Personal notes: Horse of the Year Show

Laura Renwick and Oz De Breve

Firstly, apologies for the lack of updates on Jump-mail over the past week, but running around the LG Arena during the Horse of the Year Show was pretty much taking over my days.

I am still recovering from long days and a tight Monday morning deadline for Horse & Hound, but for all the aching feet (cured on Saturday morning thanks to a gel pad recommendation from commentator Carey Knox), long hours and lost pens, I can't help but enjoy HOYS.

I suspect Laura Renwick perhaps enjoyed it more than most, however. What a show she had. She'd  gained a major win by taking the Horse & Hound Foxhunter final on Thursday night, slotted an international win with Beluga II on Friday and then ended the show by winning the Leading Show Jumper of the Year with Oz De Breve.

Laura is having a pretty good run with David Perry's chestnut gelding Oz at the moment. In two weeks she's won two Grands Prix, been second in another and won herself a Jaguar in the process. Not bad for a horse who was runner-up in the Foxhunter final just a year earlier.

However, Oz is a little bit of a wuss when it comes to spotlighted presentations. He was making rather a fuss when he went into the Bowen Andrews International Arena and had to be brought out. Laura was a little upset she didn't get to gallop him round the arena after her (on foot) presentation joking to a steward in the collecting ring: "but that's my favourite bit!"

Laura is off to St Lo and Caen next, so keep an eye on this site for results over the next few weeks.

Dan Neilson and Chauvinist

First timers
There were a couple of first timers in the international classes this year, who all did themselves justice in front of the huge crowds.

Dan Neilson, who was automatically qualified through the BS rankings list, made the most of his trip winning both the Speed Horse of the Year class and the Young Riders Championship of Great Britain with Chauvinist.

Dan, who is 20 years old, was hoping to get as much exposure as he could from his visit to HOYS, and he certainly didn't do himself any harm. He told me how he still considers himself an unknown on the international circuit and how important it is to get your name out there and get noticed. Which he did in front of an appreciative crowd on Sunday evening.

Sam Hutton and Olympia.

Sam Hutton, another young rider aged 22, was runner up to Dan in the Young Riders Championship. Riding Olympia III, he gained exactly the same time as Dan, but had a fence down. However, having won a wildcard at Arena UK two weeks earlier he had his own shot at glory in the international classes and gained a win of his own in the Dick Turpin stakes with Valentino VII.

Considering their younger years, both Dan and Sam were relaxed and chatty in the press office. Being grilled by representatives of various publications, they showed no sign of boredom at being, no doubt, asked the same questions by the reporters, myself included, queuing to have one on one interviews with them and gave excellent and interesting quotes.

Rik Hemeryck and Pappilon Z

Whether it's something they've learned from being part of the World Class Programme or it's just their nature, if they continue to compose themselves like they did at HOYS when confronted with a notepad wielding journo, they'll certainly get their share of column inches.

Another first time winner was Belgium's Rik Hemeryck (Pappilon Z), who was so enthusiastic in his celebrations when he jumped the only double clear in the Dennis Fisher Memorial Cup.

Based near Brussels, Ryk told me how he jumped at the chance to compete at HOYS and wasn't disappointed. He was amazed at just how involved the crowd got and that made his win just all the more special.

Robert Whitaker and Omelli

Rolex World Rankings classes
British riders had three chances of gaining valuable Rolex World Rankings points at the show. The Grand Prix was one of these, the other two being the Zinc Event Management Trophy and the accumulator.

Robert Whitaker, who has the ride on a number of Tim Gredley's former mounts, took the former with Omelli. Just he and Peter Charles (Murka's Rubert R), who was the leading male rider of the show, went clear in the jump-off off the class.

Omelli was hugely successful with Tim and now seems to have quickly forged a strong partnership with Robert. Waterstone II, a former ride of Scott Brash's, also seems to be getting on well with Robert and won the seven- and eight-year-old championship for him. His rider thinks he's going to turn out to be quite a handy horse in the future. 

Shane Breen and Mullaghdrin
Gold Rain

I do enjoy watching a speed class in which riders really have a go at winning and you can always rely on Ireland's Shane Breen to do just that.

Mullaghdrin Gold Rain was going so fast he almost jumped one fence backwards while turning to another, but Shane quickly got him back in line and took first.

