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‘Beautifully schooled’ riding horse answers all the right questions en route to first HOYS championship


  • A striking grey riding horse achieved the biggest win of his career at the 2022 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) as he took home the BSHA HOYS riding horse of the year championship.

    Darren Crowe was aboard his own lovely nine-year-old large winner Diamond Geezer.

    The Dox Index son, who is out of Hauptstutbuch Feine, qualified for this year’s final at Mid-Herts County where he was also section champion.

    Darren bought “Crumpet” from a local owner after he came to him for an assessment day. The gelding has been carefully produced and Darren has hopes that he’ll foray into the dressage arena in the future.

    Darren qualified Crumpet for HOYS in 2021, but was unable to ride him at the final as he was out of action after an injury. Friend and show producer Danielle Heath took Crumpet’s reins and finished fourth in the large class.

    “He is just a showman and he loves the main arena,” said Darren. “He is the most amazing, genuine horses. This is the first time I have won HOYS with my own horse, too.”

    Jayne Ross took reserve with the second placed large, Debbie Harrod’s King Of Clubs.

    Joining them in the championship were the top two from the small class, Adam Forster aboard Vicki Rudd’s home-bred Shildons Regal Gold, and Debbie Harrod’s Lulu De Bele.

    Nancy Graylen assessed ride during the riding horse classes: “Our champion was beautifully schooled. He allowed me to ask different questions without being robotic. I felt that I could have asked him anything.”

    Conformation judge Caroline Nelson said: “Our champion stood four square over the ground and was totally symmetrical with excellent, sound limbs.”

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