The Foxhunter final at HOYS has a long and illustrious history. Here we look back at the special horses that have held the title...
The list of past Foxhunter winners is a dazzling one. The championship is named after Sir Harry Llewellyn’s famous showjumper, who jumped clear at the 1952 Olympic Games to help the team secure Britain’s only gold medal of the games. The national showjumping final has been held at HOYS (Horse of the Year Show) since its inception in 1954.
Each year the class features the very best of the country’s novice horses and remains a flagship title for producers of young horses. Looking down the list of previous winners (below), it’s easy to identify many horses that have gone on to major international success after winning the prestigious Foxhunter title — Hopscotch, Sultan V and Romanov II just to name a few.
William Funnell was the youngest rider to win a Foxhunter title at the age of 17 in 1984 with Once More and went on to win it in 2001 with Mondriaan and in 2012 with his home-bred Billy Balou.
The 2014 Foxhunter winner Jude Burgess says: “If you produce young horses, there are plenty of other classes you can go for, but this has always been the flagship for me and it’s got the tradition behind it — it’s top of the list and the one I’ve always wanted to win. But it’s a hard enough class just to qualify for, let alone finish at the top of the leaderboard.”
Foxhunter winners hall of fame
1954 Miss F. Stanbury – Dreamboat
1955 Miss B.P. Rose – Royal Lord
1956 J. Weaver – Andrew Cobb Esq
1957 Miss A. Barker – Lucky Sam
1958 A. John – Rambler IV
1959 Capt. P.T. Holland – Savernake
1960 D. Iggulden – Bawbee Of Edinbarnet
1961 D. Iggulden – The Barrhead Builder
1962 Douglas Bunn – Beethoven
1963 Miss A. Roger Smith – Rockwell
1964 Miss J. Nash – Lights Out
1965 Miss A. Ross – Topaz III
1966 David Broome – Top Of The Morning
1967 Mr G. Spiers – Miranda XIV
1968 Steve Hadley – Flying Wild
1969 winner: Caroline Bradley and Walky Talky
1970 Paula Graham – Pennywort
1971 Harvey Smith – Mannering
1972 Miss L. Clower – Miss Tina
1973 Graham Fletcher – Hold Hard
1974 Harvey Smith – Olympic Star
1975 winner: Willie Sheret MBE and St Corry
1976 P. Richardson – Ryehill
1977 winner: Miss Mallory Spens and Port Paddy
1978 winner: Stuart Davidson and La Belle Femme
1979 Malcolm Pyrah – Saucy Brown
1980 winner: Derek Ricketts and Corals Morning Glory
1981 winner: John Whitaker and Hopscotch
1982 Geoff Goodwin – Café Noir
1983 Mennel Watson – Charlie Brummel
1984 winner: William Funnell and Once More
1985 Liz Edgar – Everest Asher
1986 winner: Geoff Billington and Edisford Bridge
1987 Emma-Jane Mac – Everest Oyster
1988 winner: Nick Skelton and Don Kelly
1989 Nick Skelton – Cut Loose
1990 winner: Nigel Coupe and Balou
1991 Michael Whitaker – Henderson O’Flynn
1992 winner: Malcolm Pyrah and Itziweeni
1993 winner: John Popely and Fleurance
1994 winner: Peter Murphy and Valentino R
1995 winner: Michael Whitaker and Everest Ashley
1996 winner: Duncan Inglis and Honnie
1997 winner: John Renwick and Temple What A Flash
1998 winner: Damian Charles and Carnival Spirit II
1999 winner: John Popely and Luidam
2000 winner: Robert Smith and Senator Marius Claudius
2001 winner: William Funnell and Mondriaan
2002 winner: Joe Clee and Unbelievable Darco
2003 winner: Helen Tredwell and Opportunity B
2004 winner: David McPherson and Lowen Herz
2005 winner: Philip Spivey and Romanov II
2006 winner: Laura Renwick and Limelight De Breve
2007 winner: Simon Nicholson and Marcolas G
2008 winner: Scott Brash and Sauron ML
2009 winner: Bruce Menzies and Sultan V
2010 winner: Laura Renwick and Parvati De Breve
2011 winner: Guy Williams and Djakarta
2012 winner: William Funnell and Billy Balou
2013 winner: Simon Buckley and Wordsworth II
2014 winner: Jude Burgess and Carvelo Z
2015 winner: Robert Maguire and Anastasia Van Der Helle
2016 winner: Laura Pritchard and Horse Victorys Fayot
2017 winner: Matthew Sampson and Ebolensky
2018 winner: Oliver Tuff and Darino B
2019 winner: Simon Crippen and Premier Titanium
2020 winner: Tim Davies and Nielson
2021 winner: Lucy Townley and Billy Nikon
2022 winner: Rob Murphy and Chawton
2023 winner: Alanna Clutterbuck and Dirk IV
2024 winner: Michaela Scott and Eddie G Z
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You may also be interested in:
‘He could go all the way’: rider’s lifelong ambition realised with dream HOYS win
Horse & Hound’s 140th anniversary legends: Sir Harry Lewellyn’s Foxhunter
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