An emotional Cian O’Connor dedicated victory to his late mother after he won the Leading Showjumper of the Year grand prix on the final night of the Horse of the Year Show at Birmingham’s NEC.
Irish star Cian, individual bronze medallist at the London Olympics four years ago, guided Super Sox home and claimed a top prize of £13,200 in a thrilling jump-off.
Cian O’Connor © ES Photography
Cian prevailed by just four hundredths of a second from runner-up John Whitaker, on his Rio Olympics ride Ornellaia, while Robert Bevis and Courtney Z finished third. Cian said:
“I am delighted. This is a very prestigious grand prix, so it is one I have always wanted to get my hands on.
“I was going for a walk this morning, and I thought back to my last time here two years ago, and I had to leave here after the second day because I got the very sad news that my mum had passed away.
“My mum was always the type of person who would do anything for you, and I just thought I am going to win that grand prix tonight, and if I do, I will dedicate it to my mum.
“There are certain shows that you want to go well at during the year, and this is one of them.
“Super Sox is an extraordinary horse. I train the American rider that owns him, and my job is also to manage her horses and I keep them ticking over, but the last time I jumped Sox in the ring was Olympia last December.”
Listen to Cian O’Connor talk to Rupert Bell here
Listen to John Whitaker talk to Rupert Bell here
Holly Smith © ES Photography
Great Britain Nations Cup rider Holly Smith ended an eventful opening day for her at the Horse of the Year Show in Birmingham by landing the Addington Manor Talent Seekers class. Holly had a crashing fall during the Cuddy Working Hunter of the Year Championship on Wednesday afternoon, but regrouped brilliantly to guide home Lammy Beach in the Talent Seekers, winning by more than two seconds in the jump-off from Northamptonshire’s Sophie Fawcett and Winning Good, who landed the incorporated seven-year-old championship, and Tracey Newman, riding Challenge, in third.
Listen to Holly Smith talk to Rupert Bell here
Listen to Sophie Fawcett talk to Rupert Bell here
Jodie Hall-McAteer © ES Photography
Jodie Hall-McAteer saluted the “phenomenal” Tixylix after being crowned 2016 leading pony showjumper of the year. Hertfordshire teenager Jodie lit up day two of the Horse of the Year Show at the NEC in Birmingham by taking top spot and also finishing second aboard Little Squire. It is believed to be the first time in the prestigious class’s 67-year history for a rider to claim first and second.
Listen to Jodie Hall-McAteer talk to Rupert Bell here
Joe Whitaker © ES Photography
Joe Whitaker added his name to the family’s long Horse of the Year Show success story when he claimed an impressive win on day two at the NEC in Birmingham. Yorkshireman Joe, brother of former Great Britain team rider Ellen Whitaker, landed the ReadySupp Cup – a two-phase competition against the clock.
Joe’s time of 24.70 seconds on the nine-year-old bay mare Lavarno proved enough to edge out Frenchman Julien Epaillard, riding Tradition de la Roque, while Ireland’s Anthony Condon was third aboard Balzac.
Listen to Joe Whitaker talk to Rupert Bell here
Laura Pritchard © ES Photography
Welsh challenger Laura Pritchard recorded the highlight win of her career so far when she captured the Senior Foxhunter Championship at the Horse of the Year Show.
The 22-year-old from Anglesey guided Horse Victory’s Fayot home by half a second from runner-up Billy Twomey and Eindhoven GH, with Richard Barton taking third spot on Donata at the NEC in Birmingham.
Listen to Laura Pritchard talk to Rupert Bell here
Karel Cox © ES Photography
Karel Cox ensured success for Belgium as international classes began in the Horse of the Year Show at the NEC in Birmingham. Karel, who was a member of the Belgian team that finished second at this year’s Hickstead Nations Cup, landed the Grandstand Welcome Stakes with Caven van het Hobos, claimning a top prize of £7,350.
Listen to Karel Cox talk to Rupert Bell here
Guy Williams © ES Photography
Guy Williams produced another scintillating exhibition of his renowned speed class skills to win the JMA Agricultural Parts Trophy on day three of the Horse of the Year Show at the NEC in Birmingham. The British Nations Cup rider is among the quickest speed class exponents on show jumping’s world circuit, and he underlined his quality by romping to victory on 14-year-old chestnut gelding Casper de Muze.
Listen to Guy Williams talk to Rupert Bell here
© ES Photography
Holly Smith capped a brilliant day’s action at the Horse of the Year Show when she won The Thistledown Puissance with gentle giant Quality Old Joker. The Great Britain Nations Cup rider, competing in just her third puissance after previous appearances at Liverpool and Arena UK, cleared 2.20 metres (seven feet, three inches) in round five to take the £5,100 top prize.
Her four other challengers in the final round – joint runners-up Peter Smyth, James Smith, Joss Williams and 18-year-old Christopher Megahey – all came to grief – leaving Holly to celebrate a superb win in front of a capacity crowd at Birmingham’s NEC.
She only decided to enter the puissance on Thursday, but it proved to be a master-stroke, as the 18-hand bay stallion relished the occasion.
