A BOLTON schoolgirl has won the coveted Horse of the Year competition.

Holly Hobson, aged 11, won the Show Hunter Pony of the Year Championships at the Birmingham NEC with her five-year-old horse Lindeth Talisman — nicknamed Murphy.

Judges at the Horse of the Year Show were wowed by her riding ability and grooming skills, beating other contestants up to six years older than her.

The Canon Slade year seven pupil has only been riding for seven years, and mum Hayley Hobson, aged 37, said it was a fantastic honour to have won.

She and her husband David regularly travel the length and breadth of the country taking Holly to competitions, including the qualifiers for this year’s Horse of the Year in Scotland.

Mrs Hobson, who also enjoys "hacking out" with her own horse, said: “In the horse world winning Horse of the Year is the equivalent of winning the Premier League.

“Holly is 11 now and has been riding since she was seven, she’s very good.

“She’s only entered the county showing competition for the past three years, and it’s only her second time at Horse Of The Year.

“To win is fantastic.

“My younger daughter Libby, who is seven, is at every show supporting her sister. She was so excited.”

Holly won the 143cm class and then went on to win Show Hunter Pony of the Year against riders aged between 14 and 17.

She was judged on riding ability as well as grooming.

The youngster, who lives in Stoneclough, trains with Murphy at Clifton House Road in Swinton with her instructor Karl Morris.

Mrs Hobson added: "Karl has done everything for us – he's brilliant."

Holly will next compete at the British Show Pony Society winter championships, held in Grantham in Lincolnshire.

n THE Horse of the Year Show — known as HOYS — was first held in 1949 in Harringay as a ‘champions of champions’ display at the end of the equestrian season.

Since then it has grown to become the world’s most famous horse show, filmed for national television and attracting attention from around the globe.

Competitions within the show including show jumping, showing finals and a range of displays and entertainment including the Pony Club mounted games, with competitors regarding it as the pinnacle of achievements in the equestrian world.

More than 120 county and equestrian shows across Britain host qualifiers for the huge indoor display, which has been held at the NEC Arena in Birmingham since 2002.

Organisers marked a record year as the competition celebrated its 65th anniversary celebration in 2013, the competition attracted 1,600 horses and ponies, 1,500 competitors and 65,000 spectators.