The Dartmoor pony Pumphill Fandango (Roy) is ready to compete in his 18th Horse of the Yr Display (HOYS) ultimate subsequent month.
Roy is owned by means of Zara Johnstone-Evans and her 13-year-old son, Toby. This season the gelding is heading to Birmingham in each the junior small breeds and open Dartmoor finals.
Zara purchased Roy simply over 8 years in the past and he has been home-produced in the course of his occupation.
“He’s our pony of a life-time,” says Zara, who rode Roy to win his first-ever HOYS move in 2015 as an open pony.
In 2016, Roy supplied Toby together with his first HOYS price ticket in lead rein ranks. That very same 12 months he additionally certified as a junior pony with Charlotte Thompson and as an open with Zara.
“He used to be additionally mini M&M champion at Royal Windsor that 12 months, too,” says Zara, who runs her personal cleansing industry. “He has taken Toby from a tiny lead rein jockey to competing in open categories towards the adults.”
Pumphill Fandango: HOYS and RIHS winner
In 2017, Roy certified for a similar finals as soon as once more and Zara gained the open small breeds magnificence on the Royal Global with him. The next 12 months, Roy added some other string to his bow and certified for HOYS as a primary ridden with Maisie Chester, the pair profitable the category on the ultimate.
“Maisie used to be having a difficult time together with her personal pony so I mentioned she may journey Roy for the 2018 season, they usually certified for HOYS first day out,” Zara remembers.
Toby has since taken Roy’s reins as a primary ridden, as a junior journey and as an open pony.
“After we purchased Roy, Toby used to be simply 4 years outdated, and now he’s 13,” Zara says. “He’s by no means been proven that a lot — it’s dear trekking up and down the rustic — however he’s all the time gained his tickets simply. Toby may be very animal oriented and he loves his ponies. He loves going to displays, too, and this 12 months he used to be so decided to get his first journey within the opens so he can keep at HOYS for the entire week!
“I’ve just about retired from driving within the ring, as in 2021 I broke my leg and I now in finding it onerous to journey for a whole magnificence. However fortunately Toby has stepped on top of things and he can now faculty and display Roy.
“Roy generally is a spooky little bugger however we all know him inside of out now. He’s so good in many ways however in alternative ways he’s very cheeky. However he’s been really easy to home-produce and we’re so thankful to have him in our lives.”
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Credit score: Peter Nixon Credit score: Peter Nixon Credit score: Long run 
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