Smart move as Vicky wins new retrained class

It came only a couple of weeks after their success at Hickstead where they took the championship in the Retraining of Racehorses/Tattersalls show series.

At the same event they also qualified for the Racehorse to Riding Horse class at the Horse of the Year Show.

"The atmosphere here was even buzzier than at Hickstead so I was really pleased with him," said Vicky, whose husband Bryan trained the horse at their Sutton Bank stables.

He had one win on the flat from 11 starts and did not look to have a great future in racing. But Bryan Smart thought he would make a good show horse and he is now flourishing in his new career.

He gained some experience with show rider Simon Charlesworth last year and Vicky Smart has continued to work with him back at home.

She welcomed the introduction of this class at the Great Yorkshire Show and said: "It's fantastic for the sport and that these horses are finding another career."

Next year she plans to move on to compete with Chivola in open hack classes.

Second place went to Anne Parkinson with 19-year-old Dan De Man. He was trained by Lynn Siddall at Colton near York and raced until the age of 13, winning five hurdle races and one chase.

Anne, who is based at Crow Wood Equestrian Centre, Burnley, has owned him for the past five years and has been involved in a varied competition career during that time. "I've done dressage with him, hunted and done endurance riding – he's fantastic," said Anne.

The Retrained Racehorse class, which is sponsored by Mark Johnston Racing, proved popular, attracting a large number of entries with a total of 18 going forward for judging.

Third place went to Miss M.J. Barber's bay gelding, Intavac Flight and fourth was Mrs J.B. Kirby's Alan's Legacy.

Vicky Smart and Anne Parkinson will now qualify for the championship at the Hickstead meeting next year as a result of their 2010 successes.