A mounted games pony who had won titles around the world has finally ticked the Prince Philip Cup off his “bucket list” aged 27.

Gemma Hopkin’s 12.2hh Welsh pony Merlin, ridden by Jasmine Willis, was part of the North Herefordshire Pony Club team that took the honours at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) last month. The team also won the Naylors Cup.

Monmouthshire-based Gemma bought Merlin, an established mounted games pony then competing for England, 14 years ago and over the years he taught her two sons, Ben and Sam, to ride.

“Ben was only seven and people couldn’t understand why I was buying him, but I knew if I didn’t the opportunity wouldn’t come up again,” Gemma told H&H.

“For 18 months I took Ben and Merlin to the riding school every week and Ben learned to ride and jump. When Ben was about nine they started competing with the Pony Club.”

Ben and Merlin became the ones to beat in mounted games. Over the years they won six individual world titles, six world pairs titles, and a number of European wins. They were also part of the winning Welsh team at Royal Windsor.

Ben’s younger brother Sam took over the reins in 2018 and enjoyed much team success with Merlin, before the pandemic struck. When competitions restarted Sam had outgrown him and young rider Jasmine now has the ride.

“He’s won just about everything and we’ve travelled all over the world with him, but the Prince Philip Cup was the one we still had to tick off the bucket list. Ben and Merlin were second with Monmouthshire Pony Club in 2017, so for Merlin to finally get the win is really special. It felt like he deserved it,” said Gemma.

Merlin is managed for PPID [pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction], but at 27 Gemma says he is the “picture of health” and “looks a million dollars”.

“He’ll compete next year, but we’ll drop him down to Pony Club level. He is such a character and he loves life, he just thrives on it. He was bouncing behind those purple curtains at HOYS waiting to come out. He loves those lights,” she said.

“It’s not the end of the road for him and he’s still absolutely flying. But he doesn’t owe us anything. He has a heart of gold and the heart of a lion.”

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Planning a trip to Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) this year? Then the HOYS mounted games should definitely be on your must-watch list.

HOYS is to be held on 5-9 October 2022 at the NEC in Birmingham. This year, Naylors will be supporting the Pony Club mounted games.

What are the HOYS mounted games?

The HOYS mounted games competition is called the Prince Philip Cup. It was first held in 1957 and is a world-famous event, where teams go through a series of area competitions and zone finals to qualify for the final at HOYS. The area competitions are finished by June each year. The zone finals follow in June/July, before the third and fourth stages are held at the Pony Club Championships and HOYS.

The first phase is the Thistledown Developments Cup, which takes place across the first three sessions at HOYS and is considered a ‘warm-up’ to the Prince Philip Cup. Teams are awarded points based on their placing in each session, and the team with the highest total score at the end of the Thursday afternoon session is awarded the cup.

The Prince Philip Cup has six sessions, held from Thursday afternoon until Sunday. The four highest placed teams from these sessions go through to the grand final for the chance to be crowned overall champions.

In its rule book, the Pony Club outlines the objectives of the Prince Philip Cup. It provides “a team competition requiring courage, determination and all-round riding ability on the part of the team members, with careful and systematic training of their ponies. The objective is to encourage a higher standard of riding throughout The Pony Club and to stimulate among the future generation a greater interest in riding as a sport and as a recreation.”

When can I watch the 2022 HOYS mounted games?

The games will be held in the International Arena at HOYS. There are no set times provided on the timetable and the competitions follow on from other classes, so be sure to keep an eye on the arena.

The general timetable is as follows:

Wednesday (Daytime and evening performance)

Thursday (evening performance)

Friday (evening performance)

Saturday (Daytime and evening performance)

Sunday (Daytime and evening performance)

Four teams will ride in each session and at the end of each the four highest placed teams go through to the final.

• Don’t forget to buy your 2022 HOYS tickets

Which Pony Clubs will be competing in 2022?

Only six teams make it to HOYS each year. The teams competing in the 2022 Prince Philip Cup are:

Morpeth Hunt

North Hereford Hunt

Oakley Hunt (West)

Poole and District

Rockwood Harriers

Wheatland Hunt

Who won the HOYS mounted games in 2021?

