‘I’ve never jumped this height before!’ HOYS debutante walks away with fabulous Foxhunter win

A rider who had “never jumped this height before tonight” upended the odds to win the historic Redpost Equestrian senior Foxhunter final 2026 on her Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) debut.

Some riders have spent decades in pursuit of this prestigious championship but Samantha Wiseman and her seven-year-old gelding AS His Lordship ran away with a confident victory in her first year of attempting HOYS qualification.

It was a remarkable result for the 27-year-old, whose previous experience at 1.40m amounted to a single class and the qualifiers.

“Going in there tonight was a big ask for me and the horses, so it’s incredible,” said Sammy, who also contested the class on Quinteros Mr Popular and qualified for the newcomers final and the grade C.

“My coach, Caroline Rios, told me and my mum at the start of the year to buy our tickets for HOYS and we said ‘No way! It won’t happen’ but I got five tickets. It’s been incredible but we’ve worked really, really hard.”

Sammy, who runs an equestrian centre and a dog grooming business in Aberdeen, produced a composed clear round a suitably exacting track to reach the three-rider jump-off, in which she won by 1.68sec

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The final was no soft introduction to championship jumping. Time and technicality took their toll on the 24 starters, the clears only emerging from the final six combinations.

Douglas Duffin and Omex Star HBF lowered an oxer in the jump-off, leaving Seamus Taylor and Billy Wolsey as the only combination to post a double clear before Sammy entered the arena, last to go.

“I was incredibly nervous but he was jumping really well in the warm-up. Although I was already crying about having a clear before I went in!” Sammy said.

Although relatively inexperienced at this level, Sammy had plenty of faith in AS His Lordship, an Irish Phil VD Wezelse Heihoeve x Crown Z gelding she has partnered since the start of his five-year-old year.

Known at home as Phil or The Connemara Pony as he barely measures 16hh, he had been a stand-out performer throughout the qualifiers.

“When he performs, he really, really performs. I already knew what he was capable of. When we’re both in partnership on a good day, he is incredible. He’s naturally quick and careful,” Sammy said.

“I’m just over the moon, to be honest. I didn’t think it would happen but at the same time, I’m very determined, so if it all goes to plan on the day, then why not?”

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