THE champion and reserve from 11 championships and one supreme championship were eligible to go forward to Sunday night’s ridden pony supreme championship at the Northern Ireland Festival in Cavan from which Anthea Steele emerged victorious on the Shetland stallion Wikners Gryffindor.

‘Gryff’, who has enjoyed a lot of success in the show ring – both in Ireland and Britain – is owned by Tony Bell of Beltoy Ponies, who sent the black 12-year-old to Rathfriland-based Steele a couple of months ago to produce for the Festival. Bell has since taken the supreme champion home for stud duties.

Wikners Gryffindor is by Kaunisrannan Harry Potter out of Kaunisrannan Ronja (by Bonance van Dorpzicht). The reserve supreme was the show hunter pony champion, and intermediate class winner, Darcy de Chanteloube, the 12-year-old French-bred son of Rotspons Prince MFS being ridden for Co Wexford’s Melissa O’Connor Murphy by her daughter Jessica.

“I haven’t really discussed matters with Tony, so I’ve no idea if Gryff will be picking up his showing career this year or not,” said Steele, whose previous supreme championship success at the Festival came when she led a mini lead rein winner. “He had a busy showing season in England last year, so had the winter off to wind down.”

There was little chance of Steele relaxing over the three days of the Festival, as she had entered nine other ponies over numerous classes and also had to manage a team of six young riders. She has six ponies entered at Balmoral.