The West Hampshire branch of the Pony Club won the title for the third time in a row, having also won in both 2018 and 2019.

The team members were Megan Pink, Katie Upshall, Bella O’Hara, Henry Chick, Layla Conrath and Phoebe Chick.

The West Hampshire became the first team to retain the trophy since Oakley Hunt West back in 2012.

Eglinton Hunt hold the record for the most consecutive wins; they won five years on the trot between 1992 and 1996.

What are some of the rules for Pony Club mounted games?

Ponies must be ridden in plain snaffles with a straight bar, single or double joint in the middle.

The full branch team consists of four or five riders, and four or five ponies not exceeding 148cm.

Riders must be members of The Pony Club at the closing date for entries to the competition and they must not have attained their 15th birthday by the beginning of the current calendar year.

Riders must be suitably mounted for their ponies, following the below guidelines:

• A rider weighing over 54kg may not ride a pony 128cm or under.
• A rider weighing over 60kg may not ride a pony 133cm or under.
• A rider weighing over 66kg may not ride a pony 138cm or under.

Which games will teams compete in at HOYS?

Some of the games run in the 2022 competition include:

BendingPG Sports Quoit and BottleRopeBiffa Waste Services Stepping StonesTwo mugBall and FlagHollywood Bowl Race (3m)Odd SockFour Flag

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Mounted games and polocrosse have been given the nod to resume in England, as the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) approved plans submitted by British Equestrian (BEF).

The BEF, working with the Mounted Games Association of Great Britain, the United Kingdom Polocrosse Association and the Pony Club used the DCMS’s sport resumption framework, released on 10 July, to produce action plans and risk assessments for both disciplines.

The framework included guidance aimed at minimising risks related to coronavirus transmission, and each risk assessment identifies how this can be achieved, and covers reducing the numbers of people in the field of play. This allows organisers to modify activity and rules as needed.

“It’s great news these sports have been given the go-ahead to resume,” said BEF head of participation David Butler.

“We are very grateful for DCMS’s decision, and I’d like to thank our member bodies for the hard work they put into preparing these action plans and risk assessments. Participants, officials, volunteers and other stakeholders can now return to the sports they love, happy in the knowledge that everything possible has been done to keep them safe.”

The BEF and its member bodies have produced an action plan for returning to equestrian team sports, which sets out a standard approach to managing events, including training and competition. Organisers must also adhere to the DCMS framework, and government guidelines on social distancing.

Continues below…

Horse sport spectator pilot postponed following government announcement

There will be no racegoers at Goodwood on Saturday (1 August)

‘He was still flying’: tributes paid to ‘legendary’ mounted games pony

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The BEF is working on an application for horseball to resume.

The news came just before it was announced that a trial of allowing spectators to return to sport, at the Qatar Goodwood Festival this Saturday (1 Auguat) would not go ahead; the government had withdrawn permission for plans to allow up to 5,000 people in to watch the action on the final day of the meeting.

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A “legendary” mounted games pony who qualified for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) 14 times has died at the age of 29.

Nipper, a part-bred New Forest, was part of the winning team on six occasions — first with Poole Pony Club ridden by Ben Hughes and then five times as part of the Oakley Hunt West branch.

The bay gelding was owned by Holly Shaw (nee Howsam) from 1999 until he was put down after colicking last month.

“He was a really great pony who was very well known in the mounted games world — not many have competed as long and as successfully as him,” said Holly’s mother Carol. “He was smart with a leg in each corner and my daughter always said ‘I wish I could find a horse like him’ — he was a real allrounder.”

While he went on to have a superb track record, Carol recalled how she had watched the pony compete not long after they bought him — only for his team to come last.

“Initially his owners weren’t going to sell him, but they changed their mind and we tried him and did a deal,” Carol said. “We went to see him and [then Oakley team trainer] Maureen Thomas said ‘which pony is it you’ve bought?’ I said ‘the little bay’. It was in a bending race and he wouldn’t go up the arena because of the spotlights shining on the poles.

