Guy Williams came out on top in the puissance at The London International Horse Show, clearing 2.18m with Mr Blue Sky. It was Guy’s third consecutive win in the class and his fifth historical puissance triumph at the show.
Thirteen combinations contended the thrilling class, including first-timer, five-star eventer Gemma Stevens. Mark Edwards and Commandant Geoff Curran were also in the fifth and final round, but it was Guy and Mr Blue Sky, the 14-year-old grey by Chacco-Blue, who cleared the famous red well and claimed the premier position.
“He is very good at this – he gets better as the rounds go on,” said said Guy, who won the puissance at last year’s event as joint champion alongside Joseph Trunkfield. “If you ride him forward in the final round, I think he could jump anything you put in front of him. He has amazing scope and is careful – he is a really good jumper. The owners have had him since he was four-years-old and they are here tonight so it is great for them. I have been preparing him for this week – we came here to win and we did just that.”
Candy Girl’s sweet victory
Credit: London International Horse Show/Peter Nixon
Meanwhile the CSI5* Christmas Pudding Speed Stakes was won by a delighted Matthew Sampson, the London Grand Prix winner from the 2022 show, with MGH Candy Girl.
“She is a fantastic horse – she is so careful and she was knocking on the door for a win like that,” he said. “She jumped at the Horse of the Year Show with Gemma Stevens, who produced her, so it is a joint victory for us all. She has never jumped in an environment like this with all the crowds, so I am delighted. There is no crowd in the world that compares to the one at London International Horse Show. We work hard all year to get to the show, so to achieve a win in front of such a vibrant crowd is truly amazing.”
Lead image by London International Horse Show/
