Six Jockeys off to HOYS for the First Time Riding Pretty Plaiteds!
Six days to go means six pretty plaites poniestaking their riders to HOYS for the first time ever!
Amanda McKay’s Isley Walton Gold (Goldie) will be amongst the 122cm ponies entering the TopSpec Arena on HOY’s Sunday morning, ridden by her daughter Jodie McKay. Amanda purchased Goldie after HOYS last year for Jodie, who was just turning nine. “Having watched her sister compete there for two years, she said it was her dream to qualify for the Royal International and to ride in the Arena of Dreams,” said Amanda. This year, Jodie achieved both goals. “We are so proud of her in her first open season with very little ring experience. We can’t wait to watch her and Goldie in the ring.” Meanwhile Jodie is so excited to ride her pony in the ring “and can’t wait to meet her idol This Esme for about the fifth time this year,” joked Amanda!
Tayla Rjt’s cousin Bobbi-Ann has qualified 128cm show pony Valentines Siw (Coco) for the first time. Coco was purchased unbroken in October 2020 with the hope of being a lead rein for Bobbi-Ann, explained Tayla. “Bobbi-Ann’s sister Belle has Rett syndrome and so to take the pressure off her mum I said I’d take charge.” Events took a turn when Bobbi decided that showing wasn’t for her and Coco was loaned to “a lovely family” only to sustain an injury from a kick in the field resulting in a chipped bone and her future was “touch and go”. She returned, only to recover and for Bobbi-Ann to give showing another go. Last year, the pair were placed at STARS, and in this first affiliated season, they qualified for the RIHS and HOYS. “I’m looking forwards to the whole experience,” said Bobbi-Ann, “I am very happy to have qualified out of all the people that have tried”.
153cm show hunter pony Mr Oscar Cookson will be accompanying Georgia Jones for her first ride at HOYS. At just 12 years old, Georgia will be younger than many of the other riders in her class, but luckily, “Oscar is a star and has been before, but for Georgia it’s literally her dream has come true! She has been trying to achieve her dream since she was four years old on the lead rein,” said mum, Laura Jones. The pair qualified three times over for the RIHS finishing eighth at the final. However, a HOYS ticket eluded them until the home-produced team received a phone call from TSR informing them that after so many near misses, Georgia was finally off to HOYS.
Rhialeys Sweet Revel (Revi), owned and bred Rhianon Loader, will be giving Grace Lockyer, 12, her first ride at HOYS in the 133cm show huntre pony final. Grace is in safe hands as Revi is produced by Elliee Stunt who will be on hand to help, and he made a successful appearance there last year, standing sixth when ridden by Amelia Evans. The pair qualified at Kent County, and “Grace is so excited to be riding there,” said Grace’s mum, Claire.
Annandale Grey Earl was not expected to make sufficient recovery to be ridden again, let alone qualify for HOYS when he suffered a near-fatal field accident. However, Danni Boustead’s 13-year-old 133cm show hunter pony did just that at the TSR Championships ridden by Danni’s daughter, Summer, 13. Earl has been a part of the family for almost four years. “Earl came to us as a field ornament, never to be ridden again. Then he had a severe accident in 2020 and we were told to have him put down as he would never heal,” said Danni, “It’s been an extremely long road. Summer and Earl are best friends and live for each other. He does everything from ODEs to trail hunting in the winter. This is the pair’s second year of competing in qualifiers, and “Summer cannot wait to ride around that special ring with her best friend,” said Danni.
10-year-old “pony mad” Molly “was riding before she could walk,” explained her mum, Anneli, as “being the youngest of six, it was always easier to put her on a pony rather than carry her around and whilst her siblings were riding.” But this year Molly will be riding at the NEC for the first time. Molly has her own pony, but earlier this year, Somerset producer Jess Talbot asked Molly to ride Excelcis Laudamus (George). “Although it was going to be a big step for Molly as she hadn’t competed in the show pony world and would still be eligible for first riddens, she was very excited to take the ride,” said Anneli. At the New Forest, Molly and George claimed their Golden Ticket. As Jess was competing at the RIHS, Anneli, Molly and Jess’s mum were left in charge. “Molly rode her little heart out,” and having been pulled fourth, Molly and George went up to win. “Molly’s so looking forward to competing in the amazing Top Spec Arena for the very first time, working out how she’s going to do her show with the big pillar in the centre of the ring”. Molly said: “It will be a wonderful experience and as long George behaves himself. It will be good and hopefully I’d like to qualify again and try to jump around in the workers one day.”
