‘He’s my life’: Connemara springs to plaited workers title at HOYS 2026
Star Smokey, a superstar Connemara, has made his young rider’s dreams come true by winning the working hunter pony championship at the 2026 Horse of the Year Show
Star Smokey, a superstar Connemara, has made his young rider’s dreams come true by winning the working hunter pony championship at the 2026 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).
“Colin” won the 143cm division with jockey Florence Duncalf earlier in the day.
He cleared a tough, full-up track which caught a fair few combinations out through the day.
The 16-year-old gelding owned by Laura Wheelwright was expertly ridden by 15-year-old Florence.
Florence, who has been riding Colin for four seasons, said: “He's just amazing. He's done everything I've asked him to do. He's won all the big titles now.”
The pair have won the British Show Pony Society's Desert Orchid championship class, the Royal International (RIHS) and have now added HOYS to their CV.
“He’s my life. If I didn't have him, it wouldn't be the same; I could do this on another horse and it still wouldn't be the same, because he's just so special.”
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Although he is a forward competition pony in the ring, Colin has a gentle nature at home.
“My brother, he's eight, has very severe additional needs and he leads him in from the field and back to the field. His stable manners are very nice,” Florence said.
“He's so lovely on the ground, and that's another thing that makes him so special because he can do this job for me and then can do that for my brother.”
Colin will now have a break and some winter showjumping before next season.
It’s a kind of magic
Reserve to Florence in the championship was Ami Conchie aboard her own A Kind Of Magic JVH Z.
The 14-year-old gelding by Armstrong VD Kape – who has no front teeth as they had to be removed – produced a great clear round.
“I’m over the moon,” said Ami. “It’s our first big win together, so to go reserve is even better.
“I was first in to go [in the jumping] so the pressure was on, but it was a nice flowing course.”
The pair are based just outside Dundee in Scotland, and this is not the first time they have made the eight-hour journey to HOYS.
After things didn’t quite go to plan in their first year, they finished a respectable eighth last year before pulling out all the stops today.
They qualified at the Royal Highland around a tough Graham Barclay track. Ballyvary Patsy and rider Indie McKeand also qualified there and won their 153cm division ahead of second-placed Dunmore Star, ridden by Izzy Hartswood-Collier.
It was a championship full of legendary ponies, including former supreme winner Noble Peppermint.
The 16-year-old mare was ridden by Connie Hutton and was second in the 133cm class.
Ahead of them was Nancy Lyons Teehan and her mother Louise Lyons’ Dartans Seoda Ban who managed to fend off all competition and successfully defend their 2025 title.
Nancy said: “I can’t explain it. It was unbelievable.”
Lola Carabine and Lady Dublin Of Corderry were second in the 143cm class equalling their position in the mountain and moorland working hunter division.
Second to the eventual reserve in the intermediates was Eridon Echo, a skewbald mare owned by Helen Newman-Moore and ridden by Lottie Newman-Moore.
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