HOYS – Non Stop Action for Day Three 

Horse of the Year Show Day Three Round-Up

Day three of Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) started with a win for Bridget Edmondson’s Blairfield Silicon in the Guy Fawkes III Intermediate Show Hunter of the Year Championship with Meg Edmondson in the saddle. Next up in the Andrews Bowen International Arena were the Catplant Group of Companies Ltd. Lightweight, Middleweight and Heavyweight Show Hunters of the Year. The Championship took place later in the evening and saw 18hh Heavyweight Hunter Bloomfield Excelsior, owned by Shades of Grey, crowned Champion with Diane Stennett’s Lightweight Hunter Time 2 Reflect in Reserve.

Meanwhile the Underwood Working Hunter Pony of the Year was in full swing over in the TopSpec Arena. The Championship, held in the Andrews Bowen International Arena, went to 143cm section winner, Leo Bowen’s Gallant Prince with Intermediate winner Alice Barnes’ Carnsdale Mr Cool Reserve. The eye-catching course remained for the Search for a Star Working Hunter class. Five-year-old Sports Horse Geoffrey, owned by Louise Halsall, showed a presence beyond his years to claim victory with Emma Wilson in the saddle.

The first International Showjumping class of the day was the JMA Agricultural Parts Trophy where Guy Williams produced a scintillating exhibition of his renowned speed class skills to take the win on Casper de Muze. Two more showing championships were still to come in the TopSpec Arena. The Leeman Family Maxi Cob of the Year Championship went to nine-year-old grey gelding Colebourne, owned by Rosettes Direct, with recent graduate, Miranda Wallace in the saddle.

Isabel Gray’s Shaarinah claimed The Barley Hill Show Team and Metalwood Fencing Ltd. Ridden Purebred Arab of the Year Championship, ridden by David Froggatt.

Back with the International Showjumping and barely four hours after winning the JMA Agricultural Parts Trophy speed class Guy Williams landed the Grandstand Media Five Fence Challenge and its top prize of £3,300 on Depardieu Van’t Kiezelhof.

Next up was the much anticipated Arbonne Dressage Future Elite Championship. Double Olympic champion and triple world record holder Charlotte Dujardin turned back the clock as she returned to HOYS in winning fashion. Charlotte, riding Hawtins Delicato, landed the title on a score of 78.62%, thrilling a bumper Friday night crowd in the process.

The second rounds of the Small and Large Osborne Refrigerators Double Harness Scurry of the Year followed, and they were as fast and furious as the first. Round one winner Jemma Millman and her own Tigger & Owl took the honours again in the Small section. In the Large section it was Alison’s turn to pip Jemma to the post with her own Chip n Dale in a very fast time of 47.97 seconds, ahead of Jemma who finished with her own Piglet & Eeyore in 48.95 seconds.  Jemma took the honours in round one.

In the Virbac 3D Worming Pony Club Mounted Games Prince Phillip Cup Round 2 East Kent took the honours, and in Round 3 it was Monmouthshire to pick up the win. The team was closely followed by Oakley Hunt West Pony Club while East Kent Hunt was placed third.

In a thrilling finale to the day, Frenchman Julien Epaillard denied Great Britain’s Guy Williams a memorable treble when he won the NAEC Stoneleigh Stakes. Julien, who won the HOYS Leading Rider Grand Prix two years ago steered Cristallo A home in 24.89 seconds to take the £7,300 top prize.

Saturday’s action gets underway with more showjumping, shopping, showing classes and for this evening’s climax the Puissance…..enjoy!

Suzanne Ashton

Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.