Sophia Rogers makes a winning return and Rachel Proudley claims a championship double at Pony of the Year Show
Tuesday 22 April 2025
.JPG "Sophia Rogers makes a winning return and Rachel Proudley claims a championship double at Pony of the Year Show")
Sophia Rogers made a winning return to the Pony of the Year Show (POYS) at Arena UK in Grantham, to claim back-to-back wins in the prestigious Allsop 148cm JA Championship with the scopey Neil 55.
Twelve months ago, Sophia had only recently taken the reins from her sister Izabella on the British-bred Neil – bred by Charlotte Platt by Tangelo Van De Zuuthoeve and out of her Super League Nations Cup mare Paulien II (Koriander x Voltaire) – and was tackling this level of track for the first time. A year on, the pair exuded confidence and it showed here as they emanated skill and competency to set a sizzling target from the front.
“I haven’t practised much this year, this was only our second major show, and I didn’t get here until Friday as I was on a Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award camping scheme from Monday to Thursday. Consequently, my ponies weren’t ridden and I have my sister Izabella to thank for keeping them lunged,” said Sophia. “Friday didn’t go to plan, I had a pole [down] and I knew I had to get ready for the Grand Prix.”
Twenty-four competitors faced course-designer Jason Abbs’ 12-fence 1.30m track and such was the quality here, the number was halved to 12 for an exciting jump-off.
“I loved the course but it did have a couple of lines that needed riding, especially an early rollback turn where you could easily break your canter,” said Sophia, who relies on trainer Jason Moore’s confidence-giving advice – “I was first to go and the adrenalin kicked in, but Jason knows how to keep me calm; take three deep breaths and don’t overthink it – it’s worked so far.”
Nonetheless, it was almost over before it began as Sophia spotted the inside turns, nipping neatly inside after the oxer at one to angle the planks at two and using Neil’s scopey, effortless stride to stop the clock and what turned out to be an unbeatable time.
Darcy Breen came the closest with One Saharah, slipping into second place 0.96 seconds in arrears with Ella Spencer taking third aboard Gilton Des Islots.
“Neil has such a big stride and I find it easy to open him up and take out strides in distances, although I scared myself more than Neil on one turn, but he helped me out,” said Sophia, who is hoping to compete on a Nations Cup and the Pony European Championships again this year. “It was unbelievable to be chosen last year with so little experience and I’m going to try my best to go again this year.”
Rachel Proudley scored a handsome double of championship wins in the Young Rider Under 25 classes. Rachel dominated the KEP Italia Under 25 Championship with the top two places, winning with new ride of four weeks, Nera D Champs FT, jointly owned by HK Horses and Irish jockey Oisin Murphy.
“She’s lovely, the sweetest mare, so easy to do and a real trier who always wants to do the job,” said Rachel.
Five from a field of 18 found the key to the 1.40m course in the outdoor arena, the on-form Rachel – who was placed in the first qualifier and won the second on Guess Du Mont – claiming two of the rides.
“It was a good course, tough enough with questions from the triple bar to the combination, which took a bit of riding, and the plank after the water was tricky, but it was fair,” assessed Rachel, on course-designer Jason Abbs 1.40m track.
The odds-on favourite immediately set a target from the opening draw with first ride, the nine-year-old mare Nera D Champs FT (Cornets Champ x Orville), and Rachel was still in the top spot and guaranteed victory as she set out with her second ride in the final draw. Effortlessly guiding 14-year-old mare Quality Street (OBOS Quality 004 x Lux Z) around the track, smoothly slicing across fences with every tight turn option, Rachel eased into second place, 1.28 seconds separating the two. The top two places saw Rachel pocket a cool £3,500. Hallie Currie was also double clear for third on Feel The Wind Semilly.
Rachel first rode Nera D Champs – whose envious bloodlines traces back to Cornet Obolensky, Contender and Burggraaf – while competing at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, USA, last month, jumping the mare at 1.40/1.45m level while riding for Richard Howley and HK Horses.
“Richard [Howley, boss] jumped her a couple of times in Mexico before she travelled to Wellington and I competed her in a couple of classes out there before she came back to England,” said Rachel, who revelled the amazing facilities and competition over in The USA. “It was very different, lovely to go there and a great experience.”
