Mozart makes sweet music

A future ridden hack takes the top in-hand spoils, while an Arab mare in her first open season books her first-ever Birmingham spot under saddle

- ALEX ROBINSON

Royal Cheshire County, Royal Cheshire County Showground

A HOME-BRED provided his breeders with a dream supreme victory and a Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in-hand qualification, cementing the decision to retain him as a future ridden horse.

The star in question was Pippa Kirby’s three-year-old hack Monivea Mozart. He was handled by Jerome Harforth, last supreme here in 2011 leading Janet Cox’s Rhyllandel Siskin.

Mozart is a pairing of riding pony stallion Turberry Top Cat and the thoroughbred racehorse Musikhani.

“The mare bred us some racehorses, but they hadn’t been very successful, so we sought Jerome’s advice on breeding a show horse out of her,” explained Pippa, whose husband is racehorse trainer Philip Kirby. “Mozart was born at Jerome’s before he returned home to live out with some young racehorses.

“While showing him in-hand wasn’t in my original plan, I thought it would be lovely for him to go back to Jerome to contend some shows. The ultimate dream now is for one of my daughters to win HOYS on him.”

The day before obtaining his supreme status, Mozart – also part-bred champion at Derbyshire Festival the week prior – had reigned in the inaugural hack breeding championship.

“I was pleased to see these classes in the schedule of a huge equine show like Cheshire and it was lovely for Mozart to win such a strong class of quality horses,” said Jerome.