Hermes, as he is known, has been with Bownes since he was a two-year-old and was broken and schooled by her and her husband Dean.Now eight, he impressed the judges at Smith’s Lawn, Windsor, at the British Driving Society’s annual show at the weekend, and won the Welsh Champion class – then went on to win Supreme Champion.Bownes said she had only decided to enter the show at the last moment because she fancied a weekend away.’I was absolutley gob-smacked when we won,’ she said.
‘We were up against two UK champions in the Supreme Championship class.
Because we’d won both classes we were awarded the winner’s sash by the Queen.
It was an amazing weekend.’Bownes plans to take Hermes back to the UK in mid-August and compete in a couple of shows, including Hickstead, to get the pony back into the swing and settle him before the Horse of the Year Show at the end of September.Bownes had decided, earlier this year, that she would take a year off competition in the UK – last year she won the national pairs championship with Hermes and Marbon M’Lord (Lordi) – but is very pleased she decided to have a weekend away after all.The Horse of the Year show will be held at the NEC in Birmingham.
