Horse of the Year 2024: Sophie Scott is the quinella queen

Sophie Scott rides Waitangi Skynet to victory in the $80,000 Olympic Cup at the Land Rover Horse of the Year event in Hastings on Sunday. Photo / Connull Lang

Sophie Scott owned the 2024 Land Rover Horse of the Year Show on Sunday, taking the quinella in Hastings in the Olympic Cup with her greys Waitangi Skynet and Benrose Stellar.

The Oceania Eventing Challenge went one apiece to New Zealand and Australia, with the Kiwis winning the CCI3*-S and the Aussies marching off with the CCI4*-S.

Australian Olympian Shane Rose and Virgil won the Land Rover CCI4*-S individual crown and the Eventer of the Year title, while Abbey Thompson and Cadbury KSNZ took the Fiber Fresh CCI3*-S crown.

It was a dream show for 22-year-old showjumper Sophie Scott of Palmerston North, who on Friday night was first and second in the Cavallino Silver Fern Stakes, with Benrose Stellar taking the win and Waitangi Skynet the runner-up.

On Sunday she was again the toast of the town, but this time it was Skynet first and Stellar second at the front of the 13-strong field in the jewel in the crown of the show.

The opening round of the $80,000 class saw clears from Scott’s two and local hope Julie Davey aboard her imported grey mare Just D.

Ten combinations came back for the second round, where an equality of faults would have forced a jump-off.

Julie Davey riding Holst Freda in Hastings. Photo / Connull Lang

But it was only Scott who managed to leave everything up – despite a few rattles – while Davey was terribly unlucky when the top rail of the final fence delicately tipped out of its cups to give her four faults to place fourth behind Logan Massie (Dannevirke) aboard Bravado Ego Z in third, who was also on four faults.

As both double-clears were Scott’s, it was up to her to choose a winner, and as Stellar had won the Silver Fern Stakes, she opted for Skynet to take the very prestigious win, just to make sure she “shared it around”.

Fittingly, it was Peter Holden, the very first winner of the Olympic Cup in 1953, who proudly presented it to her.

“It is very special,” said the 90-year-old from Hawke’s Bay, who has twice hoisted the trophy.

“It is not often you see that. It is 71 years since I first had the privilege of winning the cup.”

22-year-old showjumper Sophie Scott of Palmerston North accepts the Olympic Cup, which was filled with red roses. Photo / Connull Lang

In accepting the cup, which was filled with red roses, Scott said it was the ultimate dream.

“As a kid you watch this and think, ‘One day’. I am not sure this has sunk in.”

It was the first time Scott had started in the cup.

A victorious New Zealand young rider eventing team after winning the CCI3*-S Oceania Challenge at the Land Rover Horse of the Year Show in Hastings. (From left): Bridie Quigley, Scout Lodder, Mackenzie Marlo and Mia Gilbert. Photo / Kerry Marshall / Kampic

In the eventing, both 4* chefs d’equipe Stuart Tinney for Australia and Jock Paget for New Zealand said there was huge value in the two nations competing regularly.

“It is a wonderful show,” said Tinney.

“The Chris Ross cross country was a great track, and it is just what we need to get into this sort of environment.”

Paget agreed, saying it has also been a great opportunity for the senior riders to experience the pressure of a team environment at Land Rover Horse of the Year, which had a real international feeling.

”This is part of the bigger picture for our programme, and it is at these types of events that you get the hardest lessons. Now it is up to us as a programme and the riders to look at what we do, find the gaps and close them.”

Shane Rose had used the event as a key part of his Paris Olympic campaign.

Shane Rose with Virgil at the Land Rover Horse of the Year event in Hastings. Photo / Warren Buckland

He was chuffed to receive the Sir Mark Todd Trophy.

“It’s pretty special that Mark has so generously given his 1994 badminton trophy for this.” Lizzie Green, New Zealand 3* chef, was very proud of her crew.

“They are such a great bunch and a very tight-knit group,” she said.

“It is very important to have that unity in a team. They are all very good riders and [that’s] exciting for the future.”

Individual winner Abbey Thompson, who is to head to the UK after competing at the Adelaide next month, was rapt.

“Cadbury tried his heart out,” she said.

“He was a bit tired after yesterday as I don’t usually go that fast on the cross-country, but I decided I needed to get into that rhythm.”

In the dressage oval, Waimauku environmental scientist Wendi Williamson collected her second Dressage Horse of the Year with Don Vito MH.

It topped off a busy and very successful show for the rider, who has previously represented New Zealand at the world cup final.

She also picked up the Medium Horse of the Year title with Danseur MH and was second and third with Fugato SW and Ducati MH in the FEI Small Tour Horse of the Year.

“It was very busy but great,” said Williamson.

She was absolutely chuffed with 11-year-old Don Vito MH, who has been with her since he was a 3-year-old.

The combination won the FEI Grand Prix CDI3* on 71.413 per cent, took out the 4CYTE Grand Prix Special with a personal best of 74.383 per cent, and the Harrison Lane Grand Prix Freestyle on 72.96 per cent.

For her, there is nothing quite like winning at Land Rover Horse of the Year with everyone there for the week.

She previously won the Dressage Horse of the Year crown in 2019 with Don Vito’s full brother Don Amour MH.

Springston teen Gemma Lewis and Ruanuku R won the Dressage Young Rider of the Year crown.

Sunday’s competition brought the curtain down on six full days of competition, which attracted thousands of people to Hawke’s Bay from all over the country.

For full results, head to www.evoevents.co.nz.