The first day of the 2020 British Show Pony Society Championships (28 — 30 August) culminated in three major supreme crownings where both home-produced and novice ponies were given their first major chance of the season to shine.
Despite being treated to unrelenting rainfall for the majority of the day, the calibre of the supreme finalists was exceptionally high and young combinations belied their lack of experience to turn heads and ultimately secure overall sashes.
{"content":"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"}
Don’t miss the full report in the 10 Sept issue of Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports. Catch the full report from the BSPS Summer Championships in 10 September issue. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2025 with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Freelance equestrian journalist
Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 as showing editor, cementing its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK. She moved on in October 2024 to pursue other opportunities, but continues to write for us on a freelance basis.
