Fenland Quarter Horse Shows

Fenland’s Fabulous Fun Show.

The second Fenland Circuit show for 2009 with over 68 horses competing proved to be another fun filled weekend.  Great Atmosphere, Great Facilities and Great Competitors competing for some extraordinarily nice circuit awards made the weekend a Great Success!  The Western Boots and Saddles Company sponsored “Throne Room” a portaloo over in the stabling area was particularly well received.

With an easy going and relaxed atmosphere under Show Manager Iain McIntyre, with Show Secretary Rachel Howsam and her assistant Nicki,helping competitors stay calm and enjoy their showing experience the show was incredibly well organised with  Helen Kerr, Sarah Culverhouse, Mandy McIntyre, Megan Roughley and Mick Carder all working incredibly hard over the weekend in their various official roles.

Show One Jurgen Von Bistram from Germany proved an excellent choice standing in for the injured Pete Bowling who unfortunately was unable to make the show.  Jurgen’s eye for detail is well known, but also he couples this with a friendly face and in particular his format for judging the Horsemanship and Equitation classes helpscompetitors relax and was much appreciated.

Show Two Judge, Bob Mayhew is always a popular choice withcompetitors, wearing his jaunty Union Jack tie, he showed again why he is sucha well respected judge.

BR Judge Mark How did a great job with the British ReiningClasses with an increased entry from our last show.

At this show the prestigious Fenland Circuit awards were tobe awarded, and there was extremely fierce competition for these awards,especially in the Novice Amateur Division. Megan Roughley who must have almost genius level mathematical abilitywas able to calculate the awards on the spot so all awards were presented atthe end of the classes.

The first awards to be presented were the Nov Am Trail Award sponsored bythe Western Boots and Saddles company, with vouchers to third place.  The 2009 Champion was Cheryl Hewson ridingAbsolutely Addicting, with Karen Shaw on Glad Shesa Dunit taking second placeand Mandy Miles of Doc Duz It Easy scooting up the leader board after a win ina class of 11 under Bob Mayhew.

The Western Department Senior Trail Award of a £100 voucher and a pair ofrather nice western stirrups went to Lucy Adams with This Chicks Smokin withEvelyn Dash and Arabis King Bee and Andy Glazebrook on Glamour Lee Bars hot on her heels over and through  the obstacles.

The Zan Francisco Rey Perpetual BR Rookie Reining Trophy sponsored by SueForrest turned out to have a bit of a nail biting finish, with Annalisa Wallacecompeting in what we think is her first BR Rookie Class to  score a 65 and beat five other competitorsto the silverware.

After the excitement of the British Reining classes on the Saturday,competitors turned their attention to the 40th birthday celebrationsof a Snap Happy Baby who had been featured in the pattern book.   Official Fenland Photographer, Nathan “babyface” Haynes, who spent the whole weekend wearing a badge saying “I am 40” –celebrated this milestone in a mans life by attending his birthday party –organised by his lovely wife Tracy, who had a great show winning four Grand Championships with her two year old filly Jays Centrefold!   A great evening was had by all, as all gathered, there was an incredible sunset with the wind turbines Horse Creek Farm is known for, turning a rather fetching pink, with a rainbow ending in the midst of them – as Nathan said… “god obviously knew it was my birthday and put on a light show”, there followed a decidedly strange game of Dam Busters which seemed to involve dropping coins in a cup whilst walking like a duck, David Deptford seemed to be the expert on this game, although it was said that Lucy Adams is also an aficionado but declined to demonstrate on this occasion,followed by  five a-side football organised by Mark and Theresa from Rhinestone Clothing where it was felt by the spectators that some of the players had a very loose grip on the rules, and perhaps were confusing it with rugby. At one point, a set of inflatable goal posts was seen heading up the arena with a pair of legs funny frantically underneath.  AQHA UK Chairman, David Teideman seemed to be in the thick of it, and whenever he was around the goal posts, they seemed to shrink magically and move…  At the end of the Five A-Side there were a lot of happy albeit rather grubby faces,and aching sides (from the laughter) from the more sedate (and rather more sensible possibly) competitors who had stayed out of the competitive fray and tucked in to a wonderful buffet.

Sunday morning dawned bright and early (as it does!)  and competitors were back focussing on theirclasses and those circuit awards.  TheLaddie Jay Perpetual Open Halter Trophy and the Snippnbelles Star AmateurHalter Trophy sponsored by Dorothy Coleman going to Jane Wallace’s Mai Guy Zip.

The Rhinestone Clothing Nov Am Showmanship Circuit Award turned out to be atie on all levels, with Cheryl Hewson and Toni Hardesty tying on first place,and Theresa McCaffrey and Samantha Kinnair tying for third.  Theresa as the sponsor of the class kindlystepped down, and then after all kinds of computations, it was decided to tossa coin to decide the winner with Toni Hardesty taking the Winners Sash and Voucher,and Cheryl taking the second place Voucher with Sam Kinnair winning the thirdplace prize.

The Equisport Senior Reining Silver Belt Buckle saw David Deptford riding Mike Adams' Miss Olivia’s Remedy and Sarah Deptford riding Chex Out This Action tie for first place. The overnight leader, Sam Magdelano on Sue Forrest's Shinnic was ready to go into the arena when Shinnic stood on a stone and was briefly a little sore.  5 minutes later Shinnic was sound, but poor Sam had missed his run, and the Deptfords had gone past him in the standings.  On a coin toss, Sarah became the proud wearer of the gorgeous buckle.

