Kay drives in to take advantage of switch

Lorries had to be towed off the site and the churned up ground looked as though it would take months to recover.

But on Tuesday the sun shone and competitors were back, returning for a full day of Horse of the Year Show qualifying classes.

After the organisers took the decision to reschedule the ridden HOYS classes, groundstaff worked round the clock to get the main ring and its surroundings back into pristine condition and riders travelled from all over the country in order to compete.

The day began with a win in the Heavyweight Cob class for Polly Coles and her grey gelding, Lynx. Polly, 18, from South Kirby near Pontefract, only moved up from showing ponies last year.

“He’s having a very good season and I’m over the moon about this,” said Polly.

Her successes have included Cob of the Year at the Royal International Horse Show and qualifying for the Horse of the Year Show at Bakewell Show.

The Champion Ridden Cob was Tom Crean of the Antarctic, owned by Joanne Graham, from Doncaster, and ridden and produced by Charles le Moignan. The nine-year-old grey gelding holds the current HOYS Lightweight Cob title.

Reserve went to another lightweight cob, Barneebus, owned by Dr L Walker, from Dumfries, and ridden by Kirstine Douglas.

The award for the best amateur owner rider went to a delighted Kay Gillam, from Kings Lynn, and her six-year-old grey gelding Hortons Maclaren, who were late entrants.

She works as a lorry driver and was unable to take time off to compete at the Great Yorkshire in July.

“We have been so close to qualifying and now we’ve done it and I’m so pleased,” said Mrs Gillam.

The Ladies Side Saddle class was won by Faye Ludlow and the bay gelding, Lorenzo II. Her first experience at the Great Yorkshire was in a lead rein class at the age of six.

“It’s the first time I’ve ridden in a horse class here. You have to have a good one to win here,” said Faye, 26, who is based in Market Raisen.

The horse is produced by her partner, Alwine Fradley, and owned by Michael Lewis, from near Belfast.

Lorenzo II was second in this class at HOYS last year.

The prize for the highest placed Yorkshire-based owner rider went to Sue Goddard, from Harrogate, and her bay mare Highmoor Livewire.

The Champion Riding Horse was the eight-year-old chestnut gelding Fair and Square, winner of the Small Riding Horse class, owned by Suzanna Welby, from south Lincolnshire and produced by Jo Bates.

“We love the Great Yorkshire and we were a late entry for this, so it’s even better,” said Mrs Welby.

Reserve went to Peter Bowdler’s 11-year-old bay gelding Unlimited, produced by Charles le Moignan.

After a full day of competition in the ridden Mountain and Moorland classes, the championship went to a 10-year-old Dales gelding, Colliery Bill II, owned and ridden by Nicola Eminson, from Burnley. This will be a first HOYS appearance for both rider and pony.

“Going to the Horse of the Year Show is something I have always wanted since I was a child,” said Nicola, 21. “We came here with no expectations and now we have qualified for HOYS and won the championship. I can’t believe it.”

The family, who live in Burnley, specialise in Dales ponies. Colliery Bill, a former breeding stallion, went to them to be backed.

“It’s been quite difficult trying to get him to settle in the ring. This is the best result we have had, he went really well,” said Nicola. “Now we’ve got lots of practising to do.”

Reserve went to a Welsh Section C gelding, Oakmill Wizard, owned by Jo Thornton, from Kirby Lonsdale, and ridden by her daughter, Chloe, 17.

“It’s the first time I have qualified for HOYS, it’s fantastic,” said Chloe. “He (the pony) has been to HOYS before, in the working hunter pony class but not in a flat class. To win here is really special.”

The Show Hunter Pony Champion was Parkhill Beckham, an eight-year-old bay gelding owned by Sara Horne, from Macclesfield, and ridden by her daughter, Charlotte, 13.

It was Charlotte’s first championship and the first time that the pony has competed at the Great Yorkshire Show ground.

“We love the Great Yorkshire and to have the opportunity for them to have a gallop in the main ring was marvellous,” said Mrs Horne.

The reserve was Van Gogh,a 14-year-old bay gelding owned by Mrs E C Kerr Walker, of Leicestershire.

Charlie Marshall, from Rotherham, took the first ridden title with Copybush Moonsprite and followed this up with the Mini Show Pony Championship.

Jodie gets call as GB seek to keep title

JODIE McGregor, from Leyburn, North Yorkshire has been selected for the British team to compete at FEI Junior European Eventing Championships in Poland next month.

Jodie and her Connemara cross Appaloosa gelding, Spot On XII, were long-listed for the championships in July.

Their place on the team was secured following a win with a 12-point lead at Aston-le-Walls earlier this month.

The squad of six riders and two reserves, aged between 14 and 18, will be defending a medal-winning performance last year which included team and individual gold plus a bronze medal. The championships run from September 6-9.

Following Hull Show last weekend, there is more top-class show-jumping to be enjoyed in Yorkshire tomorrow.

An annual charity show, at the home of the Hughes family at Woodhouse Farm, Edlington, Doncaster has raised over £10,000 for various charities over the years.

The 1.45m Classic has a first prize of £1,500 and is expected attract well-known riders. It was won last year by Joe Clayton.

The show is organised by British Showjumping’s south and west Yorkshire committee and the course builders are Di Boddy and Tracey Barraclough.

This year, a second ring of classes will be run, ranging from Senior British Novice to Foxhunter 1.20m.

Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester, two of the British team’s Olympic gold medal-winning dressage riders, will be taking part in the Spanish Riding School’s UK tour in November.

It was the first title in Olympic history to be won by British dressage and Charlotte also won individual gold.

She will give a ridden demonstration with Carl explaining what the rider does to achieve some of the Grand Prix movements and how they train the horses to do them. They will be joined by Para rider Lee Pearson.

The Spanish Riding School Tour with its Lipizanner stallions will be in Birmingham from November 16 to 18. Tickets are available at www.livenation.co.uk.