Personal opinion of Andrew Hoy........

[runaway]

Ok so this is a little delayed as Burghley happened a couple of days ago but I've only just got round to watching the video'd footage from Sunday. This is also my own personal opinion but felt I wanted to share it with you all too.

I have never met Andrew Hoy but would go out of my way to meet him at an event and shake his hand. What a modest, mild natured, honest and sincere sounding man he is. It was a delight to listen to him speak and hear his views, which I feel are some of the best I have ever heard. I was really taken by him. Well Done Andrew with your 2nd place what a shame you didn't claim the Grand Slam, I for one would have cheered heartily for you.

 

[Clodagh]

He came across wonderfully, didn't he. And he helped to wash his own horse down - didn't just chuck reins to groom and walkm, off. I think hes great!

 

[TURBOBERT]

Yes - a shame - and he is a very nice man....but how nice too for Lucinda Fredericks (nee Murray) who has (like Daisy Dick) been around and about for so long and they so justly deserve a big win. They both rode beautifully and their wins were well deserved. Incidentally did anyone note that both horses are only 16 hh. That is interesting too. Maybe with no steeplechase and more technical and twisty courses - the smaller power packed chaps (or in Lucinda's case a chestnut mare!) have prevailed. Yayyyy

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

Yeah i agree,he came accross as a very nice man,such a shame he didnt get the grand slam,but he took it very well and ofcourse coming second is no mean feat either, well done to andrew hoy

 

[Jiffy]

...It's amazing to think that Andrew Hoy first won Burghley back in 1979!

 

[teapot]

A very very gracious man in defeat (and you don't normally see that with Aussies either)

 

[RachelB]

I thought he was a lovely person, I was quite shocked! I was also shocked to see him actually helping to sort out his horse (did he still have all his riding kit on, body protector etc??)... I was under the impression all pro riders just chucked the horse at the groom and sorted themselves out first, before returning to see the horse (if at all)!
What a shame for him that he didn't get the grand slam.

 

[lisaward]

i got his autograph just after his last round and he looked devastated but was so nice to us even giving out his own cards with his photo on and signing them .
betina was there with some friends a lot of them were crying.
mind you one did say to her don't worry i'm sure andrew will buy you a rolex anyway LOL !!

 

[icestationzebra]

I agree. I saw him at Burghley both days - XC day I was at the Leading Rider talk. He came without even having time to take his BP off and was charming. He answered questions at length, was warm and engaging and at one point I thought he looked happy to carry on for hours! I was at the warm up arena on the Sunday and watched him with interest. Everything was quiet and calm - he just exudes cool! (the other rider that impressed me on this front was Susanna Corbone sp? on Ava - lovely quiet rider on a mare that was quite excitable, she kept stroking and talking to her and spent quite a while on a X pole without racing to the big warm up fences). When Andrew came out he was clearly gutted, but never once did I seen him look sulky. He was gracious to everyone even when that bloody Clare Balding was trying to thrust a mike in his face before he had even dismounted! Yes he helped with his horse - I saw so many thrown at grooms without so much as a thank you - I was disappointed to with how few thanked the stewards. I know the pressure is high at these events but there was some serious lack of manners from some quarters.

 

[FlipFlop5]

lovely bloke, pity hes an aussie , he was really philosophical about the grand slam
I asked him 4 a autograph but he didnt really chat like mary king did. He was offered a safari holiday from a company and he gave them hes email address ... guess who overheard

 

[teapot]

His email addy is on his website.

I emailed them once and got a lovely reply from Bettina

 

[KatB]

He's a very genuine man, and actually cares about his horses. He prob wasnt as chatty as MK because he won't be fake, and will be genuinely talkative, instead of putting it on for the crowds like some riders do....

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Without a doubt he is a true ambassador for the sport & his country. To remain so mild mannered, philosophical, & reserved having seen £250,000 prize money for The Grand Slam float away takes a real gentleman. I think he won even more respect than he had before.

 

[kayleigh_and_rocky]

He really is so refreshing isnt he? Him and Mary King are two riders i think are really really gracious and humble. The way he talked in his interview after his SJ, he was so philisophical and humble and modest and just so so lovely. I really wish he had done it just because he deserves it so much, such a nice guy a real ambassador for a sport which has such a bad name.

 

[loopeepee]

Lucinda's mare is only 15.2hh!

 

[henryhorn]

Exactly how I perceived him, a thoroughly nice man. I don't much like his choice of XC colours but as my daughter pointed out, you can always tell it's him!
How old is he?

 

[lisaward]

yer the first burghley me and my friends little girl went to we called him teflon man !!
when me met him this year she said oh its the teflon man and he looked blank LOL

 

[hayliana]

andrew hoy gave me the biggest warmest smile when i was taking a pic of him in the warm up at blenheim this year, took an immediate liking to him!

 

[AmyMay]

I think that he's the consumate PR man. Sure knows how to behave in front of a camera

 

[TURBOBERT]

It was in fact $250,000 not £250,000 if that helps - still an awful lot of money to lose by rolling a couple of poles.