“He was only nine then and Maureen said laughing ‘you’ve really bought a good one Carol’!”

“He went on to do really well and enjoyed what he did — the only other time I remember him having a problem was a race involving squeaky millennium bugs you had to put in a dish, he was petrified of the noise. He also objected to the ostriches at HOYS in Birmingham when he ran up the arena and wouldn’t come back down. He could be a bit of a character.”

After Holly outgrew Nipper, he was loaned out to members of the Oakley Hunt West branch of the Pony Club, where he continued to compete in their mounted games team. He was still being ridden aged 29 and was in good health, taking part in a local show only a few days before he died.

“He carried on competing in the Oakley right up until four or five years ago — we had always loaned him out to people connected with the Pony Club, but at that point there wasn’t anyone we still knew,” said Carol. “He went to a friend in North Warwickshire for a little girl there and she had him four years.”

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Carol said she had seen Nipper recently when he came to a charity show at her house on 13 July.

“We were holding a show for the Tim Stockdale Foundation and he was competing that weekend in the juniors — everyone remarked how well he looked,” she said.

“On that Sunday he got to see Holly, my goddaughter who used to ride him, another girl from his Pony Club days back in 2000 and Maureen, so that was really nice.

“Then on the Tuesday morning I got a phonecall to say that he had been turned out at 7am and at 7.30am he’d gone down in the field — they called the vet and she thought something had twisted. It was just one of those things.

“He had always been the picture of health and at the point where he was put down he was still flying,” she added. “He’d had a good life and everyone who had him looked after him very well.”

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

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This year’s Horse of the Year Show may have only finished on Sunday, but we’re already wondering when it’s OK to start getting excited about the 2017 equestrian extravaganza. It’s not hard to work out why we’re still on a HOYS high — and that’s before we’ve even started on the emotional roller coaster of the showjumping and showing classes…

Don’t miss the full report from HOYS in this week’s issue of Horse & Hound magazine (13 October 2016)

Could there be a better feeling for the East Kent Hunt branch of the Pony Club than to be in the spotlight following their win in the Prince Philip Cup final? If only we were all that agile...

A private lesson with Carl Hester might be a lofty dream on our bucket list, but a masterclass with the Olympian and Charlotte Dujardin offers a pretty good substitute

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Step aside wellies, wave goodbye to muddy gateways and say hello to the kind of footwear that only an indoor prize-giving could allow

The jingling of the harrow chains in the Musical Drive of the Heavy Horses takes spectators back to a bygone era

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Not your average horsemanship... The 'Vulcanium Dreams of Fire' display in action

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Whether you take part in mounted games to be competitive or just for fun, finding the right pony is crucial. Training is important, but starting with the right pony can make a big difference. Chrissie Mayes explains what you should be looking for

1. Temperament

Temperament is the number one consideration of any mounted games pony. Even if he possesses every single other characteristic, without the necessary attitude it is unlikely he will ever fully match his potential.

As a sport, mounted games is fast and intense, and he must be able to adapt to any situation or to any strange equipment. Coping with adrenaline is essential and some ponies react in a way that limits their competitive ability, such as napping on the line, or refusing to stop.

2. Size

No pony must exceed 152cm with shoes, and there is no minimum height. According to the Mounted Games Association of Great Britain (MGAGB) rules “the size, weight and experience of a rider must correspond with the size, build and experience of the pony”. Ponies are monitored closely to ensure the rider is a suitable size.

3. Age

Ponies cannot compete under the age of four, but there is no maximum age as long as the pony is still fit and healthy. You can also introduce older ponies to the sport successfully. An older pony is often easier to train, as he has already experienced many aspects of life. However, younger ponies have the bonus of possessing relatively few pre-conceptions or learnt behaviours.

4. Breed

Any breed can be a games pony — however, certain breeds are favoured by top competitive riders, including Arabs, Welsh ponies, quarter horses, British riding ponies, Connemara ponies, and throughbred crosses. Cross breeds also excel, as they bring a range of different skills to the arena. However, the variety of ponies is probably more diverse than seen in any other discipline.

