Judging kicked off at the 2022 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) with an incredibly special home-bred stallion lifting the HOYS Dartmoor final, giving his producer her first ever NEC centre line moment on a Dartmoor pony.
Felicity Thompson’s homebred Salcombe Starehole Bay (Cecil), ridden by Katy Marriott-Payne, is an eight-year-old by three time-HOYS finalist Shilstone Rocks Snowy Mountain.
Despite having won at HOYS on natives several times during her career, including winning three classes at last year’s show, this was the first time Katy has trotted to victory on a Dartmoor representative.
“I think I’ve been second four times with Darties; I decided I couldn’t win here with one,” said Katy.
Emotions were running high after Cecil’s triumph, as heartbreakingly his breeder Felicity couldn’t be at HOYS to watch; in September, Felicity sustained a severe head injury after being kicked by a horse at home.
“We wish she could have been here to watch this,” said Felicity’s daughter, Freya Thompson, who was ringside at HOYS. “Mum has known Cecil was special from the moment he was born. He grew up with his brothers at home in Devon and I showed him in-hand a little bit, before Katy asked us to send her a project in lockdown. He’s taken a while to mature, but he’s been worth the wait and we love him so much.”
Cecil won the Royal International (RIHS) and stood Heritage champion in 2021 and earlier this year he reclaimed his class and took section reserve. At Royal Windsor in May, he lifted the M&M ridden championships, qualifying for London International, where he was best of breed and reserve champion last year.
“When he won the RIHS this year I dropped everything and raced to watch the championship with Mum,” said Freya.
Katy added: “This means so much to us, but it’s a double edged sword as we wish Felicity could have been here. He’s definitely special Cecil to us all.”
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