HOYS Future Elite Championship update

The Mount St John Dressage Future Elite Championship marks the return of competitive dressage to HOYS, following the last occurrence in 2010. It will provide an excellent opportunity for British riders to showcase their up-and-coming Grand Prix horses in an international setting.  Seven horses, aged between seven and 10, will perform the Intermediate I Freestyle to Music test, with the eyes of three world-renowned judges, to be announced soon, and 9,500 spectators upon them. This test requires a number of high-level movements including canter pirouettes, half pass and flying changes – a real treat for spectators.

 

Mount St John Equestrian’s passion to prove that top quality dressage horses can be found here in the UK makes it the ideal partner for the Championship. The competition will also give HOYS visitors a valuable insight into the remarkable dressage talent that is emerging nationwide.

Olympic dual gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin is among the sensational field of leading British riders to contest the inaugural Mount St John Dressage Future Elite Championship on a horse to be announced at a later date.

 

Five of the seven combinations to compete, all at very exciting points in their career, have already been confirmed:

 

·         Sarah Millis will ride her own Furst Rubin, a nine-year-old Westaphalian gelding who captured his first international victory at Vidauban, France, in May this year

·         Emile Faurie  will contest the title on Julie Bradley’s 10-year-old Oldenburger stallion Smash Hit

·         Michael Eilberg will bring the Half Moon Stud’s Half Moon Dynasty to HOYS. The nine-year-old Hannoverian mare by Dimaggio took the top spot in the Hickstead Premier League’s Prix St Georges small tour section in June

·         Spencer Wilton has confirmed his partner as Jen Goodman’s 10-year-old British Warmblood Super Nova, who was previously owned by Carl Hester and Roly Luard

·         Andrew Gould will be joining Katie Price’s 10-year-old KWPN gelding Wallace IV under the bright lights of the Andrews Bowen International Arena

Visitors will be able to see two of the riders make a second appearance later on in the week at HOYS. Michael Eilberg will return to the Andrews Bowen International Arena on Friday with his sister, dressage rider Maria, to host the Eilberg Dressage Master Class. A superb accompaniment to the Mount St John Dressage Future Elite Championship, it will provide a wonderful insight into the training techniques of top dressage riders. On Sunday evening, Charlotte Dujardin will judge the Supreme Horse of the Year and Supreme Pony of the Year Championships, along with fellow Olympic dressage team member Carl Hester.

 

There is plenty in store for visitors at this year’s Show. As well as hosting the finals of the most highly regarded national showing and show jumping championships; world-class international show jumping; Equimax/3dworming Pony Club Mounted Games, and Osborne Refrigerators Double Harness Scurry, there is a full line-up of unbeatable entertainment to celebrate HOYS’ 65^th year in style. There will be two very special displays: The Musical Drive of The King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery presented by Home Farm Hothorpe and the Mulbrooke Stud and Luma the Lion, the small pony ingeniously disguised as a big cat. Visitors to Sunday’s gala evening performance will enjoy a spectacular finale, while Ted the Clydesdale, star of Sally Anne Outram’s book The Story of Ted, will be entertaining visitors all week in the Parelli Interactive Savvy Area.