The TopSpec Arena was a hive of activity this afternoon as the classes for the Coloured Horse and Pony of the Year Championship sponsored by CHAPS (UK) took place under the skilled eye of judges Stephanie Barrington and Julie Templeton.
The stakes were high this evening as first and second from all five classes took part in the final showdown to crown the next Champion.
It was Tobiano mare Lostock Up Till Dark (Suzie) who took the honours, owned and bred by Caroline Hamilton and ridden by Harrison Taylor. They topped the line up in the Coloured Ridden Non-Native Pony of the Year sponsored by CHAPS (UK)/Appleton Grange Stud earlier this afternoon.
The seven-year-old comes from exceptional parentage out of the prolific ridden mare Up-To-D. Her sire Lostock Huntsman won this Championship in its inaugural year in 1998. He was also awarded the Kellythorpes leading coloured sire award at HOYS in 2021.
“I’m very pleased for the mare,” said Caroline. “She’s very special and the easiest person to deal with, which is unusual because sometimes when they’re this special they’re a bit quirky but she’s not.”
Harrison and Suzie finished second in the class last year and they can now look forward to the Supreme Products Supreme Horse of the Year Championship on Sunday.
“She loves the atmosphere and really got up and went this evening,” said Harrison.
The Boss lived up to his name to steal the show in the Coloured Ridden Native/Cob/Traditional Pony of the Year sponsored by CHAPS (UK)/ The White Crow and then stand Reserve Champion, much to the delight of his owner Loren Gaskin.
This incredible 18-year-old blue and white stallion has qualified for HOYS five years on the trot. He has finished 7th and 11th before, so today’s spoils meant everything to his connections.
“My granddad bought him when he was two,” said Loren. “We do everything with him, he’s a pet really.
“I’m still on cloud nine from the class win. I wasn’t expecting it [the Reserve]. He felt incredible today.”
2023 Champion Castra, owned and bred by Stephanie Fitt, and ridden by Oscar Elcock, won the Coloured Junior Ridden Pony of the Year sponsored by CHAPS (UK)/ Broom & Sleight Family, while Diane Stennett and Lucy Cameron’s 2023 Champion KBF Lucia, ridden by Jayne Ross, took the Coloured Ridden Non-Native Horse of the Year sponsored by CHAPS (UK)/ Burghwallis Stud.
Just as Will Morton thought his week couldn’t get better his ride, Bannview So Smart, owned by Valerie Hosegood gave him another centre line moment in the Coloured Ridden Native/Cob/Traditional Horse of the Year sponsored by CHAPS (UK)/ EJL Stud and Livery.
Part of HOYS since the very first show in 1949 the Catplant Group of Companies Ltd. Show Hunter of the Year Championship is a highly sought after title and Rob Walker was elated to ride Jill Day’s seven-year-old Full Cry III to victory, making him the latest horse to be etched into the history books. Judges Lucinda Elliott and Sacha Shaw had picked the bay gelding as their Middleweight winner early this morning, before a foot-perfect performance this evening secured the Championship.
“He felt great,” said Rob. “I’ve had some really special horses… and he is one of them. He gives you that extra feel that you get between a nice horse and a very special horse.”
This big-moving gelding has been brought on slowly and carefully by Rob and his team since a rising three-year-old in order to make the most of his strengths.
“With that trot and exuberance, if we’d have used it too soon he wouldn’t have known what to do with it, but he had the time to learn how to use it,” explained Rob.
Lucinda Freedman’s 2024 Lightweight winner Tigbourne regained her title this morning and then went one better to stand Reserve with Hannah Horton in the saddle.
“It’s such a privilege to be at HOYS and to actually win and then get Reserve Champion is just amazing,” said Hannah, who has produced the 10-year-old bay gelding for Lucinda Friedman for the past three years.
The pair also started doing Ladies Hunter classes this year and finished fourth in the Championship earlier this week.
“We have such a bond. He has his quirks but all the good ones do – he knows when he has to rise to the occasion.”
Helena Hogarth’s impressive grey gelding Greenhall Will I Ever took the spoils in the Heavyweight with Jayne Ross.
There was plenty of glitz and glamour in the UKAMHS American Miniature Horse of the Year Sponsored by Pandoras Miniature Farm. Judge Randy Roberston from Toronto had a strong field of 15 to choose from, but in the end the spotlight settled on Emma Armitage’s skewbald stallion Pandoras Conquistadors Bvlgari. Emma has had Miniatures for as long as she can remember and picked the seven-year-old out as a foal.
“I’m elated, he has won every title in the UK and this is what we always wanted to do together, and we’ve done it!
“He loves to show; he’s cheeky and naughty, but as soon as he goes into the ring he knows his job… and rises to the occasion.”
Nicola Trigg’s Piebald mare Adele is a Superstar stood Reserve handled by Charlotte Trigg.
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
Image: 1st Class Images