A decade of Olympia supremes
HALL OF FAME
2009: Farriers Finger Print
2010: Pumphill Buckthorn
2011: Rushfield Bailey
2012: Bronheulog Harvey
2013: Fly The Last Flute
2014: Moelview Prince Consort
2015: Townend Schubert
2016: Uphill James Fox
2017: Cadlanvalley Sandpiper
2018: Banks Timber
2019: Dyffryngwy Sir Picasso
WHILE the majority of the showing world takes advantage of the Christmas period to get some rest, native enthusiasts are knee deep in preparing for one of the season’s most competitive finals. In the mountain and moorland (M&M) supreme ridden championship – officiated by the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) since 2011 and currently supported by LeMieux – held at Olympia, 40 of the best native ponies vie for the 12 best-of-breed accolades on offer.
In 2009, New Forest pony breeders Simon and Shirey Young of the Farriers Stud triumphed with their home-bred stallion Farriers Finger Print (Buster). The distinctive grey by Peveril Peter Piper out of Wainsford Whispering Grace, who was 13 at the time, made history when he became the first breed representative to lift the crown.
“He was so reliable under saddle,” enthuses Shirley. “I’d watched the shows before us and thought they were perhaps a little boring so decided to try a three-loop serpentine.”
The following year Buster and Shirley returned to Olympia as part of the winning quadrille of the year team.
“He’s now the only equine to be an Olympia champion in two different disciplines,” says Shirley. “On the morning of the quadrille final I went to plait him up and he stopped eating his hay. I started panicking that something was wrong and was about to
