Photography by Paul’s Pix www.pauls-pix.co.uk
Lead Photograph: Authentic
I grew up in the Norfolk & Suffolk Arabian Horse Group and have spent many years on and off the committee. Following an EAGM in February 2015, when the group was in danger of closing, I went back on the committee once more and we have all worked hard, with the tremendous support of the membership, to rebuild the group. Our aim always was to hold a show in 2016 and on Sunday 22 May, we did! Set in the great facilities of Forest Edge Arena, Swaffham, a full day saw Rebecca McCormick judge the in-hand classes, while Stephanie Zebedee was in charge of the afternoons ridden classes, all held in The Arabian Magazine ring inside. Additional classes were run in the outdoor ring, kindly sponsored by Hoseasons, where a host of Equifest qualifiers took place under the watchful eye of Simon Altham. See all the holiday offers from Hoseasons here – http://www.hoseasons.co.uk/
The indoor ring, began at 8.30am with the pure-bred in-hand classes. The gelding class, particularly, saw high numbers, no doubt encouraged by the kind donation of £100 prize money to the Gelding Champion. Class numbers were small in the senior classes but entries on the day helped boost numbers.
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| Bay Ffantasy | Darcy | Daring Dream |
The pure-bred classes were in first and winning the senior mare class and also the Senior Female Championship was SG Hilal Shaklana (Jullyus JJ x Halina Shaklana), exhibited by Katy Dexter. A late entry to the show was David Biles with the lovely deep bay Darcy (Om El Mareikh x Ffiligree). This super gelding has been very successful both in the UK and abroad, and he would have a brilliant day here in Norfolk, winning his senior gelding class, the Gelding Championship, the Overall Pure-bred In-hand Championship and then the Supreme In-hand Championship. The afternoon classes would see Darcy go under saddle in the pre-novice class, and he added another red ribbon to his collection. Congratulations to all his connections! Back to the senior gelding class and Stephen and Elaine Clack’s big-moving Russian-bred Moloko (Piligrim x Metelica) took second place.
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| Mettlewood Mayqueen |
There was just one entry into the senior stallion class and this was the pure Crabbet, Beeston Hakim (Klinta Bashir x Hadila), exhibited by Imogen Budd. This versatile chestnut would go on to take the Senior Male Championship, the Crabbet class, and also two second place qualifiers in the Ridden Arabian Star Series (RASS).
The Vivegas daughter LS Hadassah (ex Hepsebah Bey) took the two-to-three-year-old filly class and would later take the Pure-bred Junior Female Championship for her owners, Debbie Groom and Andy Hewitt. This lovely filly would also finish Reserve Overall Pure-bred In-hand Champion, as well as win the family pairs class with her paternal half-brother, LS Za Kadar Alta (ex ZA Shahkuda Noir Jazmyn).
The pure-bred colt/gelding aged two-to-three-years was a big class and was won by Daring Dream (Psy Dream x Yokosuka F), exhibited by Angela Fleming. Again, this young gelding had a great day, taking the Reserve Gelding Championship and the Junior Male Championship. Taking second place in the class, and Reserve Junior Male Champion, was Cloudesley Faris (Arastin x Sahir Felicite) exhibited by Clare Percival.
On to the Anglo and part-bred classes which, while small in numbers, was high in quality. Again, late entries helped boost numbers on the day and it was one of these, the nine-year-old gelding Styalways Northern Star (Comberton Cadet x Celebrity of Rendene), that took the win in the senior Anglo/part-bred class. He would go on to take the Senior Anglo and Part-bred Championship for owner Vicki Archer, the Overall In-hand Anglo/Part-bred Championship and the Reserve Supreme In-hand Championship. He would also win the amateur/home-produced in-hand class and take second place in the open Anglo/part-bred 148cms and under ridden class. A good outing for a super horse! Taking second place in the senior Anglo/part-bred class was Karen Sturgeon’s Jurden. He would also take the Reserve Senior Anglo/Part-Bred Championship and the Veteran Championship.
Mettlewood Mayqueen (Mettlewood Jubilee Tribute x Mettlewood Liberty) took the win in the two-to-three-year-old Anglo/part-bred colt, filly or gelding class for owners Michael and Wendy Carr. This lovely filly would also take the Junior Anglo/Part-bred Championship and the Reserve Overall In-hand Anglo/Part-bred Championship. Before these classes, Mettlewood Mayqueen had already taken the Reserve Supreme In-hand title in the outdoor classes, and she would go on to take second place in the amateur/home-produced in-hand class.
