Breeder Kylie James almost packed up and went home early from the 2013 Horse of the Year Show . . . lucky she didn’t though because the next day she and Mistylea Onyx won the Springdale Pony Stud Supreme Welsh Pure Bred Adult Exhibit of the Year.

“It was so emotional,” says the mother of one from Waverley.

It was her first ever HOY and while she and the seven-year-old stallion had been solid in their build-up with champions and reserves, they were certainly not favourites to take the big one.

However, James says the bay is “just stunning”.
“He is one in a million.”

The win at HOY started the ball rolling and they have won another half dozen or so supreme awards since.

After HOY, Onyx won supreme at the Feilding Royal in December, followed by a win in the stallion class at the North Island Welsh Champs and last weekend was supreme at the Hawke’s Bay Showing Champs.

James’ 13-year-old daughter Hailey was the one who broke Onyx in and usually rides and competes with him, but a change in rules means she won’t be able to do that now.

Between Onyx and James’ other stallion El Alpha Reflection, the current New Zealand national supreme champ, the two have won nearly everything on the circuit.

El Alpha Reflection has had five championships and three supreme ribbons from his five latest outings.

“He is an absolute knock-your-socks-off dark liver chestnut,” she says.

She is unsure whether he will start at HOY, but is definite that she and Onyx will be back to defend their title.

“There will be 30-odd in that title class this year and some of them are really amazing, so I am aiming to be in the top 10. That win (at HOY) last year was so special,” says James, who breeds horses at her own Onika Stud.

The stud is named for her founding stallion Onyx – Onika is Maori for onyx.

“I had him two years before I started showing him, and that was just a year-and-a-half ago – since then he just gets better and better. Both my boys are hand-picked for their conformation, movement, temperament and bloodlines.”

She plans to produce hunter-type ponies in the 13.2hh-14.2hh range.

“There’s a real lack of them available here.”

And she’s hopeful that she has just the ticket to change that.

PHOTO CREDIT: Mendip Farm Photography