he first recipient of the Animalweb Good Horsemanship Award at the 2026 New Forest & Hampshire County Show was Poppy Rowlands, riding Harriet Platt’s pony, Hayesbrook Double Trouble.
We observed the combination for some time during the Mountain and Moorland Working Hunter Pony class and had already decided they would be our first award recipients of the show. They then went on to win the class!
Remarkably, Poppy had only ridden Hayesbrook Double Trouble a few times and had stepped in to help her friend Harriet, who was unable to ride that day.
It was a pleasure to watch this partnership. Poppy rode with empathy and was clearly in tune with the pony throughout, making them thoroughly deserving recipients of the award.
