VOLCANO MAKES THE CROWDS ERUPT - HOYS Day Four
Saturday 12 October 2013
An electric atmosphere and a revelling crowd set the glorious stage for the first outright Tagg Puissance win since 2009 at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). Douglas Duffin and Volcano were the victors, clearing a whopping 7ft 3in to claim their second victory in this supreme challenge.
“I was joint first in 2011 with Joe Clayton (Leonardo),” said Scotsman Douglas. “It’s great to give the crowd an outright winner though.”
Four made it through to the final round, but only Douglas and his British-bred horse were able to come up with all the answers the infamous red wall posed.
“It’s only his third Puissance and his second win,” said Douglas, “and both of those have been at HOYS, which is just the best show there is.”
The home crowd got to celebrate their home-grown World Number One showjumper in fine style after Ben Maher claimed the Thistledown Stakes with Kavanagh.
“I hadn’t had a great start to the week. My top horses are having a week off, so I had to borrow some,” Ben explained. “Kavanagh belongs to John and Laura Renwick, and Laura usually rides him. I have a different style to her, so it’s taken us a few days to click. Now we have, it’s been great to give the home crowd a win and I think I’ll ride him in the Leading Show Jumper of the Year.”
It looked as though Guy Williams was going to secure victory in The Accumulator while his closest rival was some five seconds adrift. But, with an eye-wateringly fast round, Germany’s Daniel Deusser squeezed a further second from the course with Domingo.
“My horse was pulling me to the first fence, so I thought I best go with him,” Daniel joked. “I didn’t think anyone would catch Guy, but I got a good run through the first five fences and took one less stride to the last.”
Sienna Charles, 11, made it a hat-trick for her family by taking the Horse Radar 128cm Championship, which had been won by her older siblings Scarlett and Harry the previous two years. Leading from the front, Sienna took the class with Murka’s Mathew’s Girl and also finished second with Murka’s Flinor Songbird.
An outstanding turn back to a stile enabled Connie Gill, 10, to secure the Naylors Equestrian 138cm Championship with Dycott Masterman. This added to her family’s tally after her brother, Alex, took the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers yesterday.
“After he won yesterday, I had to win for myself,” joked Connie.
Connie and Sienna (Charles) had enjoyed dinner together the evening before their rides at HOYS and obviously whatever they ate was lucky, as Charlotte Ash, 14, who joined them at the table also claimed a sash of her own. Riding Aughnashammer, the Newcastle-based show jumper bettered six rivals in the jump off to claim the Squibb Demolition Pony Foxhunter title.
There is plenty still to come on the last day of HOYS tomorrow. The national showing and show jumping championships will conclude, alongside more world-class international show jumping. There is also the Virbac 3D Worming Pony Club Mounted Games to look forward to, as well as the two very special displays: The Musical Drive of The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, presented by Home Farm Hothorpe and the Mulbrooke Stud, and Luma the Lion, the small pony ingeniously disguised as a big cat. Visitors can also enjoy educational and fun activities in the Parelli Interactive Savvy Area located in the famous Retail Village. Sunday’s very special gala evening performance will feature a fantastic finale complete with a performance from Military Wives Choirs and three very special equine guests: Arko III, Beckside Little Toff and Holme Grove Prokofiev.
For show information, including the show timetable, and to book, visit www.hoys.co.uk or call 0844 581 8282.
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