Horse of the Year Show with Midi, Marguerite & Hayley

Horse of the Year Show

We were ready for three incredible days at the infamous Horse of the Year Show at the NEC Arena. The energy and excitement was clear to see as we checked in and began exploring everything this prestigious event had to offer.

One of the first highlights of the day was the Mountain & Moorland Working Hunter Pony of the Year. This competition showcases the skill and versatility of pony’s native to the UK’s mountainous and moorland regions. They tackled various jumps with agility and grace, proving their abilities in both working and show environments. It was a fantastic display of equestrian talent, and we were captivated by their strength and beauty. Next up was the Scurry Driving event at the International Arena, where teams of two pony’s pull a small carriage through a tight, obstacle-filled course. Scurry driving is a fast-paced, exhilarating competition, where precision and speed are key. Watching them expertly manoeuvre the course was thrilling, and the excitement reached a peak when Allison Osborne won the Scurry Driver of the Year. 

This was soon followed: Show Jumping. The agility and speed of the horses as they galloped around, effortlessly clearing jumps, left us in awe. Each jump brought gasps and cheers from the crowd, as the riders demonstrated incredible skill in guiding their horses through the challenging course. 

Seeing the well-dressed gentlemen and elegant ladies being pulled by single cart horses made us imagine a time when they used to pop to the market, visit friends, or even head to a party – a wonderful connection to the past.

The arena was set, the crowd was buzzing, and we could feel the excitement building. The line up was impressive, featuring world champions and Olympic medallists. Unsurprisingly, the Whitaker family name popped up again, but this time the win went to Ireland’s Geoff Curran, an incredible rider who kept us all on the edge of our seats! The next event was the SEIB Search for a Star championship, where we saw various horses proudly showing why they deserved to be crowned champions. In the end, Redshaw Valentino and Samantha Lee took the well-earned title. The afternoon continued with the musical drive of heavy horses, a spectacular display of power and grace. 

Our spirits were high because we were headed to Cadbury World in Birmingham! The moment we arrived, we were welcomed with some free chocolate, which we munched on with delight. The factory tour was full of fun surprises—walking through the history of Cadbury, learning about the chocolate-making process, and watching how the magic unfolds behind the scenes.