Amateur showing competitors enjoyed their moment of glory at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) last week as the winners of the SEIB Search for a Star series were crowned.
The prestigious title of SEIB Search for a Star supreme champion went to Nikki Johnson’s Diamond Roulette, while Debra and Liam Conway’s show pony Rotherwood Mr Pepys stood reserve.
Congratulations to all of the 2014 champions, as well as everyone who qualified for the finals at HOYS.
SEIB Search for a Star show hunter champion and supreme champion
Four-year-old Diamond Roulette, owned and ridden by Nikki Johnson, was chosen as the show hunter winner and went on to be crowned supreme champion in the Andrew Bowen’s international arena in front of a packed crowd on Sunday. The home-bred gelding is by the Oldenburg dressage stallion, Roulette, out of Nikki’s King of Diamonds working hunter mare, Ballyflights. While Diamond Roulette has an unfortunate habit of getting himself intro trouble — including putting his head through the roof of the lorry — he is currently unbeaten at county level in lightweight hunter and sport horse breeding classes in his first season showing.
SEIB Search for a Star show pony champion and reserve supreme
Debra and Liam Conway’s Rotherwood Mr Pepys was brilliantly ridden by Ellie Conway to take the show pony title. Having originally qualified in 2013, this pair were unable to attend the HOYS final last year. Determined to make it count this year, they went on to stand reserve supreme.
SEIB Search for a Star riding horse champion
Champagne Perry, owned and ridden by Rebecca Clark from Fakenham, took first place in the riding horse section. An former Flat racehorse, Rebecca describes the 10-year old as “a real family horse”, who can be ridden by her children at home.
SEIB Search for a Star hack champion
Another retrained racehorse, Ingleby Hill, took the hack title. Owned and ridden by Shelley Hayward from Sheffield, the attractive bay was originally purchased as a ‘happy hacker’ because he was too laid back to be successful on the track. He has since blossomed into his new career.
SEIB Search for a Star riding club show horse champion
French-bred Romain Rouge took the riding club show horse title under owner/rider Madeline Heath from Oxted, Surrey. The nine-year-old grey was bred by a friend of Madeline’s and arrived with his owner as an unbroken surprise gift.
SEIB Search for a Star show cob champion
Farmhill Apache is owned and ridden by Jane Norris of Llandysul, Carmarthenshire. Jane bought the nine-year-old maxi cob a year ago through Malvern Sales for her partner, Heddwyn Jones, a master of the Vale of Clettwr, to hunt. She gave showing a try for something to do during the summer. Heddwyn may have a fight on his hands to get him back now!
SEIB Search for a Star working hunter champion
Sarah Birbeck from Beverley, East Yorkshire, rode her own seven-year-old Irish Draught grey gelding, Flagmount Dazzler, to win the SEIB Search for a Star working hunter section.
SEIB Search for a Star show hunter pony champion
Serena Parkhouse’s Gwithian Geraint took the show hunter pony class, ridden by Emmy Parkhouse. Gwithian Geraint is a true all-round Pony Club pony, regularly competing in showjumping, eventing and attending Pony Club camp as well as showing.
Photos courtesy of ES Photography.
What is Search for a Star?
Search for a Star is a showing championship for amateur riders, sponsored by equine insurance specialists SEIB, with the final at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).
In order to reach HOYS horse and rider combinations must qualify at one of the qualifying shows held around the UK. Run to the same standards as professional classes, competition is always fierce and many Search for a Star champions have gone to compete successfully in open classes.
Learn more about SEIB Search for a Star
