It was an early start for Jade Cummins’ super little Welsh Section B, Gatsby Diam, who claimed the Mears-Wood Family Lead Rein Pony of Hunter Type of the Year  Championship as the sun was rising on the final day of Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). The 10-year-old gelding took good care of his little four-year-old jockey, Nellie Cummins, as the pair negotiated the obstacle course led by Sharn Linney; and with the star quality needed to go two better than his third place last year. Gatsby has been produced by Sharn for the past two years. “There was lots going on in the course,” she said. “But he’s nice

Joe Whitaker revealed that he had realised a career ambition with his exciting victory in the NAEC Stoneleigh Speed Horse of the Year class at Horse of the Year Show. Joe followed up victory in Friday night’s Dallamires Stables Cup, when he edged out his cousin Jack following an epic jump-off tussle, with a second notable triumph. Despite having a fence down in the one-round competition, which added three seconds to his finishing time, Joe and Seaview Evolution still took the top prize by 11 hundredths of a second from Chris Smith and Messarado Blue, with James Smith finishing third on Juno Rose 23. “I have been watching this class

National classes concluded at Horse of the Year Show on Sunday morning with Douglas Duffin and Omex Star HBF taking victory in the Grade C Championship. First contested in 1973, the Grade C boasts an impressive list of former winners including Nick Skelton, Tina Fletcher, William Funnell and Billy Twomey. And its latest edition did not disappoint as Douglas became the third Scottish rider to win a showjumping class at HOYS this week after Samantha Wiseman and James Smith. Seven combinations made it through to the jump-off, including puissance joint-winner Rachel Proudley, and it was Douglas, who finished third in Thursday’s Foxhunter Championship, that came out on top in a

The Ripon Select Foods Puissance once again lived up to its headline billing on a sold-out night of dramatic action at Horse of the Year Show. And it ended with the imperious Rachel Proudley claiming a remarkable seventh successive puissance victory – and her second in a row at HOYS – as she shared top spot with Irish challenger Andrew Hodgins. Rachel, riding her serial puissance winner Easy Boy De Laubry Z, and Andrew on Shanaclough Luichew, were the only combinations to reach round five, having arrived there by clearing 2.13 metres, with the final height rising to 2.18 metres, or seven feet and two inches. They bowed out together

The Price Family Supreme In-Hand Championship is one of the most coveted titles in the showing world and tonight was the night ofCarolyn Campbell’s four-year-old British Riding Pony stallion, Seywoods Royal Dancer, shown by Simon Charlesworth.  Under a new format for this year, spectators were treated to an exceptional showcase of all 20 of the finest breeds and types for the final judging of this prestigious championship in the Andrews Bowen International Arena.  Many of the pony’s connections were here tonight to witness this momentous occasion, including his breeders James and Christine Hunton. Seywoods Royal Dancer is by prominent British Riding Pony stallion Turberry Top Cat out of Colbeach Duet,