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THE HOWDEN WAY YOUNG HORSE ACADEMY COMBINATIONS SELECTED FOR 2026
Following the success of this year’s Young Horse Academy, The Howden Way is thrilled to announce the talented combinations who have accepted their invitation to be part of the 2026 cohort.
Justine Parker, programme director for The Howden Way said “Year-on-year we have seen fantastic progression through the age groups of the young horse combinations on the programme and this season was no exception. 2025 has seen some of those horses, along with their riders, longlisted for the Youth European championship, selected for the World Young Horse Eventing Championships along with inclusion on the British European gold medal winning 3* European Challenge Cup team. We have also seen horses step up to CCI4* on the international stage with great consistency becoming a great showcase for the programme and what it is achieving for the future of the sport of eventing”.
The new intake for 2026 are an equally impressive group and we look forward to extending them the opportunities the programme has to offer and following their development through the season next year. It will be exciting to bring them all together at the start of next year as we commence pre-season training by kicking off with a number of two-day camps where they will receive top-level guidance and coaching aimed specifically at young-horse production.
For the new intake of horse and rider combinations, along with those remaining on the programme, the 2026 age group categories are as follows. They were invited to join the academy following their performances at the Cornbury House Young Horse Championships and subsequent Young Horse Development Day assessments.
6 year-olds
- Castleconnell Eye Catcher owned and ridden by Maja Hullah
- Cortada owned by Jo Clevely and ridden by Willa Newton
- Little Lion Man owned by Harriet, Fiona and Alan Mitchell and ridden by Harriet.
- Pallazo DD owned and ridden by Evie Gaskell
7 year-olds
- Direct Flo Jo owned by Georgina holland & Heather Bell and ridden by Georgina
- Future Cloudy Pleasure owned by John & Wendy McGrandle and ridden by Sean Henderson
- Graf Leopold owned by Caroline Collins and ridden by Melissa Joannides
- Lady Uno LH owned by Sarah Reeve and ridden by Ellie Newbert
- La Belle Au Bois owned by Laura Davis and ridden by Sam Gillespie
- Obama owned by Jackie Taylor, Mark Hogan and Carmen Pierce and ridden by Willa Newton
- Odelia owned by Cerys Macaulay & Augustus Roberts and ridden by Cerys
- Oxer owned by Christine Baxter, Sarah & Kevin Gillespie and ridden by Sam Gillespie
- SVS Zobolensky owned and ridden by Fin Marsden
- Tysons Upto Trix owned by Lizzie Baugh & Ann Slight and ridden by Lizzie
8 year-olds
- Ballygriffin Odysseus owned by Amy Tough & Kate Griffiths and ridden by Amy
- Coolaw Mr Duke owned by Jill Mitchinson and ridden by Rosie Bradley-Hole
- Opalus B owned by Paul Barker and ridden by Lucy Sugden
The Young Horse Academy, which sits under The Howden Way umbrella, supports British Eventing collaboratively to create a performance pathway structure for proven up-and-coming talented young horses, and their existing riders as a combination, that have been competing within the national governing body framework. Supporting them with top level training, mentoring and guidance during their formative years ensures that they are given the very best experience into top level sport possible.
The Young Horse Academy sits alongside other Young Horse investments made by The Howden Way which include the the Young Horse 6 & 7 year-old classes in addition to the Young Horse Leagues powered by Equiratings. Young Horse classes enable riders and owners to run their 6 & 7 year-old horses in specific age group sections, offering the opportunity to benchmark horses against others of the same age and giving recognition for the highest performing young horses in these classes. These classes also offer an increased prize money pot for those competing in them.