HOYS 2023 Welsh section C: Blaencila Rhodri

A four-year-old bought at auction last October cemented his owners’ belief in him as he was crowned National Pony Society/Baileys Horse Feeds M&M ridden Welsh section C pony of the year at the 2023 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).

Vikki Smith rode Kyle McClements and Christopher Tait’s eye-catching stallion Blaencila Rhodri into the top spot. The triumph marked the Kyle and Christopher’s first-ever HOYS victory.

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

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.

‘I knew I wanted that pony’: four-year-old stallion bought at auction becomes a HOYS winner

Rhodri, who was bred by Claire Pearce-Morgan by Donys Dick Turpin out of Blaencila Ruby, has only attended a handful of shows under-saddle and he qualified for the HOYS final on his second attempt at Denbigh and Flint in August.

Rhodri was bought from last year’s Welsh Pony and Cob Society sales. Christopher admitted that he thought the pony ‘wasn’t for him’ when he saw a photograph of him ahead of the sale:

“But when I saw his former owner, Simon Charlesworth, walking him down to the pens from the car park I said to my partner [Kyle] ‘I want that horse’,” Christopher said. “I was determined to bring him home with us.”

“We backed him over winter and just hacked him about for a while,” Christopher added. “We took him out as a novice at the beginning of the year and because he took to it so well and he was unbeaten in his class, we decided to try a few HOYS qualifiers.”

Vikki took Rhodri’s reins at the back end of this year, as Kyle had already qualified another Welsh section C pony for HOYS.

“Sometimes your own ponies have to take a back seat and we never ever expected him to come out and do this,” Christopher said. “Rhodri is the kindest stallion ever; you would not believe he’s an entire.”

You may also be interested to read…

‘He’s a bit of a joker’: home-bred New Forest stallion triumphs in first class of HOYS 2023

Now for something a little different: take a virtual walk the 2023 HOYS working hunter course

The most consistent native pony on the circuit? HOYS championship for star Welsh and new jockey

Second HOYS win in two hours for owner and rider, this time with young Fell stallion