HAT-TRICKS are very difficult to achieve in the showing world so many congratulations to Co Down’s Myia Latto who, for the third year in succession, won the Oblique Displays show pony lead rein class in Ring 1 last Saturday evening on Chaseford Camilia. “This is Myia’s last year on the lead so for her to win again at Dublin was just wonderful,” said Andrea McKibbin Latto, mother of the eight-year-old rider and owner of Chaseford Camilia, a similarly-aged part-bred Welsh pony mare by Hollybush Bolero.

“We decided at the start of the year that we wouldn’t do too much with the pony this season although Myia shares the ride on her with her sister Ella (10). Myia won the show pony lead rein class on the mare at Balmoral, Ella won the show pony first ridden class on her at Antrim and then Myia won the show pony first ridden class on her at Saintfield where they finished reserve in the show pony championship.”

Fresh

“Ponies can go sour if you do too much with them and we wanted to arrive at Dublin with a fresh pony which we did,” continued the owner. “When it came to the individual show, most of the combinations followed the usual format but we did our own thing and everything went perfectly. After the class, friends were trying to persuade us to go to Grantham (for the British Show Pony Society summer championships which start on Tuesday) but we are leaning more towards Stoneleigh at the end of the month (August 30th and 31st) for the HOYS qualifiers.

“Ella, who is in her last year in first riddens, didn’t get to ride at Dublin as I was late making an entry for her class which has show ponies, show hunters and M&Ms competing against one another so it filled up quickly. Perhaps Dublin would consider splitting them in future as the show ponies have become more popular in recent years.

“We will end our season at the IPS Northern Area autumn show after which the ponies will go out for their winter break and then Myia can look forward to two years in first riddens. We bought the pony in Wales as an unbroken four-year-old from her breeder (Martin Davies) so she owes us nothing. Down the road, we may breed from her but once Myia outgrows her, we will lease her to friends to bring on another young rider.”

On Saturday, Cooper Hogan Eyre, finished second riding Bianca Lennon’s seven-year-old home-bred mare Foulksrathview Miss Flash Daisy (by Derwent Rainbow Bandit) while judge Andrew Bowie, who had been on duty from early in the day, placed Brylei Gallagher third on board Chloe Connon and Cherie McHugh’s similarly-aged British-bred gelding Colandra Meant To Be.