North Herefordshire completed a memorable Horse of the Year Show hat-trick as they won the LeMieux Pony Club Mounted Games for the Prince Philip Cup at Birmingham NEC.
First contested in 1957, the competition once again delivered an action-packed fashion as four teams – North Herefordshire, North Warwickshire, Wynnstay and Wylye Valley – contested the double-points final.
Atherstone, Lanark and Upperward missed out on qualification following the afternoon’s penultimate event, finishing fifth and sixth respectively, while North Herefordshire took a 19-point lead over North Warwickshire into the final.
And it proved an unassailable margin, with North Herefordshire finishing on a total of 133 points for three titles in succession, North Warwickshire second on 100, Wylye Valley third (92) and Wynnstay fourth (91).
“It is absolutely fantastic,” said North Herefordshire trainer Ian Hopkins after the trophy was presented by LeMieux Managing Director Dan Mahoney.
“There has been lots of hard work all through the winter months, and this is the culmination of it.”
“It is all about team work. It is fantastic, a lot of our members came up to watch and support – it is a real community.”
“Over the last three years, we’ve trained once or twice a week, and we are out every single weekend in competition. We really do put the hours in.”
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ENDS
For more information on Horse of the Year Show 2024, please contact Horse of the Year Show Press Office, Grandstand Media Ltd. Tel: 02476 858205. Email: press@hoys.co.uk
