DARTMOOR pony breeders from the Okehampton area were in tremendous form at the 74th Championship Breed Show held on The Lady Willingdon Showground, Whiddon Down.

The shows chairman Keith Locke and his wife Elaine from Jacobstowe took reserve champion in the Supplementary Registered Pony showing the two year old colt Merribridge Magnum by Okeleat Nevada bred by Wendy Watson from Postbridge. Keith and Elaine won the two/three gelding with the three year old homebred Okeleat Sirocco by Okeleat Navigator, which took the Dalby Cup for best Devon bred youngster and reserve overall young stock champion. They also won the mare with certificate with the seven year-old Okeleat Princess by Jurstonparke Joker. Princess's full brother Navigator owned by David Hodge and Julian Walters from Okehampton will be ridden by Alice Barr at the 65th Horse of The Year in October and Olympia in December.

David and Julian won the yearling colt and tricolour and overall male championship with Shilstone Rocks Rainman 11 by Shilstone Rocks North Countryman. They were runner-up in the barren mare with five year old Hisley Precious Gift.

Diane and John Jordan from Gidleigh took the open stallion and reserve overall male champion with the 12 year-old Moortown Countryman by Hisley Craftsman out of Moortown Baywind; Countryman was champion and reserve supreme at Chagford three days later and also was champion and reserve in the Cuddy Horse of The Year qualifier. The Moortown Stud were second in the novice brood mare with the 11 year-old Moortown Lucky Charm by Craftsman out of April Chymes.

Emma Edwards-Brady from Hatherleigh led the four year-old Moortown Divine by Hisley Cravat out of Moortown Serenade and ridden by her three year-old son Harry, who was second in the lead rein and reserve mini champion. Divine has qualified for the Royal Norfolk Show and Harry will make his debut at the 65th Horse of the Year Show.

Rachael Watson from Postbridge won the open working hunter pony and reserve champion riding 13 year-old Okeleat Jester by Jurstonparke Joker out of Okeleat Belle Vue. Wendy had a fifth in the geldings with five year-old Merribridge Just A Prince by Pantmanr Just So; the latter now under saddle with The Pointer Family in Dorset and the former stallion ran out on the moor in the Newtake heme.