A well-known face from the Highland pony world will be in charge of placing the male ponies at this year’s Royal Highland Show.
Jean Connell has been breeding ponies in her Achnacarry Stud based at Pitmenzie Farm, Auchtermuchty, Fife, since 1977 and has had her fair share of success at the Royal Highland Show.
Ella of Whitefield was her first mare, bought to ride and breed from, followed shortly afterwards by Julie of Lundie – and nearly all of the 15 ponies on the stud now go back to these two mares.
Midge of Achnacarry won the yeld mare class at the show and her son, Rannoch of Achnacarry by Tarka of Orangefield, was male champion and reserve supreme in 2011.
Jean said: “It is everyone’s ambition to win the Highland – it is the pinnacle of showing for the breed and it is still on my bucket list!
“It is a huge honour to be invited to judge and I am looking forward to it.
“I love judging and like a pony with a good top-line, nice hair and feather, and good, flat bone.”
She has judged all the major shows in Scotland – including the Winter Fair and Blair Castle. She has also previously judged the male ponies at the Highland in 2008, and was umpire in 2004 and 2012.
She was invited to judge at the show last year, but turned it down.
Jean said: “I was not interested in judging a show with no audience.
“I love the atmosphere at the Highland, that’s what makes it the best show.”
This year Jean is presenting a trophy to the Highland Show in memory of her late husband, Tim.
The beautiful bronze of her winning in-hand and ridden pony, Rowan of Achnacarry, will be called the Tim Connell Perpetual Challenge Trophy for the reserve female champion.
Jean likes to breed versatile ponies which can be ridden, but are good enough to breed from.
She does not agree with “different types” for ridden and breeding, and believes that all ponies should be true to the breed standards.
One of her ponies, Echo of Achnacarry, by MacGregor of Achnacarry out of Corrrie Bheag of Achnacarry, was bought as a yearling by Bruce Haliburton and went on to be in-hand champion in 2007 and ridden supreme at the Highland in 2011 – a huge achievement and a great year for Jean and Tim.
Jean still rides some of the ponies herself, but recently she has had help from a local girl, 11-year-old Phoebe Porter, who rode the now 23-year-old Rowan at Fife Show and did a great job for her first show, coming third.
Showing and breeding are addictive, according to Jean, who also breeds standard schnauzers, which she shows all over the country – winning best of breeds a few times and taking a couple of firsts at Crufts.
Recently, she has acquired a flock of six Shetland sheep and had her first two lambs
last year.
She added: “I quite fancy showing them too!”