Meet HOYS commentator Nick Brooks-Ward
Nick Brooks-Ward has been the man behind the microphone at Horse of the Year Show for 10 years. His association with HOYS goes back more than 40 years
Name: Nick Brooks-Ward
Age: 46. I’m actually two days younger than William Funnell
Lives: Hampshire
Horsey relatives: my late father was show director at HOYS for many years, my mother was an international showjumper, my brother Simon organises major shows such as Olympia and my other brother, James, is also an events organiser
HOYS job: commentator
Real job: I’m the operations director of the CLA Game Fair
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Dream career: I honestly think I’ve got it. I love my job
How long have you been coming to HOYS: My earliest recollection of being at the show is when I was three. I became a steward in 1984 and started commentating here when the show moved from Wembley to the NEC
Did you compete: yes, but only in Pony Club stuff and hunter trials. I didn’t do anything of the standard you see at this show
Proudest equestrian moment: I was chief commentator for the equestrian events at London 2012, so you couldn’t get better than that. The whole experience was just phenomenal and then to have so many British medals. Words can’t describe how I feel when I look back at that
What’s on your iPod: the bands are quite similar, but I like to listen to Genesis, Coldplay and Supertramp
Funniest commentating moment: it has to be when the ostrich race was introduced to the Pony Club games at HOYS a few years ago. A child had to dress up as an ostrich with flapping wings and something about it gave me hysterics. When I tried to commentate, all I could do was laugh and it got worse and worse until I was crying at the same time. The audience and the kids joined in and everyone ended up in fits of the giggles. I did it every time the race happened during the week and even now whenever I think about it I have to laugh
Don’t miss our full report on all the action from Horse of the Year Show in next Thursday’s magazine, on sale 11 October, 2012
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