WHS Win A Pony Competition

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MochaDun

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Like the What Horsey Books Did You Read post, how many of us entered the WH Smith Win A Pony Competition? I think it was either in the late 1960s or early 1970s that it ran but I know I entered it a couple of years running I think. I was SO convinced I would win, though can't remember what you had to do apart from something to do with producing a till receipt I think and a tie-breaker maybe?! Or have I got that all wrong? Yes I'm that old and my memory isn't what it was! Anyone else do it? And did you maybe win and get your first pony via it?!
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Yes, I did! Three years running at least. I remember getting the list of winners & runers up too afterwards.

You had to get a till receipt, but also answer many horse care questionson an entry form which I think were multiple choice. There was also that tie-breaker as you say, which I think was simply "I want to win a pony because...."

Boo hoo, I never one & had to wait until I was 16 before I got my first pony.:(
 
I entered it three years running as well, never won anything ! I seem to recall that Smiths paid all the costs for the first year, 50% of the costs for the second year, and 25% of the costs for the third year, and after that, you were on your own (my dad said that was the point where the pony would be sold
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It must have been in the late 70's early 80's as I remember entering it many times and of course never winning.........I had a somewhat longer wait for my first when I was 37!
 
I entered it too, also totally convinced that I was going to win. Dad was in the RAF and we moved all the time so it was probably a good thing I didn't win.

I had to wait until I was 33 for my first.
 
I entered every year I could, I was convinced the prize pony was coming to live with me.
I waited until I was 21 until I bought my first horse.

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I seem to recall that Smiths paid all the costs for the first year, 50% of the costs for the second year, and 25% of the costs for the third year, and after that, you were on your own (my dad said that was the point where the pony would be sold
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My dad said the same
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Yes I remember entering it too. It must have been late 70s - I got my first pony in 1979 - didn't win him though!!

Can you remember all the pony books there used to be about in those days too - children these days don't seem to have so many pony stories available.
 
hi guys, if you guys are seeing this i mean the people who organise winning a horse pls give me feedback. so I have a few questions about the competition, um do you guys like organise where the horse will live and if you guys organise the helmet, riding outfit, water container, grooming brush, riding boots, bridle, saddle, saddle blanket, feed tin and clean water, proper food, good shelter, parasite control, vaccination, vet and dental care, proper exercise and company. also do you guys organise a like riding lessons, stables, and something to add on to where the horse will live um will it live like close to my house ooh and the lead and stuff like that. thanks P.S pls give give me feedback =-)
 
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MG56447 said:
hi guys, if you guys are seeing this i mean the people who organise winning a horse pls give me feedback. so I have a few questions about the competition, um do you guys like organise where the horse will live and if you guys organise the helmet, riding outfit, water container, grooming brush, riding boots, bridle, saddle, saddle blanket, feed tin and clean water, proper food, good shelter, parasite control, vaccination, vet and dental care, proper exercise and company. also do you guys organise a like riding lessons, stables, and something to add on to where the horse will live um will it live like close to my house ooh and the lead and stuff like that. thanks P.S pls give give me feedback =-)
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?????

Eh!?
 
I remember it! And entered it a few times. I think it had a portrait of a pretty wh type pale palomino on its advert. I didn't get my first pony though until I was 38 :(
 
i remember entering in the early 80's but think by the mid 80's it was considered non ethical and cruel to the horse to give to someone who might be totally unsuited to owning a horse and I also remember was it Your Horse magazine used to run a similar competition where they brought a horse to suit you and followed your story.
 
I entered. I was incensed when the winner, on a grey horse, was pictured in a bikini on the front cover of the magazine, in the sea. I was jealous enough but the being incensed was because she didn't have a hat on!

In my young years, I reckoned that she didn't deserve to keep the pony if she was going to ride it without a hat!!!

It rubbed salt into the wound.
 
Red-1 said:
I entered. I was incensed when the winner, on a grey horse, was pictured in a bikini on the front cover of the magazine, in the sea. I was jealous enough but the being incensed was because she didn't have a hat on!

In my young years, I reckoned that she didn't deserve to keep the pony if she was going to ride it without a hat!!!

It rubbed salt into the wound.
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Oh, that was the Pony Magazine comp.
I can remember her name was Samantha. I remember that photo!
I was also madly jealous.

I entered the Pony mag comps and the WHS ones, never did win a pony ....
 
OldNag said:
Oh, that was the Pony Magazine comp.
I can remember her name was Samantha. I remember that photo!
I was also madly jealous.

I entered the Pony mag comps and the WHS ones, never did win a pony ....
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YES! No Hat Samantha!!! Pah!

I did the WHS one and the Pony one. Not the Your Horse one though. I already had a horse and was out doing BE so I thought they'd not pick me as it wouldn't be such a good story.
 
I entered the Your Horse one when I was about 13 and cringe myself inside out every time I think about it 😅 How they must've laughed at my entry, I'd only have been riding for around 2 years and was pretty terrible. Funnily enough I didn't end up winning...
 
I entered every year! and as a child from a non-horsey family who spent my childhood begging and working for rides, I remember being absolutely furious when the winner one year already had a pony of her own and had won a second one 🤣
 
Well I gave my entry to my mum to post and I'm pretty sure it never made it to the Royal Mail sorting office!

We were a military family so no idea what I would have done with it given we were posted everywhere.
 
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