The Horse of the Year Show awards series are highly regarded as sought-after accolades and now in their tenth year, are an established part of the equestrian calendar. Encompassing the Kellythorpe Leading Breeder and Leading Sire, as well as the LeMieux La Liga consistency awards, they celebrate some of the country’s most esteemed and successful horses and ponies within the showing world.
The Leeman Family together with Grandstand Media, held a fabulous awards ceremony yesterday evening at Horse of the Year Show. Hosted by Carey Knox, the glittering event provided the perfect opportunity and setting to reward the success of the horses/ponies who have played their part in the showing Championships that we see today. It is an opportunity to recognise the fantastic success of the animals bred by a person or stud, as well as progeny on the ground, using a points system for all results in Horse of the Year Show qualifiers throughout the 2022 season.
The Kellythorpe Leading Breeder Awards are calculated using the results of the horses/ponies who are placed in HOYS qualifiers throughout the season, subsequently proving the person/stud prefix’ consistency to breed animals that can succeed at the highest level. The Kellythorpe Leading Sire Awards rewards the horse or pony whose progeny are consistently placed in HOYS qualifiers.
The awards are categorised in the breed or type, and all showing classes are eligible with the exception of Shire In-Hand Horses, Ridden Heavy Horses, Racehorse to Riding Horse, Harness Horse and Pony, and Supreme In-hand.
Using the total points, the Kellythorpe Leading Breeder and the Kellythorpe Leading Sire of the Year were announced during the awards evening on Thursday with the overall awards presented in the Andrews Bowen International Arena last night (Friday 7th October). The Leading Breeder of the Year accolade went to Sandy Anderson of the Thistledown Stud, with Zeena Sherwood collecting the award on their behalf. The Leading Sire of the Year Award went to Cusop Dimension, with owners Deborah Porter and Andrew Pitman accepting this notable accolade.
The admiration of these awards and the evening of celebrating the breeders and owners behind the showing industry would not be possible without the generosity of the award’s sponsors, Richard and Lisha Leeman. Together with the wider Leeman family, they have provided continued support for the HOYS Showing Awards Series and they passionately champion showing and the breeding of horses and ponies.
The 2022 winners are:
Kellythorpe Leading Breeder of the Year Awards
| Section | Breeder | Prefix |
| HUNTER | MR PATRICK KEYHOE | |
| SHOW HORSE | MR HUW D GRUFFYDD | CAEREINI |
| COLOURED | MS PETRA HEINZ | |
| HUNTER PONY | MR SANDY ANDERSON | THISTLEDOWN |
| SHOW PONY | MRS A M SMALLEY & MISS C J SMALLEY | BARKWAY |
| ARAB | MR C LOWE & MRS J LOWE | |
| MINIATURE | MS LISA TAYLOR | MODEL FARM UK |
| CONNEMARA | MR PATRICK J HESKIN | |
| DALES | MRS J PENNELL | NIPNA |
| EXMOOR | MRS J WEBB | BLACKTHORN |
| FELL | MRS I POTTER | GREENHOLME |
| HIGHLAND | MS KATE LAWSON | LOCHLANDS |
| NEWFOREST | MR ALEX HUMBLE & MS KERRY DOVERY | LOVELYHILL |
| SHETLAND | MRS VIVIEN HAMPTON | BRIAR |
| WELSH A | MR SANDY ANDERSON | THISTLEDOWN |
| WELSH B | MR H.S & MRS Y DAVIES | CADLANVALLEY |
| WELSH C | MR PETER & MRS ANN JONES | MENAI |
| WELSH D | MR P J GRAY | THORNEYSIDE |
Kellythorpe Leading Sire Award
| Section | Sire | Stud/Owner |
| HUNTER | CROSSTOWN DANCER | JOHN & MARIA MELVIN OF CROSSTOWN STUD |
| SHOW HORSE | KILVINGTON SCOUNDREL | MRS JOANNA MACINNES OF WHALTON STUD |
| COLOURED | FREE SPIRIT | KARIN MALONE |
| HUNTER PONY | SOUDLEY TALIESIN | MESDAMES J & V STEPHENS |
| SHOW PONY | CUSOP DIMENSION | WHITELEAZE & WYCROFT STUD |
| ARAB | VIVEGAS | ANDREA TAYLOR OF TUCANA ARABIANS |
| MINIATURE | UJENIKS EXTASY DARK SECRET | MR FREDDIE WATTS |
| CONNEMARA | GWENNIC DE GOARIVA | MR TIM CAREY |
| DALES | LOWHOUSES BLACK MAGIC | NIPNA DALES PONY STUD |
| DARTMOOR | PUMPHILL BENNET | MR PAUL STARKIE |
| EXMOOR | BLACKTHORN SEA POACHER | MRS J WEBB & MRS A NICHOLLS |
| FELL | HELTONDALE BONZO BOY | TOWNEND STUD |
| HIGHLAND | DUNEDIN MARKSMAN | MISS A MITCHELL OF DUNEDIN STUD |
| NEW FOREST | APPLEWITCH PURE MAGIC | ALAN & KAY BAILEY OF WEST KINGTON STUD |
| SHETLAND | COLLYTOWN SABRE | CHRISTINE & JOHN HODGSON OF LOTUSPOINT STUD |
| WELSH A | BLACKHILL PICALO | LACY STUD |
| WELSH B | CADLANVALLEY BUZBY | CADLAN VALLEY STUD |
| WELSH C | WYKEN ROB ROY | WYKEN STUD |
| WELSH D | MITCHELTROY WELSH PRINCE | RAINHILL WLESH COBS |
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
