Rachel Proudley claimed her sixth consecutive major puissance victory in the UK when she shared the spoils with three other riders in the Equiyd puissance at Bolesworth International on Saturday night (27 June).

Rachel won all five of her previous titles with her established performer Easy Boy De Laubry Z, but brought forward a new ride to tackle the bricks — Niall Mullins’ 11-year-old French Connection, who was making his puissance debut.

She split victory with Morgan Shirley, jumping her first Bolesworth puissance with nine-year-old mare Klaris Ride On, Paul Sims with nine-year-old Marshmallow and David Simpson with Kolman VDP.

The four combinations who cleared 1.95m in the fourth round of the Bolesworth puissance all lowered bricks in the fifth and final round , where the wall loomed at 2.10m (6’9”), to split the £6,700 winners’ pot.

“I started riding him two or three months ago,” said Rachel, who turns 21 in July. “He jumped the 1.50m here on Friday and then we thought we might try him in the puissance. He’s never jumped it before on his life, he had no practice or test run, that was his first ever go. We only decided to enter him today.”

The combination arguably jumped it the best of those in the final round, just nudging out a couple of bricks in front.

“To be fair, he was very unlucky not to clear it. It felt easy to him and I was very pleased with him,” she said.

Rachel, who is based in Yorkshire as a rider for Richard Howley, has firmly honed the knack for jumping the big wall. She took her first win at London International with Easy Boy De Laubry Z in 2024, going on to win at Bolesworth last year, followed by Dublin — where she broke a 61-year-old record — then Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), and London again.

“I think it is about keeping your cool!” said Rachel, who makes the towering bricks look like a normal fence. “I just try and keep it the same in every round and not go to early or too quick.”

With entries originally a little thin, the decision was made to start the wall lower than usual in the first round, at just 1.35m. This helped bump at the start list to 11 hopefuls, with several first timers, including Morgan Shirley, encouraged into the mix.

Hickstead Derby horses tackle Bolesworth puissance

Morgan, along with David Simpson, was one of two riders to be jumping their Hickstead Derby horses from last week in the class.

“It was surreal, it was 100% not on my radar at the start of the year that I’d be jumping the Derby and then a puissance,” said Morgan, who has a special relationship with the Brendon Stud’s mare, who she backed.

“I said to Shirley [Light] ‘I can’t see over it, I don’t know what to look at’ and she said ‘Just look at the top!’”

“‘Kali’ gave me a lot of confidence. She’s always been so willing and so kind, I feel like I could jump the moon on her. It’s been a whirlwind week.”

Last year, Shirley decided to keep Kali, who is by Don VHP Z out of her 1.60m mare Sussex Caretino, to be her hunter and team chaser, after she failed the vet.

“She has her mum’s guts and spirit and that extra bit of scope from her father,” Shirley said.

“We heard they were a bit short of entries for the puissance and were starting low, so I said to Morgan ‘This is our chance’.”

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Rachel Proudley repeated her win from 2024 in the London Horse Show puissance tonight – and went higher than she and class specialist Easy Boy De Laubry Z have ever jumped before when they cleared 2.21m (7ft 3in).

“He’s so brave. I can trust him so much and I think that’s all that matters, really,” said Britain’s 20-year-old young rider European champion after winning the LeMieux-sponsored class. “I didn’t have to put too much pressure on him and he was actually a little bit brave in the first few rounds. In the last round, he really listened to me and and that was definitely his best round.”

This was the pair’s sixth outright or shared puissance win, including starting the trend here last year.

“When you go in, you can’t even see over the wall, but when you’re sat on a horse like him, you feel like you could jump anything. That was our biggest jump yet there tonight and to be honest, it felt easy,” Rachel said.

It may have been easy for Rachel and Graham Ward’s 11-year-old, but the class had plenty of drama.

Thirteen started, which was whittled down to four who attempted the 2.18m fourth round.

First in, Derek McCoppin and Explosief’s Legacy just clipped off the top row of the wall bricks.

“This is our third puissance and she’s getting better every time. She’s got loads of power and she just needs to get a little bit clever at the really tall height. She’ll have her day yet,” said the Irishman.

Nathan Bull was next in with Casaltonia, another attempting her third puissance. The pair left the wall intact, but rocked it dramatically and the nine-year-old mare came down on her knees on landing, sending Nathan over her head.

