THE Connemara Pony Castle Kestrel won the M&M supreme championship at the London International Horse Show on Monday under British show producer Lucy Glover.

The seven-year-old stallion by Glencarrig Knight out of Castle Melody (I Love You Melody), who was bred in Clifden by Henry O’Toole, topped the line-up of 38 ponies in the class, winning by nine marks when topping both the in-hand and ridden judges’ scoresheet.

“We are do delighted for his owner Amanda Sharman and Lucy. We know the amount of work that goes into getting a pony to that level and it is a huge achievement. When we sell our ponies, it is lovely to think that they go to a home like Amanda’s and go on to achieve so much,” commented O’Toole.

Castle Kestrel was sold by the breeder to Cian Geoghegan of Blakehill Stud in Mayo as a foal, and later sold by PJ Watson to Amanda Sharman in the UK. He has been produced by Glover since he was a three-year-old. This was the stallion’s first time to qualify for the London International Horse Show, and Amanda’s first visit to the show as an owner.

It was also a first win for Glover, who told Horse & Hound: “This is one I’ve always wanted to win, though it’s so hard to qualify so to just get here is amazing. I just decided to go for it in the end, his trot is beautiful so I tried to show that off as much as I could. We’ve taken our time with him; this is only his second open season.”

O’Toole previously bred a winner of the prestigious title back in 2004 when Castle Comet (Abbeyleix Owen – Castle Dame) was victorious under Vanessa Compton. The most recent winner is from the same family line as Comet whose full-sister, Castle Urchin, is the grandam of Kestrel.

(See more from London International Show on pages 96-97).