, to safeguard the future of the breed.’
The female championships turned into a triumph for Martin Fountain’s fillies, both by Moorfield stallions out of home-bred mares. The brown three-year-old Woodhouse Calendar Girl, never beaten in her class, took the championship, with the four-year-old Woodhouse Miss Dynamite finishing second reserve. ‘The champion mare was absolutely beautiful and turned out to the highest standard, with not a hair out of place,’ commented Bryan Morgan. Tom Brewster added: ‘ She’s probably as good a Shire as I’ve seen for a long time. If we had to pick a fault with her, we would struggle. Her conformation, action, and the way she was turned out were all impeccable.’
The mare she had to beat in the championship was the senior class winner. This was Jim Yates’ four-year-old Sheepwash Derbyshires Eventide, who has enjoyed a whirlwind string of successes for the last two seasons. ‘There was very little to choose between her and the champion,’ said Bryan Morgan. ‘The mare was exceptional,’ said Tom Brewster. ‘If they are built properly, they move properly, but when it comes to picking champions, you start to nit-pick. The filly was marginally better, with wonderful feet, limbs and overall conformation. She’s a credit to the Shire breed.
Calendar Girl is by Moorfield Ted, out of the Leverton Joseph mare Woodhouse Sunbeam, while her stablemate Miss Dynamite is by the top sire at this year’s show, Moorfield Manor Mac, and out of Woodhouse Dewdrop by Hillmoor Double Coin, who was reserve champion stallion for Martin Fountain.
‘Calendar Girl’s been undefeated in her class as a foal, as a yearling and as a two-year-old but the Spring Show is not an easy place to win because of the numbers, said Martin Fountain. It compares with some of the big shows in North America, and there‘s always something that can come out and topple you.
‘My great grandfather, who worked as groom for the Duke of Westminster, started the stud in the 1880s,’ he added. ‘My grandfather registered the Woodhouse prefix between the wars and we’ve been showing ever since. 39 years ago we won the stallion championship with Woodhouse Footprint, and three times we’ve won the gelding championship with home-bred horses, but we’ve waited a long time to complete the treble with the female championship. My grandfather and father have won junior championships and reserves, but never the big one.’
Jim Yates’ Derbyshires Eventide was bred by his near neighbours Mr and Mrs Gillet, and is by the 2005 Spring Show champion Trem-y-Wyddfa Mascot out of the Ithersay Black Knight mare Sheepwash Honesty, given to the Gillets on condition they kept the Sheepwash prefix,
Old Croft Charisma, the two-year-old class winner, took the reserve junior championship for her owner-breeder, Mr B Wright of Old Croft Shires. By Dothan Charlie, she is out of Grangewood Daphne by Bodernog Master.
Early morning on the first full day, the ring is normally packed tight with senior geldings, but this year’s class, with 32 forward, was the largest ever. With two hours allocated for judging, Mike Horler and Ann Hull finally chose their winner, Grovemere Lucky Boy, a black eight-year-old who improved on last year's second place. By Trofarth Cymro out of the Nottage Trump Card mare Grovemere Sarah, he is a black eight-year-old belonging to relative newcomer Glen Cass. ‘He was a late developer,’ said Glen Cass. ‘Various people rejected him, but now he’s outstanding!’
Young talent came to the fore in the driving championship. Sarah McLellan, who began her career by working as groom for Mike Millington and the Shires of Geo Gale and Co, has been driving for five or six years, but this was her first major championship. To win it, she had to beat talent in the shape of John Goodwin, now sponsored by Cooperative Funeral Care, and Richard Green with the famous black Shires of Thwaites Brewery. I was even reminded of a remarkable event I witnessed last summer, when young Charlotte Dujardin, who began her career as a dressage groom, earned the chance to compete and in no time at all progressed to championship status and won Olympic Gold. Sarah looked as though she couldn’t have been happier if she’d won an Olympic medal!
The reserve championship went to the only Scottish exhibitors, Mr and Mrs McNab, who won the two-wheeled cart class with their striking grey Kype Hall Burlington Bertie. They had an excellent show, with Burlington Bertie finishing second in that huge gelding class and third in a class of eleven single turnouts.
John and Marion Fletcher’s black geldings Ed and Ned won both agricultural vehicle turnout classes with an attractive orange hermaphrodite (a vehicle that comes apart to be used either as a two-wheeled cart or a four-wheeled waggon.) A strong class for harness decorated with brass went to Faye Bottomer’s Fifield Admiral, a big handsome seven-year-old who has been winning consistently in his native Shropshire and nearby counties. Best young handler was 15-year-old Amy Ford, granddaughter of Ernie Cosgrove who bred the Hainton Shires.
For several years the ridden classes have been dominated by Gairloch Challenger, the Shire whose dressage to music has received over 60,000 hits on Utube. Now he is focusing purely on dressage, the path has been left open for a new champion, and Dutch competitor Antoinette Van Oortmarssen and her eight-year-old East of Westlands Lord Lester won four of the five classes.
This show is the last to be held on the East of England Showground at Peterborough, and next year it takes place at Arena UK in Grantham, Lincolnshire.
Results.
Stallions (Judges: Mr John Peacock, Mr Tony Bull.)
Yearling – 1 and junior champion, M G King's Hillmoor Eden; 2, J Holder's Upper Boothay George; 3 and best grey colt, G Robinson's Metheringham Upton Silas.
Two-year-old – 1 and reserve junior champion stallion, M G King's Lockley Sir George; 2, P Bedford’s Lockley Drago; 3, B D Banham's Acle Superking.
