'Never underestimate a Forester'

The New Forest pony’s popularity is on the rise and not just in the show ring, as Alex Robinson discovers

LAST October, a roan New L Forest stallion shone the brightest in the mountain and moorland (M&M) supreme championship at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), pipping 21 other native ponies to the title.

The pony in question was Andrew Vine's home-bred Vynnes Magical Edition (Mr Ed), who was making his first appearance at the final under the expert guidance of breed enthusiast Pip Smith.

"Back in the day, the New Forest used to play second fiddle to the Connemara, but not anymore," confirms Pip, who first took a Forester, Nick Williams' Peronne Palaver, to HOYS in 2006. "It's taken a while, but the quality of our breed representatives is so much better and we're now able to produce our ponies for a job, thanks to breeding improvements.

"There are more New Forest ponies than ever before doing affiliated eventing and dressage at the higher levels. They're a versatile, self-preserving and sensible breed, plus they're hardy and they live on fresh air. You can do everything you'd want to do with a horse, but for much less fuss!"

Mr Ed is undoubtedly an example of breeders' hard work and perseverance, with the stallion, who is by Applewitch Pure Magic out of Brookshill Blackberry, combining quality conformation, athleticism, movement and glamour in equal measures.

The New Forest has featured in its own stand-alone class at HOYS for a decade and the breed holds strong form at the major finals. In 2014 Alex Hawkins' Marleydenes Shiraz was open champion at HOYS, and Simon and Shirley Young's Farriers Finger Print took the M&M supreme accolade at Olympia in 2009.

Suzanne Kempe of the Rodlease and Bullhill prefixes is the chairman of the New Forest Pony Breeding and Cattle Society. She says that recognition in recent times is a welcome result after a period of hard work and consistency.