A mischievous Dartmoor hill pony who plays the donkey in the village nativity and was once found eating ice cream on the village green has been crowned Agria’s inaugural Pony of a Lifetime winner, run in association with The Pony Club.

Five-year-old Maui, a member of South Pool Pony Club, impressed judges with his gentle nature, larger-than-life personality and the remarkable bond he shares with his young riders. The new competition was launched as a pony-focused extension of Agria’s popular Horse of a Lifetime campaign, celebrating the horses and ponies who leave an unforgettable mark on the people who love them.

Owned by Sophie Bristow and her daughters, Maui was bought as a yearling directly off Dartmoor for £200 through the Dartmoor Hill Pony Charity.

Despite his hill pony background, Sophie said there was something instantly different about him.

“When we went to pick Maui out, he was in a pen full of ponies, and they were all wild, including him. We went into the pen, and he was the only one who didn’t startle and back away. That was the moment we knew he was different.”

Sophie’s eldest daughter was just seven years old when the family began backing him.

“From day one, he’s taken everything in his stride; scooters, bikes and machinery, he’s unbelievably placid.”

Now five, Maui has become a much-loved all-round family pony.

“He happily hacks on the lead rein, has started enjoying mounted games through Pony Club and has formed an especially close bond with Sophie’s youngest daughter, Delilah.

“They’re thick as thieves,” Sophie said. “They’ve grown up together, and she doesn’t want to ride anything else.

“They’re just starting to come off the lead rein now.”

At Christmas each year, he stars as the donkey in the nativity at Chivelstone Church near Kingsbridge, surrounded by children and animals.

Alongside winner Maui, the judges were also deeply moved by the story of runner-up Loulou, a 35-year-old New Forest pony whose bond with her owner has spanned more than two decades and multiple generations.

Loulou first came into her owner’s life as a loan pony when she was 12 years old, quickly becoming a much-loved partner for showjumping, showing, games and hacking adventures.

When Loulou’s owner decided to sell her, the family believed their time together had come to an end until a surprise birthday present changed everything.

Her owner said:

“On my 15th birthday, I arrived at the yard to find Loulou with a big pink bow around her neck.

“Unbeknownst to me, my parents had bought her.

“What a birthday present!”

Entries for Agria’s Horse of a Lifetime competition remain open, with horse owners across the country encouraged to share the stories of the horses and ponies who have made the greatest impact on their lives.

A bimonthly short list will be put forward to Horse & Hound for the opportunity to ultimately be selected for an annual Horse & Hound Award – the Agria Horse of a Lifetime – announced at the annual awards ceremony at the Dallas Burston Polo Club in November.