HOYS 2014 – Horse of the Year Show is a very memorable one for local rider India Latter and her dedicated family of Llangeler as she and her Section A stallion Powys Sprite are NPS/Baileys Horse Feeds Mountain and Moorland Ridden Welsh Pony of the Year winners. ‘ It's just fantastic, all the hard work and dedication has paid off! It's such an honour to win at such a prestigious event, and what a way to finish the year having already won the Royal Welsh and National Welsh finals - this has really put the icing on the cake!’ explained a delighted India.

Several other riders who had qualified for HOYS over the year also competed at the prestigious event last week at the NEC in Birmingham, and the rosettes came flooding back to the area.

Anwen Griffiths of Penparc and her niece, Lisa Smart finished ninth in the Colne Mountain and Moorland Lead Rein Pony of the Year with the Friarly Guardsman (bred locally by Ann and Peter Jones of the Menai Stud,Rhydowen near Llandysul), with Hayley Grota and daughter Libby of the Cadlan Valley Stud, Moylegrove finishing in seventh position on Colne Tulip. The Cadlan Valley Stud had a win with a homebred, Cadlan Valley Buzby winning the NPS/Baileys Horse Feeds Mountain and Moorland Ridden Welsh B Pony of the Year, ridden and produced by Katy Marriott Payne, and their other homebred, Cadlan Valley Sandpiper was also fourth in the same class.

In the NPS/Baileys Horse Feeds Mountain and Moorland Ridden Welsh C Pony of the Year, the Jones Family of the Menai / Friarly Studs saw two home-breds finishing in the top nine, with Menai Christopher in third and Menai Thomas in ninth.

Over in the Working Hunter ring, Brechfa Brynach, owned by Gillian Davies and produced by Wyn Morris of Llanycefn and ridden by Nathan Deakin, weren’t in the top nine. However, they were one of nearly 40 having qualified for the Cuddy Working Hunter this year, won again as in 2013, by eventer Amy James of Mallards Reach with the intermediate eventer, Columbo Nimbus.

And although having one very unfortunate pole down in the Science Supplements 133cm M and M WHP of the Year class, Tivyside Pony Club member, Georgia James of Llangoedmor riding Peasdown Pinging Popcorn, rode tremendously over a huge course. She was also by far, the youngest rider in the class.