However, because the pair had passed through the finish before parting company, they were unpenalised, though Nathan sensibly decided to settle for second and not return to jump off against Rachel.

“I’m just glad that she’s okay. She lost her footing when she landed and I went over the handlebars, it wasn’t her fault at all,” said Nathan.

Another Irish rider, Andrew Hodgins, had to display bravery and creativity to get Shanaclough Luichew through each London Horse Show puissance round as the chestnut was very keen, leaping and bounding and proving impossible to settle into any sort of rhythm. Flinging himself at the wall, he faulted in this fourth round to share third place with Derek and Explosief’s Legacy.

“He’s extremely keen, so it’s a reassuring feeling that he’s going to take you to it, but to get the stride right is sometimes maybe not as easy as you think,” said Andrew, who added the horse has a good record in 1.35/1.40m grands prix and also jumps derbies. He will tackle his first six-bar on Saturday here.

“He’s actually a lot of calmer when it comes to just pole jumping, a lot more controllable. The wall is a bit intimidating to him, that’s his response to it and it’s just his character. We just accept it, but we’re mad about him. We love him.”

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On our 172nd episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, Horse & Hound’s showjumping editor Jennifer Donald chats to young British showjumping talent and current young rider European champion Rachel Proudley. They talk about how Rachel got started in the sport, the influence that working with HK Horses has had on her career, what it feels like riding down the big red wall and the pressure of riding for your country at championships.

Episode 172 of our popular audio service The Horse & Hound Podcast is now live and features the current young rider European showjumping champion Rachel Proudley.

Each episode is available for H&H fans to listen to via your favourite podcast app, as well as here on the website. Search for “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your preferred podcast app and click subscribe to be notified about each new episode.

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On this episode, H&H’s showjumpinging editor Jennifer Donald caught up with Rachel find out more about how she got started with horses, coming from a non-horsey family, and how she got the showjumping bug.

Rachel also talks to Jennifer about her success in puissance competitions with Easy Boy – ““He’d never jumped a wall before, but he seemed pretty brave and good at it, so we took him to HOYS and it turns out he was very good” – and the pressure when jumping for individual gold with Quality Street at the young rider Europeans.

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Horse & Hound Podcast: episode 172

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Defending champion Joe Trunkfield and puissance queen Rachel Proudley shared victory over the big red wall in a top-class edition of this iconic HOYS showpiece tonight (11 October).

The 2025 Ripon Select Food Puissance went to five rounds, the joint winners clearing 2.20m (7’3”) to share the spoils.

A knowledgeable crowd packed the stands, testament to the draw this historic class continues to have. And what a puissance it was. The start list brimmed with stories and star power, but it was the performance of these riders and their magnificent horses that brought the script to life.

The 14 starters were whittled down to three by the fifth and final round – Joe, Rachel and puissance titan Guy Williams.

Rachel was the first of the final trio to jump. Her game partner Easy Boy De Laubry Z, so comfortable in his scope and his ability, grew with each round and soared over the towering final wall with room to spare. The silence that filled the NEC on their approach was replaced by a mighty roar from the stands on landing, as Rachel punched the air.

“He’s called Easy Boy and honestly, he finds it so easy – the bigger, the better for him,” said Rachel, who adds the HOYS puissance title to the London, Bolesworth and Dublin crowns she has won with Graham Ward’s 11-year-old gelding in the last 12 months.

“The nerves weren’t too bad. I trust him all the way, which really helps and makes my life easy.

“There are no words to describe it. With a packed crowd and atmosphere like that, it really just is incredible – and to be here on home turf as well makes it even better. It’s just great to be here, and thank you all for having us.

“I’m absolutely over the moon. Congratulations to Joe as well. He put in an amazing performance, it’s been a great night.”

Joe and Locomotion, dubbed by commentator Steve Wilde as “the best Locomotion since Kylie Minogue”, followed Rachel and ensured they kept hold of the title they won a year ago with a superb shot over the final wall.

“I’m so pleased with the horse and for his owner, Tracy Fletcher. She does everything with him at home. I’m just privileged to ride him at shows. He’s an unbelievable horse,” said Joe, adding that the nine-year-old gelding does it all “with a smile on his face”.

