Cardigan school girl Libby Grota has crowned a wonderful year by winning the 12hh Show Hunter Pony of the Year and the Reserve Supreme Hunter Pony Of The Year at the recent Horse Of The Year Show held at the NEC Birmingham.
The eleven year old pupil at Cardigan Secondary School who has been riding out since she was only 18 months old also won the overall Supreme Horse at the Royal Welsh Show back in the summer with her horse Grynallt Page-Too, more affectionately known to her as Billie.
Libby has also won the British Show Pony Society Rider of the Year for the past three years and has been competing at the Horse Of The Year Show since she was 4 yrs old and every year she has been placed.
Speaking to Sportsline Libby said that she had an amazing time at the Horse of the Year Show this year and added:” It was really good as it has been a dream of mine since I was about six to win at HOYS and I am lucky as my dream has come true for the second time and I am really pleased.”
Last year she was second in the Show Hunter Pony Section riding Grynallt Page-Too but this year she went one better. Libby also won the Mountain & Moorland First Ridden Pony Of The Year & Reserve Supreme Mini Mountain & Moorland riding Glebdale Jubilee at the annual festival regarded by many as the World’s most famous horse show.
Libbys home bred stallion Cadlanvalley Buzby was crowned Section B Pony of the Year for the second time and as a stud the north Pembrokeshire based Cadlanvalley ponies have won this award for three years running.
Buzby went on to be crowned Champion Mountain & Moorland Pony Of The Year and was ridden by Katy Marriott-Payne as Libby is currently too young to ride a stallion and speaking just after the event Katy said she was over the moon to add this prestigious HOYS title to her wins.
And she commented: “I’m almost speechless as I wanted it so badly. I’ve won every major title but this one had always eluded me!”
There were four Cadlanvalley ponies competing in the Welsh Section B class and all of them were placed in the top nine.
Cadlanvalley Buzby, who Katy says has a temperament to match his looks, has only been lightly shown this year. “He has been used as a breeding stallion at Cadlan Valley Stud for the last two years,” explained Katie. “He only came back to me in June this year. We’ve been to about six shows but he stood Royal Welsh Overall Ridden M&M Champion this season as well.”
Main pic: Libby and Grynallt Page Too.
The Reserve Supreme Show Hunter Pony of the Year.
