A clutch of home-produced riders took to the stage at the world famous Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) to compete in the highly anticipated SEIB Search For A Star (SFAS) finals.
Seven class winners, including the victors of the brand new traditional cob section, then went head to head in the International Arena to contend for the overall championship sash.
Landing the 2019 title spots were the winners of the working classes, with the top working pony Linsford Ear To The Ground (Leo) and Lisa Sergeant standing above the leading working horse Rambo ridden by Pippa Tucker.
Lisa and Leo qualified for HOYS at the SEIB SFAS Osbaldeston qualifier and also compete in dressage and jumping.
Meet the other winners who also had their HOYS centre line moments…
SEIB SFAS hunter
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Beautician Isabel Southworth and her five-year-old Bloomfield Imperial (Kayne) took the hunter accolade. Isabel has owned Kanye since January this year and aims to compete him in open hunters and workers in the future.
SEIB SFAS traditional cob
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Nofold-based Kirsty Warnes clinched the brand new traditional cob class on her mother-in-law Angela Warnes’ Daffodil. The mare was bought locally from a gypsy cob dealer and on getting her home Kirsty discovered that she was in foal. The duo qualified at Bury Farm.
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SEIB SFAS working horse
(Image credit: Steve Dawe)
Pippa Tucker and her home bred gelding Rambo were victorious in the working horse class. The duo only started showing this year after previously competing in British Eventing, appearing in the Mitsubishi Motors Cup final at Badminton Horse Trials in 2017.
SEIB SFAS riding horse
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Top of the riding horse final was Melin Moldavite (Harvey) and Maddie Bennett. Owned by Maddie’s mother, Emma Peel, Harvey has been with the family since he was a three-year-old.
SEIB SFAS hack
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NHS worker Sarah Walker trotted to victory in the hack ranks with her own Dr Cookie Monster, who is by dressage stallion Dimaggio. The pair earned their HOYS qualification at Stretcholt EC in Somerset.
SEIB SFAS cob
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Wuffstan Evensong and Emily Chambers were crowned cob champions, despite having only competed in a handful of shows before starting their SEIB SFAS journey earlier this year.
For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday. The full 2019 Horse of the Year Show report with all the action from the showing, showjumping and dressage classes will be in the 10 October issue. Catch up at horseandhound.co.uk during the week.
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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.
