THIRSK rider Vicky Smart took the reserve title in the 2013 South Essex Insurance Brokers (SEIB) Racehorse to Riding Horse Of The Year title riding her ex-racehorse, Chivola in fine style at Horse of the Year Shown (HOYS).

The SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Of The Year final is held in the main, international arena at HOYS.

Smart said: “Chivola was great and did everything right”.

Chivola is by Invincible Spirit (IRE) and out of Boudica (IRE), he was trained by Vicky’s husband, Bryan Smart, having been bought as a two-year-old at the breeze up sales for £65,000.

He had 11 starts on the Flat and all-weather and won one race before being gifted by his owners to Brian and Victoria’s daughter, Beth.

Vicky took on his retraining from racehorse to show horse but he still lives on the yard where he was trained at Hambledon House, near Thirsk.

“At home I have to avoid the racehorses so he doesn’t get wound up, and he is turned out with a Connemara pony which is really good for him”, said Smart.

Chivola is no stranger to HOYS, having finished sixth in the 2011 SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse Championship with Smart. He was Champion at the Tattersalls RoR Championship at the RIHS in 2010 and took third place there in 2011. He also won the ex-racehorse class at the Great Yorkshire show for the second year running in 2011.

He had a quiet year last year after he had a virus in March, and Smart concentrated on Roger’s Revenge – winner of the 2012 SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse HOYS Championship – and her daughter Beth’s ponies.