French rider Julien Anquetin saved his best until last to be crowned Leading Showjumper of the Year at the Horse of the Year Show. Julien guided Farah Tame to an outstanding win, clocking 38.92 seconds to give his preparations for the World Cup indoor season lift-off. Sweden’s Angelie von Essen took second aboard Daniel on 40.55, with third place going to British challenger Adrian Whiteway on Chacco Volo. Defending HOYS grand prix champion Jodie Hall McAteer was fourth, with reigning national champion Rebecca Marsh fifth and triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Maher in sixth. It brought the curtain down on HOYS’ 75th anniversary, concluding a memorable showjumping programme across national

The Hamilton Tarmac Small Show Hunter of the Year Championship, judged by JJ Kemp and Gregory Gerry, saw a double HOYS Champion crowned; Bridget and Meg Edmondson’s Briarhill Buddy Bolden (Buddy). Fresh from his victory yesterday in The Ross Family Intermediate Show Hunter of the Year Hunter with Harriet Dennison, Buddy was victorious once again in this prestigious open Championship with Meg in the saddle. The eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse is by Kings Cornet out of Durida, and is produced by Rachel and Julie Helliwell. An ecstatic Meg said: “What a horse! He went so well and he makes mine and Harriet’s job easy.” When asked about their secret to

Rachel Proudley accomplished what she described as “the number one win” of her showjumping career by landing the Speed Horse of the Year crown at the Horse of the Year Show. A thrilling one-round class looked to be heading the way of Welshman Mark Edwards, who produced a blistering performance on Royale Tale, clocking 56.91 seconds. He had led from early in the competition, but everything changed when the final two competitors entered the arena – Jodie Hall McAteer and last-to-go Rachel. Jodie and Kimosa Van Het Kritrahof went more than half a second inside Mark’s time, leaving 19-year-old Rachel a Herculean task aboard Petitfour VD Wareslage, but they delivered

Will Fletcher added his name to the family’s Horse of the Year Show successes with victory in the British Horse Feeds Speedi-Beet Grade C Championship. Twenty eight years after his mother Tina claimed the first of her two wins in the same class, Will fought through considerable discomfort to land the concluding national showjumping competition of HOYS 2024 After being accidentally kicked by a horse in the warm-up area, Will defied a severe limp and bruising to take first place on Qian Van Heiste and third with Calixte Heartbreaker Z. He had four horses in the class, and three made the jump-off. His winning time of 31.61 seconds after being

Under the spotlights of a full house on the penultimate evening of Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), judges JJ Kemp (South Africa) and Gregory Gerry (Australia) welcomed back their first and second placed Cobs from this morning’s Lightweight and Heavyweight classes to select The Harrod and Coles Family Cob of the Year Champion. Cobs being few and far between in South Africa, ride judge JJ Kemp commented on how light these horses are to ride, which is of course the epitome of a good show cob; good manners and a comfortable ride.  The Heavyweight winner was crowned Champion; 11-year-old Taylors Hero ridden by Richard Telford and jointly owned by

History repeated itself on the penultimate evening of Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) as Alison Osborne was crowned Osborne Refrigerators Double Harness Scurry of the Year Championship with her formidable pair of ponies Osborne Refrigerators Woody & Buzz.  Ten pairs of ponies across the large and small sections of the Osborne Refrigerators Double Harness Scurry qualified over three days at HOYS to battle it out in the ‘World Cup final’ of Scurry driving on Saturday night.  Alison has dominated the leader board all week, winning both Small rounds with Osborne Refrigerators Woody & Buzz and both Large rounds with Osborne Refrigerators Chip & Dale. Hot on her heels all