Suffolk Show 2012: Second title in three years for Suffolk stallion Besthorpe Achilles

Besthorpe Achilles, now seven years old, is owned by Prof David Cadman from Aldeburgh but is based at the trust’s stud at Hollesley, near Woodbridge.

Having been reserve to the overall champion at the Woodbridge Horse Show earlier this season, Achilles went one better yesterday to claim the supreme championship on day one of the Suffolk Show, ahead of reserve Clemmills Anya, a five-year-old mare owned by Michael Tollemache from Offton, near Ipswich.

Tracey Pettitt, stud manage for the trust at Hollesley, said: “We have been very lucky with him this year; he seems to have come into his own.

“He is a very picky eater and has sometimes struggled to keep his condition but through sheer maturity condition seems to have caught up with him.”

Tracey said that, although retaining ownership, Prof Cadman had allowed the trust to use Achilles as if he was its own. “I only wish I owned him myself, but sadly not,” she added.

Achilles won the champion stallion title ahead of the four-year-old St George’s Kingston, which was entered as a tribute to his late owner, Philip Morley, from Milden, near Hadleigh, a long-standing supporter of the Suffolk breed who died suddenly on May 3.

Reserve to Clemmills Anya for the best mare or filly title was eight-year-old Eyke Samphire, owned by the Fleming family from Eyke, near Woodbridge.

The award for best gelding went to the five-year-old Eyke Sir Winston, owned by Glenn Cass from Greenstead Green, near Halstead, with the three-year-old Lagan Oswald, owned by Andrew Wager from Heybridge, near Maldon, taking reserve spot.

Mr Cass also won the class for the best pair of horses belonging to the same exhibitor, with Eyke Sir Winston and the eight-year-old gelding Kentwell Palgale.

The class for mares with a foal at foot was won by the 11-year-old Eyke Amber, owned by the Fleming family, who also won the foal class with their filly Eyke Olympian.