If you’re competing in the British Show Horse Association (BSHA) Rising Star hack, riding horse or cob finals at the London International Horse Show (LIHS), then it’s time to grab a notebook. Rising Star hack, riding horse and cob judge Danielle Heath gives us insight into her background in horses, and tells us what she will be looking for when she is judging.
Who is LIHS Rising Star judge Danielle Heath?
Showing buffs and followers of horse classes will without doubt have heard of Danielle, who is currently one of our leading producers, particularly of hacks, riding horses, hunters, cobs, and ladies’ show horses. Just this year, we’ve seen Danielle lift notable championships including at the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) where she was champion cob astride Mr Vincent, and lifted the riding horse title there with Times Square II for the third time. Other highlights you may have witnessed include partnering uber-successful hack Forgeland Hyde Park to stand reserve supreme at Hickstead in 2022, and 2023 supreme champion at Horse of the Year Show.
Mr Vincent and Danielle Heath head home with the 2025 Royal International cob championship. Credit: Elli Birch/Bootsandhooves
Danielle Heath’s equestrian background
“When my mother and father were in their thirties, they decided to learn to ride,” says Danielle. “They both went and had riding lessons, got the bug, and quite quickly, they got into hunting, and joined the Cheshire Forest hunt, and that was it. I was about four years old at the time, and so I grew up with horses around me.
“We moved to the property where I am now, which had stables, and so I had ponies around me from a young age. Mum would enjoy buying youngsters and all sorts that couldn’t have much done with them, especially from the Beeston sales. She would bring them home and we’d play around with them, and then Mum would sell them again. She really enjoyed a project.”
Danielle explains that she and her older sister Aysha started competing in showing at local level in the cradle stakes classes, before moving onto nursery stakes and moving up through the working hunter pony divisions.
“Aysha lost interest in showing and went eventing, but I stayed with it and grew to love it. Show hunter ponies were introduced when I was about 13 years old, and Mum found a pony called Morning Melody, a 143cm, at a local riding club show. She bought it, and we went on to win the Royal International with her. And that was it; then I really had the showing bug.”
Despite Danielle enjoying an early win at Hickstead, she had to wait 20 years longer for a win at HOYS.
“I was a latecomer,” she jokes. “I had to wait until I was 37 years old and then I won the middleweight hunters with Oathill Take The Biscuit, and went on to stand hunter champion.”
Danielle’s original career ambition was to become a graphic designer, but her life changed when her mother became unwell when she was just 17 years old, and she left school.
“That was my passion, and horses were my hobby. But then after I sadly lost my mum at 21, I was torn as to what to do. Horses became a kind of saviour through the grieving process, and I gained comfort from showing. When I went to shows, the showing community was like family to me, because they were people I’d grown up with. Showing was a comfort blanket.
“Still, there are certain shows such as Royal Windsor where we went as a family from when I was about nine years old, and the memories remind me of my mum every time I go to those showgrounds.
“In a way I fell into producing, as people asked me to carry on riding horses that they had bought from me. That’s how it all progressed.”
Forgeland Hyde Park and Danielle winning the hack championship at Royal Windsor in 2022. Credit: Peter Nixon.
Prior judging experience
Danielle started judging early in her career, having graduated to the Sport Horse Breeding (SHB GB) panel when she was just 22 years old.
“Royal Windsor was one of my early appointments; I was 23, and it was a huge thing for me, because again it’s such an important show to me, and to be judging was a massive honour,” she explains.
“The likes of David Tatlow, Robert Oliver, Bill Bryant, Jilly Tatlow, Ali Oliver and Guy Landau in the ring – people I really looked up to. And it was an honour to be riding horses that I’d admired and watched. There was a lightweight hunter called Finn McCool, who was a massive superstar in my eyes – I admired him a lot. I got to judge him there, and I think we had him champion, which was a really special moment for me.”
The other appointment that stands out in Danielle’s memory is her first appointment at HOYS.
“It was 2010 and I judged the ladies horses with John Newborough and that was a special time. He’s a very knowledgeable, kind man and that made the experience even better.”
This will be Danielle’s first appointment at London International.
“It’ll be fantastic to go to the London show for one thing – that’ll be lovely – and to have an opportunity to get in there with the up-and-coming and the newcomers, and to give a bit back to showing which I think we all should do,” she adds.
“I feel passionate about not letting standards drop in what we do. Everybody strives to be better, and I think if we can help people do that and understand why horses win when they win, and to understand about conformation and type and way of going, we can give people a better understanding.”
What will LIHS judge Danielle Heath be looking for in the ring?
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