The 77th Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) got underway with the Ladies Side Saddle Horse of the Year Championship and a very special win for the reigning Supreme Horse of the Year, KBF Lucia and Jayne Ross.
KBF Lucia, known as Poppy, is owned by Diane Stennett and Lucy Cameron. The nine-year-old Piebald mare reclaimed the Ladies title from 2023, adding to her string of HOYS titles, including multiple Coloured Horse wins.
“It’s a very emotional win,” said Jayne. “She just throws her heart out and gives you her all.
“She has a beautiful attitude to life, what you see is what you get. She never gets revved, or worried or upset, she comes out time and time again, smiles and does her job. She’s just very special.”
Amelia Hood piloted her own eight-year-old Irish Sports Horse, Seabourne Singing Hills to stand Reserve. Amelia was delighted as this was the gelding’s first side saddle appearance at HOYS.
From track to spotlights, 14 former racehorses in the SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse of the Year Championship were put through their paces by ride judge Hayden Hankey and conformation judge Sacha Shaw.
Morean Hamilton’s Rich Man Poor Man showed just how at home he is in the arena of dreams, pulling out all the stops to stand Champion with Kirstine Douglas in the saddle.
A shining example of life after the track, the 13-year-old gelding has scooped various placings at HOYS, both in this class and the Middleweight Hunter, showing true versatility.
He went to Kirstine as a four-year-old straight off the track. Having not settled into racing, he found his purpose with her.
“We’re over the moon”, she said. “He’s been a great horse for us and this is the icing on the cake.
“He has his moments and can be cheeky, but when you’ve got him right he’s fantastic.”
Georgina Andrews’ 10-year-old bay gelding Migration stood reserve with Hannah Horton. Migration won over £200,000 in win and place money before retiring to start his showing career in 2024.
A roar of applause filled the TopSpec Arena as Chestnut stallion Bugatti took the spoils in the Needlesmart, John Illingworth and Cliff Kirby Ridden Purebred Arab of the Year Championship. This year is Bugatti’s first open season under saddle and what a way to do it with a Championship title at the ‘world’s most famous horse show’. Bugatti is owned by Mike, Jayne and Sandra Johnson and ridden by Natasha Nelson.
“He did a lot of in-hand showing before he came to me for his ridden career”, said Natasha, who was also celebrating her first HOYS centre line moment.
“I’m absolutely blown away… As a person he’s really gentle and cuddly. Your nan could lead him out, he’s a darling and really fun to have around.”
The Reserve went to another of the stallions, Daniel Botwright and Anne Bevan’s 10-year-old Waliandro ridden by Sian Warman.
Consistency was key in the Harness Horse and Pony of the Year Championship as Neil Wray’s undefeated stallion Plains Royalty clocked up another HOYS win. This is the fifth time the 15-year-old Hackney stallion has competed in this Championship and he has come home with the top honours every single time.
Neil said: “We gave him two years off… and brought him back today as he was a bit miserable at home.
“It’s a great privilege to have him. We were very lucky to buy him out of the Netherlands at two years old and I can’t sing this horse’s praises high enough.
“We’ve been fortunate to have some very good horses, but this one is Mr Consistency and has everything.”
Defending Champion Hatterall All Gold, owned by Jessie Dudley and driven by Kelly Searle, stood Reserve. The Palomino stallion will now have a break from showing for breeding.
The inaugural Veteran Horse Society & Harry Hall One Club Ridden Veteran Horse of the Year Championship is an exciting addition to this year’s timetable and the competition did not disappoint.
Showcasing the longevity and versatility of our beloved veterans aged 15 and over, judges Susan Stockley-Bridges and Deborah Alderson had the enviable task of crowning one Champion from the line up.
The overall Champion was the oldest in the class, Kelsey Bishop’s 26-year-old Skewbald mare Shemika Snip. Kelsey has owned this remarkable pony for 18 years and rode her in the ring today; the perfect illustration of the partnership between riders and their much-loved older equines.
“Not once did I think a pony I bought for £700 would get somewhere like this, let alone win it,” said Kelsey.
Kelsey bought the mare as a show jumper, but it wasn’t until she was in her mid-teens that she really came into her own in the show ring.
Out of work at the beginning of last year due to injury, Kelsey thought retirement may be on the cards, but this big-moving mare has always thrived on work and has since gone from strength to strength qualifying for HOYS first time out.
“She’s good as gold and I love her to bits, but she can be quite sassy – she loves her job.”
21-year-old Welsh D gelding, Taffechan Flashman Berti Blaze stood Reserve owned by Susan Don and ridden by Shonagh Stark.
ENDS
For more information on Horse of the Year Show 2026, please contact:
Horse of the Year Show Press Office, Grandstand Media Ltd.
Tel: 02476 858205
Email: press@hoys.co.uk