‘We weren’t sure if she’d come back’: pony who survived freak lorry accident reigns at Royal International

A home-produced coloured mare enjoyed a superb run at her first Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) as she won the small plaited coloured ridden pony class on day one of the show. Megan Champney and her mother Jan Champney’s Penrock Perfect Puzzle (Portia) were initially pulled in eighth after the go-round, but a dazzling show accelerated them up the line-up.

“It was a big shock to win,” said Isle-of-Wight-based Megan, who works front line for the emergency services. “I knew we had nothing to lose, so I rode a walk-to-cancer serpentine and had a really good gallop up the hill. Portia can be a tricky mare, but she pulled it out of the bag. This was my first time riding my own pony at the RIHS final, too.”

The former Royal Windsor in-hand champion provided Megan with her first Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) ride in 2023, finishing fourth at the final.

Despite her exceptional tally, Portia has done few shows, and mid-way through 2022 her career nearly came to a halt after she had a freak accident in Megan’s 3.5tonne lorry while at Isle-of-Wight county show.

“She came over the front partition and fell out of the jockey door,” Megan explained. “It was so horrendous. She had 14 stitches in her eye, had de-gloved one hind-leg and had 30 staples in another. We weren’t sure if she would come back from it.”

After a long stint out of action, Portia made a full recovery. Since, she’s returned to top-level competition. She went straight back to being worry-free in the lorry, too.

“She’s very tenacious; when she was loaded up in a friend’s lorry to get her home after the accident she went in like nothing had even happened,” said Megan.

Portia was originally bought by Megan’s father from her breeder Michelle Findlay for Jan’s 60th birthday. Megan home-produces Portia and showing is a family affair.

“Portia is our family pet before anything else,” Megan said. “All we want is for her to have a good life, anything else is a bonus. At home all she does is hack out with the odd bit of jumping and dressage. She’ll stay with us forever.”

Portia is booked into return to HOYS after qualifying on her first attempt earlier this season.

Of her forever pony, Megan added: “It’s Portia’s world and we’re just living in it.”

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