“Hello, hello. I’m very excited to be back with the next instalment of my blog, and even more excited to be writing it direct from HOYS 2011. It’s always fun going to shows (particularly ones you’re not organising) and catching up with everyone. The amazing band of officials that are responsible for keeping the show on the road at Hickstead are like a travelling wonder team, and the majority of them work at all the major shows. HOYS is no exception, and I’ve already bumped into lots of them: looking incredibly glamorous, incidentally, as gone is the emergency wet weather gear needed for an outdoor show, and out has come all the black tie finery. Ooh la la.
The lovely thing about the British international show circuit is that all the organisers know each other very well. As we are all at different times of year, instead of being arch rivals we do enjoy working closely with each other. The HOYS team in particular are a great lot, and gave us brilliant digital media support during our shows – so I am trying to return the favour.
It really is a case of Hickstead on tour, as not only is my sis Chloe here supporting husband Shane Breen, but Eddie my brother has worked for a long time at HOYS running show services. The delectable Emma, otherwise known as Hickstead show jumping secretary extraordinaire, has crossed over and is working in the HOYS showing team. Traitor.
There was a cracking start to the show last night, with my ‘sort of’ brother-in-law winning the seven-year-old final (‘sort of’ because he’s actually my sister’s brother in law, but we’re all like a big, crazy family so he basically got our whole family as in-laws when his brother Shane married Chloe). There’s a certain assumption that professionals get used to the highs and lows of competitive riding - it being their ‘day job’ - but horses are a lifestyle rather than a job really, and every win is still very exciting.
Trevor has just relocated to England to marry the lovely Caroline Black, and his mum Mary, missing her England-bound boys, came over to England especially to watch Trev last night – and then he won. Needless to say, Team Breen were delighted.
Another highlight of last night was world famous event rider Pippa Funnell winning the EquestrianClearance.com Newcomers Final. Go Pip – beating the show jumpers at their own game no less. Hilariously, Pip admitted that just when she thought winning at HOYS couldn’t get much better, she loved it when she was taken off for a press conference immediately after the presentation and William, her husband and the member of the family more used to winning show jumping red rosettes, was left holding the horse! ‘He does have some uses,’ Pip quipped.
Guy Williams stormed to victory in this evening’s Senior Foxhunter Final on Djakarta, coming at the end of a fantastic summer season for Guy. A Hickstead local, Guy has been coming to us for as long as I can remember, and it’s brilliant to see him at last gaining the international success he so deserves. The Foxhunter final’s past winners reads like a who’s who of British show jumping greats, so Djakarta has proved again that she’s really one to watch.
Well that’s all for tonight as I’m off to watch the final class and pop in and see the SKY team in their mobile studio and see first-hand for myself show jumping in 3D – it’s a first for the sport and I’m ridiculously excited. I’ll be back tomorrow to tell all, and will be sending a special ‘Hickstead at HOYS’ newsletter, with a fabulous prize giveaway so make sure you’re signed up."
Daisy
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