Holly Smith and Parthago Punch Their Ticket in the GFS Saddles Senior Newcomers at Vale View
Monday 01 June 2026
The GFS Saddles Senior Newcomers Championship Second Round at Vale View Equestrian attracted a strong field of 59 rider and horse combinations, all vying for a coveted qualification spot as the road to Horse of the Year Show continues.
Course designer Susan Barratt set a demanding track that tested competitors from the outset, with clear rounds proving difficult to come by. After two challenging rounds, only 11 combinations had managed to keep a clean sheet and progress to the jump-off.
With qualification and top honours on the line, the jump-off delivered an exciting finish. It was international rider Holly Smith who set the pace aboard her own Parthago, producing a faultless round in a winning time of 41.23 seconds.
Finishing in second place was Lee Williams riding Pear Drops OS, who also jumped clear and stopped the clock in 42.88 seconds, while Annabel Shields and SES Denmark secured third place with another immaculate clear round in 43.05 seconds.
The class showcased the depth of talent within the Senior Newcomers ranks, with riders balancing speed and precision in pursuit of qualification. Those successful combinations can now look ahead to the next stage of the journey, the GFS Saddles Senior Newcomers Masters at the British Showjumping National Championships, before the prestigious final takes centre stage at Horse of the Year Show this October.
“Parthago is a six year old owned by Amanda Derbyshire and David Blake at Pine Hollow Farm, based in America, I have had the horse for just over a year now. He went out to the Sunshine Tour earlier in the year which really bought him on, I wasn’t expecting a massive amount from him this year to be honest and I wasn’t sure whether to enter him in the second rounds. I have been carefully jumping him around a lot of smaller classes and not putting a lot of pressure on him at all. The three round competitions can get quite big by the third round, but it was nice that all the training I had put in meant that when I asked the questions he just delivered. We are really pleased with him.
“I was drawn very early, which is always a challenge in these classes. I just did the best round I could, without putting unnecessary pressure on the horse and without taking any silly chances. He is a very balanced horse, and I know him well now, so everything went really smoothly. Looking ahead to the rest of the season there’s not a lot more to do, he is only six so there’s no rush. He will do one of the weeks at Bolesworth, the six year old classes there, but seen as he started the season quite early doing the Sunshine Tour, he will have a break for a month mid-season, with the GFS Saddles Senior Newcomers Championship at HOYS as his main aim.” Said Holly.
Congratulations to Holly, Parthago, and all the qualified combinations as they continue their quest for Senior Newcomers Championship glory.
GFS Saddles Senior Newcomers Championship Second Round
Vale View Equestrian, Saturday 30 May 2026
1st – Holly Smith & Parthago – 0/0/0 41.23
2nd – Lee Williams & Pear Drops OS – 0/0/0 42.88
3rd – Annabel Shields & SES Denmark – 0/0/0 43.05
NB Results pending official grading
Images: Robyn Dukes Photography
