THE skewbald Shetland stallion Butterby Express excelled at the recent Chaps UK International Show at Southview Equestrian Centre in Cheshire, holding his own among some of the best coloured horses and ponies in the country.

Shown in-hand on the Saturday by 14-year-old Craig Chadwick from Catterick Garrison, he won the Shetland class, the small native traditional qualifier final, was second and reserve champion in the graded stallion and colt class and also stood reserve champion in the native traditional cob class, 14.2 and under.

The next day he was ridden to victory in the Horse of the Year Show native traditional under 13 hands qualifier by 14-year-old Kaye Gilligan from Colburn.

The five-year-old stallion, bred and owned by Linda and Keith Hutchings of Butterby Shetlands, Croxdale in Durham, was broken and produced by the Knix Stud for last year's International in only two weeks.

He stood third in the Wembley class, ridden by Craig Chadwick.

Butterby Express had been back to Team Knix for just three weeks after a season running with his mares.

He was to be produced for the show under Craig again, but unfortunately he grew too tall too quickly and handed the ride over to school and stable-mate Kaye Gilligan.

Both are pupils at Risedale community college at Hipswell, Catterick Garrison and have both been Olympia winners in the Shetland Pony Grand National.

The Butterby Stud will also be represented at Olympia this year when 16-year-old Rhapsody of Butterby, owned and trained by Karen Nixon of the Knix Stud, competes in the Shetland Pony Grand National ridden by ten-year-old Laura Gray of Brafferton.