Cheshire Show’s top pony is now a national champion

 

A CHAMPION pony from the 2011 Cheshire County Show has gone on to take top honours at the most famous horse show in the UK.

 

Crystal Vision – ridden by 11-year-old Harriett Dennison – won the Hunter Pony Championship and was also named Supreme Pony of the Year at the Horse of the Year Show.

 

"Having qualified for the Horse of the Year Show at Cheshire we came to the competition wanting to do well but we never expected to win the top prize,” said Shirley Dennison, Crystal Vision’s owner and Harriett’s mum. "Harriet has been riding since she was three-years-old and has won a lot of different competitions, but this is by far her most prestigious achievement.”

 

Harriett and the eight-year-old chestnut-coloured pony gave a flawless performance to take the top prize – worth £1,000 – in front of the judges and a huge crowd at Birmingham’s NEC.

 

Harriett, from Carnforth in Lancashire, qualified for the Horse of the Year Show after she and Crystal Vision won the Best Hunter Pony in the 122 class at Cheshire. They also went on to take the Champion Hunter Pony trophy at the event held on the Tabley Showground near Knutsford in June.

 

"Harriett won the Champion Hunter Pony for the first time at the Cheshire Show this year, but she and I have been coming to compete at the show for 10 years,” said Shirley. "We class Cheshire as our local county show and we really enjoy competing there as most of our family is able to come along and give their support.”

 

Nigel Evans, the Executive Director of the Cheshire County Show, said he was delighted that a winner from our event had gone on to take such a prestigious award.

 

"I would like to congratulate Harriett and her family for her fantastic success at the Horse of the Year Show,” said Nigel.

 

"Crystal Vision’s success really highlights the quality of the competition we have at Cheshire. We have one of the largest light horse sections of any county show in the UK, attracting some of the very best talent from all over the country.”