After a turbulent year, Caroline Tyrrell’s Our Cashel Blue (Blue) has made a triumphant return to Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) with Allister Hood, claiming The Leeman Family Cob of the Year Championship.
Blue was Cob Champion and Supreme Horse of the Year in 2016, and Cob Champion again in 2017. However, in 2018, the 10-year-old was diagnosed with cancer after developing a lump on his shoulder.
Blue underwent surgery to remove the tumour at the Royal Veterinary College at Potters Bar and then followed a long journey of three months’ box rest, walking in-hand and riding at walk.
Allister had also suffered a heart attack earlier on in the year.
Speaking after the Championship, Allister said: “I always had the dream of coming back here [to HOYS].”
“He [Blue] has so many followers; we can’t walk around without people wanting to touch him or have a selfie… I’ve never had a horse with such a personality… He’s a grand lad.”
Blue will now have the opportunity to reclaim his title from a few years back in the Supreme Products Supreme Horse of the Year Championship on Sunday evening.
Reserve Champion went to the Cob placed second to Blue in the Lightweight section; Sue Benson’s Whitegate Dazzler (Oliver). The eight-year-old Cob gave Anne Leaver a fabulous ride and secured her highest placing over numerous years of competing here at HOYS in Cob and Arab classes.
Sue bought Oliver as a three-year-old and he was bred by Derrick Jones who was at HOYS to see him crowned Reserve champion.
Anne has never over shown Oliver. He went Champion at the Royal International Horse Show and Royal Windsor Horse Show last season, but HOYS has been his big success story this year. At home he regularly hacks out and is schooled.
Anne now has his two-year-old half-brother at home to bring on, who she says “looks just like him!”
Taking first and second in the Heavyweight section were Silver Diamond ridden by Magnus Nicholson and Starfall ridden by Lynn Russell.
Richard and Lisha Leeman and the wider Leeman Family are delighted to give back to the discipline through generous sponsorship of both the Cob and Maxi Cob of the Year Championship. Their support also extends to other events including the Kellythorpes Leading Sire and Kellythorpes Leading Breeder Showing Awards Series presented here at the 2019 Horse of the Year Show.
