‘He’s sent me flying a few times’: hard work with ‘tricky’ horse pays as he scoops HOYS title

It all came together at the right moment for a 25-year-old rider and her ‘tricky’ gelding, who not only jumped to win their class but scored the National Pony Society and Molevalley Farmers 2024 HOYS working hunter pony of the year championship at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). 

Phillipa King and her own Plato VD Donkhoeve (Pablo), a nine-year-old by Quidam De Revel, scored top marks in the intermediate class, booking their spot in the working hunter pony of the year championship. This marked Phillipa’s first-ever HOYS win and championship victory.

The working hunter classes were judged by William Fox-Pitt and Chris Lawrie.

“I can’t believe it,” said Phillipa, who teaches riding and swimming and who was jumping in pony ranks for the final time as next year she’s out of class.

Phillipa bought the gelding as an unbroken three-year-old from Jake Saler.

“He was small and weedy, but he could really jump,” Phillipa said. “Jake broke him in for us and it’s been a very long journey since.”

Phillipa said she’s struggled to manage Pablo’s outbursts in the ring. She explained: “He hated water trays and would also rear and nap a lot. He’s sent me flying a few times. We’ve overcome it with a lot of hard work and perseverance; we just kept going.

“It’s all come together in the last couple of years,” she added. “It was always inside him, it just took us time to get him on-side. He likes to show off, so in the end we got there.”

Pablo show jumps at Foxhunter level so the meaty track didn’t phase him.

“He’s used to the size, it’s the spookiness and the tightness of the arena, but he was amazing,” Phillipa added.

Reserve for the 2024 HOYS working hunter pony championship was Felicity Watts riding the incredible coloured mare Precious Gem II.

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