If you have an Arabian horse or a part-bred pony qualified for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) it’s time to take notes, as 2025 HOYS judge David Bennett gives insight into his background in showing, and what he’ll be looking for in the ring.
Meet 2025 HOYS judge David Bennett
David successfully juggles working full-time as a paramedic with producing a mixture of horses and ponies for the show-ring, with help from his sister Amy who is a full-time P.E. teacher.
“It could be I’m working two days in the week and it could be I’m working five,” says David of the juggle. “It just depends on the shift rota.”
Although his mother did have ponies as a child, David’s parents are not horsey, and he admits he has “no idea” where the initial interest in horses hails from.
He explains: “I broke my leg when I was eight, and while I was in hospital, I refused to take my medication. In order to persuade me, my dad said if I took them, I could do whatever I wanted. And what I wanted was to go riding. That’s where it started.”
His first pony was a “working hunter pony” type, kicking off an interest in workers.
“From that, I did a bit of showjumping and went to work for David Bowen when I was 18 working with his showjumpers.
“Then I had another worker – Country Blue Moon – and people told me he was good enough to show, so it went from there. People started asking me to ride their show horses and it spiralled.”
Now, David’s production enterprise is based at Sharon Howarth’s Carrhouse Stud near Preston, and he considers winning the large hacks at HOYS astride Carrhouse Hidden Asset last term as a showing career highlight.
Although this is David’s first year judging at HOYS, David is an accomplished judge, having officiated at most of the UK’s leading fixtures, including Royal Windsor, and has judged in South Africa and Australia.
“But the biggest highlight so far would probably be at Windsor, where I rode the late Queen’s horse and had the honour of meeting her,” he says.
David sits on a string of judging panels including the British Skewbald and Piebald Association (BSPA), Coloured Horse and Pony Society (CHAPS), Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), Sport Horse Breeding (SHB (GB)), the Arab Horse Society and heavy horse panels.
What will HOYS judge David Bennett be looking for in the ring, starting with the part-bred ponies?
David will be assessing the conformation phase of the part-bred pony of the year final, while co-judge Clare Dew will be assessing the ride.
“I like to see ponies that look like they want to be there,” says David. “I don’t like them to look flat, and I certainly don’t want them to look fat, either. No fat ponies.
“I also like ponies to be very elegant, and to float along being good movers,” he says. “And they need to have plenty of good quality bone, too.”
As for pet hates?
“The thing that I hate the most is when riders stand up a horse or pony looking flat and like they don’t want to be there. I like a horse or pony to have presence, and to be stood up properly.
What will David be looking for in the Arabian horse of the year class?
For this class, David will be switching his suit for his riding gear and assessing each horse from the saddle.
In the initial go-round, David wants to see a horse going forwards correctly.
“I don’t like to see riders see-sawing on mouths or kicking too much,” says David.
Once on board, he’ll be looking for a horse that is “light in the hand, and forwards. I don’t like them when they’re too lazy.”
Again, movement is important.
“I also like them to really travel and cover the ground – a good mover.”
Overall, he’s looking for “presence, elegance and a little bit of wow factor”.
“I want everything to look easy and effortless,” he concludes.
Any advice for HOYS first-timers?
“If you’re going there for the first time, definitely enjoy it and don’t get stressed about it,” says David. “Even though it’s such a prestigious show, you’ve got to pretend it’s just any other show, otherwise you don’t enjoy it, and then it’s over before you know it.
“And even if it’s your first time, I always think you’ve got to enter the ring like you’re going to win it. As a judge, when you’re in the middle, someone who walks in riding like they are going to win, with their horse marching grabs your attention right away. If you come in head down looking nervous, it looks like you don’t want to be there. Go for it.”
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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.
