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Competing at HOYS for the first time? Here’s what you really need to know from someone who’s been in your shoes

Horse & Hound’s showing editor has first-hand experience of competing at Horse of the Year Show on multiple occasions and knows how daunting it feels when you’re heading to the NEC for the first time. In this exclusive article for H&H subscribers, she shares the insider knowledge to make your visit as smooth and enjoyable as possible...
Bethan Simons Bethan Simons

    • If you are competing at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) for the first time, it can feel a little daunting, especially if, like us, you’re a home-produced family team. After all, there’s no other show like it, and you may have dreamed of competing there for a lifetime. So with around a week to go, let me try to alleviate some of your worries, and render you with fewer sleepless nights. These are the things I have learnt that you need to know if you’ve never been to HOYS before…

    Competing at HOYS for the first time: arriving and stabling

    Once you get to the NEC, you’ll need to queue to have your horse’s passport, microchip and vaccinations checked. This is when I get really excited and when my nerves really kick in. Our little lorry isn’t the most ergonomic and is always packed to the rafters. Horses are checked on the lorry, so if you can, plan your packing so that the vet checking your horse can get to them without climbing over your wheelbarrow and abundant haynets, and have the passport at the ready somewhere convenient.

    On the subject of passports, double check it’s packed before you set off. You can beg, borrow and buy everything else from tack to breeches to rugs, but you will not be allowed to even unload your horse without its passport. Don’t risk it!

    Remember to enjoy competing at HOYS for the first time

    A few years ago, I was mortified to have my first HOYS wrong leg at the age of 36 and could feel my cheeks burn in line. I felt I’d let myself, my pony, and our team down. But looking back, I should have shrugged off the disappointment and embarrassment much sooner.

    After all, it’s hardly an unusual mistake and hardly the end of the world. I should not have let it compromise how much I enjoyed riding my absolutely cracking pony there. And while I can clearly hear my sister’s proclaim “you plonker” on the video, she still greeted me with a broad smile at the end and took me for chips.

    The worst that can happen is you fall off or you have to leave the arena. In the highly unlikely event this happens, breathe and smile, because you won’t be the first and you absolutely won’t be the last.

    So, try to enjoy every minute of it and spend a fortune on photos. After all, you may never qualify again, so make the most of it.

    And finally from me, good luck! I look forward to seeing your there.

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    Bethan Simons
    Bethan Simons

    H&H showing editor
    Bethan joined Horse & Hound as showing editor in January 2025, after spending two years as Editor for Showing World. Having adored ponies since childhood, she started showing as a teenager and has enjoyed wins at major shows up and down the country, including Royal Highland, New Forest, and the Royal Welsh, as well as HOYS, RIHS and London. She is particularly passionate about Welsh breeds and is also a Welsh language commentator.
    Bethan Simons

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