A Comeback for Kenny!
Kirsty Lockhart was delighted to finally see her own Ecclesbourne Discovery Bay [Kenny] make a comeback from injury under Kirsty’s younger sister, Milly, at the Wiltshire Spring Show.
The Turberry Top Cat gelding is out of HOYS hack, Stanley Grange Eclipse, and was bred by Sarah and Jane Carey.
He accompanied his mother when she competed in the Cuddy supreme in-hand final at HOYS before going on to enjoy a flawless in-hand record with Sarah as a yearling and two-year-old. Kenny was then sold to Richard Hulbert and was subsequently broken-in as a four-year-old. “At the time, we were on the look-out for a 138cm show pony,” explained Kirsty. “My mum, Lynda, saw a picture of some novices that the Jinks show team had taken out to a winter show, and Kenny was one of them.” Kirsty rang Adam Forster and David Jinx to ask if he would be for sale, and they made a trip north to see him later that week. “We went in the lorry, so he returned with me that day,” said Kirsty.
The sister duo are no strangers to success, winning the part bred final at HOYS 2021 with Caron Scudamore’s 148 show pony and part-bred mare, Absolutely Classic, in her first open season. However, their journey to success with Kenny has not been straightforward.
During their first season together in 2020, lockdown prevented him from being shown until the BSPS summer championships, where he won his novice show pony class and stood novice show pony champion under Milly. A second lockdown prevented Kenny being shown again until the BSPS winter championships where he also won and secured his RIHS ticket on his first attempt. However, just two weeks later, disaster struck, and a field injury meant Kenny needed six months of box-rest and having no 2021 season at all. “We gave him longer than the vets suggested, as we wanted to make sure long term he was fully recovered,” said Kirsty. The sisters brought him back into work over the winter and Milly and Kenny are reforming a great partnership.
“He is my absolute spoilt brat,” laughed Kirsty, “I have given him the nickname, ‘The GC’ after celebrity Gemma Collins as he is a diva, but to see him finally back out was super special”.
The team have also had to have a minor shift in direction for Kenny as he’s grown since he was last shown so he now won’t be shown as a 138cm show pony, but as a part bred instead, with the “odd show pony class” from time to time.
IMAGE CREDIT: 1st Class Images
