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We can confirm that after consultation with Addington Equestrian, we are moving the British Breeding Stallion Event to SATURDAY 10th FEBRUARY 2024. The British Breeding Stallion Event is Sponsored by Baileys Horse Feeds and supported by the  Competition Stallions Guide We feel this gives stallions that all important extra week after the Christmas/New Year Holidays for preparation. It also avoids clashing with the KWPN Stallion Show. After the success of last year, we will again be combining the weekend with the British Breeding Futurity Awards Dinner to make a weekend of celebration of British Breeding. The Dinner is being held in nearby Buckingham at the lovely VILLIERS HOTEL.  So book in early and enjoy a great weekend of seeing some of the best Stallions available at stud for 2024. Stallion bookings are being taken now and the Awards dinner bookings will be live in the next week

Katie Bradburne races to a HOYS Blue Chip Pony Newcomers win   Katie Bradburne scythed ultra-tight turns and a breath-taking final gallop to the last to secure the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers title at Horse of the Year Show with Claire Crossman’s Shovern Inca. It marked the second Blue Chip Pony Newcomers victory in two years for the Bradburne family; Katie’s elder brother Thomas won the 2021 title on Derryinver Rocky. “I’m so happy, especially with the pony, he’s still very novice,” said Katie, emotional over her first HOYS title. “The atmosphere and the crowd are amazing, it’s something you never forget.” The 10-year-old British Bred  Shovern Inca – bred by Jill Webb – is by Eros, the stallion son of Diarado and out of a Wrayton Boaz mare. Twenty-seven hopeful competitors came forward over course-designer Ben Townley’s 1.20m track with five negotiating every fence cleanly to qualify for the jump-off, an on-form Hollie Gerken bringing two ponies through. Hollie set a sensible target on the promising but still novice Velini 6-year-old Velini’s Silver Star but Katie slashed the time by more than three and a half seconds with daring turns and a risky, gasp-inducing gallop to the final vertical, the punchy line executed at an acute angle. “My coach, Fiona Hobby, told me to go for the last.  I was nervous in the jump-off but even more nervous when Hollie went in [last to go on her second ride],” said Katie, 15, who used all her skills learned from racing parents, ex-jockeys Mark Bradburne and Gee Armytage.  “I definitely want to stick to showjumping, not racing.” Hollie chased hard on Jennifer Hudson’s 11-year-old Ballycarrow Mirahs Sparrow and was deceptively fast following similar lines but stopped the clock 0.46 seconds in arrears to slot into second ahead of her other ride Silver Star in third. “I thought at one time Hollie would catch me, but I was so quick to the last and that’s what got it [the win],” said Katie, who started riding the Eros III 10-year-old ‘Inky’ in January, taking over the reins from Thomas. “He was very green when Thomas rode him, and we struggled with the rideability but we’ve worked on it and he keeps improving – it showed today! I’m so proud of him,” said Katie.   Hollie Gerken claims her second HOYS title in the Equine Rescue Services 138cm with Another Barney Hollie Gerken has enjoyed a tremendous Horse of the Year Show and captured her second major title in two days with the Equine Rescue Services 138cm Championship on Another Barney. Only two days earlier, Hollie was crowned Leading Pony Showjumper of the Year with Ramiro High Society. Twenty-three hopeful competitors tackled the 1.25m course but only three answered every question to qualify for the jump-off. Portia Taylor-Wilson looked to be setting a serious target for the following two riders but the audience broke out with cheers as she approached the final fence and Whitethorn Smokey toppled the top rail of the vertical. Hollie, who had claimed an amazing 10 qualifying HOYS places, also picked up second in the Pony Foxhunter and second and third place in the Pony Newcomers, looked cool and confident as she rode into the ring aboard the 9-year-old Another Barney, who finished second in this Final two years ago with Tabitha Kyle in the saddle. Another Barney is by West Country Sport Horses’ Filesco, the stallion son of Boss VDL, who traces back to Indoctro and Nimmerdor with Phin Phin on the dams side, and out of pony mare Patch, breeding unknown. Hollie exuded assurance and self-possession as she executed smooth yet tight lines, posting a clear round and beating Portia’s time by 1.62 seconds. It proved to be the only double clear, last to go Alfie Diaper faulted on Go Fast D’Argan to finish third. News Kindly provided by British Showjumping Images courtesy of 1st Class Images

