JS Rebel Rebel Reserve Supreme - MHOYS 25th Anniversary Show

Carol Cooper first became involved with miniatures when she purchased a tiny Shetland foal from Tikki Adorian that had come out of Reading Market. He was called Longmeadow Charles (Lollipop). 25 years later, Lollipop — who stands 28” high — came with his owner Anne Sears to this 25th anniversary of MHOYS Championships to be reunited with Carol. He was the oldest finalist in his veteran class with Anne. ‘I thought I had bought a miniature back then, but it turned out he was a Shetland,’ laughed Carol. ‘I loved him dearly anyway and he began my lifelong passion for miniatures.’ Roll forward 23 years and Pene Mason sent her two-year-old colt Jacky’s

Stables Rebel Rebel (Blackie) to Carol to be produced. Within two days, Carol’s partner Tolga Falahat had bought him with a view to breeding.

Carol chose Minstrels as her prefix in honour of her beautiful grey show hack Mystic Minstrel on whom she was champion at HOYS in 1993. Now four and beautifully shown by Scott Dixon, Blacky won every class he entered, including the refined mini adult and reserve, and solid colour mini. He was the show’s highest-placed stallion and overall reserve supreme miniature horse of the year. Carol showed her own elite-graded stallion Jacky’s Stables Fools Gold (Brownie) to win the adult stallion class and championship. His yearling daughter Minstrels Mystic added to the family honours by winning the concours d’elegance and was runner-up in the ultra mini yearling

class and reserve. Then his son Minstrels Mr Mystery (Kit Kat) won the middleweight foal/weanling class and was colt foal of the year. Their mother, Toyhorse Princess Oreana (Cookie), won the young handler under seven years class with Rose Casapi and was broodmare of the year shown by Carol. Last up, the couple’s three-year old

import Scott Creek Indi Ara Go Girl won the liberty class with Carol.