“The first time I came here in 2021 [with Senators Rhondaigo ] you’re doing it, because it’s great to be able to come, and we were lucky to win.

“Then I won last year, and now it’s getting to the stage where it’s nearly half expected. The pressure’s on – as they say, pressure is a privilege, and I really enjoy it.

“It’s the wildest atmosphere of the whole week in there – it’s a sell-out event and the crowd is amazing.

“The first round is never great, it’s nearly the worst round of all because you don’t want to knock one of the jumps down, or go out so early. But I think you kind of have to focus on the fact that it’s the last rounds that matter and to just get yourself there, and then do what you can.

“He’s a great horse. Tracy goes and has fun around the local shows with him and wins classes, left, right and centre, then he can come here to a big show and does this.

“He came to me to sell for Joe Stockdale, and luckily he found Tracy and found us, and we’re having some real fun with him.

“I’m delighted for Rachel as well, she’s such a talented young rider with an equally amazing horse. To share the win with her is great.”

Guy Williams and Cordessia Z were game rivals, just tapping a brick off the final wall to finish third behind the winning pair.

Guy’s 19-year-old daughter Maisie (Dalton D’Hoyo) put in an impressive performance to get to the penultimate round (2.13m) and share fourth with puissance debutant Olli Fletcher (Quintine Van D’abdijhoeve) and Nathan Bull (Casaltonia).

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Exactly one year ago, British teenager Rachel Proudley’s name appeared on a puissance start list for the first time.

The then 19-year-old had been practising over shavings bales at home. She thought Easy Boy De Laubry Z had the scope and the bravery, but HOYS 2024 would be his first time over the big red wall too. Two unknowns united by trust in their abilities, and in each other.

Their third-place finish was the start of a 12-month blaze of puissance success; significant wins at London International, Bolesworth and Dublin Horse Show.

“Last year was an absolutely amazing experience,” said Rachel, the reigning European young rider champion. “It was a great thrill to jump in my first puissance here, and I didn’t really know what to expect.

“It was his first one – we had only practised it once at home – so to get to the fourth round was brilliant.

“He is getting better and better. He jumped 2.20m at Bolesworth and 2.15m in Dublin, which was absolutely brilliant. He is exceptional at his job, and we can’t wait to see how he gets on this week.

“He means a lot to us. He is owned by Graham Ward, who is a lovely owner for us, and we’ve had him from a foal. In his spare time, he goes hunting with my dad, and he is such a chilled-out horse and does his job in the ring, so that’s all that counts.

“He has been hunting already this season, and to bring him here, he doesn’t need any special preparation at all. He knows his job, so hopefully we can do it in the ring.”

The pair return to where it all started for a second tilt at the HOYS puissance title tonight (11 October).

“It is always a thrill to go into a class like the puissance. It is an amazing atmosphere and gives you such a good buzz,” Rachel added.

“You always look forward to coming here, and to jump in front of a home crowd really means a lot. I am excited, and I am looking forward to hopefully getting it done. Fingers crossed, we have a good run.”

The 2025 HOYS Ripon Select Foods puissance starts at 9.25pm tonight. For information on how to watch, visit H&H’s guide

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“She has ridden down to a 6ft 11in wall and made it look like the garden fence!” So observed the commentary team as Rachel Proudley won the puissance class in London last December.

The then 19-year-old rider and Easy Boy De Laubry Z had, indeed, made clearing the imposing red bricks look easy. Riding quietly and in beautiful balance, Rachel showed no sign of nerves as she and “Boy” hit the ideal spot and flowed over the giant obstacle.

When Jack Whitaker and Equine America Q Paravatti N nudged the top row of bricks out of place a couple of minutes later, Rachel had claimed the crowd-pleaser class and a rising home talent had earned herself an expanding following.

“Everything about that was amazing,” Rachel says. “To win on home turf in front of everyone, with the crowd behind you – it was a full house – makes it even more special. I would never have dreamt it would happen! It was a really good competition.

“My phone went mad after that win,” she muses, reflecting on her suddenly magnified exposure to the wider equestrian audience. But her level-headedness and self-assurance are reflected in recognition of the fact that reality returns with a bump. “Afterwards, though, you just carry on as normal – yes, that was a very good result, but the next day I had Quality Street jumping in the under-25. You just get on with it.”

Rachel made it look almost straightforward.