The Heatherdene Nov Am Western Pleasure class ended up very close, with Karen Shaw, who had an incredibly show with the consistent Glad Shesa Dunit winning the Montana Silversmiths Belt Buckle.  

Karen and this lovely buckskin mare then went on to win the Payne Performance Horses Amateur Western Pleasure Buckle.

The Rodeo Jo Nov Am Horsemanship Award saw some competitive banter between Karen and Cheryl Hewson as they went into the class, although Karen won the class, Cheryl’s second place earned her the Montana Buckle.

The Sheila Fitzpatrick Nov Am Hunter Under Saddle Circuit Award went to the consistent LJ Classic Luke and Lindsay Doel, who won both their HuS classes this weekend, probably best not to mention Lindsay’s megamix Equitation pattern, where she seemed to just make it up as she went along, even the Judge,Jurgen Von Bistram remarked it was a good pattern – shame it was just not theone he’d set!

Karen Shaw was back on the winners rostrum for the Nov Am Hunt Seat Equitation Circuit Award sponsored to the top three places by Amanda Griffiths,  Henrietta Campbell at her last ever show with Dewstow Major Tom held on and didn’t cry on her final ever class after having had a great show, and impressing a lot of the other competitors and spectators with her “totally hands free” warm up regime.   Third place went to Toni Hardesty with Muy Poco Dene, the points earned in this class winning this combination the Westernscene sponsored Montana Belt Buckle for the High Point Novice Amateur combination over the two shows.   This was a really close fought but amiable competition between Toni, Karen Shaw, Cheryl Hewson and Henrietta Campbell.

The Sean Dillon offspring perpetual trophy was awarded to Fiona Leask’s ZeroTurbo Charge, with Rhian Pearson’s Cashtastic in second place.

A special award was given at this show by HeatherdeneQuarter Horses to a remarkable young lady, Hetty West, riding in the Risk Ltd sponsored smallfry and unaffiliated classes on Snippers Della Reed.  Hetty  had a great show impressing Jackie and David Teideman so much they presented her with a special youth award.  Hetty who is really rather petite, had  not only impressed the AQHA UK Chairman, but had also impressed all the staff at Sovereign Quarter Horses by bathing and banding Della Reed with the aid of a bucket to stand on. 

The Fenland Shows have proved to be a popular addition tothe Quarter Horse Showing Year, with discounted day entry fees, special cash prizes for 6th or 9th placed horses in certain classes –there were lots of happy smiling faces from recipients, and it was noticed after the first class where this happened, everyone was more interested in who won the cash prizes rather than who won! 

Roll on the 2010 Fenland Show circuits, with the show team already making plans, next year will no doubt prove to be even more successful.

78 registered horses with their owners spent a relaxed and thoroughly enjoyable weekend at Horse Creek Farm in March for the inaugural Fenland Quarter Horse Show on 5th-7th June.

The staff at Horse Creek Farm had been busy prior to theshow with a four day turnaround after the extremely successful and well supported Westernscene Camp and SQH/TX Show, needless to say the venue looked great and all was ready for the Show Team of Show Manager Iain McIntyre, the unflappable Show Secretary, Steph Hurst with her Assistant Rachel Howsam?sarrival on Thursday afternoon.

The Show organisers had taken into careful consideration comments made by competitors at the end of 2008 and had invited two AmericanJudges over to the UK to oversee proceedings along with Ring Steward Mick Carder, Collecting Ring Steward Helen Payne and the dulcet tones of Megan Roughley as announcer.

Judges Mike and Charlene Carter last made the trip tothe UK together 14 years ago, although Charlene has Judged here more recently. Both were impressed with how the standards of both horses and riding had improved. They were also very complimentary about the surface at Horse Creek Farm, saying it was probably the best they'd ever seen anywhere in the world.

Good entries saw fierce competition, with a number of generously sponsored circuit awards for competitors to work towards winning. Adrian Brazier's elegant mare Whatta Fancy Blaze had a great show taking the Open Grand Champion Mare under both Judges, as well as winning Junior Trail, Junior HuS and Junior Western Pleasure under Mike Carter. Fancy must surely be on her way to winning earning her AQHA Champion Award if not this year, then perhaps next! JackieTeideman and Jays Dene took the Amateur Grand Champion Mare in Show One, and Mike Adams with Miss Olivias Remedy gaining Amateur Grand Champion Mare in Show Two under Charlene Carter. Photographer Nathan Haynes was on hand to catch on film wife Tracy's first Amateur Reserve Grand Champion Award with the two year old mare, JaysCentrefold.

Both the Amateur and Open Gelding Grand Champion Awards under both Judges went to Jane Wallace's Mai Guy Zip who is just in the lead in both the Open and Amateur Halter Circuit Award High Point.

The Novice Amateurs were competing for a Westernscene sponsored Montana Belt Buckle in Show 1, with Cheryl Hewson and Absolutely Addicting winning the buckle from Henrietta Campbell and Best Chex Yet. Show Two saw another Montana Buckle up for grabs for the Nov Am HighPoint, and after the last class, Cheryl and Karen Shaw with Glad Shesa Dunit tied, with Karen winning the buckle on the tie break.

The Fenland team worked hard to make the show an enjoyable and relaxed event, with a Strawberries and Champagne evening on the Saturday towhich all competitors were invited. Judging by the feedback from the competitors on the show, which afterall is the benchmark by all shows should be measured, they achieved their aim.

The next show is 31st July - 2nd August, make a note in your diaries, and join the team for some more Fenland Frolics!!

Go to the results page for full results