Master rises early in his career
Robert Walker takes a day out of the saddle to lead a promising three-year-old to victory in the Cuddy qualifier
“I CAN’T wait to get on him,” said Robert Walker after handling Jill Day’s new purchase, the young hunter gelding MHS Morning Master, to the in-hand supreme title and their ticket to this year’s Cuddy final at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).
Judge Robert Cockram had a tough job, with a ring full of worthy horses and ponies. But Morning Master was still showing his heart out at the end of a long day and took the honours over the free-moving Welsh section B stallion, Skellorn Bronze Soldier.
This was the end of a spectacular fortnight for the Irish-bred Morning Master, who was also three-year-old champion in Dublin. His bloodlines would make him a hot prospect over coloured poles, too, as he is by the grand prix showjumper Quidam Junior — also sire of the Olympic horse MHS Going Global — out of a Cavalier Royale mare.
“I was told about him at Great Yorkshire and texted the breeders from there to ask for a video,” explained Robert. “When that
arrived, I was still at the show, but as soon as I saw it, I said I wanted him. It wasn’t until at Dublin that I first saw him in the flesh. He was even nicer than I thought and, as there was a Cuddy qualifier here, we decided we might as well drive down and have a go.”
HOYS OPPORTUNITIES
THERE were plenty of opportunities for late HOYS qualification at this huge one-day show, now in its 151st year.
Hunters arrived in good numbers and Jayne Ross took the title on Jill Marsden’s already-qualified six-year-old heavyweight Twinshock Warrior, with Matt Ainsworth reserve on the lightweight winner, Sue Hookham’s Revelation II, who took his HOYS ticket today on only his second outing of the season.
Revelation will bow out after HOYS. “He owes us nothing and is the nicest horse on the yard,” said Matt.
The long journey from Northumberland proved worthwhile for Ellie Stunt and Martin Skelton when
Susan Farrow’s small hunter Banview Scirocco added HOYS qualification to his Royal International (RIHS) triumph.
“We wouldn’t normally travel this far with one horse for one class, but we had to deliver a pony here, so we put him on the lorry, too,” explained Ellie. “He’s only done three shows this year. He qualified for the RIHS at the first, won at Hickstead and now he’s off to HOYS.”
Faye Ludlow and Michael Lewis’ Carnsdale Irish Times stood third in the small hunter class behind second-placed
Chloe Vaughan’s Carnsdale Dreamcatcher, but had earlier headed an extremely strong
HOYS ladies’ hunter qualifier, which attracted a huge entry.
Irish Times usually lives in Belfast with his owner, whose ambition was to have a horse at HOYS.
“He’s an amazing horse. He won the intermediate side-saddle class at Dublin and came to me on the Tuesday afterwards,” said Faye. “Michael’s an old friend and also owned the horse who started me off in side-saddle classes, so I owe him a lot.”
Local producer Rory Gilsenan dominated the HOYS working hunter section, heading both qualifiers and taking the title and a HOYS ticket on Katie Leetham’s Falcon, with his heavyweight winner, Claudine O’Connor’s Vision Impossible, in reserve.
Mum of three Katie was amazed by this result, as she bought Falcon only recently.
“I can’t quite believe it. He’s a complete novice and did very little before I took him on,” she said. “I was aiming to hunt him with the Grafton, but that will have to go on hold until after HOYS.”
Rory was equally delighted. “This horse is a machine over a fence and is so careful,” he said. “They needed to be today because the course was big, but it was also fair. They used proper hunting fences and [course-designer] Lisa Kelly did a fabulous job.”
With two championships, amateur producers Graham and Sue Phillips’ cobs carried on their form from Edenbridge.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” said rider Emily Proud after she and Randalstown Top Draw added the HOYS cob title to their earlier RIHS ridden coloured triumph.
Top Draw makes sure everyone watching knows he’s there.
‘HE WAS SPOT ON TODAY’
THERE was another amateur win in the HOYS hack championship, which went to Julia Watts with Hinwood Libertine. This pair took their ticket today, as did the small class winners and reserve champions Ami Miller and DP UK Nightdancer.
Julia runs a care home in Tunbridge Wells, so Libertine lives in Berkshire with producers Richard and Marjorie Ramsay.
“She rides when she can and has some great results, although this horse occasionally fluffs his lines. He’s a true hack and was spot on today,” assessed Richard.
With RIHS 2019 tickets at stake, mountain and moorland working hunter ponies arrived in large numbers.
The eventual champions were Emma James and the 11-year-old Connemara Glenmore Gwennic, repeating their 2017 win here. Reserve went to Tori Oakes and the Highland pony Cairns Fergus, moving up from second in their class.
“He seems to know when it matters,” said Emma, who shares Gwennic with her sister Sophie, but will ride him in both his ridden and workers’ finals at HOYS.
“He’s our pony of a lifetime. We’ve bought a younger version for when he retires, but nothing will replace him.”