‘This is not the spirit of these classe’

Rowland Fernyhough on the “mockery” of HOYS qualification

- Jennifer Donald

AS I see it, the qualifiers for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) are an open invitation for people to manipulate the system.

The newcomers, Foxhunter, grade C and talent seekers finals are fundamentally aimed at the same cohort of young horses. But despite this, all ages of horse are permitted in all of those finals.

If the rules restricted the newcomers to seven-year-olds and under and Foxhunter to eight-year-olds and under, it would at least bring the classes somewhere in line. It would also help to stop horses who have competed up to CSI2* abroad but don’t have the winnings on their records, which is making a mockery of the system.

Currently, advanced eventers are even eligible - it’s treading on a lot of young horses and giving them no chance.

The timescales for qualifying are also too long, meaning that some horses have got their double clears 18 months earlier and are way ahead of the class.