Plans are now afoot to compete at CSI2* internationals at Chard and Chepstow before heading over to Ireland for Balmoral and Mullingar.
Rachel left the best until last in a four-horse decider to take the Under 25 B and C Handicap Championship with HK Horses’ Next Quabri. With a competitive time to beat, Rachel used her skill to smoothly guide the inexperienced Quabri D’Isle x Emerald Van’t Ruytershof seven-year-old – who is still in newcomer level – into the top spot by 0.54 seconds. Patrick Thurston finished second on Maranta with Emily Morris filling third spot aboard Novitane I.
“This was his first major show, and it was a nice course, not too big and a good class for horses to gain experience. He’s lovely to ride, really careful and scopey, and jumped clear in both qualifiers as well. I was last to go so I knew what I had to beat and just tried to keep the lines tight and on the rollback to an oxer,” said Rachel, who also expressed, “A big thank you to HK Horses for all the opportunities.”
Harriet Hodge fired a warning shot across the bows from the opening draw and duly claimed the Under 18 Championship with the nine-year-old Lethal Weapon IV Connect x Guidam). Only six of the original 30 starters mastered the 1.35m track set to go forward into the jump-off, Harriet hitting top speed to set a sizzling and unbeatable target to win by 7.25 seconds.
"He [Lethal Weapon IV] jumped really well on Friday in the viewing trial class. I just went into the final and tried to ride as smooth as possible and hope for the best, he'd jumped a lot all week. It was a technical course, well built but very testing and tight on time but we went clear in round 1. It was our first jump-off together so I didn't know what to expect really but Louis was unbelievable. I didn't want to gallop him around but I was very pleased with how he coped with it and slight shocked that we won. He has exceed all our expectations.
"I've not had him long. We got him from Holland about seven months ago and so I'm still getting used to him. I think he's changed so much since we've had him but he is quirky and works off trust a lot, but we are starting to really get to know each other. We'll be aiming at the HOYS qualifiers coming up and then would also like to hopefully get on a Nations Cup team and target the Europeans but we're taking it one step at a time.
"The Gold Development camp the week before POYS really helped set us up for a successful week. The first day we worked on flatwork and gymnastics and square turns which came up a lot in the courses at POYS. We also jumped an international standard course on the second day which really helped me focus on riding smoothly through a more technical course."
Chloe Morris provided a sensible clear to steer Atomadeus DPS Z into second and third was awarded to the only other double clear, Sophie Campbell aboard RSH Monbeg Marshall.
Alfie Diaper lifted the Children on Horses Championship title on Ottawa V. Twelve of the 20 starters posted clear rounds over the handicapped course with starting heights of 1.25/1.30m to reach the jump-off with four providing double clears. Alfie, the sole rider from the 1.30m section, eased ahead on the Oliver Obolensky x Game Boy D seven-year-old mare by 0.43 seconds to relegate Charlie Barker into second and third with Strides Maureen and Green Grass.
Anya Dewey Clarke scored a superb victory double with both 128cm and 138cm Grand Prix Championships.
Anya added another title to her ever-growing tally, retaining her 2024 title in the 128cm Grand Prix on the consistent Jim (Cobid), also current Royal International 128cm champion.
Anya was one of only three to master course-designer Lisa Kelly’s 1.10m track and the door was ajar for last-to-go Anya as she had two fences in hand, both fellow competitors returning on eight faults each. There was no doubt, Anya and the Irish-bred 17-year-old Jim showed every fence a clean pair of heels to come home clear and take the championship for the second consecutive year. Douglas Breen finished second on Lambay Off Broadway with Mila Henderson’s Daisy May X in third.
“He’s an absolutely amazing, just incredible. I knew I had to go clear but moved up smoothly with tight turns, I love him more than I love winning,” said Anya, 10.
Anya had fired off a warning shot by winning the second qualifier and was again in the frame in the 138cm Grand Prix as four competitors from a start list of 11 contended the jump-off, Amy Capper claiming two of the rides. Amy set the target from the opening draw on Ruby Brown, but Anya immediately relegated them by more than two seconds on Fredaine De Blonde, a French-bred 10-year-old by Scendix she has competed for six months.
