‘What a present!’: home-bred wins Search for a Star hunter championship at HOYS on owner’s birthday

Alice Kent added the icing to Jo Richardson’s birthday cake when she rode Jo’s Whistle to fight off strong competition and land a win in the SEIB Insurance Brokers Search for a Star hunter championship at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).

Jo said: “I didn’t think these things happened to people like us. And on my birthday, too – what a present! Not in a million years did I think Alice and Whistle would win today; we were just hoping to be placed.”

By Anne Bassett’s thoroughbred stallion Aveia, Whistle was bred and backed by the amateur duo, making the win all the more special.

“This is beyond amazing”, said Jo, adding, “several of her half siblings have done well in showing, too.”

The SEIB Insurance Brokers Search for a Star Championships at HOYS give amateur riders the rare chance to compete at this major championship show. The Search for a Star championships have taken place at the prestigious end of season show since 1998, giving thousands of amateur riders the opportunity to compete at HOYS with many going on to enjoy success in open classes.

Series organiser, Nicolina MacKenzie said: “We are thrilled to be providing these opportunities for amateur riders. The HOYS Search for a Star championships are the culmination of months, and in some cases years, of preparation and training for the riders and their horses and ponies.”

Search for a Star winners will be vying for the overall championship accolade in the Andrews Bowen International Arena later in the week. Don’t forget that you can keep up to date with all results via our live blog.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

‘He just gets better and better’: six-year-old is crowned HOYS small hunter champion

‘I couldn’t have asked more’: cob bought for £85 to hack wins Search for a Star title at HOYS

‘This is it now. She retires from the show-ring here’: former intermediate victors step up to stand 2025 HOYS working hunter champion

‘Winning here is the icing on the cake’: home-bred pony and rider are HOYS champions

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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