Listen to Holly Smith talk to Rupert Bell here
Guy Williams © ES Photography
British star Guy Williams completed a quickfire double success as he dominated the early action on day three at the Horse of the Year Show in Birmingham. Barely four hours after winning the JMA Agricultural Parts Trophy speed class with 14-year-old chestnut gelding Casper de Muze, Guy landed the Grandstand Media Five Fence Challenge and its top prize of £3,300 on Depardieu Van’t Kiezelhof.
The Five Fence Challenge features a course of five fences that increase in height after each round, with riders jumping a maximum of five rounds, gaining two points for jumping a fence, but if a fault is collected then combinations cannot compete any further.
Listen to Guy Williams talk to Rupert Bell here
Julien Epaillard © ES Photography
Frenchman Julien Epaillard denied Great Britain’s Guy Williams a memorable treble when he won the NAEC Stoneleigh Stakes on day three of the Horse of the Year Show at Birmingham’s NEC. Guy had won Friday’s opening two International classes, and he looked to have done enough with Titus after clocking a jump-off time of 26.80 seconds.
Julien, though, who won the Horse of the Year Show leading rider grand prix two years ago, had other ideas as he steered Cristallo A home in 24.89 seconds to take the £7,300 top prize. It was a jump-off with a twist though as riders could plot their own route, provided they jumped six fences, and it proved an exciting contest, with Britain’s Robert Smith National Champion completing the podium places in third aboard Cimano E.
Listen to Julien Epaillard talk to Rupert Bell here
Rachel Proudley © ES Photography
Rachel Proudley got day four at the Horse of Year Show off to a thrilling start with a memorable victory in the Barfoot-Saunt 50th Wedding Anniversary 128cms Championship. Riding the 15-year-old skewbald mare Painted Lady IV – a surprise Christmas present for Rachel from her family three years ago – she had a captivated audience at Birmingham’s NEC gripped by her superb display.
Painted Lady’s quirky nature – she bucked after almost every fence in round one – made her a supremely popular winner, and 11-year-old Rachel, who is from the village of Kildale in North Yorkshire, could not have been happier.
Listen to Rachel Proudley talk to Rupert Bell here
Shane Breen © ES Photography
Ireland’s Shane Breen and Acoustik Solo du Baloubet hit top gear to be crowned Zinc Management Speed Horse of the Year in Birmingham. Sussex-based Shane and the 10-year-old gelding thrilled their audience on the Horse of the Year Show’s final day at the NEC, winning in a time of 44.69 seconds to land the £3,300 top prize.
Shane’s Ireland Nations Cup colleague Billy Twomey was second aboard Ardcolum Duke, while Britain’s Guy Williams finished third with Casper de Muze.
Guy, chasing his third 2016 Horse of the Year Show victory, was quicker than the eventual winners, but one fence down meant two penalties added, dropping him to third just in front of Nicole Pavitt and Areeb O.L.
Listen to Shane Breen talk to Rupert Bell here
Nicole Lockhead © ES Photography
Nicole Lockhead Anderson made a nine-hour road journey from Aberdeen spectacularly worthwhile as she was crowned The Stable Company 138cms champion at the Horse of the Year Show in Birmingham.
Nicole, 14, won the same title last year on Sonas Barney – he was fifth on this occasion – and followed Darby Ward as only the second rider to win the class two years in succession.
A bumper Saturday morning crowd at the NEC revelled in a thrilling competition, which Nicole clinched aboard 18-year-old pony Shappen Pilgrim with a jump-off time of 32.50 seconds after going last.
The runners-up spot was filled by Lily Freeman-Attwood, riding the 2014 winner My Bugsy Malone, while Tegan Rowlands and Grey Palace were third.
Listen to Nicole Lockhead talk to Rupert Bell here
Louise Simpson © ES Photography
Louise Simpson showcased all her experience to win the Speedi-Beet Grade C Championship for a second time at the Horse of the Year Show.
Louise launched the final day of action at the NEC in Birmingham with a stylish display on seven-year-old gelding Hello Vivendi, which is owned by Irish showjumping brothers Shane and Trevor Breen.
Sussex-based Louise, formerly Louise Pavitt, claimed the Grade C title five years ago on Don VHP Z, and this latest victory cemented her place on the long-established class’s roll of honour alongside riders like current Olympic individual champion Nick Skelton.
Louise’s jump-off time of 39.88 seconds took her inside the time of Robert Bevis and Etude, who had to be content with second place, while Richard Barton and Donata completed the top three.
Listen to Louise Simpson talk to Rupert Bell here
Louise Saywell © ES Photography
Louise Saywell produced a dominant display to win the Horse of the Year Show Challenge Cup in emphatic fashion at the NEC in Birmingham.
It was Louise’s second international triumph at this year’s show, as she landed the two-phase class by more than four seconds on 11-year-old gelding Feigtling from James Smith and Balibu, with Ireland’s Shane Breen, riding Tango d’Ecry, finishing third.
Belgium’s Jos Verlooy, who was drawn last to go on Farfelu de la Pomme, shaved 69 hundredths of a second off Louise’s time, but the combination had a late fence down which destroyed victory hopes.
Listen to Louise Saywell talk to Rupert Bell here
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