“I’m still just getting used to her – I call her ‘Beautiful Blondie’ – and it was our first time against the clock. I moved her up and took the tight turns and she was the best, we’re speechless and I’d love a horse version of her,” said Anya, who trains with Louise Lovegrove and rarely jumps at home, preferring hacking and the treadmill.
She had a nail-biting wait as Portia Taylor-Wilson chased hard on Whitethorn Smokey and came within half a second. Anya remained at the top, but a big danger was yet to come, Amy with second ride and 2024 Royal International and HOYS champion Playboy Van De Zoetewei. They set off in hot pursuit but faulted midway, leaving Anya to celebrate her second championship victory of the day.
“I’ve had a fantastic show and would like to thank the organiser and sponsors – they’ve been amazing,” she added.
Hector Condon made big strides in following in his father Anthony’s footsteps as he landed the 11-year-old and Under Championship with Darth Moll. Twenty keen riders chased the clock in a bid for glory with Hector spotting the shortest route to win by a handsome 1.06 seconds on the Hogan family’s Darth Moll, a 23-year-old mare he started competing at the beginning of the year.
“We’re very proud parents. Just two years ago, Hector was so nervous and just startiong to canter around a tiny course, now he’s the most determined and fearless eight-year-old I know, and I can’t thank the Hogans enough for offering Hector the ride – they love each other. Hector’s worked very hard at his riding and helping out at home and it’s all for days like today,” said Hector’s mum Laura Johnson, after Hector won a KEP Italia hat.
Phoebe Breakell steered Dizzy Rascal LG into second with Edith Appleby riding Quest Du Buhot into third. Making his POYS debut, Conor Barnes finished fourth on Bunbury Sun Bonnett and claimed the Style and Performance Award.
Poppy Dorise was quick and decisive as she executed every tight turn option to take the Talent Spotters Championship with the speedy Atomic Du Bary. Almost half the class of 31 returned to make a jump-off of 15, Poppy taking every advantage of the year-old Atomic Du Bary’s experience against the clock to win by 1.47 seconds. Charlie Barker – second and third in the Children On Horses Final – again had to settle for second place, this time riding Romans Eclipse while Cate Kerr filled third place with Nelesta.
Daisy Hoare scored an impressive win in the 1.10m Championship Final with the French-bred Farwell D’Haryns. Nine from a field of 25 gained access to the jump-off, Daisy flying ahead on the Quabar Des Monceaux 10-year-old to win with a handsome 4.15 seconds to spare. Coco Scholes guided Ohwow into second place and Daisy Andrews supplied the steadiest of the double clears for third on Behybeg Lass II.
Francesca Hodges outpaced all her rivals to take the 95cm Championship with Uncanny. The 36 starters were reduced to 17 for what promised to be a hot jump-off, but in the event the clock lured riders into errors and only four double clears were realised. Francesca and Uncanny proved the quickest of the four to lift the 95cm title, the Iowa 17-year-old gelding winning by the tiny margin of 0.04 seconds. Eleanor Bastian Mason slipped Ballytrasna II into second with Charles Richardson in third on Swift Wing.
The results in the Intro Final were reversed. Francesca was out for a second title with Uncanny but was pipped to the sash and rug in a 19-pony decider by Eleanor on Ballytrasna II with 1.31 seconds in hand. Sophie Lund finished third with Sparkling Starlight.
Sienna Hutchins galloped to the top of the Prelim Championship on her partner of three years Auburn Cuso to deservedly claim the title. Eighteen of the original 39 starters posted initial clears to join the jump-off, Sienna and the Irish-bred 27-year-old 148cm gelding skipping around the track and taking every tight turn to win by 1.77 seconds. Prelim Leading Rider winner Lola Batch slipped Royal Oak Tommy into second and Felicity Ashcroft – second last year – had to settle for third with Trefriw Eros.
Martha Jones emerged triumphant in the Mini Open Championship Final with Laithehill Demetrius in an epic, 25-strong jump-off against the clock over the 75cm course. Martha, now in her 11-month of partnership with this 13-year-old gelding, was tight and lightning quick to win by 0.96 seconds. Melody Rontree claimed second on Future Lass and Felicity Ashcroft slipped Parc Crème Brulee into third.
Image: Suzanne Jones
