HOYS: The pinnacle of a long season

© Nico Morgan Photography

For the showing fraternity, Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) is considered to be the pinnacle of the year after a long season of travelling and competing in an attempt to gain one of the coveted golden tickets.

Thousands of competitors attempt to qualify at the numerous shows around the country from March to September and yet only one per cent makes it.

© Nico Morgan Photography

Held at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, it is a spectacular sight to see all the leading show horses and ponies stabled and prepared for the most exciting week of the showing calendar. It is an exhilarating but exhausting week, particularly given the length of the walk from the stables to the Caldene arena! Win, lose, or draw, you will always treasure riding at HOYS.

At this year’s event (7^th-11^th October), a new showing class has been introduced. The Great Scot! Ladies Side Saddle Horse of the Year class has replaced the Ladies’ Hunter class – meaning side saddle will be open to hacks, cobs and riding horses as well as hunters. The opening of the class to types other than just hunters has proved controversial, for the side-saddle purists but it could become a fascinating class for the versatile show horse.

The TopSpec show hunter classes have been one of the highlights of the showing timetable at HOYS since the show’s conception in 1949. Held in the Andrew Bowen International Arena on Friday morning, the “Rolls Royces” of the showing world are always one for the showing fans to watch. Robert Walker took the title last year and is set to defend his title with a very strong team of hunters including last year’s champion Caesars Palace.

The Maxi Cob Class (for cobs over 155cm) was once considered to be the poor relation to the mainstream cob classes. However, since the introduction of the class at the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) in 2009, and HOYS in 2011, the class has gone from strength to strength.

This year’s class is set to be a clash of the titans as the reigning Maxi Cob of the Year, and 2013 Supreme, Hallmark XV goes head to head with his biggest rival to date, Starry Night. Both horses are former cobs champions at HOYS (in 2010 and 2011 respectively) and neither has been defeated at the NEC. Their riders, Simon Reynolds and Robert Walker, are true masters of the ring and a dramatic showdown is set to ensue in the Caldene ring on Friday afternoon.

© Nico Morgan Photography

The show pony classes are always fascinating to watch and many leading riders, including Olympic champion Charlotte Dujardin and eventer Laura Collett, first began their riding careers in these classes. Undoubtedly one of the combinations to watch in the show ponies on Saturday is Rotherwood Rainmaker and Poppy Carter. In their last year together, the only title eluding the brilliant pair is the HOYS show pony championship.

The intermediate classes are considered to be a step-up from the pony classes, for riders up to the age of 25 who are transitioning to the adult classes. Many are indeed Birmingham-bound for two classes. The former small hack of the year, Royal Engagement, ridden by Imogen Trice and produced by Team Quiney, has proved his versatility by qualifying for both the small hack and intermediate classes this year.

© Nico Morgan Photography

The finale of the showing classes at HOYS culminates in the Supreme Horse and Pony of the Year on Sunday evening. Only one horse and rider combination has won both the HOYS horse supreme and the RIHS equivalent in the same year – Comberton Clancy and Jayne Ross (nee Webber) in 2011.

Following on from her victory at Hickstead in August with the lightweight hunter Time to Reflect, could Jayne make history and win both titles in one season again?

By Kitty Trice

www.hoys.co.uk