Three-year-old – 1, Old Croft Shires' Deighton Aristocrat; 2, P Bedford's Manor Mac T; 3, O C Whittaker & Sons' Knutsford O C.
Four-year-old – 1 and champion stallion, P Bedford’s Metheringham Upton Hamlet; 2, Ms E Law's Pantyrhuad Rockerfella; 3, J & J Bower's Leaventhorpe R Bill.
Senior – 1 and reserve champion stallion, P M and J Clayton’s Sladbrook Benefactor; 2, L Harrison’s Cumeragh House Desperate Dan; 3, Mr & Mrs W Massey's Moores Gay Edward.
Mares (Judges: Bryan Morgan, Tom Brewster.)
Yearling – 1, J & A Worthington's Cumeragh House Nancy May; 2, B D Banham's Acle Mistletoe; 3, Miss A Stott's Rookhills Lady Margaret.
Two-year-old – 1 and reserve junior champion, Old Croft Shires' Old Croft Charisma; 2, W A King's Cotebrook Loch Fern; 3, R Bedford's Hartcliff Rhianna.
Three-year-old – 1, junior champion and champion, L M Fountain's Woodhouse Calendar Girl; 2, P Bedford's Deighton Model; 3, Mr V Schumann's Schumanns Black Pearl.
Senior – 1 and reserve champion, T J Yates' Sheepwash Derbyshires Eventide; 2, L M Fountain's Woodhouse Miss Dynamite; 3, P Bedford's Phoenix Elie.
Shire Horse of the Year qualifiers – P M and J Clayton’s Sladbrook Benefactor; L M Fountain's Woodhouse Calendar Girl.
Geldings (Judges: Mr Mike Horler, Miss Ann Hull).
Two-year-old – 1, Mr G C & Miss A H Whalley's Goose Greens Perfection; 2, Mr & Mrs H Harry's Brickell King Bear; 3, Mr & Mrs D Wilkins' Blaencillech William.
Three-year-old – 1, junior champion and reserve champion, J C G Bloom and Son's Fellthorpe Clarry, 2 and reserve junior champion, R Calder's Silverhills Thomas; 3, A Whetton's Woodhouse Grand Prix..
Senior – 1 and champion, G Cass' Grovemere Lucky Boy; 2, Mr J and Mrs C McNab's Kype Hall Burlington Bertie; 3, Mr B & Mrs D Lowrie's Upperfoot Sir Selwyn.
Agricultural Turnouts (Judge: Mr Basil Pike).
Single – 1, J and M Fletcher's Ned; 2, J Cowen’s Sandbed Super Star; 3, R Eddy's Trenuggo Roberts Pride.
Pairs – 1, J and M Fletcher’s Ed and Ned; 2, J C Eddy's Trenuggo Summertime Belle and Trenuggo Diamond Girl.
Implement (Single or Pair) – 1, M W Elford’s Tops Bay View Leo and Tops Bay View Sky; 2, J and M Fletcher’s Ed and Ned; 3, J E Muntz Torres’ Bickers Court Magnus and Bettws Victor.
Trade Turnouts (Judges: Mr Mike Horler, Miss Ann? Hull).
Single – 1, The Co-operative Funeral Care; 2, Wadworth and Co Ltd; 3, Mr J & Mrs C McNab.
Pairs – 1 and champion, Geo Gale & Co; 2, The Co-operative Funeral Care; 3, Daniel Thwaites PLC.
Teams – 1, Waldburg Shires; 2, The Co-operative Funeral Care; 3, K Morris.
Two-wheeled carts – 1 and reserve champion, Mr J and Mrs C McNab's Kype Hall Burlington Bertie; 2, Mrs W E Toomer-Harlow’s Leverton Quality Lad; 3, Mrs W E Toomer-Harlow’s Lockley Goldstone.
Harness (Judge: Basil Pike).
Brass – 1, Mrs F Bottomer's Fifield Admiral; 2, Miss P Read's Cragg Hall Connor; 3, P L Williams’ Barnacres Dan.
Other decorations – 1, Mrs J Joyce’s Titan; 2, M W Elford’s Tops Bay View Leo.
Young Handler (Judge: Mrs V Webster). 1, Amy Ford (15); 2 and best opposite sex to winner, Luke Beech (17); George Livesey (15).
Riding horse (Judge: Mr J Conifey).
Pure-bred Shires – 1 and champion, Mrs A J Oortmarssen's East of Westland Lord Lester; 2 and reserve champion, J & M Fletcher's Catwg Black Velvet; 3, Mr J R Richardson's & Mrs E Hoyle's Toc Hill Joseph Jebb.
Half-bred Shires – 1, Mrs J Walsh's Nipper But; 2, R Eddy's Sorrell; 3, Miss S K Collins’ Aussie Oswald.
Dressage – 1, Mrs A J Oortmarssen's East of Westland Lord Lester; 2, = R Eddy's Sorrell & P Williams' Moorfield Ada.
Dressage to Music – 1, Mrs A J Oortmarssen's East of Westland Lord Lester; 2, Mrs L Binns' Dee Cee; 3, Mrs J Walsh's Nipper But.
Best shod (Judge: Mr G Darlow AFCL). – Champion, Mr G T Ward’s Decoy Princess Dawn; reserve, Mr G T Ward’s Decoy Royal Sunrise.
J W Hiles Champion Stock Stallion Award – 1, Moorfield Manor Mac; 2. Moorfield Edward; 3, Moorfield Ted.
George Roberts champion points award. 1, Paul Bedford.