For the first time in history, amateur show horse riders got the chance to compete under the spotlights at London International Horse Show in the schedule of BSHA-hosted classes. The BSHA Rising Star finals for hunters, hacks, cobs, riding horses and show horses welcomed strong entries across the board, but only one combination could reign in each of the performance-led classes.
2023 London International Horse Show showing results — BSHA Rising Star championship winners:
Middleweight and heavyweight hunter type
The London International Horse Show
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Eleanor Liddle rides Val Doidge’s Cu Chulainn Carrabawn Rebel to the top spot in the middleweight and heavyweight hunter class. This is the pair’s first season showing at affiliated level and they add this result to a second at Royal Windsor and a championship at Liskeard.
Small and lightweight hunter type
Winner of the Rising Star of Hunter Type Championship
sponsored by Irish Horse Board Co-operative Ltd at The London International Horse Show at ExCel in London on the 12 December 2023
(Image credit: LIHS / Peter Nixon)
Hertfordshire-based Sarah Moreland’s Coultard Z leads the lightweight final en route to the overall hunter title. The bay gelding was a SFAS winner in 2022, and he’s since won many amateur titles, including at the BSHA supreme hunter championships. The pair also triumphed in the ladies’ show horse championship on the final day of London International.
Lightweight cob
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Knockboy and Zoe Hyslop are promoted into the top spot in the lightweight final as the combination who were initially placed first were disqualified. Zoe and the gelding qualified for the final at Puddledub Shows.
Heavyweight cob
The London International Horse Show
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Frazer Foxes Covert, ridden by Carly Chapman, heads the heavyweight cob line-up for owner Kim Hayward. The pair have featured at the RIHS in previous years.
Maxi cob
The London International Horse Show
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Alex George rides Kerren Bissmire’s maxi cob Paulines Boy into poll position in their class, before finishing as reserve section champions.
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Small riding horse
The London International Horse Show
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Young rider Finn Williamson and Port Lou Lou make the most of their lap of honour after taking the small riding horse title.
Large riding horse
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Samantha Wallin’s ex-racehorse He’s No Trouble takes the large riding horse honours before he clinches the riding horse championship.
Racehorse to show horse
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The racehorse to show horse tri-colour goes to Musical Legend, ridden by Zoe Gould. The versatile gelding also competes in dressage and in September he aided Zoe on her way to being crowned overall individual champion in the senior open dressage final at the Riding Club national championships.
Hack type
Winner of the Hack Championship at The London International Horse Show at ExCel in London on the 12 December 2023
(Image credit: LIHS / Peter Nixon)
Top of the hack field is Helen Church’s home-bred Dark De Niro son Bassingfield Dark Secret ridden by her daughter Jennifer Harper, who are the reigning Horse of the Year Show SEIB Search For A Star supreme champions.
Working hunter
The London International Horse Show
(Image credit: Henry Kinchin)
Top of the working hunter field, and section reserve, is Carolyn Banner riding her own Gortfree Star.
Working show horse
The London International Horse Show
(Image credit: Henry Kinchin)
Caroline Champion steers Susan Fletcher’s Heartthrob to the worker championship title after they netted the working show horse honours
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Former H&H showing editor and deputy features editor
Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 as showing editor, cementing its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK. She moved on in October 2024 to pursue other opportunities, but continues to write for us on a freelance basis.
