‘He could go all the way’: rider’s lifelong ambition realised with dream HOYS win

“This is an absolute dream, to qualify, let alone win. It’s something I’ve dreamed of all my life, and now I’ve won it. And I can’t tell you what it means.”

Michaela Scott and her star eight-year-old Eddie G Z saw off all comers in the Redpost Equestrian senior Foxhunter final at Horse of the Year Show, finishing nearly two seconds ahead of Gaspard Maksud and Ballypatrick Tiberius.

Michaela and Eddie were fourth of eight to go in the jump-off, and the first to go clear. The hugely powerful chestnut flew, clinching the title with a perfect forward shot to the black cabs vertical that caught a few others out, followed by a perfect curving gallop to the last line.

That put them in front but there were still some speedy riders, including Guy Williams and Gaspard, to come, not to mention Holly Smith who had put in a faster time on her first ride, Nike Van Het Singraven, but agonisingly clipped the back rail of the final oxer.

“Watching the others was worse than riding it!” Michaela said.

“This is everything coming together, everything you work so hard for, all the blood, sweat and tears, all paying off. I can’t tell you how special that is.”

Michaela got Eddie as an unbacked three-year-old from Darren Smith and has produced him all the way, to successes including the winter grade C and B and C finals this year.

“He’s got so much power, he’s unbelievably careful and so talented,” she said. “He’s only eight and I really think he could go all the way. He’s cheeky and the biggest character, like a big pet dog. He doesn’t realise what he’s just done – but I do, and it means everything.”

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