Sir Henry steps up

A hack stallion is HOYS bound, an Exmoor nets a section title and a show team rack up four qualifier wins

- TRICIA JOHNSON

Midland Counties, Arena UK, Lincs

A STUNNING young stallion headed a quality-filled line of 13 to take the Price Family Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in-hand ticket under the eagle eyes of judge Tim Wiggett. Despite the plethora of choice, Tim had little hesitation in choosing Joanna Adams’ four-year-old hack Sandboro Sir Henry, superbly shown by Simon Charlesworth, to go to Birmingham.

“This was one of the strongest in-hand qualifiers I’ve ever had the pleasure to judge,” said Tim. “The quality was fantastic and the animals were beautifully presented. The champion was fantastically well made, with an amazing ‘look-at-me presence, a great step and a good walk – it owned the ring from the moment it walked in.”

Henry is certainly due for a change of luck – in 2019, he qualified for the then Cuddy final at Birmingham and Simon had got as far as plaiting up ready for the class.

“I noticed he wasn’t quite himself, though, so I called the vet,” said Simon. “He found Henry had a raging temperature and racing heartbeat, so instead of leading him into the ring, I drove him to the veterinary hospital at Lichfield as an emergency.

“It was decided he had some kind of virus, but he had every test under the sun and they never found out exactly what it was – thankfully, he recovered.”

The four-year-old son of Rotherwood Peeping Tom was a Royal Welsh winner and youngstock champion as a yearling, and Simon took over his production from father Alan in 2019. Last year, Henry was supreme at the National Pony Society (NPS) Autumn Festival.