MANHATTEN, exhibited by Ms Harriet Dennison winners of the The Andrews Family Hack of the Year Championship during the Horse of the Year Show held at the NEC in Birmingham in UK between 9 - 13 th October 2024
A 24-year-old rider who has previously stood supreme at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) on a pony ensured her presence as a star of the show horse scene was known as she netted her first ridden horse of the year championship. Harriet Dennison was foot-perfect aboard her own and her mother Shirley’s magnificent bay gelding Manhattan en route to The Andrews Family 2024 HOYS hack of the year championship.
Judges on this occasion were Kate Halliday (show) and Gregory Gerry (conformation).
Earlier in the day, the seven-year-old small contender, who is a son of legendary stallion Kilvington Scoundrel, won his class for the second year in a row. Last term, he finished reserve in the championship but this year, despite still only being lightly shown, he went one better when presented under the spotlights.
“Nigel” was bred by Vicky Hesford and the late Clare Twiston-Davies. Vicky rode his dam, Maid In Manhattan, in hack classes and she was a HOYS finalist herself.
Harriet, who is part of Cumbria-based Team Helliwell, was supreme pony in 2011 riding Crystal Vision. In 2013, she became a dual HOYS show pony and show hunter pony champion. She has also won here in intermediate ranks.
“Today, I just wanted him to go in and behave while enjoying himself,” Harriet said. “It’s a dream to go into that ring and compete anyway, let alone become a champion. Funnily enough, I didn’t feel the pressure — when you’ve won at HOYS you can’t get any better. All I wanted was for him to be a good boy.
Harriet added: “This is all a massive team effort. Without Rachael and Julie (Helliwell) or my mum it wouldn’t be possible.”
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Harriet is still one of the youngest riders in hank classes at present and Nigel is the first hack she has ever shown and produced.
Of his origin story, Harriet said: “We got a call to say there was a nice three-year-old intermediate for sale. While we always liked him he’s exceeded all of our expectations. To sum up, he’s a softy and a sweetie, and he’s Rachael’s baby; he adores her.”
The winning large stood reserve in the HOYS hack of the year championship. This was Lancashire-based show horse specialist David Bennett riding Sharon Haworth’s home-bred Carrhouse Hidden Asset. The eight-year-old bay gelding is by Stanleygrange Stateside.
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
Former H&H showing editor and deputy features editor
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.
