Which horses and riders were the most popular to watch in 2021?
Find out in our Top 10 Most Viewed XC Videos 2021 Countdown
In 2016, the first year that we introduced our Cross Country Search Box, enabling people to search and view videos by horse or rider name, we started tracking which were most viewed videos on our website.
The results have shown pretty clearly over the past few years that amateur riders often feature at the top of the XC Videos shown on our website and in 2019 we introduced two sets of Top 10; the most viewed cross country videos on our website and also the most viewed cross country videos on our Facebook page as both are very popular!
The main difference is of course that we choose which cross country videos are shown on our Facebook page (and are usually winners of events) whereas the videos on our website are those purchased by riders
In our 2020 Countdown, a 14.2 pony and a Tokyo Olympic medallist took the top honours - who will it be in 2021?
Although our stats are based on views only during 2021, three of this year's top 10 are from previous years (we find that many people are buying their videos years after they were filmed, possibly as mementoes or if they are selling their horse), amateur riders once again feature heavily in our website stats but we also have three Olympians in this year's website countdown too
So, we are now revealing our website and Facebook Top 10 viewed videos in 2021 in reverse order ....
Number 1
Website - Scott Coyle
Not only did Scott Coyle and Nic Nac Paddy Mac finish sixth in the BE100 at Richmond (1) but he also topped our 2021 Cross Country Video Countdown riding Nic Nac Paddy Mac, who deserves an award for his name as well!
Congratulations to Scott, who brings on young horses for sale at his base at Ballindean Farm in Scotland and obviously has quite a following!
Facebook - Piggy March
At Number One on our Facebook stats is European Individual silver and team gold medallist Piggy March who started the year on a roll at Oasby Elite.
The five class winners gave a very good indications of how the year would pan out with Oliver Townend on Ballaghmor Class, Laura Collett on London 52, Nicola Wilson on JL Dublin and Piggy March all taking wins.
Piggy won two Open Intermediate sections on both Fonbherna Lancer and Brookfield Inocent but it was the ride on Fonbherna Lancer that took the top spot. Watch them make it look easy ….
Number 2
Website - Jayde Mckinnon
Australia rules the Number 2 spot! There is no mistaking those wide blue skies in the first video of Jayde Mckinnon riding Le Grande Andres at Tamborine (1) 2021.
Jayde finished fourth in the EvA95 U21 class at a lush Tamborine in May 2021, after a great ride through the scenic Queensland cross country course at the Australian home of Tokyo 2020 team silver medallist, Kevin McNab
Facebook - Megan Jones
Another very well-known Australian Olympic medallist is in the Number 2 spot on Facebook after Megan Jones scooped the first Australian CCI4* of 2021 at Tonimbuk International Horse Trials.
South Australia’s Megan traditionally makes the long trip to Tonimbuk to kick start her season and once again showed her experience on Kirby Park Impress, taking the win with just 1.6 time penalties on cross country
Number 3
Website - Antonia Pink
We’re now getting to the pointy end of the countdown and, while we have three big names topping the podium in our Facebook stats, the amateur eventing riders have risen like cream to the top of the website stats
Two very popular northern events – Belsay International in Northumberland and Blair Castle in Scotland – are featured in third place with Antonia Pink riding Willma in the BE90 at Belsay 2019
Facebook - Rosie Fry
Dorset-based Rosie Fry posted the best international result of her career, simultaneously putting her Blair demons to bed, when she claimed the CCI4*L aboard her Aunt Di White-Hamilton's home-bred 10-year-old True Blue Too II at Blair Castle in 2021
Nine years ago, Rosie went into the showjumping phase at Blair in the lead on another horse, but a dislodged four fences plummeted her down the order. This year all the poles stayed in their cups and a delighted Rosie completed with more than a fence in hand over the rest of the field.
Number 4
Website - Chloe Robinson
This won’t be the last time we’ll watch a video from Richmond (1) 2021 in this countdown as the popular North Yorkshire event has also proved popular for videos to watch on our website
Chloe Robinson blitzed around the BE100 course at Richmond in May for 12th place overall but Chloe obviously could not have been happier with the 14.2h Irish bred mare who gets plenty of praise as they eat up the course
Facebook - Charlotte Cooke
Over on Facebook, one of the most famous ponies in the world with two European gold medals to his name, took the fourth spot with his win at Blair Castle
Previously ridden by Ellie and Finn Healy, Charlotte Cooke was the luckiest girl in the world when Midnight Dancer II was her Christmas present in 2020. Since then, they have built a great partnership with multiple wins and top six placings in 2021, including this win of the CCI1*-S at Blair Castle International
Number 5
Website - Clare Corney
The video of Clare Corney and Ballybough Bobati, coming at Number 5 on the website, is a bit of a mystery.
It looks like a lovely ride around the BE80 course at Chilham Castle (1) in May and Clare’s happy face at the end seems to indicate a smooth round, but the results show an elimination!
