Biography

British rider Ben Hobday (36) last competed here in 2022 with Shadow Man – his entry this year. At the end of 2024 the combination was 12^th at Pau 5* and 2^nd in the 4* at Strzegom. During the first six months of last year Shadow Man was loaned to Ben’s Australian friend Christopher Burton to provide him with a potential ride for the Paris Olympic Games. The pair went on to win Olympic individual silver and Shadow Man returned to Ben.

Ben, originally from Rossendale in Lancashire is based in Lincolnshire where he runs his own business Shadow Sport Horse Ltd.

Ben began riding aged four, progressed to local shows and was a winner of ‘first ridden’ at Ponies UK. With Lancashire’s Holcombe Hunt Pony Club Ben qualified for the Pony Club championships in all three phases. Keen to event he went as a working pupil to Cheshire based Hannah Bate, then went to work for show jumper William Funnell.

In 2006 Ben won the U21 National Championships (Uptons Who) and was selected for Britain’s young rider squad. In 2007 he and Upton’s Who represented GB at the Young Rider European Championships (6^th). In 2008 the pair won European team gold & individual bronze at Kreuth. In 2010 Ben competed in his first four-star at Pau with Gun A B Good (11^th) and in 2012 at Burghley Ben won the prize for the highest placed Under-25.

In June 2015 he was diagnosed with cancer (Burkitts Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma). He completed chemotherapy in September and in March the following year with his galloping cob Mulry’s Error competed in his first three-star since diagnosis. The pair completed three Badmintons. In 2019 with Shadow Man, he was crowned National Champion after second place in the British Open at Gatcombe.

Ben also competes in showjumping – which he describes as his hobby. He and Shadow Man have competed in the international meetings at Hickstead, Bolesworth and Keysoe.

His father Steve was a British National champion in motocross and also competed in formula Ford, legend and stock car racing. Ben trains with Bettina Hoy

Shadow Man owned by Ben and his father Steve is a 15-year-old Belgian-bred BWP registered gelding. He is jumping bred by Fidjy of Colors (a son of Le Tot de Semilly) out of a mare by the leading international showjumper Winningmood. He was acquired by Steve Hobday as a three-year-old and has since been produced by Ben. He was 10^th is the World seven-year-old championship at Le Lions in 2017 and in 2019 won Ben the tile of National Champion at Gatcombe. Last year he was loaned to friend Christopher Burton as a potential ride of the Olympic Games – the pair won individual silver. He is described by Ben as ‘the most beautiful animal in the world’.