Last week, Hurst pupils Harry W and Ryan P competed at the prestigious Horse of the Year Show, along with Old Johnian, Lucy Bunn.
It is a huge achievement to even qualify for this event and will be a milestone in the boys’ lives. The event was hosted at the NEC Birmingham, drawing a large crowd after a COVID enforced break. The atmosphere was electric and certainly something neither of the boys had experienced before.
Harry competed in the Leading Pony Showjumper Final for the first time. The 1m 45 course was incredibly large and very technical, which proved a challenge to all riders in the class. Harry was struck by misfortune halfway through his round as his pony, Robe Ruadh, took a dislike of a large oxer jump which meant he could not finish the class. Exposure to events of this level is exactly what Harry has been aiming for and his spirits have not been dampened by the experience. His horsemanship and excellent riding mean he will travel to Belgium in November to compete in the prestigious Sentower event.
Ryan P also competed in the 1m 20 class this year on his pony Midnight Cruise D’Euro, in the Pony Newcomers Championship class. Unfortunately, the day did not go his way and Ryan got to fence 10 out of 12 before having a similar problem to Harry. However, competing in an event such as this was a fantastic opportunity and Ryan will go on to greater things. This year, he has already taken home victory in the National 1.15m Members Cup and it was great to see him pushing himself in a higher jumping class for the Horse of the Year Show.
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“ Huge congratulations to both young riders. Their hard work and dedication to their sport is really paying off and we look forward to following their equestrian careers with a keen eye. ” Jack Court, Outdoor Education and Service Assistant