5. Agility

A good games pony has to be agile. Being able to bend, turn on a sixpence, stop and start quickly are essential skills. Because of this they need to be highly balanced and well-schooled. When trying a pony that has never been exposed to games before, use some schooling exercises that will demonstrate how agile he is.

6. Obedience

Because of the speed of the races, a great games pony has to be very obedient. Being able to understand the rider’s commands quickly is crucial to success and to safety. Much of this can be trained, but some ponies are naturally more obedient than others.

7. Will to win

A will to win goes hand-in-hand with a pony’s enjoyment of the sport. Ponies naturally love to race, but some are definitely more forward than others!

8. Ability to learn

With so many skills involved in mounted games, plus a variety of races, a games pony that is keen to learn will always progress better. As with some of the other characteristics, this is in-built in some ponies. Bold and curious ponies are usually quick to learn, but don’t rule out those that seem less approachable. Ponies learn at different speeds, but some will grasp the concept of games quicker than expected.

9. Speed

You can teach a pony accuracy and consistency, but you can’t teach it to have speed. A great games pony is fast — but also has excellent brakes!

Continued below…

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10. Trust

The partnership between the rider and pony has to be strong. The rider asks a lot of the pony, and without trust it is impossible to achieve greatness. The rider also has to trust the pony — when travelling at speed you need to know your horse is going to do what you ask of it — otherwise accidents may happen.

To find out more visit www.mgagb.co.uk

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

As a discipline, mounted games is highly competitive, with many riders and teams battling for the top spots. Chrissie Mayes finds out how to get the edge

In order to be successful in mounted games, competitors practise for long hours, while spending time learning the rules of all the individual races. Each race has a different skill set, and understanding the characteristics of each race is important for success. The coach then has the task of putting it all together using tactical analysis.

Understanding the races

Games races can be broken down into four different categories, although many races incorporate more than one characteristic. The main categories of races include:

Skills

Being able to handle equipment and approach certain obstacles correctly is the basis of many races. Mistakes in skills races can cost the race, so practising is essential for success. Skills include placing or moving equipment on or from obstacles within the arena or dropping equipment into bins or buckets, by hand or with a cane. Occasionally riders also have to work in pairs, and need to be competent at racing in formation together.

Speed

The first team over the line wins the race, and in some races this is predominately down to speed. A team consists of five ponies and riders, but only four compete in each race. In speed races tactics play a large part; choosing your fastest combinations, and putting your fastest pairs first and last can also play a part in overall success. Speed races generally involve dealing with certain obstacles at the same time for an added dimension.

Vaulting

Being able to leap off a galloping pony and keep hold of him, then vault on at a canter is one of the most impressive skills on show in mounted games. Vaulting is a technique and once learnt goes a long way to the success of a team. It is best to learn on a pony that is easy to vault, and one that is small enough to hone the technique on. Once the rider has grasped the concept, they can usually vault on any size pony.

Usually a vaulting race involves being able to quickly control your pony after getting back on board, requiring dexterity and forward thinking from the rider, as well as obedience from the pony.

Handovers

In several races, equipment has to be collected in the arena and handed over to the outgoing rider. This is usually accomplished at speed and can make or break the overall result. Perfecting handovers is an essential skill for success, and tactics can also be employed to improve the team’s success rate. Certain ponies move sideways on the line, or back off as the incoming rider approaches them, making the handover more difficult. Perfecting handover partnerships is an important aspect of the coach’s role.

Tactics

Just as football use different combination of players in formation, so does mounted games. Tactics include combining certain riders in particular orders for different races, to play on each team player’s strengths. As already mentioned, some ponies work better together than others, so devising pony combinations is also an important tactic. Learning how ponies and riders react to certain races is also an important consideration. There is a certain amount of psychology involved in mounted games, and often a coach has to work with the riders’ minds, not just their skill sets.

