Lincolnshire Heavy Horses Success at Royal Norfolk
by Gary Malkin , LincsMag Writer.
Date: 22 July 2014
The annual Royal Norfolk Show is one of the main events in the heavy horse showing season and this year a number of Lincolnshire breeders tasted success.
Day one started with the Shire In-hand classes, opening with the highly competitive gelding class. This saw Nigel Blakey from Billinghay showing his champion gelding from the Lincolnshire Show Ruskington Kenny.
After some deliberation from the judge he was awarded second with the class win going to Grovemere Lucky Boy owned by Glenn Cass, reversing the result from Lincolnshire.
The brood mare class was won by Spilsby based Barnsbridge Shires with Will Boulderstone showing Chelsworth Willow.
In the foal class it was another win for Barnsbridge as Willow’s foal Barnsbridge Prince Pegasus, shown by 14 year-old Oliver Chaffey, took the honours.
Another class keenly contested was the Four year-old and over mares where Geoff Robinson’s grey Metheringham Upton Teasel was being shown. Unfortunately Teasel was beaten into second by eventual breed Champion Acle Wilhemina. Success came for Robinson in Filly & Gelding Three year-olds with a win for Metheringham Upton Dora while J.&M.Burks from Market Rasen took second place with Ancholmes Lady Helen.
There was further success for Geoff Robinson as Metheringham Upton Dora took Reserve Champion Shire mare or filly. In the Shire young handlers class it was a win for Oliver Chaffey (14) entered by Barnsbridge Shires and showing Ruskington Megan while Evie Lund (18), Grandaughter of Geoff Robinson, was third with Metheringham Upton Teasel.
Second Day
Day two and it was the turn of the Percheron and Suffolk in-hand classes to take centre stage and there was again more success for Lincolnshire. Starting with the Percherons in the gelding class there was success for Spalding breeder Tom Henfrey. Taking the win was homebred Park Casey with Ludlow Atlas in second shown by Joanne Henfrey.
There was further success as Park Casey went on to become Reserve Champion Gelding while Ludlow Atlas won best foot for Percheron horse. In the Suffolk classes there was just one entry from Lincolnshire that came from Mrs Andrea Hoskins in the yearling class. Her filly, Pickworth Golden Poppy, shown by Andrea Pinks, came third.
The biggest success came in the turnout classes which were very well supported at the show where Lincolnshire was represented by Tom Henfrey with his Park Percherons, fresh from winning both classes at the Lincolnshire Show.
First up was the teams class with ten entries which included some of the best in the Country. Tom was driving a team of three black Percherons pulling his Poreners Dray. Before entering the ring judge Gordon Bailey had checked the harness, brasses and dray for cleanliness and correct fit, now in the ring it was Tom’s ability as a driver that was under scrutiny along with his horses ability. Assisted by grooms Joanne Henfrey and Wayne Ball the team put in an impressive performance to win the Lady Mott-Radclyffe Trophy for best team.
Later in the day it was the turn of the pairs turnouts with 18 entered from all around the Country. Assisted by wife Joanne acting as groom Tom again performed well with his pair of black geldings to win the King George V Perpetual Challenge Cup for best pair with a trade vehicle.
The second day saw the single turnout class, the most competitive with 19 entries. Having performed their individual shows the top turnouts were asked by Judge Gordon Bailey to again perform their shows at slow pace and then circulate the arena while a final decision was made.
As the judge began to pull turnouts into line Tom was still circulating and it looked like the dream hat-trick of wins was gone, but when indicated Tom was called in at the top of the line as class winner.
Due to the nature and variation in driving different arrangements its very rare for one team to win all three classes at a show but Tom had now achieved this against the strongest possible opposition and continued his winning run from the Lincolnshire show, both shows he has not competed at on a regular basis.
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