GOOD things come in small parcels and that saying certainly proved true for one Co Wicklow father and daughter team whose miniature horse pulled off a gigantic achievement in winning the top honours at the prestigious Miniature Horse of the Year Show in Bedford recently.

George and Suzanne Acres, Wicklow Town, operate a hobby miniature horse stud farm, breeding a few foals each year.

Actively involved in the showing of miniature horses, last year, they set up the Irish Miniature Horse Association.

MHOYS is Britain’s oldest and best known miniature horse show, attracting the top talent to compete for the coveted title of The Supreme Miniature Horse of the Year.

This year, the Acres brought three horses to Bedford including their stallion Volcanic Ash Of Rothley and two fillies, Looking Glass Smooth Operator and their homebred Ballykeppogue Ultimate Confession. Both Volcanic Ash and Smooth Operator were already proven winners on the UK circuit before settling in their new Co Wicklow home.

“Never in our wildest dreams did we think this could happen,’’ said Suzanne Acres of the success of their horses at MHOYS.

Smooth Operator landed two wins and two seconds in classes of over 20 combinations while Ultimate Confession enjoyed a first and second place.

However more was to come when the four-year-old Volcanic Ash Of Rothley first took wins in both classes he was entered in before winning his evening performance class, automatically qualifying him for the supreme championship class.

“But he wasn’t finished, he went on to take two massive section championships which meant he had qualified for the supreme not once, not twice but three times,’’ said his owners.

Over 20 horses came forward for the Supreme In Show title before four judges who picked out their top three.

“Never in my wildest dream did I think my name would be called out for the supreme but it was. Volcanic Ash Of Rothley won the Miniature Horse Of The Year show and to say I was emotional is an understatement. The title has never been won by a competitor from abroad. I feel very very honoured to be able to say I won the MHOYS, it simply doesn’t get any better than that,’’ said a delighted Suzanne Acres.