Horse of the Year Show: young riders and seven-year-old championship

Young riders championship

Another HOYS trophy made its way back to West Sussex with the Pavitt family when Nicole Pavitt added her name to the roll of honour in the young riders championship.

And Nicole had to be at her best on Maestro De Reine Peine to defeat a strong standard set by William Whitaker with Insultech Leonardo.

Nicole had picked herself up after a collecting ring fall just before her jump-off round on the horse she rode to two second places at last year’s show.

“To tell you the truth, my bottom hurts, but winning has taken my mind off it,” she said.

Results: 1. Maestro De Reine Peine (Nicole Pavitt); 2, Insultech Leonardo (William Whitaker); 3, Vahagn De Lozana (Ryan Prater).

Seven-year-old championship

If it were possible, the standard became even higher in the closing seven-year-old championship, where Geoff Luckett’s daring turns on Lara Joy gave him a last-draw win over Mennell Watson and his partner Helen van Heynegen’s home-bred Halida Du Rouet.

Geoff’s win was watched with delight by Lara Joy’s owner, junior Foxhunter sponsor Pat Squibb, and also his pregnant partner Claire Beecroft, who was due to give birth a week before this show.

“Lara Joy is a little star. She may be only 16hh, but I know i can trust her to try her best,” he said of the horse who belies all the old wive’s tales about chestnut mares.

Results: 1. Lara Joy (Geoff Luckett); 2, Halida De Rouet (Geoff Luckett); 3, Je T’Aime Flamenco (Billy Twomey).

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Newcomers and Junior Foxhunter report

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