Neil Wray’s perseverance and determination was rewarded with a memorable victory in the Steve Dent Horses & Carriages Harness Horse and Pony of the Year Championship at Horse of the Year Show in Birmingham.
Yorkshire-based driver Neil and the young black stallion Plains Royalty won a keenly-contested class that also saw Malcolm Salter and Newydd Beau named as reserve champions.
Carriage driving was once a main mode of transport, and that tradition has been kept alive through the harness horse and pony classes, with qualifiers held throughout the season and culminating in the Horse of the Year Show Championship.
Judges assess areas such as turn-out, harness fitting, presentation and suitability of horse and pony to the carriage. Neil, who qualified via the Royal Cornwall Show, said following his triumph today in the Andrews Bowen International Arena: “It’s fantastic. He is only a young horse, and we were really pleased with how he went. He’s had a fabulous season, so I couldn’t have asked for more.
“It is 26 years since we won this title. We’ve had 11 reserves since that point, and it has really taken some doing to get back to the top slot. He’s a great horse, and it is a real team effort. There are so many people involved to get the turn-out at this standard.
“He was unbeaten all year, so it is a real accolade to come here and win. We were just hoping he would go in and cope with the atmosphere well. It was the first time he had been in there, and did brilliantly. We are delighted. It was a feeling of total elation when they called my name out.”
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Horse of the Year Show Press Office
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