Triple first day winner
Ellen Whitaker, leading lady and British rider at the show, was absolutely unstoppable on day one winning the show's opening CSI class, the Xerox Special Event Services Cup on Kanselier, ending the afternoon performance by taking the Sky Sports Trophy on CS Online and closing the day with victory on Equimax Ocolado in the Jump 4 Joy Trophy.

Ellen Whitaker and Kanselier

The show was quite an emotional one for Ellen, who is retiring Kanselier, her big-winning partner of nine years this year. He was given a farewell from HOYS with a final lap of honour after the Speed Horse of the Year presentation, in which he himself has taken the red ribbons twice.

He's been such a good servant to Ellen, winning all over the world for her since arriving on the yard. It'll be sad not to see him in the collecting ring anymore, but I hope he enjoys a long and happy retirement.

Tina Fletcher and Promised Land

Ellen was favourite at the bookies to win the puissance here too with Ladina B, which she did, but she shared the prize with Tina Fletcher (Promised Land).

I know it won't anywhere near make up for the disappointment of having to drop out of the British WEG team, but at least she can add a first win over the wall, which stood at 7ft 2in, to her long list of achievements.

Louise Pavitt and Don VHP Z

Promising young horses
I've mentioned it in previous postings, but the amount of talented young horses we have in this country at the moment is really encouraging. And at HOYS, some of the best were showing off their talents in national finals.

Louise Pavitt took the six-year-old title for the Brendon Stud on Don VHP Z, a stallion who has already proved his prowess against his rivals by winning the Walwyn novice at Royal Windsor in May.

Anthony Condon and Molly Malone

I was glad to see the tip from my Arena UK posting came up with the goods. Molly Malone V was just as impressive this time out when winning the Tri-Zone newcomers final with Anthony Condon. The only downside for me was that, after telling everybody else it was a good bet, I never had time to get to the bookie myself. Damn!

Amateurs
Ian Wynne and Don Douglas have been the ones to beat at HOYS, the British Open and the National Amateur and Veteran Championships for over a year. But this time luck turned on them and although posting the fastest time of the class, a fence down dropped them down the line.

Di Fairclough and Limerick

A fiercely competitive round from Di Fairclough and Limerick resulted in the winning performance this time.

Ponies
I don't think anyone who follows the pony circuit would have been too surprised that Jessica Mendoza won the Leading Pony Show Jumper of the Year title with Tixylix. The two of the have been so successful together you really would be worried if you were a pony rider up against them in a jump-off.

Thomas Plaster and Amelie JR Z

I was thrilled for Thomas Plaster winning the Squibb Demolition Pony Foxhunter with Amelie JR Z. He has done a wonderful job for the Chitty family in bringing this pony on and taking her to the standard she is now at. Alex Chitty will be taking the ride over at the end of this month as Thomas, who is sponsored by Blue Max, is now 16 and out of ponies.

Thomas is going to be studying for his A-levels now, but he is keen to make a career out of show jumping. If he can do as good a job at producing horses as he has ponies, he'll no doubt be a valuable asset to someone in the future.

Chantelle Duggan finished to Thomas with Rumworth Taylors Twilight in the Foxhunter, but more than made up for it two days later by winning the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers.

How wonderful a visit to HOYS it must have been for Darby Ward (My Bugsy Malone and Oakhurst In The Spotlight) and Jessica Hewitt (Pendini and Rapidash) to take the top two spots in the 138cm and 128cm finals. The pony classes are so competitive and to have such good results in the finals will have them walking on air all winter I'm sure.

Frederic Pignon

New display
I always try and catch at least one performance of displays at the shows I am at and was keen to see Frederic Pignon's act.

Visitors to the major UK indoor shows will be familiar with his brother Jean Francois, but this was the first time Frederic had visited our shores. He has been in Las Vegas for 12 years and what a gem the US has been hiding from us Brits for all those years.

Although his training techniques are obviously very similar to those employed by his brother, Frederic's display is somehow quite different. He uses his skills to not only entertain, but to show off the sheer power of the horse. If you get the chance, go and see him.

Frederic also took the time to enjoy the show with his family when he wasn't in the ring or working with his horses. He seemed to be having a great time and was often at the side of the ring watching show jumping, driving and showing classes, camera in hand and keen to speak to the connections of those competing.

That is one of the great things about HOYS, the chance to meet up with friends and make new ones. Everyone, spectators, staff and competitors, has a common interest: these wonderful beasts our lives revolve around. It is them which bring us together, despite the rivalry going on in the ring.

For full results, click here