Vynnes Magical Edition exhibited by Stephanie Turner, winners of the National Pony Society/Baileys Horse Feeds Mountain & Moorland Ridden Pony of the Year Championship during the Horse of the Year Show held at the NEC in Birmingham in UK between 4 -8 th October 2023
If you couldn’t make it to this year’s Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), or if you simply want to relive the occasion one more time, take a look at these winning ponies from the HOYS 2023 showing classes.
Supreme of them all was Jerome Harforth’s five-year-old part-bred Swan Lake and Sophie Staveley, but there were a host of other stunning pony class winners and champions crowned across the five days of competition.
Here are 36 winning ponies who reigned at HOYS 2023. Which one would you most like to have in your stables at home?
Winners from the HOYS 2023 showing classes
1. Woodview Iola
(Image credit: Steve Dawe)
Emma Shepherd leads her daughter Lilly-Mae Howard and their home-produced lead rein mare to the mini show pony accolade.
2. Westown Wild Fire
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Sarah Parker stays on Sarah Weston’s home-bred Dartmoor stallion to clinch reserve M&M supreme.
3. Vynnes Magical Edition
Vynnes Magical Edition exhibited by Stephanie Turner, winners of the National Pony Society/Baileys Horse Feeds Mountain & Moorland Ridden Pony of the Year Championship during the Horse of the Year Show held at the NEC in Birmingham in UK between 4 -8 th October 2023
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
Andrew Vine’s home-bred New Forest stallion puts his best foot forward with Pip Smith to secure top honours in the overall M&M championship.
3. Thistledown San-Siro
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Diana Leeming’s Welsh section A, 12, wins the mini M&M title with Lola Carabine in the saddle.
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4. Swan Lake
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Jerome Harforth’s Llanarth Top Cat five-year-old is crowned part-bred champion before she scoops the supreme pony sash with Sophie Staveley.
5. Castra
CASTRA exhibited by Rhianon Loader, winners of the Coloured Horse and Pony of the Year Championship sponsored by CHAPS (UK) during the Horse of the Year Show held at the NEC in Birmingham in UK between 4 -8 th October 2023
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
Rhianon Loader gets a tune out of Stephanie Fitt’s seven-year-old plaited pony to take the coloured championship.
6. Barney IX
BARNEY IX, exhibited by Samuel Laity, winner of theNational Pony Society/Mole Valley Farmers Working Hunter Pony of the Year Championship during the Horse of the Year Show held at the NEC in Birmingham in UK between 4 -8 th October 2023
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
Sam Laity enjoys his last lap of honour with the 17-year-old 133cm campaigner after they lift the working hunter pony of the year accolade.
7. Ardenhall Blenheim
ARDENHALL BLENHEIM exhibited by Lola Carabine, winners of British Show Pony Society Children’s Riding Pony of the Year Championship during the Horse of the Year Show held at the NEC in Birmingham in UK between 4 -8 th October 2023
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
For the second time in a row, Lola Carabine and Jenny Harker’s 128cm contender storm the children’s riding pony championship.
8. Monivea Black Magic
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Pippa Kirby’s home-bred traditional stallion is crowned native/cob/traditional pony of the year.
9. Thistledown Sea Mariner
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Katie Parker rejoices as her mother Lesley Parker’s 133cm show hunter pony takes the class win.
10. Morning Sunflower
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Isabella O’Donnell is crowned show hunter pony of the year on her last outing with the consistent seven-year-old 143cm mare, with whom she has also won at the Royal International (RIHS).
11. Gwynfaes Seren Wledig
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Probably the biggest cheers from across the HOYS 2023 showing classes were heard when the Evans’ Welsh section D stallion won the pony section of the in-hand supreme final.
12. Eastlands Dunedin
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Lucinda Leeming, 14, and Susan Pool’s Connemara gelding are foot-perfect to win the junior championship on their first time at HOYS as a combination.
13. Woodfield Hazy
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Ruby Ward jumps a clear and takes the 153cm class with her mother Kelly Ward’s gelding, before they are reserve working hunter pony of the year.
14. Nae Limits
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Layla Wheelwright and her own mare triumph in the intermediate working hunter final.
