Leading from the beginning, 12-year-old Tabitha Kyle won the first showjumping class of the day in the Andrews Bowen International Arena to take the title in the Hilton Garden Inn 128cm Championship. The schoolgirl from Leicestershire showed experience beyond her years as she navigated her way around the jump off at lightning speed aboard nine-year-old grey mare, Coreys Princess. Setting the time to beat at 31.03 seconds Tabitha could do no more. The other five riders who followed, produced some fabulous rounds, although couldn’t do enough to catch her.
A special young talent, this is Tabitha’s third year competing at Horse of the Year Show and her last year on 128cm ponies, but she finally secured her first win. Having qualified nine ponies for five Championships at HOYS this week, the future is bright for this talented young rider. Tabitha spoke of her win: “It feels really good to finally get my first win at HOYS. My pony did everything she could in there; she’s really good at galloping between fences and then coming back to me for the fence. I’ve been riding her for four years so we know each other really well. I don’t generally get nervous, I just try and treat every round like any other. It felt odd going first, I usually like to go somewhere in the middle, but I put the pressure on the rest and had to just hope for the best.”
Hilton Garden Inn Birmingham Airport opened in September 2018. This conveniently located 178 bedrooms hotel is next to the passenger terminal and Birmingham International Airport and a short hop on the complimentary monorail over to the International Train Station with direct links into the city and a covered walkway to Resorts World Arena and the NEC.
ENDS
For more information on Horse of the Year Show 2019, please contact Horse of the Year Show Press Office, Grandstand Media Ltd. Tel: 02476 858205. Email: press@hoys.co.uk
Hilton Garden Inn 128cm Championship, Tabitha Kyle riding Coreys Princess © 1st Class Images
