Laura Renwick finished off her week at Horse of the Year Show having taken the two showjumping titles everybody wants to win.
On Thursday night, she headed the Horse & Hound Foxhunter final with Parvati De Breve and in the final performance of this year’s show, she took the leading showjumper of the year accolade with Oz De Breve (pictured).
She was first to go in the 22-starter class with David Perry’s eight-year-old gelding, a draw which suited her.
“I always seem to be lucky when I go early,” she said. “Perhaps because if I go later I change my mind. Then I change it again and again, when I should stick to my original plan.”
Jo Pay (Goodman’s For Fun) and Tim Stockdale (Fresh Direct Kalico Bay) were also without error and the three clear riders were joined in the jump-off by Guy Williams (Depardieu Van’T Kizelhof), Belgium’s Rik Hemeryck (Challenge Van De Begijnakker) and Dutchman Wout-Jan Van Der Schans (P-Pilot), who all carried one time-fault.
With the jump-off run in reverse order of merit from round one, the three time-faulting riders went first and again all collected a single time fault.
Tim Stockdale then produced the first double clear and despite his decision not to take a stride to the last, Jo Pay following fell just short of his target.
As the fastest clear rider in the first round, Laura went last and rode a more forward round taking 2sec from Tim’s time.
“It was tough when everybody else had gone clear,” said Laura. “One mistake and I’d have ended up sixth.”
But she was without fault and took this title for the first time in her career.
Dan Neilson, riding internationally at HOYS for the first time thanks to his high British Showjumping rankings position, took the Vinopolis speed horse of the year title with Chauvinist.
Sitting at 10-1 with the bookies before the class, he surprised a few people with his speedy late round to claim the championship.
“They must have thought I was middle of the road,” said Dan. “But the twists and turns on the course suit my horse.”
The Old Lodge’s impressive Super Trooper De Ness, who had finished third in the seven- and eight-year-old final earlier in the week, claimed the grade C title for Nicky Boulter. And in the final junior class of the show, Tixylix took the leading pony showjumper of the year title for Jessica Mendoza.
Don’t miss H&H’s special report covering all the action from HOYS, on sale Thursday 14 October