“To be fair, it’s a big fence,” she says, with a healthy dose of Yorkshire understatement. “You’ve got to have full concentration, but I suppose when you’re in the zone, you don’t really feel anything. You’re just focusing on one thing and one thing only.”

She acknowledges the part played by Easy Boy’s courage, which is honed in the hunting field, in their pre-Christmas triumph.

“When you’re sat on a brave horse, you don’t really feel it, and he’s very, very brave. We hunt him quite a bit, which helps with the bravery. My dad trail-hunts him during the week and then we go to shows at the weekends with him.

“He’s just a lovely horse – a big gentle giant really.”

Her fondness for him is clear. And it turns out that Easy Boy is, like Rachel, also a naturally talented prodigy. Graham Ward’s 11-year-old gelding by Elvis De Putte had not tackled a wall until last autumn.

“He had never actually jumped a wall before until just before Horse of the Year Show [HOYS] last year,” says Rachel – Easy Boy had, until then, largely competed in national 1.30m classes. “We just thought we would try him and gave it a go down at HK Horses – over some shavings bales! We made a wall out of bales and just kept going higher and higher – and he seemed to be very, very good.

“That was the only time we tried it before going to Birmingham, so the next time he saw a big fence was at HOYS. We did a little practice before London and that was it. So he hasn’t had much experience at puissance, but he just seemed very good at it.”

He certainly does – he cleared 2.10m at HOYS for third and 2.12m in London to win in his first two tilts at the big wall. In his two attempts this summer, at Bolesworth and Dublin, he’s also finished first.

Rachel Proudley: “Mum and Dad weren’t horsey at all”

Given the young age at which Rachel is reaching the top level of the sport, one might assume that she has had all the benefits of growing up in a ready-made equestrian environment. Not a bit of it; it’s all down to talent and hard work.

“My mum and dad were not horsey at all,” she says – although with her father now trail-hunting her top horse, it does seem that her enthusiasm is contagious and talent is latent in the family. “I don’t really know how I got into it to be honest, but I was always obsessed with horses when I was younger. I went on and on about wanting a pony so much, eventually I got my first, who was given to me by a friend of my next-door neighbour.

“My first proper jumping pony, a coloured cob called Painted Lady, was a Christmas present from my parents, and it went from there. She’s about 24 now and I still have her. She won about everything going. She has her quirks – she would buck in every round, every time and all the time. Her trademark, I guess! But she taught me so much.”

Fast forward to 2025, and Rachel partners a string of top-class mounts. Alongside Easy Boy, the big hitters for her this year were John Chadwick’s Petitfour VD Wareslage, a 10-year-old gelding by Corydon Van T&L, with whom she claimed the speed horse of the year crown at HOYS last year. And then there was Obos Quality 004 daughter Quality Street, with whom Rachel won individual gold and team bronze at this year’s young rider European Showjumping Championships, and who has since been sold to Qatar.

Clearly Rachel can handle fast tracks and meaty courses as well as puissance heights.

“We have a good string of top horses who are jumping in international classes,” reports Rachel. “They’re all very different, with strengths in different classes.”

“They all have good personalities, too,” she adds. “They are easy to work with, which is very nice for me!”

Many of Rachel’s horses are owned by Richard Howley and Morgan Kent’s HK Horses, who play a significant part in Rachel’s set-up. She is based with them in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, and trains with Richard. But, as with any top rider, the foundations of success are laid on many people’s shoulders.

“It’s a massive team,” says Rachel. “Owners, trainers, grooms, my parents – everyone. There are so many people you can’t do without. It’s hard to name everyone, but alongside Richard, my mum Angie and dad Paul have been a huge support. Toby Parsons, too – he’s head groom at HK Horses and is a very big influence behind the team.

How Rachel Proudley trains for elite success

“The time in the ring is almost the smallest part. All the training done at home and everyone looking after the horses – that’s the most important bit.”

Day-to-day life for Rachel involves a variety of horses and riding.

“When I’m down at HK, I ride all day – jumping, on the flat; general training and gymnastic work,” she says. “The schedule varies depending on which horses are in the stables at the time and which need what work. Plus Richard has a collection of up-and-coming youngsters, who also join the roster.

“I do think it’s good to vary the work. Easy Boy does a lot of hacking at home and goes hunting quite a bit – it’s good for them to have a bit of downtime to relax and enjoy it a bit, so it’s not too much intense training all the time.

