Three Manx riders and one Manx company are to showcase their talents at the prestigious Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) this week.
HOYS is the lifetime goal for many equestrians and attracts the best of the best from across the United Kingdom.
Peel based Anna Higgins will compete on her own six-year-old Millmount Maestro in the Working Show Horse class tomorrow (October 9).
She qualified for HOYS in two SEIB search for a star classes, which offer opportunities for ‘amateur riders’ to qualify for championship finals at HOYS.
Manx Talent at HOYS
Higgins has had an action packed year, not only qualifying for Horse of the Year Show, but also for London International Horse Show which will be held in December.
Along with taking the showing scene by storm, she has recently opened a new equestrian and country clothing store in Douglas.
Manx clothing company Epico, which is of the stockists in Higgin’s store, will also be showing its products at HOYS.
Fellow Manxie, Steph Gardiner is the brains behind the company which creates multiple horse riding leggings, base layers and has recently launched saddle pads.
Grenaby’s Lola Bass and her equine partner Ralph have also qualified for HOYS, however Bass is competing another horse in one of the two classes she is in.
Successful Seasons For Riders
She will be competing in the exceeding 143cm M&M class tomorrow (October 9), and the 153cm Working Hunter on Friday (October 10).
The seventeen-year-old has had an incredibly successful season, with a highlight being selected to represent England at British Show Pony Society (BSPS) Inter Country Competition for the fourth year.
Bass is no stranger to HOYS, and in 2022 she and Landslow Melody Maker were named winners of the 143cm Working Hunter Pony class at the show.
Abby Kirkpatrick and her 15-year old gelding, The Real McCoy also qualified for HOYS earlier in the year.
This will be a third return trip to the venue for the pair having contested the intermediate working hunter class (for riders under 25) in 2016 and 2017.
They also competed at the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) in July and finished 8th in the Lightweight Working Hunter class.
The pair will be competing in the Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain Working Hunter of the Year Championship today.
HOYS runs is held at the NEC in Birmingham from October 9 – 13.
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