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| SG Hilal Shaklana |
The Norfolk & Suffolk Arabian Horse Group ran the full range of Ridden Arabian Star Series qualifiers, and taking the All Stars Mares class was SG Hilal Shaklana. The All Stars Stallions/Gelding class was won by Bay Ffantasy (Bay Dream x Ffinesse) for Tanya Betts, with Beeston Hakim taking the second qualifier. The P30 Potential Ridden Star Class was hotly contested, with Cloudesley Faris taking first place ahead of Daring Dream. In the Ridden Arabian Star Series itself, the mare class was won by PAS Shakirah (Mostafa x Safi Amira) for Elizabeth Allen. Taking second place and the second qualifier was Bay Ffantasy. In the Career After Racing/Endurance – CARE – class, Fattan (Sire D’Albret x Vermeille) exhibited by Jo Hollamby, won with Beeston Hakim in second.
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| PHA Devine Chance |
On to the ridden classes and taking second place in the pre-novice behind Darcy was PHA Devine Destiny (AH Kuda x Devine KT), exhibited by Mesdames Peck & O’Rourke and ridden by Stephanie Turner.
Akbar Khan (Narismma x Shayna Maydel) won the pure-bred novice ridden class for owner/rider Tanya Case. The wonderfully named Heritage Superman (Superman Al Maury x Heritage Silver Delaney) took second place for exhibitor/rider Ginny Rose.
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| Fattan |
If Darcy was one of the in-hand stars of the morning, Fattan was one of the ridden stars of the afternoon! This super 14-year-old stallion won the open pure-bred ridden class with Maria Pook up. Having then won his CARE class, Fattan then took the Pure-bred Ridden Championship followed by the Supreme Ridden Championship. In the open pure-bred ridden class, second place went to PHA Devine Chance (Keyser Soze x Devine KT), exhibited by Dave and Jean Peck and ridden by Stephanie Turner. This lovely grey gelding would go on to take Reserve Pure-bred Ridden Championship honours.
Winning the pure-bred ridden amateur/home-produced class was Bay Ffantasy with Heritage Superman taking second place.
On to the Anglo/part-bred ridden classes and taking the win in the novice section was Chancton Golden Colours (Golden Heights x Desert Colours), an 11-year-old bay stallion exhibited and ridden by Jessica Amess.
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| Doylan Precious Gift |
The super skewbald 10-year-old Doylan Precious Gift (Blewins Gift of Liberty x Copybush Destination) took the win in the open Anglo/part-bred 148cm and under class. Exhibited by Misses S and C Hall and ridden by Stephanie Turner, this lovely mare would go on to take the Ridden Anglo/Part-bred Championship and be named Reserve Supreme Ridden Champion.
Authentic (The Alchemist x Floure De Luce) took the in the open Anglo/part-bred 148cm and under over class. Exhibited by Jackie Burton and ridden by Maria Pook, Authentic went on to take the Reserve Ridden Anglo/Part-bred Championship. Taking second place in the 148cm and over class was Tawnmore Tariq (Tawnmore Snapdragon x Tawnmore Imperial), exhibited and ridden by Miss A Cole.
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| Styalways Northern Star |
After a full day of showing, the first Norfolk & Suffolk Arabian Horse Group Show since 2012 came to a close. The quality across all the classes was very high, even if numbers may have been small in some classes, especially due to a date clash with another show. What was very noticeable, however, was how happy and relaxed all the horses were. It just naturally happened that there were no hard stand ups, no bagging or razzing the horses. Instead, what we saw was horses allowed to show off their terrific movement and stride around the arena confidently. For many, this was their first show with their horse and I am delighted to say that the Norfolk & Suffolk Group Show remains the perfect place to bring out your youngsters and novices, as you can be safe in the knowledge that they will have a great experience.
Speaking afterwards, in-hand judge Rebecca McCormick said: “What a lovely day I had judging at your show, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Although the classes weren’t massive, the quality was very high, the exhibitors were so friendly and the horses so happy.”
A huge thank you to our many sponsors for their incredible support in helping this show to happen, and thanks, too, to all those that entered and brought their horses out for the day. We look forward to running a show again in 2017 and thank all that came for their terrific support.
