Impeccably behaved four-year-old lifts hack title at HOYS

Baydale Venus gave her owner and breeder Sheila Fenwick a memorable first visit to HOYS, as her winning large hack went on to take the hack championship for Simon Charlesworth.

The four-year-old displayed impeccable manners throughout, and she gave both Simon, and Ian Smeeth beautiful rides, and even stood rock solid in the collecting ring, while harness horses passed her en-route to the international arena.

“She’s not only carriage proof, she’s everything proof,” said Simon.

Lightly shown this season, the daughter of Buskhill Gunnar recently stood novice champion, and open reserve at the British Show Horse Association National championships.

The second placed large hack Opium Casa Leona took the reserve for Adam Wimbourne.

Amy Underwood headed the small hack class riding her mother Pearl’s Courtland Be Fair. Amy is in her second season with the Hamptonne Desert Storm 10-year-old, and they were fourth here last October.

The Underwood Family were given double cause for celebration when Shelley Perham rode Loch Smith to stand top of the ladies hunter line up. Shelley has claimed the top spot in the ladies class five times, in the past six years, riding three different horses.

Five more Search For A Star hopefuls won through to Friday’s championships — Ruth Mason’s home bred working hunter Moorhey Mohawk, Claire Blackham’s Barella (hack), Rachael Peyton’s Ricardo (riding horse), Alison Hilton’s Archwood Rome Gigle (show pony), and Oliver Berry riding Greenhow Lavender Blue (show hunter pony).

Jayne Webber won the SEIB racehorse to riding horse championship riding Amanda Bowlby’s Ironman Muldoon. The Roselier 12-year-old ran three times in all, and since retiring from racing, he has also enjoyed hunting with the Old Berks and Cheshire hounds.

Stay up to date with the latest news from HOYS on Horseandhound.co.uk, plus don’t miss H&H’s 17-page report on all the action from HOYS, on sale 15 October

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