Rachel Hall makes a winning return to HOYS 36 years after her last victory to take the NAF Five Star Bronze League title Rachel Hall (nee Edmunds) last made an appearance at Horse of the Year Show – then at Wembley arena – in 1987 when she won the Pony Foxhunter title on her coloured pony Arapaho.  This year, she bested her 13 rivals to land the NAF Five Star Bronze League Final on Renkum Balousina. “It’s the most amazing experience to ride through those curtains into the arena, it’s what it’s all about, everyone wants to ride at HOYS, but to go in and do well is beyond dreams,” said Rachel, who is based in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. Rachel took a 20-year break from competing when family life and two daughters took over, but started riding and competing again when her elder daughter went to University and Balousina was left at home. “We didn’t want to sell her, she has such a lovely personality, she’s more like a dog,” said Rachel. Five of the 14 competitors cleanly negotiated the 12-fence 1.10m course to make their way into the jump-off with Jassy Pyke setting a competitive target in the opening round on Bon Amego. Two horses later, Rachel found slightly tighter lines and risked taking out a stride with a gallop to the last to seize the title by 0.35 seconds.  “I tried to keep steady to get the turns in and took a flyer to the last,” said Rachel. The Baloubet Junior Z x Lauriston 9-year-old mare – British-bred at Renkum Stud – was purchased as a just broken 4-year-old from friend Margaret Tyers of English Bridles and a gift given on their qualification may well be considered as ‘lucky tack’. “Margaret was so excited we qualified for HOYS she gave me a bridle, girth and stirrup leathers,” said Rachel, who endured a heart-stopping moment before Balousina had gone through the start in round one. “She is quite spooky, even hacking, and spooked at the flowers. I was here early for familiarisation in the arena but there weren’t any flowers out then but once she jumped the first fence, she was fine, going forward and focused.  I’m very pleased, she jumped super.” The Amateur and Veterans Championships at Aintree Equestrian Centre and Racecourse is now the focus.  “I’ve been before but it will be her [Balousina] first visit and I’m really looking forward to it as my younger daughter Ella will be riding there as well, and then Balousina will have a well-deserved break,” said Rachel.   News Kindly provided by British Showjumping Images courtesy of 1st Class Images

James Whitaker secures victory in the British Horse Feeds Speedi-Beet Grade C Championship with Just Call Me Henry at Horse of the Year Show On the final day of Horse of the Year Show, James Whitaker stepped into the limelight to command victory in the British Horse Feeds Speedi-Beet Grade C Championship with Just Call Me Henry . “I was lucky as he had a spin round [this arena] in the Foxhunter Final on Thursday to finish fifth, but he was unlucky [with the fastest four faults in the first round],” said James. “He’s a bit of an over-achiever and won a four-star class at Hickstead in the summer.” A field of 22 came forward over the 1.40m course and, with several hard luck four fault stories amongst them, only five returned clear rounds to go forward into the jump-off. James proved economical all the way to take a handsome 1.81 second win on the British-bred 8-year-old by his uncle John Whitaker’s former top ride Argento, out of a Kannan mare and bred by Murray McLeish and Steve Fag. “He’s naturally fast, if you looked at the time of my first round, he’ll be one of the quickest, so I knew if I kept the jumps up, he wouldn’t be far away,” said James. “I don’t want to jinx anything, but he finds it all effortless and wins at almost every show he goes to. I need to keep him and hope someone doesn’t come along and wants to buy him.” Aintree Winter Classic this coming week is now on the schedule. “This Grade C Final was my plan, now I’ve got to make a new one!” News Kindly provided by British Showjumping Images courtesy of 1st Class Images

