PUISSANCE classes are always exciting to watch and that held at the Horse of the Year Show last weekend certainly fitted that description, with Irish man Andrew Hodgins jointly winning the class and another, David Simpson, sharing third place at the NEC (National Exhibition Centre) in Birmingham.

Ten combinations lined up to take on the challenge of the big red wall in the Ripon Select Foods-sponsored class. The first round knocked out one of them, followed by another in the first jump-off. With the height of the wall steadily rising, the second jump-off was too much for another three of the competitors, leaving five going into the third jump-off with the wall standing at 2.13m.

Simpson was riding Cindy R and they were among three to fault in this round to share third place, leaving only Puissance specialist Rachel Proudley (GBR) on Easy Boy de Laubry Z and Hodgins on the Irish Sport Horse gelding Shanaclough Luichew (Luidam x Cailin Leathsli by Coolcronan Wood, bred by Jill Twomey, Co Cork) to jump again.

By this stage, the wall was standing at 2.18m - a huge challenge by anyone’s standards - when Hodgins knocked a single brick out but Proudley and her mount took a crashing fall. Both walked away uninjured.

“My horse’s heart is completely in the right place,” said Hodgins afterwards. “Sometimes he can become too brave, but you couldn’t but love him. He gives you everything. I think I have slept about four hours in the last two days. I can’t sleep, and I don’t think I’m going to sleep tonight. When you actually get on the horse’s back and you get going and focus, that is the best thing.

“It is just about trying to keep as calm as possible, and trying to keep everything as controlled as you can. It is a bit more difficult at times than I would like it to be, but he is who he is, and I love the horse.”

For Proudley, despite the fall, it was her seventh consecutive Puissance win. “It is absolutely amazing to win seven. You can’t even put it into words,” Rachel said. “The horse is absolutely fine, and so am I. It is a tough class, but we are still very, very pleased with him and it is another great result.”

Foley’s 128cm win

Carlow’s Harvey Oscar Foley rode the Irish Sport Horse mare Bossinova to win the 128 Championship on Friday, riding a double clear round and stopping the jump-off clock in a very fast 26.22 seconds. There were 24 starters in the class, with nine combinations jumping clear in the first round. Four of them jumped clear for a second time, with 12-year-old Foley taking the top spot.

“This is my first time at HOYS, and to win here means everything,” Foley said. “I didn’t really feel nervous, and it was great to be able to win and get the crowd going. My pony felt great. I had a bit of hope, and it has happened for us. It is just a special feeling to have won this class.”

Harvey Oscar Foley and Bossinova won the 128cm Championship at Hoys 2026 \ 1st Class Images

Saturday’s three-star 1.50m saw Trevor Breen and Konrad Obolensky finishing on the podium in third, ahead of brother Shane on BE Alcantara in fifth. Seven combinations proceeded to the jump-off, where four completed double clear rounds. The class was won by Emily Ward (GBR) on Wild Star HF.

After their Puissance warm-up, Simpson and Cindy R went on to win Sunday’s Thistledown Investment Six Bar class, after clearing six fences raised in height after each of a maximum of five rounds of jumping. Simpson and his mount were the only pair to jump clear in every round. Hodgins and Shanaclough Luichew shared ninth place this time out.

Sunday’s Leading Show jumper of the Year Grand Prix saw a fifth-place finish for Trevor Breen and Konrad Obolensky, after they jumped a double clear in a jump-off time of 34.73. Jodie Hall McAteer (GBR) on Hardessa took the win in 32.53. Hall McAteer went on to win the Leading Athlete Award, with Trevor Breen in second.