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Tip for success

Although speed is essential to win at mounted games, mistakes can cost a race. If you are making too many errors, you need to go down a gear until you have perfected your skills at that level. Only then should you consider increasing your speed. Accuracy at speed is the overall goal, but spending time building up to that aim pays dividends in the long run. To be successful at mounted games you need to practise hard, both on your own and as part of a team. You need to understand the rules in detail plus use the strengths of your individual riders for the benefit of the team. But most of all, you need determination and dedication — like all sports, being a great mounted games rider does not happen overnight.

To find out more visit www.mgagb.co.uk

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Affiliated mounted games has seen a boost in participation, with more adults taking part than ever before.

Membership of the Mounted Games Association Great Britain (MGAGB) has increased each year for the past eight years.

In 2012 there were 1,625 members and last year this number had increased to 1,999.

The MGAGB hopes to top the 2,000 mark this year.

Mary Worth, chief executive officer of the MGAGB, told H&H that riders are staying in the sport for longer.

“I think the growth in the open age group is because more riders are getting involved at a young age and not leaving us at the 17 to 18-year-old mark as once happened,” she said.

“At 18, riders move up into the open age group where the competition is fiercest. They continue to hone their skills so that they are competing to the best of their ability.”

The open group encompasses a wide age range of ages, from 18-year-olds to over 30s.

Ms Worth added that there is strong social element to the sport as well as its competitive nature.

“Friendships are made that will last a lifetime,” she said.

“Many of our riders who took part in MGAGB in the earlier years are now returning with their own children. They have enjoyed the games themselves and are now bringing their children back to the organisation that they had so much fun with.”

Up until the mid 90s, all of the MGAGB’s competitions were organised in one age group, open, but as the membership grew, additional sections were introduced.

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• You think mounted games is just for Pony Club tiny tots? Think again…
• 10 things to look for in your dream mounted games pony

MGAGB now has four age groups — open, under-17, under-14, under-12, and ‘mini minis’.

“Mini minis is for our very youngest riders,” said Ms Worth. “These riders are all on the lead rein. They have their own specially adapted rules and so can learn the basics from a very young age.”

35-year-old Yorkshire-based rider Troy Owen has competed in mounted games for 25 years.

“It’s the speed of it and the adrenaline [that attracted me to the sport], as well as the socialising — it’s like a big family,” he told H&H.

“You’ve got to bond with your horse and got to trust him as your hanging off the side — putting your life in your horse’s hands and visa versa.”

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Mounted games is probably not the first equestrian discipline that springs to mind when you think about horse sport, but its affiliated organisation (Mounted Games Association of Great Britain) is currently developing at a speed that the sport is struggling to keep up with. Chrissie Mayes finds out why

With a growth rate of approximately 20% each year, just what is it about mounted games that is attracting new members, and prevents old ones from moving on to pastures new? Why mounted games?

1. Double trust

The relationship between pony and rider is the most crucial aspect of games. It is not just about the rider trusting the pony to start, stop and turn quickly on command; the pony has to reciprocate the connection. Allowing a rider to vault on and off, and hang off their side at speed, requires massive trust from the pony.

2. Skills

Putting a sock in a bucket may seem on the surface a simple task, but to aim at speed, leap off mid-canter, lean down while your pony turns around you, vault without breaking pace, and hand over to your team mate in mid flow takes skills that can only be perfected with time and patience. Balance, hand-eye coordination, agility, timing, and the ability to read a situation, are just some of the myriad of skills required.

3. Friendships

In the ring riders are highly competitive, but beyond the ropes there’s a strong camaraderie and sense of friendship. MGAGB may be growing, but it is still one big family, that welcomes newcomers with open arms. Riders compete hard, and definitely play hard too.

4. Team sport

Although other opportunities are on offer, such as pairs and individuals, for the majority of riders it is competing as a team with your friends and colleagues that gives that extra layer of pleasure. Every team member contributes to the success of the result, and everyone has an equally important role to play.

5. Competitive opportunities

Mounted games offers opportunities at all levels. If you want to ride for pleasure and fun, you are catered for. But for the more competitive riders, the call of international competitions including European and World Championships, drives riders to hone their skills to perfection for the satisfaction and pride of representing their countries.