“They have a gallop and a canter track around the woods at HK and it’s good for the young horses to do a bit of cross-country schooling, to let them see and experience something different. It keeps them interested. And it’s good for me, too – I find the variety refreshing as well.”

Onwards and upwards feels set to be Rachel’s trajectory.

There is plenty of discussion currently about encouraging greater and more equitable participation in equestrian sport – Rachel Proudley’s story is an inspiring one for hopeful riders and for the sport in general, and she surely has a bright future ahead of her.

She has scaled the heights of the puissance; next up, the giddy heights of the top leagues of the sport.

“Would that be something?” ran the commentary on Rachel’s potential win as she prepared to jump at ExCeL.

Yes, it was, and this young rider is herself quite something. We look forward to seeing where she goes from here.

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Rachel Proudley’s ride Quality Street has moved on to pastures new, having secured two European medals for Britain.

The 14-year-old mare “Sweetie” has been sold abroad by HK Horses, base of Rachel and Richard Howley, who said she leaves them with “unforgettable” memories, and that they look forward to seeing her excel with her new rider.

The Obos Quality mare had been with HK Horses just a year.

“But she’s brought an awful lot of enjoyment in that time,” Richard told H&H. “She’s been fantastic the whole way through.”

Sweetie had been produced to two-star level by British rider Carla Bolam after which, Richard said, the HK Horses team took their time getting to know her.

“She’s such a fighter, who gives you 100% at every jump,” he said. “We took a slight risk with [buying] her because of her rideability but she’s come through in an amazing way, which makes it easier to do the great things she does. She’s unbelievably careful and always wants to jump clear.”

This was demonstrated this summer at the young rider European Showjumping Championships, at which Sweetie and Rachel jumped clear all week to help secure team bronze for Britain – and the individual gold.

She has been sold abroad, and Richard said he hopes to watch her go on to great success.

“Which I’m sure she will,” he said. “We always like to see horses continuing their sporting careers and bringing enjoyment to new owners and riders. The idea was to keep her for Rachel but the business is very strong – and it is a business’ we buy and sell – we bought two at the Hickstead young horse championships last week – and people want to buy the good ones. We try to buy the best horses and keep our string always getting stronger. The business is strong, but we have to pay the bills!”

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Britain’s Rachel Proudley became the first woman in 61 years to win the Dublin Horse Show puissance; her fourth victory in this type of class in nine months with Graham Ward’s Easy Boy De Laubry Z.

The 20-year-old, who was recently crowned young rider European champion, won over the wall at the London Horse Show last year, then shared victory at Bolesworth and won Mullingar, where the aim was to qualify for this Dublin debut. The combination made their puissance debut at Horse of the Year Show last year, having practised over a wall made from bales of shavings.

Fourteen went to post over the 1.80m starter wall in the Defender Dublin Horse Show puissance, but only two cleared the 2.10m third-round challenge. Paddy O’Connell’s dapple grey Kilcorig Elysium hooked up his back legs on the wall at this height and somehow got away without bringing down a brick, although the Irishman nearly fell off.

Paddy sensibly elected not to jump again, which meant Rachel could have won by simply going through the start in the fourth round and then retiring, but she sportingly gave the crowd a show and it never looked in doubt that Easy Boy De Laubry Z would clear 2.15m.

“I was quietly confident and he jumped very good in the last few rounds, but the last round was his best,” said Rachel. “He’s so brave and has such a good attitude. He gets a little bit excited in the atmosphere, but he’s an unbelievable horse and you can trust him all the way. He loves his job.”

The rider described the 11-year-old as “very chilled out” at home and she doesn’t practise over a wall; hacking and hunting is his main preparation. He paraded hounds at the Great Yorkshire Show last month with Rachel’s boyfriend, Hurworth huntsman Stevie Cook, and was out hunting on Boxing Day with her father Paul after winning at London.

The last time a female rider won this class was 1964, when Britain’s Pat Moss-Carlsson, sister of Formula 1 driver Stirling Moss and a successful rally driver herself, shared victory with Johnny Kidd.

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Great Britain’s Rachel Proudley continued her meteoric success with a dazzling performance to win individual gold at the young rider European Showjumping Championships, in Germany (8-13 July).

