Funnell Wins his Third Derby at Hickstead - 28 June 2009

--> On Sunday, 28 June, William Funnell and his 16-year-old Dutch bred gelding Mondriaan won the £120,000 DFS Hickstead Derby title for the third time.  Funnell rode last but was the only rider to have a clear round.  Funnell also won the Derby at Hickstead in 2006 and 2008.

New Event for 2009 - Mountain and Moorland Hunter Trial - 23 June 2009

NPS has announced that Central Scotland Highland Pony Club is holding a brand new event for 2009,  an M&M Hunter Trial for registered native ponies in the UK.  It will take place on Saturday 26^th September 2009 at Gleneagles Equestrian Centre, Auchterarder, Perthshire.  It will be open to all registered M&M breeds and will take the format of a “Pick-a-Fence/Have-a-Go” event. There will be 3 height options at each fence, to cater for all sizes of pony and all abilities of ponies and riders.  It will also be run to encourage people and ponies to “have-a-go” – i.e. if there is a fence you don’t like, just miss it out, you won’t be eliminated, you will just incur some extra penalty points.  There will be separate classes for each breed, and 1^st – 6^th place rosettes in each class. Schedules and more information will be available soon at www.cshpc.co.uk  

New Working Hunter Pony Championship for Native Ponies - 23 June 2009

A new series of Working Hunter Classes for Native Ponies will be offered at horse shows this summer.  NPS/The Equine Services Native Breeds Open Working Hunter Pony Championship will be split into six divisions rather than the three height divisions that are used in traditional working hunter classes.  The six divisions are:

Class 1 - Shetlands

Class 2 – Dartmoor/Exmoor/Welsh A.  Also Welsh B/New Forest not exceeding 128cms.

Class 3 – Welsh B/Welsh C. Also Connemara/New Forest not exceeding 138cms

Class 4 – Fell/Dales/Highland. 

Class 5 – Welsh D not exceeding 152 cms

Class 6 – Connemara/New Forest exceeding 138cms but not exceeding 148 cms.  Also Welsh D exceeding 152cms.

Eight ponies from each breed (including 8 of each Welsh pony section) will qualify to go forward to the NPS Summer Championship Show at Malvern in August. 

For more information regarding qualifying classes go to:

www.nationalponysociety.org.uk

Lucky Escape for George Bowman at Royal Ascot - 23 June 2009

World Champion Carriage Driver, George Bowman, from Penrith, had a lucky escape at Royal Ascot when his 100-year-old coach collided with a prison van. 

Mr. Bowman was driving from Ascot back to Windsor Castle along with 10 family members and friends, along a route traditionally driven by members of the Coaching Club during Royal Ascot.  A prison van pulled out of the police station and hit the coach in a side-on blow.  The front pair of horses panicked, pulling Mr. Bowman off the coach, head first on to the rear horses.  The 74 year old, split his scalp in the accident but was otherwise unharmed.  One passenger broke her hip falling from the coach.

Mr. Bowman was able to get the horses back under control and everyone was helped off the coach.  Several of the coach passengers were treated for shock at the local hospital.  The £50,000 carriage has been written off but Mr. Bowman is reportedly happy that no one was seriously injured in the accident. 

Are your horse's vaccinations up to date? - 22 June 2009

After a recent British Riding Club qualifier, several horses were turned away due to incorrect vaccinations. Don't let an expired vaccine stop you from competing this summer. Go to our handy vaccination guide for more information, to ensure your horse is correctly vaccinated.
Horse Vaccinations Guide

Pony saved from burning horsebox - Published 22 June 2009

On 7 June, Show Jumpers Scott Brash from Peebles and Roger McCrea saved a pony from a burning horsebox on the A1.  They were travelling from Edinburgh to a horse show in North Yorkshire when they saw a small transit van pull over near junction 49 at Thirsk with smoke pouring from the engine.
"The driver was panicking, trying to put the fire out with a tiny extinguisher, so we jumped out and ran to help," said Scott.
The horsebox was too close to the barrier for the ramp to be lowered. Scott and Roger tried to pull the van forward with a rope but the handbrake was on. "I pulled the pony off and Roger jumped in behind to scare it - luckily it jumped down just before the lorry was completely engulfed," said Scott.
Roger added: "It all happened very quickly. Anyone in their right mind would have done the same - we couldn't leave the pony on the lorry."
North Yorkshire Police later confirmed that no animals or humans were injured in the incident.