Lifting the Queens Cup for the overall light horse champion at this year’s Royal Highland Show was the junior mountain and moorland champion Wynbrook Playfair.
Owned by Sarah Parker and ridden by Aliya Khan, the seven-year-old Welsh section C collected a coveted Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) junior ticket before being judge Julia Furness’s choice for the supreme accolade.
Reserve was the mini mountain and moorland champion, the 10-year-old grey Shetland gelding Briars Snowman, winner of the HOYS lead rein qualifier, shown by Lucy Richardson.
The classy brood-mare Dhanak Prudence stood overall Welsh section C champion for Huntly exhibitor Gavin Ingram.
The 13-year-old sired by Dhanak RS and bred out of Dhanak Petruska came to the Ingliston showground fresh from success at the Scottish Welsh Pony and Cob Association bronze medal show the previous week where she went through the cards, winning the bronze medal, standing overall breed champion and overall adult reserve champion. She was shown with an April-born filly foal at foot, named Cromalegy Prankster by Moorcroft The Master.
In the same section fellow Aberdeen exhibitors Linda Cheyne and Dennis Andrew won the two and three-year-old with their home-bred two-year-old colt Auchmaliddie Sir Richard.
Caithness rider James Munro claimed the small hunter class and the HOYS qualifying ticket with Freda Stuart’s Ebony King, while two days later Freda’s niece Lucy Stewart won the intermediates hunters.
The seven-year-old out of a Connemara mare won this class years ago. This year they have qualified for the Royal International Horse Show as a small hunter and intermediate hunter.
Fellow Caithness exhibitor Ashley Anderson won the sport horses reserve championship with Ashlea Perfect Spirit.
In the Welsh section B ponies Lynneann Cameron won the two and three-year-olds with her home-bred filly Goldenwood Georgie Girl and then stood second in the yearling colt with Ystradcothi Regal Prince.
The Welsh section D cobs saw a win in the stallion class for Sonja Mindt from Wick with Llangennydd Black Diamond.
Laurencekirk exhibitor Tina Moro’s Lowhouses Clova topped the mountain and moorland in-hand Fells, Dales and New Forest two and three-year-old class ahead of Essiecroft Dales Ponies two-year-old filly Essiecroft Mary Rose. Cupar exhibitor Winsome Aird’s six-year-old Connemara stallion Castle Neptune topped the stallion class.
The Brooks equestrian show team from New Pitsligo, won the ridden part-bred Arab class with Higheys Luck be A Lady. Joyce Robertson from Aberdeen claimed the pure-bred mare class with Audella Rose.
Isla Miller claimed the large riding horse class and reserve championship with Kilmastulla Lucy Q, a seven-year-old Irish sports horse.
Elsewhere, Joyce Robertson from Aberdeen claimed the pure-bred in-hand Arab mare class and reserve champion with Audella Rose.
Thurso exhibitor Will Calder’s Coco Bongo led the 133cms HOYS working hunter, the nursery stakes and reserve championship.
Emily Waterson from Fife rode ABC Liberty Belle to win the intermediate, while Perthshire’s Amelia England topped the 143cm class with Rosshill Paddy.