Lola Thulborn, 14, made dreams come true at Wales and West with victory in the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers Second Round on ‘pony of a lifetime’ Tempo 2 Stroke.
“I have a special bond with a very special pony. He’s a great character, always pulling funny faces, has a teddy toy in his stable and loves to throw all the rugs off the rug rack outside his stable onto the floor as well as emptying the grooming box looking for treats,” said Cambridge-based Lola, on the mischievous pony who has instantly become part of the family.
Twenty-one of the original 77 competitors posted first round clears over the 1.10m course with the raised and shortened track in round two reducing the numbers to eight for the jump-off.
Lola kept a cool head despite the pressure of wanting to qualify for the prestigious Horse of the Year Show to win 0.25 seconds on the 7-year-old Tempo purchased by in Ireland last September by Ashley Thulborn on the recommendation of trainer Tom Vance.
“He has a very big, open stride and lengthens easily to take out a stride down distances and an amazing jump. He’s very calm to start with but his eyes light up in the ring and he gets very excited,” said Lola. “We have focused on training for that round, he upped his game to jump treble clear and showed his great potential.”
“It all aligned well this weekend and the show had a great vibe. What a fantastic show the Wales and West team put on,” added Ashley.
Wales and West – Friday, 28 July 2023
Blue Chip Pony Newcomers Second Round
1st Lola Thulborn & Tempo 2 Stroke – 0/0/0 - 37.13 seconds
2nd Emily Gulliver & Renkum Kickstart – 0/0/0 - 37.38 seconds
3rd Tara Sweetnam & Klassic – 0/0/0 - 38.19 seconds
4th Rosie Shepherd & Lucky Boys Strike – 0/0/0 - 40.52 seconds
NB: Qualifications pending official grading of results.
Image: Showground Photography