6. Challenging

The sport never stands still and riders love the constant moving challenges they face. Whether it is working with a new pony, or developing new skills, there is always something to learn.

7. Correct and move on

One mistake does not necessarily mean game over. Learning how to correct quickly can be the difference between winning and losing, and is yet another skill to add to the list. Drop a pole in jumping and you can’t go back and correct it; in games — you can.

8. Objectivity

Winning a race is all about crossing the line first, having completed all the obstacles appropriately. In this respect it is clear-cut, and does not rely on a subjective view. Although the rules may be black and white, there is always plenty of colour within the arena.

9. Passion

One emotion all riders share, regardless of level, is passion. This shines through the partnerships with ponies, relationships with other riders, and genuine love of the sport. Winning is the ultimate driving force, but not the whole picture.

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10. Exciting future

As the 20% growth rate demonstrates, the future is definitely rosy for mounted games. With a redefined league system, new international competitions and novices being catered for through high profile competitions, mounted games is moving forwards in leaps and bounds.

Find out more at www.mgagb.co.uk

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The summer is over and (thankfully) the hype of Christmas is still a tiny dot on the horizon.

What we’re left with is the awkward middle ground of October — it’s not one nor the other. It’s not cold or hot, we have no idea what to wear and our horses have even less of an idea of what is going on with their coats. So thank goodness for Horse of the Year Show (7-11 October 2015) to give us a landmark — a beacon of the autumn if you like.

Here’s why we’re excited about the 2015 HOYS extravaganza…

1. The drama of the Puissance

The ultimate solution for blowing away any post-summer blues is watching combinations (with nerves of steel) tackling a 7ft-plus wall. Last year’s class was so tight that four riders (Joseph Clayton, Donald Whitaker, Charlotte Flack and David Simpson) took the honours in a tie, when none of them left the wall standing.

2. The ultimate showing fix

With 27 championship classes covering the most popular of British breeds and types, this is where it’s at when it comes to showing. Since March, tens of thousands of competitors have been chasing their coveted HOYS tickets. And it all comes to a head this week, with the champions of each class going forward to contest the ultimate accolades: the Supreme Horse of the Year and Supreme Pony of the Year.

3. Girl band mania

HOYS is about to get a whole lot trendier, when the six-strong girl band HoneyBuns, who starred in this year’s Britain’s Got Talent, takes to the Andrews Bowen International Arena on Sunday evening (11 October) as part of the show’s finale. If you’re worried you’re missing something, it’s not completely random. Band member Corrin Knox is the daughter of HOYS commentator Carey Knox and has competed at the show herself on her 12.2hh pony Cottrell Fanfare.

Continued below…

13 moments when the bright lights of HOYS proved too much *PICTURES*

Excitement levels are building in H&H HQ ahead of next week's Horse of the Year Show (7-11 October 2015) —

4. Mounted games envy

If we could change one thing about our childhood, being armed with a supersonic games pony (and some marginally more flexible limbs) would be up there. This week, six teams — the Badsworth Hunt, East Cheshire, Monmouthshire, Lanark & Upperward, Romney Marsh and Strathearn — who have foughts off 250 other teams to qualify for HOYS, will battling it out for the coveted Prince Philip Cup. An underrated spectator sport…

5. Metropolitan Police heroics

The Metropolitan Police Mounted Branch Activity Ride may leave you wondering whether these are in fact real horses, as they jump through fire and a solid paper wall. Add to that the riders removing their stirrups, tunics and saddles whilst riding over a series of fences and you’ll begin to realise the real meaning of the words “handy pony”.

6. Edge-of-your-seat scurry racing

If you’ve never watched scurry racing before – you’ll wonder what you’ve been doing with your time. The adrenalin-pumping Osborne Refrigerators Double Harness Scurry Racing is a test of speed and accuracy, with teams of two ponies in harness attempting to complete the course in the least time. (And a high-energy commentator — often breathless with the action — is guaranteed to add to the excitement.)

