Grace Stevenson and Maxweltion Dashing Dougall
IT was Gingernuts all round in the Stevenson truck as they headed back to Hastings after the Gisborne Show.
Grace, 12, had a brilliant show with Maxwellton Dashing Dougall, winning supreme pony of show, supreme paced and mannered, champion show hunter pony, champion rider, reserve champion working hunter and the Pony Breeders’ sash in showing.
But it’s no surprise really — this well-performed team have been together since Grace was six and Dougall was three.
But as Grace continues to grow and Dougall remains at his 138cm measure, this will be their last season together. The combination hunted through the winter and Dougall has come into this season lean, fit and ready for action.
Luckily the Stevenson family have his brother Maxwellton Friday Flash, who at five is a full-sized pony.
Grace’s sister Ally, 13; was also competing at Gisborne, but on a new pony she’d only had for a couple of weeks, so was pleased to be heading home with ribbons, including one for reserve champion show hunter pony.
Mum Felicity says that coming reserve to her little sister generally creates the odd problem in the truck, but they soon get over it.
Felicity is a rider from way back and grew up doing a little bit of everything.
Generally with the girls is their grandmother — Felicity’s mother, Holly Porteous, or Ma as she is known by most. She’s a huge supporter of her granddaughters with a vested interest in the ponies.
Missing from the show this year was their trainer Sarah Alderman, who opted to stay home because she thought her mare was about to have a foal. As the Stevenson truck rolled out the gate and headed back to Hawke’s Bay, the foal had still to arrive. The mare waited till yesterday to deliver her foal, a colt.
“The girls really missed Sarah this weekend,” Felicity said. “They love her.”
The supreme award was Grace’s second — she took one at Rotorua a couple of years ago — but they’ve won many champion awards and loads of ribbons as they have come through the grades together.
When they do well the ponies get their favourite treat — Gingernuts.
But this crew take nothing for granted.
“You never know what will happen on the day in showing,” Felicity said.
“It’s a lot of fun and something we enjoy doing.”
Results (from Gisborne unless stated otherwise) —Showing, novice park hack over 148cm and not exceeding 158cm (0-5 wins): Anna Harris, Stellar Heights 1.
Novice paced and mannered hack (0-5 wins): Anna Harris, Stellar Heights 1.
Open park hack over 148cm and not exceeding 158cm: Anna Harris, Stellar Heights 1.
Open park hack over 153cm and not exceeding 158cm: Fiona Sharp (Hastings) Phoenician Rhythm ’n’ Blues 1.
Lady’s or gentleman’s park hack on type: Anna Harris, Stellar Heights 1; Fiona Sharp (Hastings) Phoenician Rhythm ’n’ Blues 2.
Open paced and mannered park hack: Anna Harris, Stellar Heights 1; Fiona Sharp (Hastings) Phoenician Rhythm ’n’ Blues 2.
Open rider in the park hack section: Anna Harris, Stellar Heights 1.
Supreme awards, champion rider on the flat: Anna Harris, Stellar Heights 1; Henrike Seifert, Gurteens Tyra 2.
Showing ponies, first ridden, novice first ridden pony not exceeding 138cm (0-5 wins): Ruby McLean-Smith (Napier) Taurimu Portrait 1; Oliver Bevitt, My Magic Girl 2; Lily Beaufoy, Malibu Hot Shot 3; Jessica McCann, The Inskinator 4.
Open first ridden pony not exceeding 128cm: Ruby McLean-Smith (Napier) Taurimu Portrait 1; Oliver Bevitt, My Magic Girl 2; Jessica McCann, The Inskinator 3.
Open first ridden pony over 128cm and not exceeding 138cm: Lily Beaufoy, Malibu Hot Shot 1.
Novice paced and mannered first ridden pony (0-5 wins): Ruby McLean-Smith (Napier) Taurimu Portrait 1; Lily Beaufoy, Malibu Hot Shot 2; Oliver Bevitt, My Magic Girl 3; Jessica McCann, The Inskinator 4.
Open paced and mannered first ridden pony: Ruby McLean-Smith (Napier) Taurimu Portrait 1; Lily Beaufoy, Malibu Hot Shot 2; Jessica McCann, The Inskinator 3; Oliver Bevitt, My Magic Girl 4.
Novice rider first ridden section (0-5 wins): Ruby McLean-Smith (Napier) Taurimu Portrait 1; Lily Beaufoy, Malibu Hot Shot 2; Oliver Bevitt, My Magic Girl 3; Jessica McCann, The Inskinator 4.
Open rider first ridden section: Lily Beaufoy, Malibu Hot Shot 1; Ruby McLean-Smith (Napier) Taurimu Portrait 2; Jessica McCann, The Inskinator 3; Oliver Bevitt, My Magic Girl 4.
Ponies showing, novice show pony (0-5 wins): Turtz Dalziel, Odin 1.
Novice paced and mannered 148cm and under (0-5 wins): Anna Rasmussen (Hastings) Phonecian Chit Chat 1.
Open show pony over 128cm and not exceeding 138cm: Grace Stevenson (Hastings) Maxwellton Dashing Dougall 1.
Open show pony over 138cm and not exceeding 148cm: Anna Rasmussen (Hastings) Phonecian Chit Chat 1; Turtz Dalziel, Odin 2.
Open paced and mannered pony not exceeding 138cm: Grace Stevenson (Hastings) Maxwellton Dashing Dougall 1.
Open paced and mannered pony over 138cm and not exceeding 148cm: Anna Rasmussen (Hastings) Phonecian Chit Chat 1.
Pony Breeders of New Zealand, Pony Breeders ridden sash: Grace Stevenson (Hastings) Maxwellton Dashing Dougall 1.
Pony lead rein, smartest on parade, pony, rider and handler: Brooklyn Rankin (Pahiatua) KS Touch of Romance 1; Isobel Jayne Bevitt, Ascot Puffin 2; Haiden Rankin (Pahiatua) Sherwoods Mark 2 3.
Novice lead rein pony not exceeding 128cm (0-5 wins): The McLennan Family (Waipukurau) Fortification Bon Fleur 2.
Open lead rein pony not exceeding 123cm: Haiden Rankin (Pahiatua) Sherwoods Mark 2 1; Isobel Jayne Bevitt, Ascot Puffin 2.
Open lead rein pony over 123cm and not exceeding 128cm: Brooklyn Rankin (Pahiatua) KS Touch of Romance 1.
Open paced and mannered lead rein pony not exceeding 128cm: Brooklyn Rankin (Pahiatua) KS Touch of Romance 1; Haiden Rankin (Pahiatua) Sherwoods Mark 2 2; Isobel Jayne Bevitt, Ascot Puffin 3.
Best rider: Brooklyn Rankin (Pahiatua) KS Touch of Romance 1; Isobel Jayne Bevitt, Ascot Puffin 2; Haiden Rankin (Pahiatua) Sherwoods Mark 2 3.
Local lead rein pony under 148cm: Isobel Jayne Bevitt, Ascot Puffin 1.