Sophie Scott has owned the 2024 Land Rover Horse of the Year Show, this afternoon taking the quinella in the Olympic Cup with her greys Waitangi Skynet and Benrose Stellar.

Earlier in the show the 22-year-old from Palmerston North had placed first and second in the Cavallino Silver Fern Stakes, with Stellar taking the win and Skynet the runner-up.

Today she was again the toast of the town in heading home the 13-strong field in the jewel in the crown of the show.

The opening round of the $80,000 class saw clears from Sophie’s two and local hope Julie Davey aboard her imported grey mare Just D. Ten combinations came back for the second round where an equality of faults would have forced a jump-off.

But it was only Sophie who managed to leave everything up – despite a few rattles – while Julie was terribly unlucky when the top rail of the final fence delicately tipped out of its cups to give her four faults to place fourth behind Logan Massie (Dannevirke) aboard Bravado Ego Z in third who was also on four faults.

As both double clears were Sophie’s, it was up to her to choose a winner and given Stellar had won the Silver Fern Stakes, she opted for Skynet to take the very prestigious win, just to make sure she “shared it around”.

Fittingly, Peter Holden, the very first winner of the Olympic Cup in 1953, who proudly present it to her. “It is very special,” said the 90-year-old from Hawke’s Bay who has twice hoisted the trophy. “It is not often you see that. It is 71 years since I first had the privilege of winning the cup.”

In accepting the cup, which was filled with red roses, Sophie said it was the ultimate dream. “As a kid you watch this and think ‘one day’. I am not sure this has sunk in.”

It was the first time Sophie had started in the cup. “I never get nervous. I just trust my horses and know they will do their absolute best for me. It is up to me to give them the best possible ride.”

She knew Julie and her two greys would be very dangerous if they had to jump-off against each other.

Sophie was hugely grateful for the ongoing support of her parents Tania and Mark, her grandparents and all her friends. “It has been an amazing show for us and just a dream come true.”

Her coach Jeff McVean, who has also won the Olympic Cup and coached his daughter Katie Laurie to victory five times, says the thrill of winning never grows old. “It is still the same thrill,” he said. Jeff sees plenty of similarities between Sophie and his Olympian daughter Katie.

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