HOYS announces its 2022 wild cards

Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) organisers Grandstand Media have announced the five winners of the 2022 HOYS wild card series. 

Each five wild-card winner finished in the top three of their relevant section, received equal points and equal placings and had not yet achieved that elusive golden ticket.

The showing wild cards are determined by means of the LeMieux La Liga consistency awards as the series recognises those who have shown consistency throughout the HOYS qualifiers this season. 

Gemma Stanford’s home-bred Highland stallion Finglands Braveheart, who has been ridden by Vikki Smith this season, won a pony wild card. The nine-year-old has achieved four seconds, a third, a fourth and a sixth place in HOYS qualifiers this year.

“This will be his first trip to HOYS,” said Vikki, who also rode him to win the £1,000 supreme M&m final at the North of England summer show this year. 

The other four winners of the 2022 HOYS wild card series are: 

Mandy Jackson’s Connemara Kingstown Dara.

Olivia Grant’s intermediate working hunter Bounceback.

Lyssa Sheppard’s middleweight hunter Alfie Conner.

Anne Hebron’s lightweight hunter Lambswith Moonlight Bay.

Grandstand also announced that the full list of section winners of this year’s La Liga consistency awards will be revealed later in the month.

HOYS will take place at the NEC in Birmingham from 5-9 October 2022. Five days of showing action will culminate in the supreme horse and pony championships on Sunday.

You might also be interested in:

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.