Who remembers WHS win a pony competition!

[Laurac13]

Who remembers WHS Smith magazine win a pony competition? (Probably anyone over 50)
I used to enter every year and dream of a pony if my own ? anyone else enter ? Anyone knew the winner ?

 

[w1bbler]

Mt friend won a bike, which was one of the runner up prizes.
Never seen anyone look so upset to win a prize ??

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

I remember it tried to win one never did.

 

[rextherobber]

I remember it well, tried every year....unsuccessfully, I might add!

 

[HappyHollyDays]

Yes, I tried every year to win and never did. After working for rides I had to wait until I was 16 before my dream came true.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Yes, I remember it well!

 

[misst]

I did too every year and every year I was crushed that I did not win. I used to lie in bed and imagine someone coming to the door to say I'd won....
I had to wait until I had a daughter until we had horses - got there in the end ;-)

 

[SEL]

I'm not convinced mum ever sent my entries in!

 

[Tihamandturkey]

I was convinced I'd win every year but no ?

Had to wait til I was 32 for my first horse - he was an angel of an ex racer and definitely with the wait ?

 

[Red-1]

I entered.

One year, I sent a 'proper' entry in; the tiebreaker was about why Jane was so happy or something. It was a flowery entry, like I thought they were really looking for.

Then I sent a second entry in, for the tiebreaker of why Jane was so happy I simply put, "Because Jane has a horse!!!"

Gutted not to win.

I sneakily hoped they may like the brutal honesty of the second entry!

Then, the winner of a lovely grey took him swimming in the sea. She was on the front cover, in the sea on the horse, in a bikini and with no hat. I was horrified and sure she didn't deserve the pony if she would ride without a hat!

 

[Baywonder]

Oh yes, I remember it only too well!

I was banned from entering the competition, as my mother told me in no uncertain terms that even if I did win a pony, we could not afford to keep it.

I also remember scribbling over the face of the lucky winners every year too - although I always checked to make sure there wasn't a pony poster on the other side of the page beforehand! ?

 

[GreyMane]

Oh yes. Heartbroken not to win, every year.
I seem to remember it was a lot of quite hard questions? Also remember Rags the Blue Peter pony and wondering, if I collected enough old rags, if I could afford a lovely pony like that!

 

[Lois Lame]

I entered a competition to win a pony in 1974; the winner could choose between a Highland, a New Forest, an Exmoor... and what were the other two? I cannot remember for sure. We had to write which pony we'd prefer and why. (I think. Memory is sketchy there.) I wasn't sure what I'd do with the pony if I won because we would be going back home in a matter of months.

I suppose my parents thought I had Buckley's chance of winning because I don't remember any dramatics from mum --- but I would have ignored any of that anyway.

 

[Lady Jane]

I remember - entered but never won the pony....

 

[Ratface]

I never entered, but I had a pen friend who did. They lived in Kent and we lived in the Midlands. The pony was, I think, a piebald. I was invited to go for a visit. Riding him through a shallow stream, he slipped. I fell off and he accidentally trod on me. I've still got the scar on the back of my left leg from one of the nails.

 

[vmac66]

Remember it well. Freind and I entered every year. Didn't win the pony.

 

[Archangel]

I entered every year, even now I can remember the excitement.

 

[chaps89]

I don’t remember the WH Smith one but I do remember the Your Horse one. I really wanted to enter but it was drilled into me that it wasn’t the cost of purchase but also the cost of keeping one and we couldn’t afford that.
A couple of years ago a lady on my share horses yard did actually win

 

[COldNag]

Mt friend won a bike, which was one of the runner up prizes.
Never seen anyone look so upset to win a prize ??

I won a runner up prize too... tickets to HOYS.
I was gutted- so near and yet so far!

 

[COldNag]

I entered.

One year, I sent a 'proper' entry in; the tiebreaker was about why Jane was so happy or something. It was a flowery entry, like I thought they were really looking for.

Then I sent a second entry in, for the tiebreaker of why Jane was so happy I simply put, "Because Jane has a horse!!!"

Gutted not to win.

I sneakily hoped they may like the brutal honesty of the second entry!

Then, the winner of a lovely grey took him swimming in the sea. She was on the front cover, in the sea on the horse, in a bikini and with no hat. I was horrified and sure she didn't deserve the pony if she would ride without a hat!

Thst was the Win a Pony run by Pony mag.
I used to enter that too.... you are right, she didn't deserve the pony (should have been me)

 

[babymare]

Every year and never won. Can imagine my parents reaction if I had won ??

 

[monte1]

OMG I remember this and like many many ponyless others dreamed of winning, but never did

 

[mustardsmum]

I remember entering every year from about the age of 7! Was lucky enough in my teens to finally get a NF pony but not through WHS. I always suspected there was no pony - let’s be honest no one knows a winner and nobody ever says “I won!” ? I also entered a Kerrygold butter win a pony - I was a bit desperate……. ?

 

[humblepie]

I can remember the one in Pony mag - it was really difficult, had lots of historical questions and literary questions. I used to go down the reference library and work my way through them. Gosh those were the days, no internet, just had to go through book after book to get the answers. I came second in a Pony mag competition once, sponsored by B & I Ferries. First prize was a holiday to Ireland strangely enough by ferry. Second prize was an Irish knit sweater but we did get to go the very posh presentation in London.

 

[Squeak]

I remember the pony mag one and also entered every year. Would love to know of any winners and how they got on.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

I was also a non winner of Smiths win a pony. One year we had to match foals to their dams. I was really hopeful of winning as I paired a black foal with a grey Welsh type and thought that no-one else would get it right !!!! I think the tie break was putting a caption to a long legged foal scratching behind his ear and standing on 3 legs.

 

[luckyoldme]

Oh yes, I remember it only too well!

I was banned from entering the competition, as my mother told me in no uncertain terms that even if I did win a pony, we could not afford to keep it.

I also remember scribbling over the face of the lucky winners every year too - although I always checked to make sure there wasn't a pony poster on the other side of the page beforehand! ?

I feel your pain.
I can remember being very very upset and my dad sitting with me on the stairs explaining that they had four mouths to feed. He did pause before telling me that my idea of getting rid of my brothers and sister was not an option.

 

[fetlock]

I probably did but can't remember.
I do remember entering a David Broome one and getting a runners up prize of a David Broome annual. There was a tongue twister final element to it and my dad came up with a cracking one with schockemöhle in it (shock em all) and another Broome related one too. We went with the former - probably not the greatest of ideas to base it on one of his main rivals..

 

[windand rain]

I think I was too old and was already married with kids when it was around. I probably also possibly had a pony at the time

 

[millikins]

I won a 10 shilling book token as a runner up. I bought 4 books for 2/6 each, one was "Moonfleet" which remains a favourite children's book. I think my parents would have been horrified if I'd actually won.