She and the 14-year-old mare Quality Street, owned by HK Horses, came into Sunday’s final at Riesenbeck International in pole position and brushed off immense pressure as last to jump across the final two rounds to claim the European crown at her debut championship. The duo maintained a remarkable clean sheet throughout a week of fierce competition.

“What a great buzz – it was amazing just to be a part of it, but to win gold for Team GB is even better. It hasn’t really sunk in yet!” said Rachel, who followed in the footsteps of last year’s British young riders European champion, Olli Fletcher.

She topped the podium just days after celebrating her 20th birthday and had helped Great Britain win team bronze en route to the individual crown.

“That was amazing, too – we were down to three riders, but we all stuck together as a team and it was fantastic for GB to get bronze,” she said. “Thankfully it all paid off.”

Rachel Proudley on the European Championships: “I had no room for error!”

Just fractions of a penalty separated the leading riders coming into Sunday’s two-round decider but Rachel had complete faith in the phenomenal Quality Street, AKA “Sweetie”, who didn’t look like touching a pole across the championship’s five rounds.

“She was on top class form – she jumped so well,” said Rachel.”There was quite a bit of pressure coming into the final as the leader and I had to jump two clears in Sunday’s final. There was huge pressure in the second round, but she was phenomenal once again, she was so consistent in every round.”

Snapping at her heels were France’s Eden Leprevost Blinlebreton (Barbie De La Roque Z) – daughter of French Olympian Penelope Leprevost – and Belgium’s Mathieu Guery (Time-Breaker S Z), who is the son of Olympic rider Jerome Guery. When both maintained their clean sheets into the final leg of the contest, Rachel didn’t even have the cushion of a single time-fault.

“The course for the last round I thought was so technical and big, with a tough last line with the water tray underneath at the second last vertical,” she said. “It caught a lot of people out but thankfully Sweetie was still in flying form. It was so close at the top as well, I had no room for error!

“Before my round, I tried to keep myself to myself and not worry about what everyone else was doing – just concentrate on my own round. I had a plan and stuck with it and thankfully it all paid off.”

Rachel, who is based with and trains with Richard Howley and Morgan Kent of HK Horses in West Yorkshire, has been on an extraordinary journey over the past 12 months, winning the speed horse of the year final at Horse Of The Year Show and a brace of international puissance successes. She offered a “massive thank you” to the whole team at home.

“None of this would be possible without them,” she said.

A glorious medal haul for Great Britain and Ireland at European Championships

Also celebrating medal success on the final day was Great Britain’s Eleonora Ljungman, who secured individual silver in the children’s championships riding Jamaica EBH.

“I wasn’t expecting this result at all and was just taking it one round at a time,” she said. “Jamaica has been unbelievable and I couldn’t have asked for any more from her. She jumped foot-perfect all week and tried her heart out. I truly believe she loves it just as much as me.”

Ireland’s junior riders were also crowned European champions in both the team and individual finals, where they led home a superb one-two.

Emily Moloney took individual gold riding the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse Temple Alice, bred by Susan McDonald by the stallion Foxglen Cruise Control, with Tabitha Kyle sporting the green jacket to claim silver with BP Goodfellas (Stakkato Gold x OBOS Quality 004).

You can read the full report from the junior, young rider and children’s European Championships in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine, in the shops Thursday 17 July.

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British teenager Rachel Proudley set a new personal best by clearing 7ft 3in to tie for top honours with Ireland’s Brendan Murphy in the LeMieux puissance at the CSI3* Bolesworth International presented by Al Shira’aa on Saturday evening (28 June).

A field of three intrepid combinations remained for the fifth and final round, where the big red wall towered to 2.20m (7ft 3in) in the centre of Bolesworth’s iconic main arena.

First to go of the final trio was Jack Whitaker and D&H Q Paravatti N, who was fresh from an appearance in the Hickstead Derby with Jack’s father Michael Whitaker, but the mare just nudged out the top bricks to finish on four faults.

One week short of her 20th birthday, 19-year-old Rachel Proudly was one of the youngest riders in the field and still a relative newcomer to high jumping, but already a London International puissance winner with Graham Ward’s 11-year-old Easy Boy De Laubry Z.

The fearless duo tackled the wall with typical gusto, Rachel punching the air with delight as they surpassed their previous personal best of clearing a 2.12m puissance wall set at London in December.