15. Dibynn Miss Congeniality
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Anne Thornhill’s six-year-old and Scarlett Doswell claim top spot in the 148cm show pony class.
16. SCT Master Of The Hounds
(Image credit: Steve Dawe)
Georgie Kirby-Moore punches the air as she wins her first HOYS sash in the intermediate show hunters aboard Jemma Ellison’s 10-year-old.
17. Delami Bravado
Delami Bravado exhibited by Ollie Rowlands, winners of the Thor Atkinson Steel Fabrications Ltd Mountain & Moorland Working Hunter Pony of the Year Championship during the Horse of the Year Show held at the NEC in Birmingham in UK between 4 -8 th October 2023
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
After jumping a flawless clear round in the 122cms, Ollie Rowlands and his home-produced Welsh section A are called forward to take the overall M&M worker spoils.
18. Priestwood Roc Star
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Grayson Brady Brooke and the 15-year-old lead rein of hunter type win HOYS for the second time, handled by Sarah Newbould.
19. Broadhurst Jeremy Fisher
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The show pony first ridden class is won by Lara-Rae Jones and the eight-year-old gelding, who is produced by Sharn Linney.
20. Ladies Man
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Poppy Carter and Danni Radford’s home-bred super-star are triumphant in the intermediate show riding type of the year championship.
21. Colbeach Caprice
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Lilly Ahern-Lee, 11, is victorious in the 138cm show ponies riding the 2021 and 2022 runner-up. They also finished reserve in the championship.
22. Rowfantina Orlando Bloom
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James Burchell and his reigning RIHS young riders supreme champion continue their run to win the junior small breeds final and post section reserve.
21. Allandy Gold Spark
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The 20-year-old skewbald gelding jumps the only clear in the 143cm working hunter pony section to reign with Gracie Aungier.
22. Rushill Diplomat
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Sarah Parker’s third win of the show comes aboard her own Welsh section B gelding, who was also second in the 133cm M&M working hunter pony of the year class.
23. Springwater Tactician
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Finlay Clay and Craig Elenor enjoy their lap of honour with Heather Clay’s winning M&M lead rein.
24. Lledrith Nemesis
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The Welsh section A class is lifted by Sam Roberts and Sue Kernan’s 10-year-old stallion, another dual contender who was highly placed over fences.
25. Somahouse GT
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Aaliyah Watson, 14, and the 15-year-old Shetland stallion, who is owned by Nicki Richards, lift the Shetland/Exmoor of the year title on their first NEC visit.
26. Greenrivers Luke
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The six-year-old and Sarah Parker score the Fell pony of the year title for owner Sarah Weston.
27. Langrigg Thomas
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Emma Hodge and Brooke Harvey’s Dales gelding celebrate after winning their first HOYS tricolour.
28. Marksman Of Mendick
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The Highland stallion provides his owner/rider Amber Thorpe with her first-ever HOYS centre line moment.
29. Castle Kestrel
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Lucy Glover and Amanda Sharman’s reigning BSPS M&M supreme and Royal Windsor champion tick another title off the bucket list as they win the Connemara breed final.
30. Templedruid Carob
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Millie Mortimer, 10, rode her mother Bianca Mortimer’s 13-year-old gelding to victory in the M&M junior worker final on their debut at the NEC.
31. Llanidan Bonheddwr
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Caroline Casey’s Welsh section C provides Kirsty Aird with a fourth M&M working hunter win of her career, this time in the 133cms.
32. Gwerniago Gethin
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Ashley Bird and his bold stallion win the 143cm M&M working hunter of the year tricolour and finish reserve in the championship for the third time in their partnership.
33. Dycott Welsh King
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Ross Keys is victorious in the exceeding 143cm M&M working hunter pony of the year final aboard the Welsh section D stallion.
34. Thorneyside Guardsman
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Home-producer Katy Marks leads the Welsh section D line-up on her 11-year-old stallion.
35. Blaencila Rhodri
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Vikki Smith steers Kyle McClements and Christopher Tait’s four-year-old stallion to the head of the Welsh section C class.
Enjoyed seeing who won the HOYS 2023 showing classes? You may also be interested to read…
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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.
