IT would have been hard for Robert Walker to top last year’s Horse of the Year Show when the wonderful View Point won him the Supreme Championship, but he was over the moon to finish the season on a high with MHS Morning Master winning the Show Hunter Championship, giving the showing supremo his seventh win in the class.
The eight-year-old Quidam Junior Irish Sport Horse gelding, who was bred by Sinead Brennan out of the Cavalier Royale mare MHS Cavaliers Daughter, is owned by Jill Day and earlier won the lightweight class.
Robert Walker was full of praise for his partner. “He’s a performer; he’s always been a little operator into his bridle. We are very lucky to have him, he’s had an unbelievable season, including winning the Royal Windsor hunter championship and finishing reserve at the RIHS. ‘TJ’ could have qualified for HOYS for the past few years, but we had View Point and we wanted to make sure he had his time,” said Walker.
The bay gelding won the prestigious Supreme In-Hand Horse Championship at HOYS as a three-year-old and stood overall reserve champion, while this was his first time under saddle at the Birmingham venue after being at Walker’s yard since he was a four-year-old.
Standing reserve in the hunter championship was the middleweight show hunter winner, Bloomfield Eloquence under Lorraine Homer for owner Liz Prowting. The nine-year-old grey Watermill Swatch gelding was bred by Michael J Kavanagh out of the Carrabawn View mare Gurraun Broadway. “He’s been a superstar to our team, we adore him,” said Homer. “He rode beautifully in there; like riding on a piece of string.”
Chantilly shines
On the 15th anniversary of The Leeman Family Maxi Cob of the Year Championship at HOYS, Jo Baker’s chesnut Irish Draught Chantilly Sandman (Gurruan Zidance x Crannagh Hero), bred by Martin Cosgrove, stood champion after settling for reserve last year. Ridden by Jayne Ross, this was the 13-year-old gelding’s first HOYS centre line moment.
“He was absolutely fantastic, he did not miss a beat,” said Ross. “He’s always a lovely horse to show, but he was just perfect today.”
Dublin Streetfighter (Camiro de Haar Z x Allthruthenight), owned by Mesdames Hookham and Treleaven and ridden by Matthew Ainsworth, reclaimed the Heavyweight Show Hunter of the Year title from 2021. Now in his third season with Matthew, the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, who was bred by Noel Daly, proved what a true-to-type heavyweight he is.
Speaking after the class, Ainsworth said: “He’s been phenomenal. He’s a true heavyweight and just seems to smile at this show. He went superbly today and that’s credit to all the team.”
There was a great win by the 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse Shanbally Legacy (Pride of Meath), bred by Joseph Egan and ridden by Claire Oliver, in the Small Show Hunter of the Year Championship on Friday, for the second year in-a-row.
The Irish Draught gelding SCT Master of the Hounds claimed the Intermediate Show Hunter of the Year Championship, ridden by Georgina Kirby-Moore. The 10-year-old gelding by Castlegar Rebel was bred in Co Galway by Tom Burke out of Castlegar Christina (Crannagh Hero).
Belfast producer Ryan Anderson won Saturday’s heavyweight cob class with Debbie Harrod’s grey nine-year-old gelding Randalstown Cromwell. The grey by Gort Glow was bred by Donal Crampton.
The prestigious Harrod and Coles Family Cob of the Year Championship was won by the lightweight cob Copenhagen. Reserve went to the second placed Lightweight Cob, Lisette Roberts’ Randalstown Aristocrat ridden by Jayne Ross who enjoyed a wonderful show.
Connemaras
The Working Show Pony went to the I Love You Melody-sired Lochan Beag Rogaire, owned and ridden by Rebecca Giles. The 12-year-old gelding came over from Ireland as a three-year-old.
In the Price Family in-hand pony of the year, the Irish-bred Connemara Pony Castle Nero finished in second place. The five-year-old stallion by Glencarrig Knight out of Castle Urchin (Abbeyleix Owen) was bred in Clifden by Henry O’Toole and was making his first appearance at the venue. He was best placed of the Connemaras with two more Irish-bred stallions behind him in third and fourth places; they were Cloverhill Magic (bred by Caitlin Lee) and Manor Duke (bred by Noel Noonan).
It was the second good result for O’Toole who was also ringside when his home-bred stallion Castle Kestrel (Glancarrig Knight x I Love You Melody) won the M&M Connemara ridden class on Wednesday under Lucy Glover.
Lara Field made the trip from Galway worthwhile when she finished fourth in the 143cm working hunter pony of the year with Marjorie Hardiman’s home-bred Creganna Kerfuffle (Silver Shadow x Tulira Robuck). Kelly Ward’s Connemara Pony Woodfield Hazy (Woodfield Sammy x Moy Hazy Cove), bred by Joe Mannion, gave daughter Ruby a super ride round to win the 153cm section and stand overall Reserve Champion in what is their last season together.