DPC: Onyx Emelwerth twice highest score

The rain that poured down Saturday, July 22, 2023 during the fourth Dutch Pony Championship selection in Tolbert did not spoil the fun. The Welsh pony Onyx Emelwerth (by Despacito AT) ran twice to the highest score - in both the pilot section of 18+ competitors and the normal four-year-old section.

In the 18+ pilot, there were top three placings for Welsh ponies: once the number one spot and twice number three first place and two third places:

1 Raiza Hendrix with the 4-year-old gelding Onyx Emelwerth earned 87.5 points.
3 Jody Bakker with the 4-year-old gelding Dancer van het Singel earned 80.5 points.
3 Judy Leeuwis with the 5-year-old mare Amalia's Sloofke scored 80.5 points.

Onyx is the new pony of Willisha Holzken, who got the NWPCS gelding in her stable only last week. She herself started HC in the four-year-old class, so her points did not officially count, but the result was worth it: 89 points. In the pilot class where the ponies were presented by 18+ participants, he did take the victory.

Raiza Hendrix rode him expertly to 87.5 points. “Onyx was really a very striking appearance,” interjects Jennifer Sekreve, who stood as judge together with Johan Hamminga. “Fantastic in the bridle, three good gaits, and bloody beautiful. In addition, he really didn't put a step wrong and went through the track with a lot of balance and self-carriage. It was really the naturalness with which he did everything that made him so special.”

Four-year-olds

In the 4-year-olds, the prizes went to were the numbers two and three Welsh ponies.

2 Mila Muziga with the gelding Stougjeshoeve Emiliano scored 78 points.
3 Anne Schütte with the mare Schütte's Lagertha scored 76.5 points.

Mila Muziga finished second with Stougjeshoeve Emilliano this pony falls in the C size. Anna Schütte complemented the top three with Schütte's Lagertha.

Five-year-olds

In the 5-year-olds, first and third place went to Welsh ponies.

1 Lorain Paas with the gelding Marco scored 86.5 points.
3 Annelivia Kuijpers with the gelding Goldwinshoeve Cassandro scored 82.5 points.

Lorain Paschal had a great time, as she managed to win both the five- and six-year-old classes. What made it even nicer was that both ponies have the same sire. Marco (by Movie Star) ran to a very nice score of 86.5 points in the five-year-olds. “Marco is really a fantastic pony, who is very rideable and showed a lot of talent. His three good gaits went together with a nice self carriage. For carrying and suppleness we gave him a nine, because his balance really stood out,” Sekreve concludes. Annelivia Kuijpers with Goldwinshoeve Cassandro closed the top three.

Six-year-olds

There was a nice Welsh top three in the 6-year-olds.

1 Lorain Paas with the mare Marjolijn scored 88.5 points.
2 Gigi Philipsen with the gelding Magic Mike Emelwerth earned 85 points.
3 Sophia Gavriel with the gelding Aglaya's Pavello scored 84.5 points.

In the six-year-olds, Lorain stepped it up a notch, as she sent Marjolijn (also an offspring of the stallion Movie Star) to 88.5 points. Magic Mike Emelwerth collected 85 points, ridden by Gigi Philipsen, and took second place. Sophia Gavriel steered the Jonkers’ Jayden son Aglaya's Pavello to third place with 84.5 points.

The full article and results can be found here

Text: DPC, edited for NWPCS by Lonneke van Laarhoven