THE Royal Melbourne Horse Show has defied the doomsayers who claimed it had been so poor it faced extinction.
Entries this year for the four-day event were bigger than ever and even the newer and exotic breeds had fair numbers in each class.
With perfect weather on the first day, Australia Day, even the crowd numbers were up.
The Warmblood horses were beautiful types, parading for judge Michelle James of Western Australia. Amy Sznicer won the supreme led award with her mare Larundel Geisha.
The Welsh breeds were out in force and Helen Dohan's palomino stallion Bamborough Paramount was the Welsh Pony section B winner, while Cheryl Bunting's grey stallion, Weston Park Tallybont, was supreme Welsh Mountain Pony exhibit.
Although both were beautiful examples of the breed, they had their colours lowered in the judging of the Eileen Bartram Trophy for best Welsh breed exhibit by Mark and Denise Brown's big moving Cob mare, Indi Marie Louise.
In the Shetlands, Kylie Dooley's Millbrae Shannon was champion pony stallion and Marilyn Fry's mare Blackwood Tudor Rose, supreme led Shetland pony.
Many racing fans will remember the black stallion Lonhro as a magnificent horse. So it's no surprise that his son, Kay Carter and Bronwyn Noonan's Lohnsdale was awarded champion Thoroughbred gelding and supreme led Thoroughbred exhibit.
Vancouver Park Stud's overo-coloured stallion Vancouver Park Cardeau was champion Warmblood stallion and supreme led Australian National Saddle Association exhibit.
In the Cleveland Bay horses, the champion led and ridden entry was Mrs K. Moran's Verondina Papewaeo.
