Charlotte Tuck — the show rider juggling A-levels and ponies

Over the festive season, we’re getting the scoop on a few up-and-coming riders across the equestrian disciplines. These are a select few individuals you really need to keep an eye out for during 2022…

Sixteen-year-old Charlotte Tuck is part of her family-run showing yard, Team Hillyard, and is currently one of the most consistent young riders on the show circuit.

Team Hillyard had 16 tickets to the 2021 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), and Charlotte was super busy throughout the week, picking up a fourth in the exceeding 143cm M&M working hunter pony of the year final with debutante Jamie’s Lad, a 10th and a sixth with Hollyland High Hopes in intermediate show riding type and part-bred Arab finals and a second in the 143cm show hunter pony of the year class with Romano Romany Gypsy.

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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.

Festive Stars: Charlotte Tuck — Meet the ‘hands on’ show rider juggling A-levels, ponies and a new love for the working hunter scene

Charlotte, a first year A-Level student, has enjoyed major successes on plaited and native ponies, and she’s recently taken mountain and moorland (M&M) working hunter pony classes by storm, competing against riders more than twice her age.

Charlotte first rode at HOYS aged four aboard the lead rein show pony Hightopps Magic Fairy and she’s appeared at the NEC every year since.

“She’s always been a competitive rider,” says her mother and team leader, Lindsey Hillyard.

Charlotte first reigned at HOYS with the lead rein show pony Hightopps Magic Wish in 2010 and she took the class again in 2012 with the John Harvey-produced Barkway Magic Moments, who went onto stand mini pony of the year.

In 2018 she piloted the Welsh section A gelding Thistledown San Siro to best of the breed at Olympia in the M&M supreme ridden final.

“2021 has been Charlotte’s first season contending workers, and she absolutely loves it,” adds Lindsey. “One of my highlights was watching her jump round HOYS this year; it was amazing.”

Charlotte adds: “Jamie’s Lad started the season as a novice, so finishing fourth at HOYS with him was incredible.”

At home, Charlotte Tuck is very involved in the day-to-day running of the yard and is hands on with the ponies.

“My ultimate aim is to win HOYS or the RIHS on a working hunter pony, as this is still a new field for me,” says Charlotte. “The 2021 season has been tricky, as I was taking my GCSEs and I found it hard to fit the ponies in between.

“I will always look up to Charlotte Dujardin who started showing with the BSPS and is now an Olympic gold medalist.”

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