Brendan shrugged off any pressure as last to enter the arena and pitched his approach perfectly with Hugh Fitzpatrick’s 12-year-old Erne Riverrun. The pair soared clear over the top bricks, ensuring there would be a two-way lap of honour for these worthy puissance winners.

Bolesworth puissance winner: “I’m lost for words”

“I’m quite lost for words. It’s an amazing feeling, Easy Boy was great today,” said Rachel. “We didn’t really have high expectations, but he got better with every round. He’s so brave and you can trust him all the way – it really helps. He’s incredible.”

Brendan and the Irish-bred Erne Riverrun finished third in the puissance here at Bolewsorth at his first attempt in 2023.

“We only came over to Bolesworth with the one horse, so to pull off a win is amazing,” he said.

Finishing in joint fourth were William Fletcher riding Alison Walton’s Quintine Van d’Abdijhoeve and Maisy Williams, who turned 19 last month, riding Dalton D’Hoyo.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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A nineteen-year-old rider who only jumped her first big red wall two months ago has cleared 2.12m to top the London International Horse Show LeMieux Puissance with Easy Boy de Laubry Z – who was fresh from trail-hunting with Rachel’s father.

Rachel Proudley and Graham Ward’s 10-year-old, who contested their first puissance at Horse of the Year Show in October – having been practising over a wall made from bales of shavings – were the only ones to jump clear in the fourth and final round.

“There isn’t a word that can describe the feeling,” Rachel said. “And to do it on home turf, in front of a home crowd in an atmosphere like that – it’s unbelievable.

“I’ve been out in Florida so Toby Parsons at home, at HK Horses, has been keeping him going, so a big thank you to him.”

A high-class field had come forward to contest the class, including puissance specialists Sebastian Hughes and Colorado Volo, and previous HOYS puissance winners Commandant Geoff Curran and Bishops Quarter, and after the third round, there were still five clear.

But when first-timer Phillipp Schulze Topphoff withdrew the nine-year-old Vivantas, and Daniel Coyle the aptly named Incredible, and Paul Sims and Kingfisher took the wall down, suddenly only Rachel and Easy Boy, and Jack Whitaker and Equine America Q Paravatti N, were left in the running.

Showing no sign of nerves, Rachel rode to the wall as if she had been doing it all her life; sitting quietly and riding beautifully, she found the perfect spot and they cleared it effortlessly.

She knew she had at least jointly won the title but when Jack and his father Michael’s 10-year-old brought the top row of bricks down, she had secured it alone.

Asked what she would have thought had someone suggested beforehand that she would win, Rachel said: “No chance! I would never have dreamed it.

“He’s got so much scope and is so brave, I can just trust him all the way, that he’s going to keep going. He was brilliant.

“In the third round there seemed to be quite a few in it, then only three in round four and when Paul had the wall, there were only two of us left. So there was a bit of pressure on but I knew I could trust him and it paid off. I’m just trying to get my head round it – he was hunting with my dad on Tuesday! He’s such a dude.”

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Meet puissance first-timers Rachel Proudley and Easy Boy De Laubry Z, a 19-year-old rider and a horse who loves his hunting, is as brave as a lion – and has been showing off his scope over a wall made of shavings bales.

The pair are among the entries for the Ripon Select Foods puissance at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) this evening, and will be fourth of 10 combinations to tackle the wall.

“I’m looking forward to it; I’m really excited,” Rachel said. “It’s my first one, and the horse’s first one, so we’ll see how it goes but he’s very brave and scopey, and he’s been hunting so has jumped a few good things.”

Rachel, who has had a good summer jumping internationally in Britain and Europe, said riding in a puissance had been on her bucket list, and that she and Graham Ward, who owns “Boy”, came to a joint decision to give it a go at HOYS.

“No one knew what the horse would do so we had a practice over red shavings bales!” Rachel said. “We didn’t measure it but it was pretty big.

“He’s a lovely horse, so laid-back and a gentleman, easy to ride and so brave. It’ll just be about getting a good canter and ride as confidently as possible. I’m looking forward to it.”

Rachel has had a good HOYS, in her first year in the international classes, including coming third in today’s NAEC Stoneleigh Cup with Quality Street, owned by HK Horses.

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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