A NON-registered Exmoor Pony has beaten a championship prize-winning stallion into second place to be named as the star pony in the annual Exmoor Pony Star Awards.

Organised by the Exmoor Pony Society, the competition attracted 11 nominations from people who were asked to describe in less than 500 words why they thought their nominated equine was a star.

Pony society members were then asked to vote for the winner and 20-year-old Boy, pictured below, who lives in South Molton with owner Clare Phillips, finished in first place.

He beat Hawkwell Versuvius (right) , known as Bear, and owner Dawn Westcott, of Luccombe, into second place.

Both owners were presented with star-shaped trophies in recognition of their achievements at the annual meeting of the society last month.

Mrs Phillips, who has owned Boy for 17 years, described him as "bombproof" having twice been run into by cars and in the thick of it during anti-hunt demonstrations.

Being unregistered, Boy is not eligible to take part in breed shows, but has frequently triumphed in open handy pony classes, coming home with rosettes and bags of pony nuts.

Mrs Phillips said: "He has carried children to hounds from the age of six upward, carries me all day and on occasions my partner Len.

"I use him for any sort of task; for cutting holly for Christmas, picking elderflowers to make cordial, even standing up on his rump to see over the hedge."

She said Boy was a firm favourite with her children - especially when he pulled their toboggan in the snow.

He also proves popular with the wild ponies on the moor: "In October, when gathering ponies on Dunkery Beacon, we were having trouble locating the ponies.

"Boy and I were a short distance from the other riders and Boy neighed.

"An Exmoor reply came back across the combe but the ponies were not visible.

"The neighing continued back and forth until we located the ponies camouflaged against the hillside.

"Boy continues to be my Exmoor pony star on whom I can always depend," Mrs Phillips said.

Runner-up Bear is also a softie at heart and is described by his owner Mrs Wesctott as "a very special friend and ambassador for the breed".

The six-year-old stallion fathered his first foals last year and, according to Mrs Westcott, took on the role of 'dad' with gusto.

But it was the arrival of his first colt foal called Monty that really proved the point.

"It was love at first sight and Bear was often seen standing over Monty, head lowered, as his son slept.

"When his dam returned home, Bear took Monty under his wing and spends hours with the foals, showing them the ropes," Mrs Westcott said.

She said he was wonderful to ride and had gracious manners, as well as being a champion Exmoor.

Bear has appeared on the BBC television programme Countryfile and features as 'July" in the Dodson and Horrell 2010 calendar.

Mrs Westcott added: "Bear is an adorable, generous stallion and such a delight that we are looking forward to running on his lovely son Monty and seeing how he develops too.

"Bear is not only a consistent top show performer having won over 16 championships, but everything about his day to day temperament and all-round goodness implies that he deserves to be an Exmoor Pony Star!"

l Bear, who last year was second and named best stallion in the Devon County Show, champion Exmoor at the Royal Cornwall Show and reserve champion and champion Exmoor at Porlock, notched up another success last Friday at the Royal Bath and West Show when he became Champion Exmoor.

The Exmoor classes were well represented and judge David Sykes commented on the high standard.

Henrietta Knight judged the Horse of the Year Show Cuddy Qualifier later that day and Versuvius was in her final line up of champions in the main ring after pre-judging.

But he was pipped by locally-bred Exmoor pony gelding Tawbitts Mystic Major and his rider Jessica Please, who won the Olympia qualifier, beating all other native breeds to claim their ticket for the December final.

* The Exmoor Pony Society will be holding its annual breed show at Exford Show on Wednesday August 11.

Schedules for the event are available by writing to: Mrs P Witheridge, Middle

Stoodleigh Farm, West Buckland, Barnstaple, Devon EX32 0SN; or by telephoning 01598 710512.