Having managed to persuade the hard working committee of the Denbighshire & Flintshire County Show to hold Foreign Breed classes again (they were dropped some years back due to lack of support) it was only right that we took some of ours.

So Rio (Mannog Zips Rio Grande 10 yrs) and Fred (Mannog Zips Candy Man 8 yrs) got duly spruced up and taken to the show. Fred was really the "plus one" as he has not been out for some years due to a problem with his near hind stifle joint (calcinosis circumscripta) which seems to have at last resolved itself .

The in hand only had three in (yep 2 of them were ours). 1st was Rio, 2nd was a lovely Falabella stallion, 3rd was Fred.  There were then six in the mare/gelding ridden (mainly Lusitano but one super Friesian) and two in the stallion ridden (both Lusitanos).  

The Foreign Breed Championship was then Rio, the Friesian, the second placed ridden and the first and second of the Lusitano stallions.  Champion was the Friesian (well deserved) and Reserve Foreign Breed Champion was RIO !!!!  The judge loved him remarking on his superb conformation, beautiful head and tremendous muscling.  I think this means that Rio has been unbeaten (in hand)  in Foreign Breed classes in the last couple of years.   It was also nice to get Fred out again but apparently I do not run fast enough. He has a great sweepy length of stride and needs a good runner to show it off - which is not me.