         Mark Edwards scores a victory double at Horse of the Year Show   Mark Edwards has enjoyed a phenomenal summer season with his horses, most of them bred and produced at home on the family farm in Cowbridge, South Wales, and his success looks to continue as he bagged two major wins at the prestigious Horse of the Year Show at the NEC, Birmingham. Never a slouch against the clock, Mark came out fighting for the win in the first of the three-star international classes, the Grandstand Welcome Stakes, with his father Martyn’s Dillinger NE. “It’s his first three-star show but he jumped here last year in the Foxhunter and Grade C so he has a little experience in that arena, but he went in there and really grew into the occasion,” said Mark. Thirty riders came forward over a course standing at 1.45m with Sienna Charles, daughter of 2012 London Olympic gold medallist Peter, taking an early lead on Chawton before being relegated to an eventual third by Italy’s Lorenzo de Luca.   But third-drawn Mark was determined from the off, slicing into every corner and tight line on the 8-year-old gelding to edge ahead by 0.15 seconds.  However, last to go Joe Whitaker gave Mark a run for his money, flying round on Icaterina to beat the winning time by an incredible two seconds – but the top rail on the penultimate vertical hit the floor to drop Joe down the line. “It was a long class to watch and I’m not a great watcher, I thought I’d probably be second or third when I came out of the ring.  I knew the last couple were the ones to watch in the draw and it wasn’t over until Joe Whitaker jumped but it’s a great start to the week,” said Mark. Mark has produced Dillinger (Diarado x Carismo) from 2020 and his novice days, progressing though the grades to contend the 2022 HOYS Foxhunter and Grade C Finals and winning area trials on the county show circuit in 2023.    “He’s a great horse and the breeders, Ros and Denis Palmer were here watching him today and we really think a lot of him.  I think he’s got a real big future ahead of him and hopefully there’s more to come,” added Mark. Mark was firing on all cylinders to record a second win later in the day, piloting Royale Tale into the top spot of the NAEC Stoneleigh Stakes. “It’s a very strong field this year but she’s so naturally quick and I got in a good rhythm, everything came as I wanted and she tried her heart out,” said Mark. Twenty-five competitors, including Tokyo Olympians Scott Brash and Harry Charles, contended the fiercely competitive three-star 1.45m speed but the British proved the fiercest of the lot, filling the top five places. Nonetheless, on-form speed king Mark, built on his first win to hit the turbo button and, with the pedal to the metal, took the tightest of lines to win with more than three seconds to spare on the equally enthusiastic Royale Tale. This 8-year-old, winner of the Newcomers and Grade C Finals at Horse of the Year Show in 2022, was bred by Sean and Charlene Daly and is sired by Mark’s home-bred former top ride Montreuxs Tale and out of a Cavalier Royale mare.  Mark and his father Martyn spotted her potential early on, secured her purchase and have produced her from the beginning from a 4-year-old. “This is her third win here, she won two national classes last year and has stepped up to the international stage.  She’s a great mare and she wants to win as much as I do,” said Mark.   Kindly Supplied by British Showjumping Images supplied by 1st Class Images

Tomorrow sees the exciting line up of some of the best British Based Eventing Stallions in the UK. Stallions can be seen parading directly after the final of the 5yr old section of the Burghley Young Event Horses and before the 4yr olds from approximately 12.45 - 1.45pm in the House Arena on Friday 1st September. The Stallions parading includes established sires to some exciting young stallions competing. They will parade in the following order:- AMIRO Z FARLEAZE LORD PRENWYN JACONDRIK FUTURE GRAVITAS FIRESTICK KONING ALBERT BRITANNIA'S BIJOU FUTURE GUILTY PLEASURE CHRYSLER KEY SR Please come along to see these superb horses for consideration as sires for the 2024 breeding season​