The Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) made a return this year after a two year hiatus owing to the Coronavirus pandemic. Seasoned horses returned to reclaim titles while several new combinations shone at their attempt in the spotlight.
Check out these 34 stunning animals who reigned at HOYS 2021…
1. Absolutely Classic
On her first appearance at HOYS, Caron Scudamore’s 148cm mare, by Whiteleaze Dominion out of Absolutely Glamourous, trots to the top of the part-bred of the year field with 14-year-old Amelia Lockhart in the saddle.
2. Barkway Take That
Anya Dewey Clarke’s seven-year-old Beckside Little Toff gelding is crowned mini show pony of the year for his six-year-old rider Anya and his producer Sharn Linney.
3. Be Smart
The intermediate show hunter class goes to the Edward Young-produced gelding who is owned by Lauren Mollard and ridden by Harry Moore. This new combination are retaining an unbeaten tally.
4. Model Farm UK Midnight Meadow
The four-year-old mare, owned by breeder Lisa Taylor, gives Harriet Miller her first accolade in the miniature horse of the year final.
5. Woodhouse Phenomenon
The Fountain family’s six-year-old mare follows in family footsteps to take the Shire horse in-hand championship. Her dam, Woodhouse Miss Dynamite, was champion here in 2017 and her sire, Paul Bedford’s Metheringham Upton Hamlet, lifted the trophy three times.
6. Red Rock III
Vicky Hesford is in the driving seat of Tracey Veale’s lightweight show cob, who was reserve in both coloured and cob championships during the week.
7. Ellister Islay Spruce
The Highland is led out by Ross Keys to win the pony section of the Price Family in-hand supreme, before slotting into reserve for owner Julie Barton. He has appeared in the in-hand supreme three times in succession.
8. Seabourne Silver Valley
Francoise Babington’s 11-year-old mare, by Mourne Mountain, successfully defends her 2019 ladies’ side-saddle of the year title.
9. Plains Royalty
Neil Wray’s 10-year-old Hackney trots to the harness horse and pony championship.
10. Minella Rebellion
On his HOYS debut, the nine-year-old ex-racehorse — who was in training with Nicky Henderson — leads the SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse of the year championship, giving his owner/rider Katie Dashwood her first HOYS win.
11. Rock On Tommy V
Sophia Chambers gets her second coloured win in as many years, this time with her own and her mother Lisa’s traditional gelding.
12. View Point
Robert Walker — who last won the supreme in 2007 — rides Jill Day’s 10-year-old to the hunter championship before he scored the horse supreme held on Sunday.
13. Ricruiso
Hayden Hankey — champion here in 2019 with Heads Up — claims the working hunter title with a catch ride, Lucy Greenwood’s Ricardo Z 11-year-old.
14. Menai Eurostar
The 10-year-0ld stallion nets the overall mountain and moorland (M&M) ridden sash for his producer Adam Forster and owner Karen Johnson, who has owned him since he was a weanling.
15. Chilly Breeze
The overall SEIB SFAS crown goes to the winning show hunter, Lucy Hopkins’ steel grey lightweight, who was bought for the hunt field and has only recently switched to showing.
16. Forgeland Hyde Park
Despite only being partnered together for two months, Danielle Heath rides the Kilvington Scoundrel 10-year-old to the hack of the year championship, a title he also won in 2019.
17. Louvaine Rooney
Megan Cookson gets her first win in horse ranks aboard her ultra-consistent 15-year-old, who retired from showing after his deserved centre line moment.
18. Woodfield Jovial Joker
Mollie Mae Jeffrey rides her own nine-year-old Connemara to the overall working hunter pony of the year tri-colour, after clinching the same equivalent at the Royal International back in July.
19. Red Butler
Owner Lisa Davey gets her first HOYS victory with six-year-old lightweight cob Red Butler, who is ridden and produced by Sarah Walker.
20. Lord Alexander
Stephen Norris rewards Elizabeth Bury’s superb maxi cob for clinching his class award for the second time on the trot.
21. Roseberry Final Edition
The stunning eight-year-old, ridden by Ellie Mae Harrington and produced by Gill Thompson, takes the children’s riding pony honours on route to the overall supreme of show on only his second trip to HOYS.
22. Kellythorpes Obsession
Lisha Leeman’s home-bred riding horse captures the large class and reigns in the championship under Frazer Atherden.
23. Bloomfield Eloquence
Loraine Homer triumphs in the middleweight hunter class on board the Watermill Swatch seven-year-old, who had placed second in the ladies’ class earlier in the week with Loraine’s daughter, Alice.
24. Glenside Matthew’s Flower of Scotland
Kirsty Aird gives owners Margo and John McIntyre a first HOYS win in the ridden heavy horse class, partnering their super-versatile Clydesdale mare, who is also driven in singles, pairs and teams.
25. Lostock Up To Date
Sarah and Sharon Harrison’s home-produced plaited pony gives the Lancashire-based family their first HOYS championship after scoring coloured plaited pony and championship victory.
26. Carmilo Magician
The 21-year-old Shetland — also a HOYS winner in 2019 —bows out from the show ring after winning the 122cm M&M working hunter pony of the year championship and the section title with his partner Bea Shepherd.
27. Tell Me Another
Jill Day’s three-year-old bags the Price Family in-hand honours with Steve Pitt.
28. Rafeekah
Kimberley Bates and her untouchable gelding are awarded the pure-bred ridden Arab accolade for the second time.
29. Priestwood Roc Star
Sarah Emmerson leads the 13-year-old Welsh section B to the lead rein of hunter type class with six-year-old Grayson Brady Brooke at the helm.
30. Shilstone Rocks Thunderbird
Four-year-old jockey Willow West rides her mother Brogan West’s Dartmoor to the mini M&M championship, handled by John Harvey.
31. Wellbank Gabriel
HOYS first timer Lexi Brash rides her grandfather’s 12-year-old Welsh section A to win the junior ridden pony of the year sash, making the long trip from Scotland well worth the fuel expenditure.
32. Dublin Street Fighter
Matthew Ainsworth achieves his first HOYS win aboard Sue Hookham’s upstanding heavyweight winner.
33. Wycroft Beethoven
Phoebe Thomas has a victorious last ride on her own Cusop Dimension 143cm show hunter pony to clinch the overall section championship.
34. Bart
For the third consecutive year, Vicky Smith pilots Alan Marnie’s plaited horse Bart to the top of his class. The 11-year-old was also crowned reserve supreme coloured at the RIHS in July
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The Horse & Hound Podcast 72: John Whitaker | HOYS review | Tackling nerves | News round-up
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Celebrating HOYS supreme ponies of the year: 2003–2024
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