7. Awe-inspiring vaulters

Prepared to be wowed by the athleticism of the Team GBR vaulters who are going to be back in action at the show following their popularity last year. Warning: all that flipping and tumbling is likely to leave you feeling decidely flat-footed…

8. And finally… shopping mania

Credit cards (and comfy shoes) at the ready because there are 12 hours a day of shopping heaven at HOYS up for grabs — open from 9am each day until 15mins after the final evening interval. Is it too soon to make headway on your Christmas shopping? We don’t think so. Plus rider signings will take place everyday from the likes of John and Michael Whitaker, Tim Stockdale and Ben Maher, so you can get your celeb fix at the same time.

For more information visit hoys.co.uk

Don’t miss our full report from this year’s HOYS in 15 October issue of Horse & Hound magazine

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Ben Hopkins and George Knight Eddins have been crowned as world pairs mounted games champions (under 12), at just 10 and 11 years old.

The 21st world pairs championship saw 120 pairs from all over the world travel to compete. The yearly event was held at Newark and Nottingham Showground on 15-16 September 2012.

Ben and George stormed their three qualifying sessions and semi-final over the weekend, heading into Sunday’s final as favourites. And they didn’t disappoint beating British pair, Eleanor Wheeler and Carline Barbour, to take the title.

After joining forces earlier this year, the boys have had great success riding for Monmouthshire Pony Club and Monmouthshire Mounted Games Team.

Gemma Hopkins, Ben’s mum said: “We are all very proud that Monmouthshire now has two world champions and the boys really do feel on top of the world.

“It’s a great start and will stand them in good stead for their future in equestrianism. It teaches them to be a team player, which is so important in life, as well as teaching them about being competitive.”

Ben and George weren’t the only Brits that had success at the event. Mercedes Lock and Guy Gorvett took the under-17 championship title and Danny Spencer won the open category with Irish partner, Mark Devitt.

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The Oakley Hunt West branch of the Pony Club was celebrating this weekend after coming away from the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) as the winners of the Prince Philip Cup.

The winning mounted games team was made up of Aimee Russell, Jenna Privett, Harry Gates, Thomas Kitchiner, Sally Kitchiner and reserve Samantha Garrett. They are trained by Maureen Thomas.

The Oakley Hunt West has won the Prince Philip Cup seven times -and last celebrated in 2008.

They won this year on 122 points – 12 points clear of the second placed Strathearn Branch.

“This year’s Prince Philip Cup Final was most enjoyable, and it was great to meet the Strathearn Branch team on their first visit to HOYS,” said Ms Thomas.

“All of the teams got on very well and the Oakley Hunt West are especially close-knit as three of the team members are cousins. Our District Commissioner has alwaysbeen a keen supporter, and as it is her 30th year in office, winning is not a bad way to celebrate.”

Six Pony Club Branch teams – Oakley Hunt West, Devon and Somerset, Orkney, Cheshire Hunt North, Strathearn and Rockwood Harriers – went forward to the final at HOYS after battling it out at the zone finals around the country during thesummer.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Monmouthshire open mounted games team are the new British champions after stealing the title from 2010 winners Shropshire in a fast and furious run-off at Olney Park Equestrian Centre (29 August).

The highest qualifying teams from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland competed in 10 relay races to decide the top team in Britain.

The Monmouthshire team consists of Jack Capel, Mark Devitt, April Wilson, Ulrika Alexanderson and Danny Spencer.

They also claimed the jackpot prize-fund of more than £1,000 at Glanusk Horse Trials (30 June-3 July).

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (8 September, 2011)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Gladiators from the successful TV show are to play mounted games for charity against the England Mounted Games Association team (MGA) in an event near Warrington in July.

Ten Gladiators, including former Wrexham-based show jumper Amy Guy, aka Siren (pictured), have issued the challenge in aid of charity Help for Heroes and as a fundraiser for the England Mounted Games Association team.

Amy was on the Welsh mounted games team and show jumping squads and played polo at university before becoming a Gladiator. Vice chairman of the MGA, Kay Leese, said: “We are looking forward to seeing the Gladiators on horse back. It should be an hilarious event.”

There will also be a fairground and a horseball match, with the Gladiators signing autographs and performing in the ring twice.

