Making Showing History - Day One Results

Showing competitors were welcomed to Scone Palace International Horse Trials (21-24 August) to contend the inaugural Scone Palace Native Breed and Hunter Shows on the first day of the event.

Competitive in-hand Highland pony classes kicked off proceedings in the Murray Arena, with judge John Reid finding an overall champion in Chris Grant’s home-bred three-year-old filly Dewley Essence. The daughter of Dewley Esmerelda is a third generation home-bred and is by Chris’ multi-Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) finalist and dual Royal Highland Show champion Dunedin Iolare.

Essence stood youngstock champion at Drymen Show and was supreme of show at West Fife earlier this term.

“She lives on a conservation grazing site a mile from home and she’s generally a very easy mare,” said Chris. “Coming to Scone has been lovely and I can tell it’s going to be a special event. It’s amazing to have made history today.”

The ridden Highland pony championship, judged by Susan Wardrop (conformation) and Ruth Darling (ride), fell to the open winner, Katie Common’s gelding Dunedin Mascot, who is maintaining stellar season form. The Dunedin Marksman son, who has been runner-up at HOYS multiple times, was a dual champion at the Royal Highland Show earlier this year.

The HOYS ridden Highland ticket was awarded by judges Virginia Osborne-Antolovi (ride) and Gillian Cowell (conformation) to Aliya Khan and Isabell Bergius’ dun stallion Galdur Of Over Langshaw, who adds this to a coveted HOYS in-hand supreme pass achieved at the National Pony Society summer championships earlier this month.

The ridden HOYS heavy horse qualifier, assessed by Morag Snow (ride) and Kevin Wilson (conformation), was led by Kati Rhodes aboard Paula Roskell’s nine-year-old Shire stallion Bosley Minns George. The impressive bay, who stands at 18.1hh, is a son of Acle Charmer and Bosley Minns Prima. Today marked George’s first HOYS qualifier win after knocking on the NEC door for some time. The Countess of Mansfield presented the pair with their rosette during the prize-giving.

“This has made my year,” enthused Paula, who has owned George for five years. “I’m the happiest owner on the planet right now. It’s my wildest dream to qualify him for HOYS and we are so looking forward to the experience. Kati has dedicated a lot of time and effort into his schooling, turning him into the push-button ride that he is today.”

From 19 entries, Amanda Stewart (conformation) and Nicola Pargeter (ride) found a Scone Palace ridden Clydesdale final winner in Yvonne Pringle riding her own Mardoug’s Highland Park, an eight-year-old gelding by Tillside Topsman out of Pacemuir Marion Morrison.

Teammates did battle in the ridden hunter championship, with classy middleweight contender Edenagor Ned, ridden by James Munro, coming out on top, ahead of novice victor Jamie’s Future, steered by Russell Skelton. Judges Clare Poole (ride) and Rebecca Court (conformation) had mammoth hunter classes to assess.

Both championship winning horses reside on James and Russell’s yard in Inverness. Ned, a six-year-old owned by Chloe Macdonald, was bought from Goresbridge Sales two years ago. He won the novice class at the last Blair Castle Horse Trials in 2024. He was supreme hunter champion at the Royal Highland Show in June, booking his HOYS ticket, and he was also a Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) finalist.

“He’s such an easy horse and he’s a lovely sit on,” said James. “I’ve won at Blair a few times, so it’s been nice to come and win at the very first Scone.”

Jamie’s Future, a five-year-old grey gelding, was bought as a two-year-old. He is another with a Royal Highland championship to his name, having won in-hand as a three-year-old. He’s also bound for HOYS in October.

“He went eventing last year as he wasn’t quite strong enough for the show ring, and he was successful at both 90cm and 1m,” Russell said. “He also competed as an eventer at the last Blair.”

When asked if the pair are competitive, Russell said: “Of course. I always try to beat him but I never manage it. It’s been a great day here at Scone Palace; well organised and it’s been lovely to ride in such a beautiful setting and be judged by very good judges.”

Rebecca Court and Clare Poole stayed in the judging seat to assess two Retraining of Racehorse classes. Leading the Tattersalls RoR amateur ridden show horses was Ronnie Bartlett’s Stattler, ridden by Beth Clark. The Stowaway 10-year-old Cheltenham winner was formerly in training with Willie Mullins and his last run was in the 2024 Grand National. The open class was secured by Hazel McArthur and her own 10-year-old Wardaddy.

Amy Ogilvie celebrated a double in the working hunter ring, taking home two class titles and the overall championship before judges David Froggatt and Marion Maclennan. Her champion for the day was her novice victor, her mother Lisa Ogilvie’s Ashton Noah. By I’m Special De Muze and bred by the Ashton Stud, the seven-year-old was making his working hunter debut. 

“I’ve only had him for four months; we hope he’ll do a few more workers before eventually going eventing,” said West Lothian-based Amy, who also captured the top spot in the Dodson & Horrell/BHS Scotland Riding Club final riding her own Ashton Orbit.

Amy added: “It’s been so exciting to be here with my whole team. We all put so much into it, and this has been a great reward.”

A 20-year-old mare came to the fore of the CHAPS UK coloured horse championship. Judge Russell Skelton selected home-producer Rebecca Copland’s Dolly XII as his champion. The traditional mare is a successful coloured and veteran contender, and she has won in both divisions at Blair during her career.

Rebecca bought Dolly 11 years ago, as she explained: “She’s got quite a showing record, though she’d done nothing when I bought her in 2013. She’s the best pony.”

Dolly is kept on livery and Rebecca fits full-time work and competitive running in between showing.

Rebecca added: “What this mare has achieved is so special, and to add this title to her record is so special.”

Concluding the judging on day one of Scone Palace showing was the open cob class. Rebecca Court (conformation) and Will Murray (ride) pulled Helen Duncan’s hogged contender Lissyegan Ultra and Scottish producer Kirsty Aird into the top spot.

Scone Palace International Horse Trials is the most exciting addition to the national equestrian calendar in years, and takes place in the beautiful grounds below Scone Palace in Perthshire, with all the advantages of the excellent permanent facilities of the adjacent Perth Racecourse. As well as international eventing classes and the Scottish Grassroots Championships, there are a multitude of showing classes, arena eventing, Pony Club Games and British Showjumping competitions, including the The Malcolm Group Scone Palace Grand Prix.

There is superb shopping with a carefully curated selection of local and national retailers, excellent food and drink options and hospitality packages, and great evening entertainment.

Scone Palace is on the northern outskirts of Perth, and has excellent accessibility from the newly opened Cross Tay Link Road over the River Tay from the A9 and the A93 and A94.

For more information, including a full timetable, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.sconehorsetrials.com.

Action from all three phases of the international eventing classes can be watched live on ClipMyHorse.TV.

Photography (c) 1st Class Images.