ANTHEA Steele has been producing top class show ponies from her base in Co Down for the past six years.

Born into a horsey family living in Castlewellan, she has been riding all her life. Having tried her hand at an alternative profession, she was drawn back to her first love and herself and her partner, Jordan Bell, decided to move to his family home in Rathfriland and build their own base, a 22 stable barn and an arena.

“I began by just breaking and schooling horses and ponies and then progressed onto showing them for people,” Anthea told The Irish Field. “I did compete myself when I was younger, some show jumping and showing. We did Dublin and, back then it was Ponies UK in England, we did all the county shows as well.

“One pony that my Mom, Angela, produced the whole way through and did quite well with was Mountcaulfield Red Granite. I rode him to the runner-up spot at the RDS in the 133cms show hunters.

“We mostly have ponies in the yard now and they are owned by other people who give them to me to produce. I have 14 in work and competing, and the rest would be just starting out lunging and long reining.

“I have four riders that compete the ponies for me: Jocelyn Hutchinson (11), Taylor Lee Doyle (9) and siblings Zach (7) and Charlotte Cassidy (5). They have all been unbelievably successful this year, each one has qualified for the Royal International Horse Show this year.

“They started off gaining three RIHS qualifiers at the Irish Pony Society Show in Necarne back in April with Bunbury Sorbet winning lead rein show pony with Charlotte Cassidy on board. Sorbet also won the show pony first ridden with Taylor Lee Doyle. Also picking up his ticket that day was Tyrdulais George Bond in the show hunter lead rein, ridden by Charlotte.”

Anthea Steele leading Charlotte Cassidy and Ronelle Ebony \ Laurence Dunne Jumpinaction.net

Qualifications galore

“Moving forward a couple of weeks we set off to the Northern Ireland Festival with eight ponies entered. We enjoyed a weekend of great results: Jocelyn Hutchinson rode Brookllan Lady Isabella to win the part bred championship for the second year running. They also won the 128cm show pony ridden and stood reserve champion.

“I jumped Pillheath Arlo to win the novice M&M working hunter pony under 138cm class and stood reserve champion. Glenlough Persusion was ridden by Jocelyn to a win in the young riders and stand reserve champion.

“Charlotte and Ronelle Ebony took the lead rein M&M class and stood reserve champion to Tyrdulais George Bond and Taylor Lee Doyle who won the M&M first ridden. Ebony and Charlotte then went on to stand reserve mini champion that evening.

“Taylor Lee started Sunday morning riding Bunbury Sorbet in the open show pony first ridden class to win and stand reserve champion. They then went one better and took the overall Mini Supreme title later that evening.”

Next it was on to Balmoral which brought more success. “Balmoral came around quickly for the team and Brookllan Lady Isabella, owned by John McCormick and ridden by Jocelyn, retained their title for the third year running when winning the show pony class and standing show pony champion.

“Ronelle Ebony and Charlotte were competing in the lead rein M&M class; they pulled off a perfect show to win the class and stand reserve lead rein champion. Unfortunately we couldn’t stay for the Supreme as they had a boat to catch as we set off for the British Show Pony Society midterm show.

“Brookllan Lady Isabella and Jocelyn picked up their RIHS ticket in the show pony class and Tyrdulais George Bond also picked up another ticket, this time in the open A&B ridden class with my sister Heather Steele on board.

“Charlotte and Ronelle Ebony were third in the RIHS lead rein M&M class, while Glenlough Persuasion also stood third in the open s/d/e class with Heather on board.

“We had another great day at the Irish Pony Society Show in Knockaview Equestrian Centre last Saturday. Zach Cassidy rode Bunbury Sorbet to win the lead rein show pony, Taylor Lee and Sorbet won the show pony first ridden and took the mini championship.

“Zach also picked up the ride on Beltoy Pathère to win the M&M lead rein class and take the championship. Taylor Lee rode Bunbury Sorbet to win the 122cms Show Hunter Pony and, on what was Sorbet’s working hunter debut, she picked up a first in the mini working hunter class and went on to stand mini working hunter pony champion.

“We are now building up towards some Horse of the Year Show qualifiers at the Royal Highland Show. Then we head to the Royal International Horse Show and then onto Dublin in August,” the busy producer explained.

Jocelyn Hutchinson at the Northern Ireland Festival \ jumpinaction.net

Training

Training is a hugely important part of Anthea’s business, especially when young children and young ponies are involved. “To be honest all the ponies would be trained by voice commands so that when they go into the ring they are not reliant on being held together with a tiny rider onboard.

“First ridden is really the most difficult class because you are putting a novice rider on novice ponies a lot of the time, so when you put those two things together your pony needs to have a nice nature to start with.

“I don’t just school at home either. Every single one of my ponies will go around a working hunter track and a two-phase track, even the lead rein ponies do that. It gets them out and thinking and it keeps them sweet as well. We would do a lot of hacking and going to the park. It makes an all-round pony to be honest.

“Then when they go into a ring full of ponies, they are not phased by anything because they have already seen so much more.

“My riders are great. They come to me three or four times a week and each one of them knows their own pony and they get along so well. They listen to me and that makes it so easy; when the pony has such a sweet nature, and the riders are so switched on to do their job.

“Everyone involved is totally hands on because everything has to be bang on. I’m so particular, plaits are a big thing for me. I can’t plait a pony with bands; everything has to be sewn in. I use a wax thread which you can buy from any saddlery. My mother learned to do it when I was competing and she showed me, that’s how I learned.

“In addition to the ponies, we also have seven horses in work. Most of them are youngsters just at the start of their competitive career and my sister Heather does them. She also has her own horse, CSF Chanel, and she is just moving on to the bigger classes now. So there’s a lot to look forward to this year,” concluded Anthea.