HOYS Thursday saw the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers Championship, a class that includes Olympic eventing team gold medallist Oliver Townend among its lengthy list of former winners.
Last to go in a nine-combination jump-off, Hollie and Jonkers Keyano took almost a second off the time of previous leaders Sienna Palin and Mikado Van Den Dael, a competitive combination having taken the Blue Chip Pony Newcomers Masters win at The British Showjumping National Championships.
Hollie’s winning time of 29.60 seconds owed everything to a confident, highly-skilled rider giving her big-striding pony every chance of victory, with Sienna taking second in 30.54 and Ella Spencer completing the podium places aboard Rouet Rouge on 32.06.
“He is an amazing pony, and I am so proud of him” Hollie said. “He has got a big enough stride, so I could take the strides out that I needed to take out to get the time I needed."
“The classes I have done over the last couple of years have certainly been a big advantage for me for this year."
“It has been an amazing year. I have been abroad competing for Great Britain, and I would love to do juniors next year then end up doing young riders. Maybe the Olympics one day.”
Not content with one Championship win, Hollie completed a remarkable and historic double, becoming the first rider to win Leading Pony Showjumper and Pony Newcomers classes in the same year, completing this spectacular title double in the space of just four hours.
“Winning the Newcomers class in the morning was unbelievable, and I didn’t think it was achievable to win another one.”
“I surprised myself. I only started riding the pony at the start of this year, but there is so much effort that goes into it.”