Siblings celebrate success at Horse of the Year Show

Glossop siblings Willow and Oscar Elcock have enjoyed an unforgettable week competing at the prestigious Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).

The young riders took to the arena at the NEC in Birmingham, with five-year-old Willow achieving an impressive top 10 finish and her 14-yr-old brother Oscar being crowned champion in his class. 

Willow, who has been working towards her HOYS dream all year with her six-year-old pony Synod Parade, known as 'Patch' at home, only began competing in July. 

With mum Cheryl guiding her preparations, Willow and Patch qualified for the Mountain and Moorland Lead Rein class after being crowned champions at Moreton-in-Marsh Horse Show this summer. 

Their hard work paid off as Willow and Patch entered the HOYS arena alongside Cheryl, before taking part in the group go-round and individual displays. 

Willow was eventually awarded an incredible 10th place in her first-ever appearance at the show - a fantastic achievement for the young rider and her pony. 

Meanwhile, Oscar competed in the Junior Ridden Coloured Horse class on Castra, who is on loan to the family from Stephanie Fitt. 

Oscar secured his place at HOYS by qualifying from a highly competitive class of 35 entries at the Derbyshire Festival. 

He delivered a polished performance in both the go-round and his individual display, impressing the judges and spectators before being crowned Junior Coloured Horse Champion. 

The latest success marks another milestone in Oscar’s HOYS journey. Having previously featured for his achievements, he has now qualified for the prestigious show on three separate occasions and remarkably he has won his class every time he has competed. 

For mum Cheryl, seeing both children qualify and then achieve such impressive results has made the experience even more special. She said it was a “dream come true” to have both children competing at HOYS, adding that she could not be prouder of their placings. 

Both ponies are home-produced, with Willow and Oscar balancing their riding commitments alongside school, family life and homework. 

Their success is the result of dedication and hard work from the youngsters, supported by Cheryl and the wider team who have helped them prepare for the big occasion. 

With Willow celebrating a superb debut at HOYS and Oscar adding another championship title to his record, the Glossop family have plenty of reasons to be proud.