It started with an in-hand ticket

For some horses and ponies, their experience of HOYS begins when they are youngsters. Alex Robinson learns why some young animals were aimed for the in-hand supreme prior to becoming successful in ridden ranks

- Alex Robinson

IF you look back at the careers of many of the most prolific ridden contenders, a fair few will have recorded a substantial number of in-hand wins during their youth, but only some have made appearances at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in the coveted in-hand supreme final.

“Many of my successful led ponies have gone on to have equally prolific ridden careers,” confirms leading in-hand producer, Jerome Harforth. “In-hand showing provides them with invaluable experience, of standing on the lorry, waiting in line, stabling away overnight and coping with an atmosphere.”

Jerome has seen a number of ponies – too many to list – through their careers, which began as young in-hand prospects. One of Jerome’s graduates who first stepped through the HOYS curtain as a youngster was the Jackie Thompson-bred Dance All Night, a finalist as a yearling and three-year-old and then a HOYS winner in 2012 with Lucinda Elliott, who also rode her to two Royal International (RIHS) supreme titles. Dance All Night’s daughter Swan Lake, by Llanarth Top Cat, is off to the NEC this year with Sophie Staveley.

Moluccas Bengal Beauty, who qualified for HOYS as a three-year-old at Royal Norfolk, returned with Myles Cooper riding in 2015 to lift the part-bred Arab crown.

When the HOYS in-hand supreme final was split into youngstock and animals aged four years and over, the Jerome-produced yearling Rotherwood Flamenco won her section. A few years later, she finished in the top two as a ridden show pony when produced by the Jagos.