Show where mum matches the pony

DIANE JOYCE

BUFFED AND BEJEWELLED: Champion Leading Rein Rider Meg Fleming and her mother Janet match their pony Silver Shadow.

Relevant offers

Fashion

Stuff's daily street style photo Madman's trend report - a crop top? Can Paris Hilton save her image? Stars wow at Elle Style Awards Lopez forks out for beau's new look Madge wears couture knickers Jewellery designer's work goes global Fashion Doctor: How to wear lace Backstage at NY Fashion Week Trendspotting: NY Fashion Week

It's Little Miss Sunshine on horseback – expensive ponies and beautifully turned out mothers and youngsters, all frosted with makeup and bling.

This week's tots' show classes at the Kelt Capital Horse of the Year are a colourful addition to the six-day show in Hastings.

But parents be warned: lead reining – in which mothers lead youngsters atop their ponies on a long rein – is not cheap. Small well-mannered ponies can cost up to $15,000, with those nearing the maximum pony height of 14.2 hands (148 centimetres) commanding closer to $25,000.

Then there is the care and training, and the outfits: "Thousands and thousands a year, quite literally," said Dayle Flannagan, from "Aunty Joy's Showing Accessories" team, which trucked six ponies down from Auckland for the event.

Everything matches: the child's waistcoat, pony's diamante-studded bridle, the rider's jacket, tie and lapel pin, and mum's dress, hat, gloves and lapel pin.

Makeup – for the horse – could range from a dye job (usually tail and mane) and blacking (on legs and face to highlight dark points) to glitter (face, hooves).

Two success stories on Tuesday were seven-year-old Meg Fleming, riding Silver Shadow, who was named Champion Leading Rein Rider, and Trey Cadwallader, on Nanteous Autumn Guardsman, who was Best Leading Rein Rider 4 to 6 years.

Janet Fleming said daughter Meg's pony took hours to get ready: first cleaning, then makeup, tail extension, jewelled bridle, polished saddle, and mother's and daughter's matching outfits.

Five-year-old Trey, the only boy in the leading rein classes, and mum Nanette matched in green and blue, including lapel pins, with Nanteous Autumn Guardsman in a matching green bejewelled bridle.

Mrs Cadwallader said she spent 30 minutes a day running Trey and his pony on a leading rein in the five months leading up to the show. "But it's great fun, I love it. [Trey] has only been riding five months."

Stories on how far some people will go abounded. Mrs Fleming pointed out ponies with bags over their just-dyed tails, and recounted a story of a grey pony a few years ago that appeared on the circuit as black. "They'd dyed the whole thing."

Riding High Bridle: $200 to $300

Glitter brow band: $150 to $220

Breastplate: $120

Show saddle: $2000

Show saddle cloth: $150

Canes: two at $80 each

Child's jacket: $350 to $500

Show jodhpurs: $100

Child's boots: $110

Lapel and hair ornaments: $40

Mother's outfit: $500 to $700.

- © Fairfax NZ News