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‘This is a massive team effort’: hack championship joy for 24-year-old rider and ‘sweet’ gelding

Alex Robinson Alex Robinson

    • A 24-year-old rider who has previously stood supreme at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) on a pony ensured her presence as a star of the show horse scene was known as she netted her first ridden horse of the year championship. Harriet Dennison was foot-perfect aboard her own and her mother Shirley’s magnificent bay gelding Manhattan en route to The Andrews Family 2024 HOYS hack of the year championship.

    Judges on this occasion were Kate Halliday (show) and Gregory Gerry (conformation).

    Earlier in the day, the seven-year-old small contender, who is a son of legendary stallion Kilvington Scoundrel, won his class for the second year in a row. Last term, he finished reserve in the championship but this year, despite still only being lightly shown, he went one better when presented under the spotlights.

    “Nigel” was bred by Vicky Hesford and the late Clare Twiston-Davies. Vicky rode his dam, Maid In Manhattan, in hack classes and she was a HOYS finalist herself.

    Harriet, who is part of Cumbria-based Team Helliwell, was supreme pony in 2011 riding Crystal Vision. In 2013, she became a dual HOYS show pony and show hunter pony champion. She has also won here in intermediate ranks.

    “Today, I just wanted him to go in and behave while enjoying himself,” Harriet said. “It’s a dream to go into that ring and compete anyway, let alone become a champion. Funnily enough, I didn’t feel the pressure — when you’ve won at HOYS you can’t get any better. All I wanted was for him to be a good boy.

    Harriet added: “This is all a massive team effort. Without Rachael and Julie (Helliwell) or my mum it wouldn’t be possible.”

    Harriet is still one of the youngest riders in hank classes at present and Nigel is the first hack she has ever shown and produced.

    Of his origin story, Harriet said: “We got a call to say there was a nice three-year-old intermediate for sale. While we always liked him he’s exceeded all of our expectations. To sum up, he’s a softy and a sweetie, and he’s Rachael’s baby; he adores her.”

    The winning large stood reserve in the HOYS hack of the year championship. This was Lancashire-based show horse specialist David Bennett riding Sharon Haworth’s home-bred Carrhouse Hidden Asset. The eight-year-old bay gelding is by Stanleygrange Stateside.

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    Alex Robinson
    Alex Robinson

    H&H showing editor
    Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 since when she has cemented its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK.
    Alex Robinson

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