Upshire based showing producer, Justine Armstrong-Small has qualified for the prestigious Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in Birmingham this October.
Justine rode Lucy Watson’s thoroughbred ex-racehorse, The Groovy Hoovy in the SEIB Insurance Brokers Racehorse to Riding Horse qualifier on the 6th August at Arena UK in Lincolnshire. They will now go on to compete under the bright lights of the HOYS Arena at the NEC in Birmingham in early October.
The pair fought off stiff competition to win the thirty-three strong SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse class on the day. Judges Louise Gaunt and ride judge, Craig Kiddear had a busy afternoon before announcing Justine and The Groovy Hoovey, aka Grooves, the winners.
Justine said: “He was really on song today, he gave the judge a great ride having also been lovely on the go-round. We took 4th place in another big Racehorse to Riding Horse class at Pickering Grange earlier in the season and might now also possibly go and do some Large Riding Horse classes.”
Owner, Lucy has also enjoyed success riding The Groovy Hoovy, earlier this season they won at the South of England Show. The pair have also been to HOYS twice having been Search for a Star finalists in the Riding Horse Hack class in 2021 and also qualified in this class the following year. Lucy added: “Grooves has been out of training for five years now. I bought him for £500 at Ascot Sales for a client that ended up not wanting him! Grooves is a superstar and I had to give him the chance to really shine in the ring with Justine!”
SEIB Search for a Star organiser, Nicolina MacKenzie said: “Search for a Star is all about the journey and learning and improving over time. Our team of judges and stewards are all invested in providing support and encouragement to help competitors and their horses and ponies perform to the best level they can.”
SEIB Search for a Star first took place back in 1996 and over the years has provided thousands of opportunities for amateur riders to compete at HOYS.
Each of the SEIB Search for a Star qualifying shows offers opportunities for a full range of show horses to earn a place at the series championships at Horse of the Year Show and Your Horse Live.
Please see www.seib.co.uk/competitions or the SEIB Search for a Star facebook page for updates. To enter please visit www.seib.co.uk/competitions/schedule which will link directly to the Search for a Star and Racehorse to Riding Horse entry page on Showing Scene.
