Past Champions and Reserves reclaim their crowns on day four of HOYS

On the 15th anniversary of The Leeman Family Maxi Cob of the Year Championship at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) Jo Baker’s Chestnut Irish Draught Chantilly Sandman (Teddy) stood Champion after settling for Reserve last year. Ridden by Jayne Ross, this was the 13-year-old gelding’s first HOYS centre line moment.

“He was absolutely fantastic, he did not miss a beat,” said Jayne. “He’s always a lovely horse to show,but he was just perfect today.”

Teddy is now based with show producer Clare Fitch and Jayne meets him at shows. “He comes to me a few days before, so it’s just a big joint effort”.

Jayne now has two horses in the Supreme Products Supreme Horse of the Year Championship on Sunday, following her Ladies Hunter win earlier in the week. It is likely that Clare will take the ride on Chantilly Sandman in the Andrews Bowen International Arena.

This year’s Reserve was Grahame Phillips’ skewbald gelding Randalstown Time Piece, ridden by Claire Oliver fresh from her Small Hunter victory on Thursday.

Over in the TopSpec Arena the Simon Constable Equine Vets and Binley Arabian Caroline Sussex Ridden Purebred Arab of the Year Championship also saw last year’s Reserve crowned Champion. Jade Hateley pulled off a foot-perfect performance on her eye-catching Chestnut gelding Cipriana for the Championship sash.

Jade said, “That was incredible; he’s been so great.”

Out of FS Cinderella by Mascot Des Alps, the 11-year-old is half brother to the third-placed grey gelding CBeebies out of the same dam. Jade sold CBeebies earlier this year and Amanda Miller rode him in the ring today. 

Reserve Champion was previous two-time HOYS Champion Kerry Bates’ grey gelding Rafeekah ridden by Kimberley Bates.

An absolutely delighted Georgina Kirby-Moore had plenty to celebrate after taking the overall honours in the Enablelink Ltd Intermediate Show Hunter of the Year Championship with Jemma Ellison’s SCT Master of the Hounds.  

The 10-year-old grey gelding has previously competed at HOYS with Jemma, but a red ribbon has eluded him. Paddy has been with Georgina for two years now and she produces him herself. After competing in this class last year without being placed, this year they have made quite the comeback.

“He’s my absolute dream horse,” said Georgina. “He hasn’t had any work today, he’s literally just come in because he’s the most chilled out person. He mostly hacks out at home and does a bit of jumping.”

At just 19, Georgina has plenty more opportunities to contest the Intermediates and would also like to do more Ladies Show Horse classes next season.

Reserve Champion went to last year’s Champion Briarhill Buddy Bolden owned by Bridget Edmondson and ridden by Harriet Dennison.

Another past Reserve Champion became Champion today in the The Honourable Stud Intermediate Show Riding Type of the Year Championship. Danni Radford’s homebred bay gelding, Ladies Man, gave Poppy Carter a flawless ride to seal the deal.

An emotional Danni said: “Never in a million years would I have thought I would breed him to do this. I just bred him as a nice horse for myself! I’m lost for words”.

Reflecting on the class she added: “With that line up in there, even to get placed in that class is fantastic.”

Danni hacks him out every day at home and he was late getting going this season as she had a baby, but she says he just seems to get better year on year.

Parkgate Royal Visit William stood Reserve. Owned by Nick Brookes and ridden by Zara Brookes, the bay gelding stood Champion back in 2017.

The Show Rider of the Year Award is a new award for this year presented in both of the Intermediate Championships. The aim is to encourage more young people to continue their competitive careers in showing and to inspire the next generation. Judged by showing supremo Allister Hood, this year the titles were awarded to Floriann Gilston who was riding Chantelle Joslin’s Carnsdale Let it Be in the Show Hunter and Zara Brookes riding Parkgate Royal Visit William in the Show Riding Type. Allister’s expertise is invaluable to the next generation of showing.

The Pardus Wealth Mini Show Pony of the Year Championship saw the fifth Woodview pony crowned Champion since its inception. Emma Shepherd led her own bay mare Woodview Iola to victory with daughter Lilly-Mae Howard in the saddle.

The combination has been sixth in the Lead Rein class at HOYS for the last two years, so this year was a dream come true for the family.

“We’ve always wanted to do HOYS,” said Emma. “That was our dream and she [Iola] has come here today and absolutely nailed it.

“She’s a true children’s lead rein pony through and through. Lilly does it all herself;  Iola is completely home produced.

“My little boy will do Lead Rein on him next year and Lilly wants to do First Ridden, so Iola will do both.”

The second place Lead Rein combination took Reserve; Seamoor Lady Derby ridden by Holly Smith and owned by Laura Smith.

The First Ridden winner was Sharn Linney’s Broadhurst Jeremy Fisher (Jeremy) ridden by Lara-Rae Jones. Jeremy has been with the show producer for three years now and a delighted Sharn said, “he absolutely loves his first ridden job”.

This year’s Enablelink Ltd Lead Rein Pony of Hunter Type of the Year Championship was won by Tracey Brady’s Welsh Section B Priestwood Roc Star (Rocky) ridden by Grayson Brady. This is the second time the pony has taken the Championship and he was led in the ring today by Sarah Newbold who has produced him for Grayson for the past three seasons.

Sarah said: “He [Rocky] went very sweetly. You had to keep trotting all the way through the course, so you needed to keep a steady rhythm around some very tight obstacles.”

When asked what makes Rocky such a good children’s pony Sarah said, “you could just blow him up into a middleweight hunter. He’s a true stamp of a hunter pony.”

Grayson has one more year in lead rein classes but the team plans to move him into some First Ridden classes from next season, too.

Previous two-time Champion Cadlanvalley Superted stood Reserve. The Chestnut gelding is owned by Heather Clay and ridden by Finley Clay.