HOYS senior newcomers win for Louise Simpson on catch ride

Louise Simpson and Cornet of Follyfoot win the newcomers final at HOYS — Louise Simpson riding CORNET OF FOLLYFOOT, winners of the Senior Newcomers Championship during the Horse of the Year Show held at the NEC in Birmingham in UK between 4 -8 th October 2023

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Louise Simpson had only sat on Cornet of Follyfoot twice before – but the combination took the senior newcomers championship at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in effortless style.

Sally Jobson-Scott’s six-year-old had been having a fantastic year with Louise’s sister Nicole Pavitt but when Nicole broke her collarbone at Arena UK (16-22 September), Louise stepped in. The pair’s polished speed secured Louise her first HOYS title since 2016, over a second ahead of Jack Whitaker and Bonnie.

“That’s the first time I’ve gone fast on him but he’s just a little pro,” she said. “With a lot of horses, you couldn’t only have a couple of rides before a show like this but he jumped fine. What’s amazing about him is his brain; he doesn’t know me at all, he’s only six, the atmosphere and everything didn’t faze him and he jumped round like an older horse, his little ears forward. I can 100% see him going a long way.”

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

TOPICS

Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.

‘I’ve only ridden him twice!’ Catch ride secures superb HOYS win

“I got a last-minute call!” Louise said. “Nicole fell off another horse and got injured so I jumped him at Arena UK, then sat on him the day before yesterday, then came here.”

The Cornet Obolensky gelding, who won both the Big Star six-year-old title and the newcomer masters at this year’s British Showjumping National Championships with Nicole, showed a cool beyond his years, and Louise said he takes everything in his stride.

Nicole had surgery today, Louise said, and “will be sad she’s having to watch at home”.

“She was trying to have the surgery and still make it!” she added.

You might also be interested in:

Watch the Horse of the Year Show TV programme live from wherever you are

‘A dream come true’: meet the eye-catching driving pony-turned-jumping star