An epic evening of entertainment at the ‘World’s Most Famous Horse Show

The Tagg Puissance provided a thrilling finale to the penultimate day of the 2011 Horse of the Year, ‘The World’s Most Famous Horse Show’, with two riders sharing the honours after clearing a whopping 2.20m (7ft 3in) in the fifth and final round. After four rounds, only four riders remained in the competition and the infamous big red wall was raised for the final time. Only Nottinghamshire’s Joe Clayton, with Nick Ward’s Leonardo, and Scotland’s Douglas Duffin, riding Julie McLellend’s Volcano, were able to clear the huge obstacle bringing down the house as they shared first prize. This was the first time Leonardo, a multiple puissance winner with Joe’s cousin William Whitaker, has won at HOYS.

“It’s only the second time I have ever ridden him in a puissance,” said Joe. “He felt confident, I didn’t!” Before tonight, Volcano, a horse who has been successful in Derby classes, had never been in a puissance. “I got a wall to practice over at home, but have never jumped him as big as I did tonight,” said Douglas. “He never said no tonight and bust a gut to make sure he cleared the final round.”

Joe’s success in the Tagg Puissance marked the end of a very successful day for the family.  Cousin and British No 1, Michael Whitaker claimed the other two international classes, one of which, The Accumulator, carried valuable rider world ranking points. During the competition, points are awarded for fences jumped clear with the final fence having an optional joker – scoring double points if jumped clear, but knocking off double points if it fell. Riding his own Viking, Michael scored the maximum 65 points available in the quickest time stealing victory from the Thursday’s double winner Nick Skelton, who partnered Big Star this time.

Earlier in the day, Michael surprised himself with a win in the Sky Sports Trophy on Nick Ward’s Wild Rose, a Foxhunter and Newcomers finalist last year at the show. “I wasn’t expecting to win,” he said. “She’s only an eight-year-old and hasn’t got as much experience as some of the others in the class.” However, Michael was the only one of the five through to the jump off who was able to go clear again to secure victory.

Louise Saywell claimed HOYS’  the Harry Jo & Co Six-Year-Old Championship, with the attractive grey mare Quantas II from a strong field. Twelve made it through to the jump-off, but Louise, from Nottinghamshire, outshone her rivals. An economical tour of the arena enabled her to take victory from Robert Whitaker and Asterix EZ by almost two seconds.

British international show jumper Peter Charles has claimed a number of HOYS classes during his career. However, today was his 12-year-old son Harry’s time to shine when he won the 128cm Championship with Murka’s Headmore Little Lightning and finished third and fifth with Murka’s Mathew’s Girl and Murka’s Flinor Songbird. “I was able to test out the route with Songbird,” said Harry. “Then I knew what I had to do with the other two.”

Christie Pritchard was victorious in the 138cm Championship with Bear Me In Mind after a fast eight-pony showdown in the jump off.  The eight-year-old pony was sold in the summer, so Christie didn’t think she’d have the ride for this final. However, the new owners asked if she would compete at HOYS and, evidently, it was the right decision.