Admiral Augustus commanded the ring to land the SEIB Search for a Star championship at the 2026 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), ridden by his owner Robyn Carr.
The pair won the show hunter division of the series, which is now in its 28th year, en route to the tricolour.
Robyn bred the five-year-old grey gelding, and decided to start showing him locally last year.
“I am speechless, I didn’t think this would happen at all,” she said. “When he turned four I thought he was a good stamp of a horse, so we started doing a bit and qualified this year at our third show. It’s been an amazing journey and a childhood dream to ride at HOYS.”
Reserve champions Kay Gillam and Victor I
(Image credit: 1st Class Images)
Reserve went to Kay Gillam and her roan gelding Victor I, winner of the show cob title.
“I never expected in my life to be reserve champion at HOYS. I was so nervous I had to ask the steward to get me a bottle of water!” she said.
“Victor is very good at reading me and he knows when I’m nervous and relaxes me. He loves a big occasion, and I know I can trust him... He’s a showman.”
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Making the win even sweeter, Victor incurred a serious injury in his younger days; he suffered a field accident as a four-year-old after Kay bought him from Fionnuala Moloney – who was here to watch him win.
Kay, a lorry driver from Norfolk, said: “We thought that was going to be the end then – we really did.
“But, we healed him and discovered he has a muscle disease halfway through that.
“He does take a lot of management. He has to be ridden every single day and I have to watch his diet.”
Despite his struggles, Victor enjoys hunting with the Narr Valley Bloodhounds.
“His mind has always been good,” said Kay. “We knew if he got to HOYS he'd be able to manage it no bother. He's just one of those nice horses that you just love to have around.”
His rider is no stranger to SEIB Search for a Star having competed in the series in the 1990s, 26 years ago, with her cob Mutley MG. She also competed in the open HOYS maxi cob championship in 2015 with Hortons McLaren.
The additional class winners were as follows:
Traditional cob: Helen Parnell's Angel of the North ridden by Abby Parnell
Hack: Summer Dance owned by Felicity Bond and ridden by Rosie Chetwynd-Talbot
Riding horse: Carnsdale Graceful Affair owned and ridden by Sarah Clucas
Working show pony: Pitch Supreme ridden by Evelyn Tuck
Working show horse: Helen Forster riding her own mare HS Queen Bea
Bethan joined Horse & Hound as showing editor in January 2025, after spending two years as Editor for Showing World. Having adored ponies since childhood, she started showing as a teenager and has enjoyed wins at major shows up and down the country, including Royal Highland, New Forest, and the Royal Welsh, as well as HOYS, RIHS and London. She is particularly passionate about Welsh breeds and is also a Welsh language commentator.
