Alex and Kate Williams
FOR a breeder, there's nothing more special than a victory, or two, at your breed's most regarded fixture with a home-bred pony. Unless, perhaps, said home-breds are ridden by your children.
At the 2022 Royal Welsh, Ringside Stud founders Gareth and Christine Williams watched their two daughters, Alex, 32, and Kate, 29, win two ridden Welsh cob classes with two home-produced ponies donning the Ringside prefix. It was the last mark on their bucket list to be ticked off.
“We always said, from day dot, that we both wanted to win the ridden Welsh cobs in the same year at the Royal Welsh,” says Kate, who was on board winning gelding Ringside Zorba, while Alex was on winning mare and eventual champion, Ringside Top Dollar (Topsie).
The unique format of the ridden classes at the Royal Welsh means each exhibit is put through their paces by a ride judge, and this year's official, Richard Telford, had a hard task before him, with 120 entries presented.
“Topsie was initially pulled in sixth after the go-round, and
