A father and his two daughters from Radcliffe will take centre stage at HOYS after securing places at the prestigious equestrian event.
Well-known equine vet Simon Constable and his daughters Zara and Izzy will be travelling to Birmingham next month to compete at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).
The annual show hosted at the NEC Birmingham, from October 7-11, is known as the “biggest week of the year” in the equestrian world.
The five-day competition boasts world-class show jumping, “exhilarating” displays, the Pony Club Games and a retail village.
Last year, after qualifying at the Royal Cheshire County Show, Zara took home sixth place in the Welsh Lead Rein Pony of the Year class, riding her sister’s pony Glyncoch Honey Pot.
The eight-year-old was led by her father Simon and found it “very exciting”.
This year, Zara will return to HOYS with two ponies.
Being led by Simon once again, Zara has qualified Honey Pot in the Mountain & Moorland (M&M) Lead Rein class and the M&M First Ridden class, which showcases young riders on small native-breed ponies.
She has also qualified her new pony, Somersham Playboy, in the Plaited First Ridden class.
This will be Zara’s final year in the Lead Rein class, as riders must be aged between three and under nine to compete.
Five-year-old Izzy has qualified Somersham Playboy in the Show Pony Lead Rein class, led like her sister by Simon.
The girls’ mother, Emily Constable, has competed at HOYS in previous years, riding her Arab horses and winning Reserve Champion in 2024.
She described Honey Pot as “a pony of a lifetime” who has “always given us her all”.
Emily said: “We are extremely proud parents to have both of our girls riding in the arena of dreams in October this year.
“Simon will have his work cut out, with all the running with the girls.
“A huge thank you to all the team around us who have helped get us this far.”
Business operations manager at Simon Constable Equine Vets, Dave Cooper, added: “We are so proud of how hard they have worked and trained to get to this level.”
Simon has spent 25 years building Simon Constable’s from the ground up, with the help and support of his family.
What exists now is an equine practice with approximately 2,500 active animal clients, a dedicated team of experts and a reputation that stretches far beyond Greater Manchester.
Simon is a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and holds certificates as an Advanced Practitioner in Equine Orthopaedic Surgery and Equine Soft Tissue Surgery, qualifications equivalent to a master’s degree.
He has close links with the Myerscough School of Farriery in Preston, where he frequently lectures on orthopaedics, including navicular disease, laminitis and other conditions.
The veterinary site is home to the family’s horses, giving Zara and Izzy the perfect practising ground for HOYS.
Information and insights for this article were provided by Stella Woodall of Equine Press.
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