The Galloping Bear Qualifies for Horse of the Year Show
An amateur rider from Cranleigh, Surrey has qualified for the prestigious Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in Birmingham this October.
Issy Gurney riding ex-racehorse, The Galloping Bear won the SEIB Insurance Brokers Search for a Star qualifier on the 12th August at the National Hunter Supreme Championship Show to earn their qualification.
They will now go on to compete under the bright lights of the HOYS Arena at the NEC in Birmingham in early October. The pair competed in and won the competitive SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse class to earn their HOYS qualification.
The road to success has not been a straightforward one for Issy and her beloved horse, Bear. She explained: “I still can’t believe it, we weren’t ever expecting to qualify. I was in a bad place before I got Bear and he has helped me beyond what I could have imagined.
“I’d always worked in racing and had a few falls; my back was going a bit. I decided to change track and ride dealing horses instead as it would be a bit slower. When out trail hunting on a four-year-old we had a rotational fall at a hedge which resulted in me sustaining three prolapsed discs and being told I wasn’t to ride. I was mentally between a rock and a hard place and work wise I also didn’t know what to do. My whole life has been horses since I was tiny and I couldn’t imagine not having them in my life.
“I came up with a plan and explained to my parents that as a low-risk riding activity I could get an ex-racehorse and go showing. I put an ad out looking for a sensible thoroughbred and a lady, Sally Clarke – wife of trainer Ben Clarke – replied saying she had a very special horse but he could occasionally be a bit naughty. I wasn’t sure but my friend Russel Ingram said if I wanted to go showing then he was the horse for me. I thought I’d missed the boat as Sally had people booked in to see him, but I went there and then to collect Bear.
“Bear has been unbelievably hard work, when we got him he wouldn’t eat and put no weight on at all. It took him a year to settle at home with us. He is bombproof but has plenty of character. We went to our first show at Alresford in September 2024 and ended up doing four laps of the main ring absolutely flat out. I thought what have I done! 2025 was our first proper season together and, among other things, we managed to qualify for Hickstead in 2026.
“At the start of this season we said we’d see how we go with the showing. After a few shows Bear still really didn’t seem to want to do it so I said we’d retire from showing and he could go eventing with his sharer. We’d already qualified for Hickstead though and it’s very nearby so I decided to go. My friend, Adam Taylor said that Bear needed proper ear plugs and gave me lots of advice which I followed exactly. He went amazingly and we came 6th. I thought, maybe we will carry on showing! Every time out since, Bear has got better and better so we thought we’d try to qualify for London and give a few HOYS qualifiers a go too. Since we decided to retire him from showing, Bear has had more variety in his life and been doing lots of jumping which he loves.
“Work wise I fell into doing reels for riders. I was very lucky as Robert Whitaker was my first client and now I’m managing accounts for some of the best riders in the world! I knew absolutely nothing about showing when I started and am really grateful to my job that I can take the time off to go out to shows with Bear. Often, I go on my own to shows and the Retrained Racehorse showing community is amazing. Everyone helps each other out all the time.”
SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse first took place in the early 2000’s and has offered opportunities to hundreds of ex-racehorses to compete at HOYS.
Please see www.seib.co.uk/competitions or the SEIB Search for a Star facebook page for updates.
SEIB have been providing insurance for horses for over 60 years. Renowned for their specialist equestrian insurance, SEIB offers tailored cover for horses, horseboxes, trailers, and equestrian businesses, ensuring comprehensive protection and peace of mind. For more information on their range of services and to explore their bespoke insurance solutions, please visit seib.co.uk
