Royal Highland Show 2014 - Part 3 - Connemaras

I took millions of photos as usual, all of which can be found here. As ever, feel free to take and use as reference, just remember to credit!

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 While the other two classes were going on, a few Connemaras were being judged in the last third of the main ring. I'm not as big a fan of Connies as I am of the other native breeds (probably not hairy enough :P) but there were some really outstanding examples being shown this year.



Gorgeous cremello - just look at the difference when the sun came out!









I didn't get any more photos as the light was acting up and I'd headed off for a snack. XD


Part 4 coming soon!

Royal Highland Show 2014 - Part 2 - Welsh Ponies In Hand

I took millions of photos as usual, all of which can be found here. As ever, feel free to take and use as reference, just remember to credit!

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Right next to the Ridden Highlands were a variety of wonderfully coloured little ponies - how could I resist? I think I took more photos here than anywhere else at the show but they were just so photogenic, it's really no wonder. (I was having a little trouble getting the white balance right to begin with as the light levels kept changing with the sun coming out, then going in again so apologies for some of them being so dark.)

I'm not sure if I'd missed all the Sec As or if their class was on later (I think I remember seeing Sec A stallions at one point) but I'm pretty sure these were all Sec Bs.

That little braid behind the ear is a Welsh speciality.















Smutty palomino is one of my favourite colours on ponies and there were a fair few at the show this year.








Keep an eye on this one... :P



I remember this little palomino stallion from last year - those bend orr spots are so distinctive! I managed to find him online and identified him as 'Cadlanvalley Georgie Boy' - such an elegantly put together little pony.



He was mostly well behaved, but threw his head up a bit when being asked to turn at the trot.



He wasn't the only one either...



...several ponies acted up when cornering...



...or just trotting in a straight line!





After they'd all been trotted up it was time for the judges to get a closer look. Legs were straightened out, necks extended and every pony put their best hoof forward...





...well...



...nearly...



...everyone...



...anyway!



I don't think he meant anything by it, he was just getting a bit too excited. I loved his handler (who I kept thinking looked a bit like Hodor from Game of Thrones XD) and his attitude though, he didn't freak out or act aggressively towards the pony, just calmly held his ground when he went up, kept him in check and didn't lose his temper. In fact, no matter how many times he reared, I don't think the smile slipped from his face. (..and he reared rather a lot. XD)












I call this sequence 'Help, I've forgotten how to horse!'









Somewhat unsurprisingly thanks to his behaviour, the little dappley monster left without receiving a rosette



I don't think 'Hodor' seemed to mind though. :D





Part 3 coming soon!

Royal Highland Show 2014 - Part 1 - Ridden Highlands

I'll finally be posting about New Blades and whatnot later but for now, my yearly jaunt to the Royal Highland Show beckons!

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As with last year I went on the Friday rather than the weekend as I've found it to be a bit quieter and with a more varied timetable. I got the bus to the showground straight from Glasgow but to my horror, realised that I'd missed the stop for the show literally just as the bus started to pull away. (I didn't see the sign and stupidly assumed people were getting off for something else) Luckily the driver was an absolute legend and pulled over at the next bus stop and told me which one to get on the other side of the road. It wasn't ideal, but twenty minutes later I was back on the road and on my way to the show! XD

I took millions of photos as usual, all of which can be found here. As ever, feel free to take and use as reference, just remember to credit!

The first class I found was the Ridden Highlands, always a favourite of mine as Highland ponies are my very favourite breed. There were a lot of really chunky ponies in the running this year, including one with so much feather I wondered if he had a hidden bit of Clydesdale in his ancestry! XD







I mean just LOOK at this! What a stunner - he looks like he could have been an Elven horse in The Lord of the Rings or something!











Most were various shades of grey but there were a couple of duns, including this incredibly striking mouse dun. (and just look at that neck, ye gads!)



The winners!





There was another lovely Highland in the 'Cuddy In Hand Supreme Championship' later in the day, which I think was a HOTY show qualifier, but more on that front later... :P



Part 2 will be up soon!

The end (of the course) is nigh!

Apologies once again for being so incredibly lax in posting recently, college has been manic!

As it happens, I can't use that as an excuse any more as I am now officially finished my course! It has been an incredible three years and I honestly don't want to leave, I'm going to miss it so much. :(


 A couple of months ago, some students from the filmmaking department of our college asked I and some of my friends if we'd be up for taking part in a short film about the modelmaking course and what we do on it. There were only a few of us that were 'brave' enough to take part so I managed a little section halfway through with Ferdinand the Unicorn! XD I got super nervous (which is why I'm blethering on so much) as although I can happily talk to people about whatever, as soon as there's a camera in my face I just go all over the place.

It's my end of year show next week, and immediately after that, myself and a handful of my classmates will be travelling down to London for the 'New Blades' modelmaking recruitment fair on Wednesday. I wasn't expecting to be picked at all (only about six of us are going) so I'm really looking forward to it. After that (or perhaps a week later as we're still not finished the Corris model, lol) I'll have completely finished with it all which really makes me sad as I love it so much and I really don't want to leave. :(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJqVHCbT2-U

I'll post about my final project properly next week with a run-down on how I made everything and how our end of year show/Blades went once everything's over and done with and I'll also have some rather exciting news about my modelmaking in general so watch this space!