Joint Victory in British Horse Feeds Speedi-Beet HOYS Grade C Qualifier
Friday 09 August 2024
The British Horse Feeds Speedi-Beet HOYS Grade C Qualifier at the Vale of Glamorgan Show saw a rare and heartwarming outcome as two riders, Daniel May and Sian Edwards, opted to share the victory. Riding Houdini and Magnum Force, respectively, they were the only combinations to clear the first-round track, securing their places at the Horse of the Year Show. With their qualification guaranteed, the pair decided not to contest a jump-off, choosing instead to end the competition as joint winners.
Daniel May, who has never competed at HOYS before, shared the remarkable journey of Houdini, his 8-year-old gelding. “He broke his leg jumping last year and had to have surgery. We brought him back into work in November after eight months off, and he has come back better than ever!” Dan reflected on Houdini's early years, saying, “Katie Powell bred him. I used to ride for her, so he was sent to me to be broken in as a just-coming 4-year-old. We then sold him to a client of mine, whose dad sadly passed away, so we had him back. Katie and I paid £50 each for him, and then I produced him slowly. He was very strong and hot to ride—a lot of people told me to give up on him because he was so unruly. But he was £50, so I thought I might as well crack on.”
Dan’s determination paid off, and Houdini has shown remarkable progress. “I went to work for Julian Mincher in 2022, and he helped me massively with the horse. We started jumping some 1.30m classes when he was a 6-year-old. Since coming back into work, he has just jumped mega—he’s unreal. We’ve been all over trying to qualify, and this was one of our last chances as he’s nearly Grade B. He was really good, rose to the occasion, and jumped his heart out.”
For Sian Edwards, the qualifier was a more local affair, but no less significant. Riding Magnum Force, an 8-year-old homebred by Luidam, she reflected on their journey together. “He’s a nice horse, feels like he’s part of the furniture—he’s been here a long time. This is the only qualifier I’ve done this year. I just thought I’d go as it’s local.”
Sian, a regular competitor at county shows, was pleased with Magnum Force's performance. “We’ve stepped up this year, and he’s already been second in an Area Trial. I didn’t mind either way if we jumped off; it was starting to get a bit wet, and since it didn’t make any difference to our qualification, we decided not to. He’s never been to HOYS before, and I’m not great at jumping qualifiers as I do more county shows, so I will have to find a couple of indoors to go to before, but hopefully it will be a really good experience for him.”
Both riders are now looking forward to the Horse of the Year Show, where they will be competing among the best in the country.
Two opportunities remain for British Showjumping members to compete for their chance to qualify for the British Horse Feeds Speedi-Beet HOYS Grade C Final, view more at https://www.britishshowjumping.co.uk/shows_summer_venues.cfm
Long term sponsor British Horse Feeds is the equine feed division of the family business, I’Anson Holdings, animal feed manufacturers based in Masham, North Yorkshire. British Horse Feeds is best known for its flagship product Speedi-Beet which, thanks to the unique patented process has revolutionized the feeding of beet pulp. Speedi-Beet has improved nutrient availability and soaks in just 10 minutes, compared to 24 hours for sugar beet pellets. It’s a great way to add quality fibre to your horse’s diet for slow release energy. Fibre-Beet, a formulated blend containing Speedi-Beet and alfalfa has the benefits of Speedi-Beet with extra conditioning.
For more information and expert advice from our nutritional team contact British Horse Feeds on 01765 680300 or visit our website on www.britishhorsefeeds.com.
British Horse Feeds Speedi-Beet Grade C Horse of the Year Show Qualifier
Vale of Glamorgan Agricultural Show – Wednesday 7 August 2024
=1st Daniel May and Houdini 0
=1st Sian Edwards and Magnum Force 0
3rd Mark Edwards and Tickers Tough 4
NB Results pending official grading
.jpg "Nicole Pavitt wins the Events Through A Lens Talent Seeker at Coombelands Equestrian")
