Showing stars do battle and nine members of the Whitaker family compete – it’s HOYS time

Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) comes but once a year – and competitors in showing and showjumping will be vying for the prestigious titles on offer. Find out what to expect from this week in horse sport…

1. Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), NEC, Birmingham

Dates: 5-9 October 2022
More info: hoys.co.uk
How to watch: the show will be live streamed on ClipMyHorse.TV
Get the H&H lowdown: bumper reports on all the showing and show jumping classes in the 13 October issue of H&H, plus full website coverage on the action as it unfolds throughout the week. To enjoy no limits on how much you can read, from as little as £1 per week, sign up for a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Join now. Or visit magazinesdirect.com/XHH-brandsite to buy a Horse & Hound combined magazine and website subscription. If you are already a magazine subscriber, the cost to upgrade your subscription to include full website access is minimal – call 0330 333 1113 to find out more.
Why we’re excited about it: a season of showing comes to a conclusion as the country’s best show horses and ponies do battle for the circuit’s most coveted titles. The NEC in Birmingham transforms into an equestrian mecca, with two rings, The Andrews Bowen International Arena and The TopSpec Arena, as well as a sprawling shopping village with something for everyone. The week of competition ends with Sunday’s overall horse and pony championships, but which animals will reign supreme this year?
Among the top names competing in the CSI3* jumping classes are William Funnell, Shane Breen and Trevor Breen, Joe Stockdale and a whopping nine members of the Whitaker family, including both John and Michael. Competition is set to be equally fierce in the string of daily national jumping championships where young horses and up-and-coming riders are among those bidding for a coveted HOYS title.
Beyond the showing and showjumping, there’s plenty more going on, including the dressage future elite championship, scurry driving and Pony Club mounted games for the Prince Philip Cup.

2. Keysoe CDI3* and CPEDI3*, Beds

Dates: 4-9 October
More info: keysoe.com
How to watch: livestreaming available for both the CPEDI and CDI via Horse & Country
Get the H&H lowdown: full report in 13 October issue
Why we’re excited about it: the Keysoe international is always a key event in the UK dressage calendar, attracting a fascinating mixture of top combinations and up-and-coming riders and horses, all relishing the chance to compete internationally in Britain. Several of Britain’s best para riders are among the CPEDI line-up, including team members Sophie Wells and Georgia Wilson, while the CDI will feature Laura Tomlinson, Lara Butler, Hayley Watson-Greaves, Andrew Gould and Henriette Andersen among the entries across big and small tour sections.

3. Petplan Equine Summer Area Festival Championships, Arena UK, Lincs

Dates: 6-9 October
More info: britishdressage.co.uk/competitions/championships-and-qualifiers/area-festivals/petplan-equine-summer-area-festival-championships/
Get the H&H lowdown: full report in 20 October issue
Why we’re excited: this championship launched in 2021 with great success and now it’s back for another year, giving amateur and upcoming combinations across the UK an additional Area Festival championship to aim for through the year. The four-day show will feature finals from prelim level up to inter I, with freestyle finals as well.

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Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.