HORSE OF THE YEAR

SHOW SHOWING

WHILE no one would deny Jayne Ross and Rosettes Direct’s champion riding horse Broadshard Simplicity were a deserving choice for the Ripon Select Foods supreme ridden horse championship, Irish-bred horses covered themselves in glory across most disciplines.

Top of the achievement list were the cobs Hallmark IX and Starry Night who have enjoyed an amazingly successful run at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and they extended their winning record still further this time.

Rosemary Hetherington bought Hallmark IX as a four-year-old from Mike Comerford when she judged Charleville Show.

Having won twice here under Rosemary’s ownership as a lightweight for Jack Cochrane (2009 & 2010) the Welcome Flagmount 10-year-old continued his winning run notching up a fourth consecutive win as a maxi for Heather Clay.

Simon Reynolds, his rider and producer for the past four seasons again had him in tip top condition.

The ultimate showman, Reynolds had Hallmark pinging along at every pace, and ride judge Terry Chalmers grinned from ear-to-ear when he was aboard.

“He’s a horse with a massive engine and plenty of gears and he’s a real winner who just loves to show off in the ring,” said Reynolds who rode Hallmark to clinch the supreme HOYS title a year ago.

Robert Walker had Camilla Neame’s reserve cob Starry Night on song again to notch up his fifth consecutive win in the heavyweight division.

This was Walker’s ninth win overall in this section as Camilla Neame’s prolific coloured heavyweight (now retired) So Smart also headed this class four times.

“He’s so light for a big horse and he combines super presence with great movement and personality,” said Walker.

Although the cob tricolour went to the British-bred Fait Acobbli ridden by Simon Charlesworth, Irish-bred horses took the lions’ share of the ribbons down the line including the next three lightweights Woodfield Choice (Will Morton), Casanova (Natalie Reynolds) and the Huntingfield Rebel eight-year-old The Forger (Danielle Heath).

Finishing next in line to Starry Night in the heavyweight division were Its Abracobdabra (Jayne Ross) and Master Of The House (Oliver Hood).

While Robert Walker didn’t have the best start to the show after having to withdraw three-time small hunter winner Party Time due to an infected leg on the opening day, the Cheshire producer could hardly conceal his delight when clinching the hunter championship riding Jill Day’s Caesars Palace.

Bought just after he won the supreme young horse title at Dublin four years ago, this super middleweight, bred by Kevin Bannon by Emperor Augustus out of Bonmahon Lady, was unbeaten as a novice last year, and this season he has amassed an enviable list of major wins and championships.

“I’ve always had high hopes he would win here and for a six-year-old he kept his cool remarkably well in the electric atmosphere,” said Walker.

Katie Jerram claimed the reserve with her parents (Mike & Jill Jerram) winning lightweight Gortlas Rincarinca.

Bred by Sian Carson by Kings Master out of Gortlas Sparrow the impressive six-year-old was a Go For Gold purchase two years ago and this season his highlights include standing champion novice at Royal Windsor and at the National hunter championships.

“I really didn’t think he would come on this fast but he has been an amazing horse to work with,” said Jerram.

Topping the heavyweight section was Alwyne Fradley riding Rockefeller.

Debbie Godber who later sold the son of Ricardo Z to current owner Joanne Singfield bought this 12-year-old chesnut gelding out of Lienaun Olive in Ireland as a foal.

“He’s come here very fit and well, and I thought we were in with a good chance when he gave such good rides,” commented Fradley.

The top four places across the hunter weight divisions went to Madame Cavaliere (Cavaliere), Military March (Ricardo Z), About Town (Kings Master) and Timpany King.

GIVING IT SOCKS

Standing top of the small hunter line up was Mr Socks, an Irish-bred nine-year-old of unknown breeding owned by Pearl Underwood and his rider Georgia Butterworth. Pearl bought the sprightly chesnut as a four-year-old from Jane Bradbury.

Taking fifth place for Leon King was Golden Tasset. This Tasset eight-year-old bred by Mr Black also finished third in the intermediate show hunter class.

While the British-bred Deauville headed the ladies hunter class for Jayne Pimbley, several Irish-bred horses went well to finish in the top eight including next placed Countryman (Jacksons Drift) and Its After Eight (Nash Me) and About Town (Flaming Feather) and Lorenzo (Ricardo Z).

Stephanie Scott’s Opis Day was the highest placed working hunter, the careful Lord Z six-year-old jumping a peach of a clear over a testing course.

In the SEIB Search for a star final, a series aimed at amateur riders, Jane Norris’s winning cob Farmhill Apache was reunited with Glen Knipe.

Knipe, who finds plenty of cobs including Camilla Neame’s Starry Night, was over to watch the winning open heavyweight and noticed his Farmhill prefix in the catalogue.

“I bought Apache as a yearling from Jim O’Brien in Waterford and had the best days hunting ever on him when he was a four-year-old,” recalled Knipe.

The stunning piebald nine-year-old as then sold in Goresbridge before being bought by Jane whose partner Heddwyn Jones is master of the Vale of Clettwr hunt.

After previously claiming third, fourth and fifth places at HOYS, it proved fourth time lucky for Jodie Creighton who clinched the 133cm working hunter pony title riding Stambrook Miss Bellini.

The 12-year-old Randalstown rider was having her last ride on the nine-year-old section B pony. “It’s great to bow out with a win, she (Bellini) is now going to be a broodmare,” said the young rider from Connell Hill EC.

Kingstown Rebel (Gurteen Rebel - Elieen’s Favourite), ridden by Alex Gill won the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers Championship.

Ellie McDonnell was fifth in the 133cms show hunter pony with the Irish-bred Goldengrove Sunrise.