The event will be staged on Sunday 12 July at New Pastures Farm, Bedford Road East, Warrington, Olney, Bucks, MK46 4HW.

Admission is £10 adults, £7 concessions, £5 children, under 2s free. For more details call Kay Leese on 07775160212.

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THE winning team at a Pony Club mounted games final in Newcastle has been disqualified and stripped of their Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) ticket following accusations of cruelty.

Outraged competitors and spectators bombarded the Pony Club with complaints, claiming a member of the winning Cheshire Hunt North branch team had beaten his pony with a pole during the Mounted Games Zone Finals 2008 at Newcastle Racecourse on 5-6 July.

But trainer of Cheshire Hunt North, Richard Marsden, said: “The majority of the complaints came from one team. It was sour grapes.”

Helen Sear, 18, is a Pony Club member who witnessed the incident. She told H&H that a boy repeatedly hit his pony with the pole used in the litter race and thumped the pony in the head .

No action was taken by Pony Club officials on the day but Cheshire Hunt North was disqualified a week later. The East Down team have now won.

Rosalind Slinger, of the Pony Club, said: “The members are trying to put the episode behind them. A full investigation was carried out.”

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound (14 August, ’08)

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Scotland won the DAKS International Pony Club Mounted Games Championships following an exciting final at the Royal Windsor Horse Show (11 – 14 May). Mary Pearson, Chelsea Burns, Graeme Corr, Molly Rowan-Hamilton, Lauren Wyllie and Kerry Addison showed skill and determination throughout the heats, with encouragement from trainer Nan Paton.

Teams from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland took part in the competition. Wales led for the majority of the contest but their fortunes turned for the worse in the final race – the DAKS sack. In this race all four members had to race their ponies down the arena, dismount and get into a sack. They were then required to run with it back down the arena and over the finish line. Scotland took a convincing lead in this nail-biting race, to take the 2006 Championship title.

TASS Scholarships – apply now

Applications for the £3000 Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) are now being accepted. The government funded programme awards scholarships and bursaries to talented athletes who are committed to combining sport and education.

The scholarships are generally awarded to riders aged 18-25 years-old and allow successful applicants to continue competitive riding whilst in education. Coaching, competition expenses, equipment and sports science support are all financed by the scholarship. Riders do not receive the funding directly but need to pay for the services then claim it back through their academic institutions.

For more information please visit www.tass.gov.uk and click on institutions.

British Under 18 Champs

The British under 18 championship is taking place at Chepstow Horse Trials this weekend (18 – 21 May). Juniors from across the country will be contesting the coveted title, sponsored by Albion Saddle Makers.

Set in a natural amphitheatre in 370 acres of parkland surrounding Piercefield House Chepstow Horse Trials – now in its 26th year – is great for spectators and offers a wide variety of trade stands.

For more information visit http://www.chepstowht.ndirect.co.uk

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The Welsh mounted games team demonstrated their incredible strength and talent when they withstood a strong challenge from France at the Mounted Games World Team Championships at Lexington, Kentucky, USA.

Champions in 2002, Wales were pre-match favourites, but the team of Christian Jones, Alex Jones, Boo Price, Jo Dale and Huw Whitney were pushed right to the wire by France, who took the silver medal position by just one point, finishing on 58.

England’s Choc Adcock, Elaine Trevor-Jones, Richard Pringuer, Ross Elliott and Vicky Thomas took the bronze medal on a score of 52.

Canada, world champions in 2001, finished just outside the medal positions, beating the home team to fourth place. Canada and USA had the advantage of using their own ponies, while all overseas riders were riding borrowed ponies.

Scotland headed the runners-up final, ahead of Northern Ireland and South Africa.

Results

Grand final: 1, Wales 59; 2, France 58; 3, England 52; 4, Canada 49; 5, USA 48; 6, Ireland 42; 7, Germany 25.

Runners-up final: 1, Scotland 61; 2, Northern Ireland 56; 3, South Africa 52; 4, Australia 50; 5, Norway 40; 6, Denmark 38; 7, New Zealand 36.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now