Edited press release from Horse of Year Show

France's Julien Anquetin saved his best to last to be crowned Leading Showjumper of the Year at the Horse of the Year Show in Birmingham (GBR). 

Anquetin guided the 9-year-old mare Farah Tame (Quadrio Tame x Panama Tame) to an outstanding win in Sunday night's CSI3* 1.60m Grand Prix, clocking 38.92 seconds to give his preparations for the World Cup indoor season lift-off. Sweden's Angelie von Essen took second aboard Daniel (Heartbreaker x San Patrignano Mister) on 40.55, with third place going to British challenger Adrian Whiteway on Chacco Volo (Chacco-Blue x Carthago). 

Defending HOYS grand prix champion Jodie Hall McAteer on Hardessa (Berlin x Kashmir van Schuttershof) was fourth, with reigning national champion Rebecca Marsh on Stevie G (Billy Mexico x Nimrod B) taking fifth and triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Maher on Ginger-Blue (Plot Blue x Royal Bravour) finishing sixth.

Sunday night's Grand Prix brought the curtain down on HOYS' 75th anniversary, concluding a memorable showjumping programme across national and international classes.

"The first thing is to say thank you to the organisers," Anquetin said after his win. "It is a very good show, and the ambience was amazing. I am really happy and it is very good preparation for the start of my indoor season - we go to the Helsinki World Cup next. I went at the end of the jump-off because I was fastest in the first round, so I did a slower jump-off than normal. It was easier to win from the end of the jump-off than at the start, for sure. It will be a good night tonight. Everything went incredibly well."