IT was all systems go on Saturday for the officials at the new Dales Pony Festival show at Richmond Equestrian Centre.

Having had to cancel the Dales Pony Society (DPS) Annual Spring and Stallion show on May 1 due to the pandemic, organisers found themselves running both this and the annual DPS Festival shows side by side.

There were four rings running throughout the day incorporating 46 classes, which included all spring show and festival classes.

The weather held off for most of the day with just a little drizzly rain but that would not dampen the spirits of the hardy competitors.

The first affiliated classes started the day in ring one where judge Colin Turner (Lancashire) found his NPS Picton winner with Abigail Gotts' super four-year-old Carrock Comet, beautifully ridden by usual jockey Sarah Field – this is where he found his affiliated ridden champion, with Anna Metcalf’s Castle Hill Crystal taking reserve.

In the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) Mountain and Moorland Ridden Pony of the Year qualifier, the standard of ridden ponies forward would not have been out of place if they had been in the lineup for the HOYS final itself. Judges Colin Turner and Amanda Wallace gave the golden ticket to Lynda Johnson’s Tarbarl Hogmanay, ably ridden by Vikki Smith.

Later in the afternoon the affiliated in hand classes started with a really high standard of ponies showing off their best, where Mr Turner found his Youngstock Champion with Mr and Mrs R&F Longstaff’s Lowhouses Lisa. Reserve champion was Theodora Hopkins' Ridgelane Raven. In the Senior Section, the championship went to Claire Crow’s lovely broodmare Castle Hill Rose III, who went on to finish the day as Overall Affiliated In Hand Champion and HOYS In Hand Semi Final Qualifier with Reserve Champion and National Pony Society (NPS) In Hand Silver Medal Rosette going to Tina Morro’s Lowhouses Clover.

Claire Crow said later in the day that it had been an excellent week for her mare and foal as she was Overall Supreme In hand Dales Pony at The Royal Cheshire County show earlier in the week.

The Dressage Prelim and Novice classes judged by Sarah Farrand were won by Lynda Johnson’s Tarbarl Hogmanay (Stable name Charlie) who now qualifies not only for the HOYS but also for the NPS dressage finals in 2022. Lynda was over the moon as she normally rides Charlie herself for the dressage. Second in both classes were Linda Gray’s Rowhurst Rosie, who will also be off to the dressage finals as both first and second place competitors qualify.

Unaffiliated classes started at midday with Judge John Elliott Jnr, who found his champion In Hand pony with Grace Snowden’s Tudor Primrose. Mr Elliott then found his ridden champion with Rebecca Stewart's Westwick Rudy. Reserve champion was Kate Wilson’s Carrock Beauty.

The Spring Show In Hand classes are always hotly contested, with some of the best examples of the breed coming forward. Judge for the day was Jill Graham. Taking the top spot in the In hand Section A Youngstock was Kate Wilson’s Carrock Fashion and with reserve going to J Pennell’s Nipna Polly. The winner of the Senior Mare, David Eccles’ Westwick Polly, also was overall In Hand champion. The reserve spot was taken by the second placed mare from the senior mare class, Everett Hayes and Sarah Noble's Stuffynwood Beauty’s Magic. Both these ponies were ably shown by junior members of the family, with David Eccles' daughter Emma handling Westwick Polly, and Stuffynwood Beauty’s Magic shown by Everett’s young son Jim. In Jim’s own words he thought it was “epic” to be beating his dad, who was also in the ring with another pony.

Roger Muttitt made the long trip north from Hampshire to judge the Geldings and Section mares. He found his Gelding champion in Christine Lambert’s Tudor Raven, with Laura Pennell’s Nipna Napoleon in reserve. Claire Crow then took over to judge the Spring Show Traditional Ridden classes and the champion spot went to Tina Morro’s Lowhouses Clover and Reserve Champion went to Kate Wilson’s Carrock Beauty.

René Bradley, Dales Pony Society Show Secretary, said: "We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our judges, stewards and officials for all their hard work before and during the event. Richmond Equestrian Centre was an excellent venue, and we hope to be back again there next year for the 2022 festival.

"The weather was kind to us and everyone seemed to be smiling, and happy to finally be back out doing what they love, so now it’s on to the Summer Breed Show on August 7 at Streatlam near Barnard Castle, when we hope all pandemic restrictions will finally have been lifted and we can return to normal."