Shire Horse of the Year Championship supported by the Shire Horse Society.
Kicking off the evening of showing championships under the spotlight of the Andrews Bowen International Arena on the final night of Horse of the Year Show was the quintessentially British Shire Horse of the Year Championship, supported by the Shire Horse Society.
With 17 finalists this was one of the biggest championships ever seen at the Show since the class was introduced in 1974. Led in-hand, the impressive Shire horses in traditional turnouts were all in for preliminary judging earlier in the evening but made the most of their final opportunity to impress judge, Mike Horler.
Mike found his eventual champion in the three-year-old black filly, Acle Carousel handled by Henry Pattison. One of the great prefixes of Shire horse breeding, the mare is out of Acle Hello Topsy and by Catwg Welsh Challenger.
“Well that was a bit surreal,” said Henry. Standing at 18.1hh at just three-years-old, Henry added: “She’s like a big puppy dog, your classic gentle giant.”
The Shire horse as a breed has had a fascinating history traced back over 1,000 years. A magnificent animal. Tall, gentle, noble and immensely strong – loved by many and enjoyed here tonight at Horse of the Year Show.
Noble Peppermint paints the perfect picture to be crowned the Supreme Products Supreme Pony of the Year Champion 2022
Tagged as ‘The Ultimate Celebration of the Horse’ the Sunday night overall supreme championship titles at Horse of the Year Show are exactly that. The crème de la crème of show horses and show ponies who have won champion titles here throughout the five-day-show, all come forward to contest the overall supreme pony and supreme horse of the year championship, both sponsored by Supreme Products.
Taking the title in the Supreme Products Supreme Pony of the Year Championship was the Ward Family’s working hunter pony winner, Noble Peppermint ridden by 10-year-old Elsie Lynch. A HOYS first timer, the young rider from Cheshire was sure to make her HOYS debut one to remember.
“That was fun. It’s not sunk in yet. It was amazing, I didn’t expect that at all,” said Elsie.
Elsie’s mum Laura Lynch added: “I’m in shock. They are such a good partnership. I never expected that for a minute.” The family have Pepper on loan from Kelly Ward and daughter Ruby, who also rode to victory with the talented mare in the HOYS working hunter pony championship 2018.
The supreme was judged by Marcus Capel, CEO of the Pony Club, and FEI show jumping judge Val Turner.
“This pony was of such good type, and it was suitable for a child in every way. She had gorgeous charisma and she just had something about her,” said Marcus.
Val agreed and added: “She just smiled the whole way through the judging process.”
View Point takes his final bow upon winning the Supreme Products Supreme Horse of the Year title for a second year running
Reigning champions View Point and Robert Walker hold firmly onto their title as the Supreme Products Supreme Horse of the Year. A horse which had already set a record at Horse of the Year Show on Friday, becoming the first to win the Catplant Group of Companies Ltd. Show Hunter Championship on four separate occasions.
The remarkable show horse is now one of just two horses to win the prestigious overall supreme horse title at HOYS for two consecutive years.
In an emotive twist to their lap of honour, Robert pulled the horse up, dismounted and removed his hat to symbolise that this would be the horse’s last hurrah.
“He’s given us some great times, but I wanted him to go out on a high. He never gives anything less than 120% and to get a horse that does that is incredible, but they can’t do it forever,” said Robert.
“He did so well here last year. We had reservations about bringing him again and it being an anti-climax, but he was fit and ready to come so we thought we’d give him one final whirl. He’s the most amazing show horse I have had, he’ll never leave us.”
Taking home the £1,000 prize money and some incredible memories. What a way to signify the end of an incredible showing career for the 11-year-old gelding and the unstoppable show producer.
Listen to their full interview here: https://bit.ly/3SOTJqh
ENDS
For more information on Horse of the Year Show 2022, please contact Horse of the Year Show Press Office, Grandstand Media Ltd. Tel: 02476 858205. Email: press@hoys.co.uk
