‘I’m in shock’: Highland stallion provides rider with second HOYS win of the day

Clare Fitch scored a glorious second win on day one of the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), this time in the 2024 HOYS Highland pony of the year final.

Her ride was Ruth Robert’s 10-year-old dun stallion Valerock Monroe. He was bred by Stacey Walsh, by Dubhadh Rioghail of Glenbuckie out of Valerock Sweet Briar.

“I’m in shock,” said an elated Clare, who noted it was the first time she’d taken to the NEC centre line twice in a single day.

Munro is the nephew of the stallion Strathleven Drumochter who Clare won HOYS with in 2016.

“When Ruth said she’d like another hairy, I went to the lady who used to own Drumochter and she mentioned she had a stallion she’d been doing some in-hand with,” Clare explained. “He was unbroken and I was the first person to sit on him. He’s an angel; you could take your granny out on him.”

Munro has only been lightly shown and he’s also excelled in the dressage arena.

“The dressage judges seem to love him; they think he’s precise and a bit different,” Clare said.

Ruth is the owner of Clare’s first 2024 HOYS winner, Fell stallion Wildhoeve Okidoki.

Monroe qualified for this year’s HOYS final at New Forest and Hampshire County show with stand-in jockey Aimee Devane, as Clare explained: “I was in another ring on one of Ruth’s Arabs so Aimee jumped in to ride him, and Ruth groomed for her. We were so busy that day, but he’s so easy that anyone can sit on him.”

Second place in the 2024 HOYS Highland pony of the year final was Glenbanchor Benbecular, a stallion owned and ridden by Rachel Singleton. Third position was occupied by Katie Common aboard her own gelding Dunedin Mascot.

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Alex Robinson

Freelance equestrian journalist

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.