‘He will be dearly missed’: tributes paid to pony who made dreams come true

Tributes have been paid to the much-loved show pony Wytchwood Love Potion, who made “a lot of dreams come true”.

Kath Allen’s gelding, known at home as Romeo, died peacefully on 19 February, aged 15, having developed an illness a few weeks ago.

Romeo, by Wedgnock Fine Romance, was bred by Jane Laffey of the Wytchwood Stud. He was bought by the Kerr family and produced by Craig Elenor and Sara Parrott.

In 2016 Romeo, aged six, was crowned the Price family mini show pony of the year champion at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), with Cate Kerr – who went on to ride on the British pony showjumping team.

“Romeo was bought to do first ridden with Cate, but at the time she was too young so we produced him as a lead-rein and then we went to HOYS and he won. It was a massive surprise, he was a lovely pony, but he was just a young novice that we were educating then, and as a yard he was our second HOYS winner, so it was very special,” Sara told H&H.

“He was a really lovely pony, he made lots of people’s dreams come true. He was like a mini horse, a lovely example of a pony.”

In 2020 Romeo was sold to Kath Allen as a lead-rein pony for her granddaughter Betsy, and producer Rachael Helliwell came on board. Rachael’s son Archie rode Romeo in first ridden classes, before Betsy moved on to first ridden. Last year Betsy and Romeo won the Peter & Pip Baker-Beall and British Show Pony Society first ridden pony championship at the Royal International Horse Show.

“He taught Betsy to come off the lead and was brilliant with her. We obviously lost time to Covid, and in 2023 Romeo was off with a field injury, but he came back and won at Hickstead last year, and they were also third at HOYS. He made Betsy’s dreams come true,” Rachael told H&H.

“He was a lovely pony to do, and superb with the little ones. Every child put on him would always learn, and for a child coming off the lead he’s the pony you’d want them on, he was a confidence-giver.

“He loved hacking and loved his little life – and everyone loved Romeo. He will be dearly missed.”

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