HOYS Sunday 10th Evening Showing

What a week for the Walkers

Sunday night at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) is when the Champion of Champions are crowned in the Supreme Products Supreme Horse of the Year and Supreme Products Supreme Pony of the Year Championships.

A winning week for the Walker family finished on a high as showing supremo Rob Walker rode Jill Day’s consistent Lightweight Hunter View Point to take the ultimate honours and be crowned Supreme Products Supreme Horse of the Year 2021 after standing Catplant Group of Companies Show Hunter Champion on Friday 8^th October.

A delighted Rob said: “His record would suggest, year on year, that he’s the horse of a lifetime… A champion should want to go in there and impress,” which is exactly what this horse does time and time again.

View Point is always right at home under the spotlight and tonight was no exception. This was Rob’s first Supreme victory since 2007 and he had wife Sarah alongside him in the Andrews Bowen International Arena having won the The Harrod and Coles Family Cob of the Year Championship with Lisa Davey’s Red Butler yesterday.

Earlier in the day their daughter Izzy stood Champion on Nick Brookes’ Welsh Section B Redlays Theseus in The Binks Family 122cm Show Hunter Pony of the Year.

Son Sam is keen to take View Point hunting very soon! A true hunter through and through.

A first time at HOYS turned into a dream come true for 13-year-old Ellie-Mae Harrison who rode Kirsty Andrew’s Roseberry Final Edition to stand Supreme Products Supreme Pony of the Year, having scooped the British Show Pony Society Children’s Riding Pony of the Year on Saturday.

This pair have more than exceeded expectations in their first season together and Ellie’s tears of joy showed just how much this meant to her.

She said: “It’s a dream to win. Just to be placed is really nice, let alone go supreme, it is just massive.”

Ellie says he is her “best friend” who “loves cuddles” and will now go back for the winter to have a “pony life” in the field before coming out again next season. Producer Gill Thompson added: “This is what dreams are made of… We always hoped he’d do it. He’s so special to us all.”

Martin Fountain’s six-year-old homebred mare, Woodhouse Phenomenon, took the spoils in The Shire Horse of the Year Championship Supported by the Shire Horse Society. The mare is out of Woodhouse Miss Dynamite who stood Champion with Martin in 2017, so both mother and daughter have now claimed the ultimate accolade. Woodhouse Phenomenon also has a very prolific sire; the late Metherington Upton Hamlet who won the title here three times.

Martin also won in 2013 and 2016 with Woodhouse Calendar Girl. All of Martin’s mares are homebred, which of course makes a win even more special. “It’s unbelievable,” he said. “It’s why you do it and this win is just as special as the first.”

ENDS

For more information on Horse of the Year Show 2019, please contact Horse of the Year Show Press Office, Grandstand Media Ltd. Tel: 02476 858205. Email: press@hoys.co.uk