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‘This is it now. She retires from the show-ring here’: former intermediate victors step up to stand 2025 HOYS working hunter champion

Bethan Simons Bethan Simons

    • A former intermediate working hunter champion steps up to stand Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) working hunter champion.

    The working hunter championship track – sponsored at HOYS by Alan Marnie and Family – certainly sorted through contenders with only two clears in the final line up. It was first-timers Georgia Darlington and Jara, 11, who impressed the judges to take the HOYS working hunter champion title in the end.

    “I was pleased just to qualify. I only took her because it was a nice course to jump, so to come here and jump clear… I was just delighted with that. This is more than I ever imagined. I just never expected to win that class,” said Georgia.

    Georgia has owned and produced Jara herself since she was a five-year-old. The pair are past Royal International (RIHS) winners, and were crowned intermediate working hunter pony of the year at HOYS in 2022. But, with Georgia out of class this year, she decided to step the scopey little mare – she stands at just 158cm – up to attempt the bigger open working hunter tracks, and did so with aplomb here.

    “We have mainly showjump, and she showjumps up to 1.30. We haven’t really campaigned her in the workers because she’s so small. I didn’t think she’d stand much of a chance against the big hunters.

    “This is it now. She retires from the show-ring here.”

    Interestingly, the reserve champion also regularly showjumps. This was Allan Birch and Vicky Tennant’s 12-year-old Porsche mare, Bold Adventure.

    “She’s been with me for five years, I’m very fortunate to be allowed to ride her. She’s a very good horse,” said Allan. “With anything she does, she really tries. She excels at anything she tries. She’s actually done a six-bar up and jumped 1m 90, and been in the Speed Derby at Hickstead and has just started jumping at Grand Prix so she has another career aside from this.”

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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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