Chivola and Smart enjoy HOYS triumph

Eight-year-old Chivola provided this year’s triumph, on which Smart’s daughter Beth will hope to shine next year.

Riding her ex-racehorse Chivola which teenage daughter Beth now owns, Smart took the reserve title in the 2013 South Essex Insurance Brokers Racehorse to Riding Horse Of The Year championship.

The final also featured Osmotherley’s Samantha Osborne who finished ninth on Stevey’s Lad, owned by Donna Bamonte.

Chivola was edged out only by Deep Reflection, owned by Jason Newbold and ridden by Helen Newbold.

Sister Gee, owned and ridden by Jill Wormall, was back in third.

Some big names finished in behind including Barbers Shop, owned by Her Majesty The Queen, which was back in fifth under Katie Jerram.

Purple Moon, owned by horse-racing training star Luca Cumani’s wife Sara, was eighth under Chantal Wootten.

Smart – wife of training star Bryan – was thrilled with another strong showing at HOYS, one year on from winning the 2012 SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse HOYS Championship on Roger’s Revenge.

“Chivola was just great and did everything right,” said Smart, whose winning partner had 11 starts on the Flat before being gifted by his owners to Bryan and Vicky’s daughter.

“At home I have to avoid the racehorses so he doesn’t get wound up, and he is turned out with a Connemara pony which is really good for him.

“And Beth is now old enough to ride Chivola and she will do intermediates and racehorse classes on him next year.”

Chivola – who was initially bought as a two-year-old at the breeze up sales for £65,000 – also finished sixth in the corresponding 2011 competition.

He was also champion at the Tattersalls RoR Championship at the Royal International Horse Show and took third place there in 2011.

Smart’s 2013 star also won the ex-racehorse class at the Great Yorkshire show for the second year running in 2011.

He had a quieter time of it last year after contracting a virus.

Harewood’s Judith Bennett and Bedale’s Sara Bowe were among the winners at Askham Bryan College recently.

Bennett won her BE100 section on board Legato II while Sara Bowe was also victorious in her BE100 section on Ricardo Breez.

The event’s other BE100 section winner was Doncaster’s Sophie Platt on Cross Compliance while the BE100 Open section went to Karen Gaines on Loughnatousa Rose.

At BE90 level there were wins for Angus Pimblott on Damaskus, Polly Barker on Benjamin Brush, Claire Chapman on Clyde IV and Sophie Wall on Burgundy Sunshine.