Big win for young rider at HOYS

Louise Pavitt gained her first ever senior international win when she galloped to victory on the chestnut Make Haste V in Saturday afternoon’s Xerox Business Services Cup.

The riders found a big track tough to jump but the Surrey-based 17-year-old showed them all how to do it to win by 1.42sec from Belgium’s Karel Cox on the Irish-bred Say You Will.

“Peter [Charles] told me what to do,” said Louise, who was in touch by phone with her trainer at his Hampshire home throughout the class.

After coming close all week, Germany’s Hauke Luther gained a first-draw victory on Index 29 in the Dengie Horse Feeds Stakes. In a five-horse jump-off, Hauke and the big bay jumped the only double clear to win from Nick Skelton (Russel) and Carl Curtis (Sarah’s Pride).

For sheer entertainment value, nothing could beat the riders in the 138cm championship. A packed house got right behind and gave Matthew Sampson a huge ovation when he and Strawberry Fair managed to beat what looked an impossible target by Jordan Whittaker on Grey Palace.

Jordan also had to settle for second place in the 128cm championship when

she and her 2002 winner, Proud Flyer, finished just behind Danika Plumley,

gaining her first major victory on My Little Tinker.

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