Day Four: Showjumping Champions at HOYS
Saturday 10 October 2015
The first of the National Showjumping classes on Saturday 10th of October at Horse of the Year Show featured the youngest showjumpers of the Show, and some small but mighty ponies in the 128cm Championship.
When the competition drew to a close it was Danbury's 12-year-old Lily Grimwade riding her father Matthew's 16 year-old grey gelding Koda who were crowned the winners.
This was Grimwade’s Horse of the Year Show debut and she made it in style being the only rider to go clear in the jump off.
Grimwade was elated with her win “I am really surprised and really happy. He has taught me how to ride basically and I love him so much” she said.
Aberdeen’s Nicole Lockhead Anderson riding Sonas Barney won The Stable Company 138cm Championship in style being one of only two riders out of a field of 22 to make it through to the jump off.
Nicole and her 13-year-old gelding swept in to take the win with a time of 34.89 seconds.
“It’s phenomenal. It’s something that I have always wanted to win and it happened today” said Nicole.
Millie Dickinson made a remarkable debut at Horse of the Year Show winning the Squibb Group Pony Foxhunter topping the leader board after an exciting jump off.
Dickinson has been eagerly awaiting her chance to shine at HOYS, an ambition she has held for many years.
“I still can’t really believe it, it’s just incredible and it’s basically a dream come true” said Dickinson
The Whitaker brothers dominated the first International Show Jumping class of the day at Horse of the Year Show.
Michael Whitaker took the win from brother John Whitaker in spectacular fashion in the International Showjumping sponsored by Irish Horse Gateway.
Michael won the class riding his grey mare Elie Van De Kolmen in a time of 35.04 seconds just ahead of John's 35.72 seconds.
“The crowd there today is fantastic, looks pretty much sold out to me. The people are very enthusiastic” said Michael.
The Naylors Equestrian Accumulator was the first class of the sell out performance on Saturday night at Horse of the Year Show in the Andrews Bowen International Arena. With the crowd capacity of 9800 spectators and an electric atmosphere, the audience were thrilled with the exhilarating competition.
Twenty nine riders came forward to compete for what is the 3rd Longine Ranking points class of the show, so with every rider out to win the £7,260 first prize and the points on offer it was always going to be a hotly contested event.
Francois Mathy Junior had a quick round riding Falco Van Der Clehoeve in 45.73 seconds, but was beaten to the win by Billy Twomey riding the grey gelding Tin Tin
Twomey thrilled the audience with his quick and clever round with a time of 44.61 and 65 points.
“I am very lucky that I have a horse that’s very quick and has a very big stride so that combination gives you a good chance of winning a class like this” said Twomey.
The Tagg Puissance is always a crowd favourite at HOYS and tonight did not disappoint. In front of the sold out crowd, eleven riders tackled the imposing brick wall with the competition going to four rounds.
Under the famous lights in the Andrews Bowen International Arena and the crowd cheering the on, the iconic towering red brick wall was conquered by not one, but two Champions, Victoria Gulliksen riding Grand Balou 4 and Karel Cox riding For Passion D Ive Z.
The wall reached a staggering 2m15 pushing both horse and rider to the limit.
Gulliksen had a dramatic round four when she fell from her horse after clearing the finish line.
In an unexpected twist both riders decided not to contest the fifth round and shared joint first and the winnings
“It was an amazing kick to jump that big wall, I never jumped the horse before” Gulliksen said.
Cox has only had Passion D Ive Z for two months and decided to bring him to HOYS as an addition to the three horses he had entered.
“He did super, the horse jumped very good. My horse is very brave, scopey horse. When it was bigger he jumped better.” said Cox.
.JPG "Sophia Rogers makes a winning return and Rachel Proudley claims a championship double at Pony of the Year Show")
