Showjumper Tim Gredley has won the Cuddy Working Hunter of the Year Championship at HOYS riding his sister’s horse Grand Conan.
Gold-medalist
Tim has ridden for Britain a number times, winning gold and silver at the Junior Europeans and making it onto the senior team for the 2006 World Equestrian Games.
However, prior to his successful showjumping career he started out in the showring, competing working hunter ponies.
His sister Pollyanna still shows, but she gave Tim the ride on the nine-year-old after she injured her knee.
‘Unexpected’
“It’s an unexpected win as I’ve not done working hunters since I was 14,” said Tim, now aged 29. “But it was very easy winning on a lovely horse like Conan. I just had to sit there like a pilot.”
“This win is as for my sister as much as me, it’s her horse and she loves the showing.”
Tim competed at HOYS during his showing career, before moving on to showjumping.
“I won here a couple of times when I was young, but you don’t really appreciate it,” he said. “I’ve never won here in the evening. It was lovely to have a full house and go under the spotlight – it was fantastic.”
Double-booked
The win means Tim has qualified for the Supreme title, however, he is away showjumping this weekend in Portugal.
“I have to figure out how to get back for the Supreme, but I’ll definitely make sure I’m here for it,” he said.
Bodieve Toyboy (Andrew Williams) was reserve, with Dartans Barrack (Fiona Hirst) finishing third.
In-Hand Championship
Earlier in the evening, Simon Charlesworth led Romano Royale to victory in the Cuddy Supreme In-Hand Championship. The horse, who is owned by Martin Wood, had only done one other show this season before his big win.
The Brineton Colne M&M Mini Pony of the Year Championship went to Thisteldown Van-Dervaart, ridden by Hannah Wilson.
The Miniature Horse of the Year Championship was taken by Leonie Holloway-Wroe’s Scott Creek Monarch Red Graffitti. The pair was Reserve Champion in 2014, before managing to secure the Championship title.
“He is a horse of a lifetime for me, I am incredibly lucky to have the top stallion in the country” said Leonie.