Maybe a missed jump or jumped the wrong fence? We’re not sure but, if you see this Clare, we’d love to know the story!
Facebook - Oliver Townend
That the World Number One Oliver Townend is in the top five of our countdown is much less of a mystery.
Oliver and the seven-year-old mare who finished in the top 10 in both the British Young Horse Championship and World Young Horse Championship at Le Lion in 2021, Cooley Rosalent, had a good win earlier in the year in the CCI3*-S at Burnham Market International. This is how they did it
Number 6
Website - Austin O'Connor
And yet another Olympian at Number Six! Ireland’s Austin O’Connor took Cathal Daniels’ last minute withdrawal team spot at Tokyo 2020, riding Colorado Blue but in our cross country video countdown, he is on board a much less experienced horse
Riding the five-year-old Sir Ancelotti in the BE90 Open at Swalcliffe Park 2020 at the horse’s first ever competition, Austin pilots the green horse around the track and you can see Sir Ancelotti positively growing in confidence as he makes his way around his first cross country track
Facebook - Yasmin Ingham
Talking of the Olympics, Yasmin Ingham has said all along that Banzai Du Loir was bought with the Paris 2024 Olympics in mind, and their win in the CCI4*-L at Blenheim International 2021 moved them one step closer to that goal and gave Yasmin “The best day of my life”
Number 7
Website - Georgina Lowson
Ahead of some big names riding at International events, we have an Australian amateur eventing rider, Georgina Lowson riding the gorgeous Cardashion in the number seven spot on our website stats
Competing at Tamborine (1) 2021 in Queensland, AUS, it is maybe not surprising that the coloured horse Cardashion has garnered so many views as he and Georgina make the EvA95 course looks like a walk in the park
Facebook - Gemma Tattersall
Riding at approximately the same level on the other side of the world is yet another big name on one of her up and coming stars
Gemma Tattersall not only had her big guys out at Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market International Horse Trials but she also took a win on the lovely Chilli Rocks in the BE100. A better bred horse would be hard to find – by Chilli Morning out of Gemma’s Rio mare Quicklook V – who went on to take several more wins during the season at Novice level and his first International CCI2*-S later in the year. One to watch in 2022
Number 8
Website - Cathal Daniels
Ireland’s Cathal Daniels comes in at Number 8 riding Joyce L at Osberton International & Young Horse Championships 2021 in October.
A World Equestrian Games team silver medallist in 2018, Cathal was selected as part of the Irish team at Tokyo 2020 but had the disappointment of a last- minute withdrawal when his mare Rioghan Rua was not 100% just before the dressage.
It looks like he has another great cross country mare in the six-year-old German-bred Joyce L who was competing in the CCI2*-S Young Horse class
Facebook - Tom Jackson
Tom Jackson riding Forrest Gump at South of England (1) had a good win early in the year at South of England (1) in April, when everyone was very pleased to finally be back out eventing after a slow start to the season
Tom and Forrest Gump took the Open Intermediate Section K, ahead of Tim Price on Falco IV who would go on to win the CCI5* at Pau later in the year and where Tom took seventh place on Billy Cuckoo
Number 9
Website - Bella Innes Ker
We’re hailing back to 2018 with the Number 9 on our website views when Bella Innes Ker and Cartown Wallabe finished eighth in the CIC3* (now CCI4*-S) with this great ride at her local Scottish event, the beautiful Blair Castle International.
Bella also took fourth place on Carolyn in the same class that year but it is the 13-year-old Irish bred gelding Cartown Wallabe that takes the honours in this countdown
Facebook - William Fox-Pitt
“Winning was a nice surprise” said William Fox-Pitt when he won the CCIO4* at Houghton International in 2021 “I came here because it had rained, the ground was good, and this year we don't know where else we will run – I thought 'make the most of it'. Little Fire is a good horse and doesn't need to prove himself, but sometimes it's nice to win.
“He's straight forward and doesn't pull - but he was very surprised today when I told him to get on with it... he thought, 'Really? Surely this is plenty fast enough?' I haven't ridden him fast since Badminton 2019 so today was a bit of a surprise for both of us. I haven't been inside the time in a 4*S for about 10 years – it's not one of my goals!”
They don’t seem to be going fast but it’s lovely to watch the master at work!
Number 10
Website - Shane Rose
Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Shane Rose and Stakkino won the CCN3* at Equestriad in May but it was his third place getter, the Duke of Sussex, who takes 10th place on our most watched videos of 2021
Shane, who is one of the organisers of this event as well as busy riding multiple horses, is always great to watch at any level on cross country - enjoy!
Facebook - Amy Gotts-Wheeler on Sharvalley Thunder
Over on our Facebook page, another Australian rider took the number 10 spot with Amy Gotts-Wheeler riding Sharvalley Thunder attracting a lot of attention with her CCI2*-S winning cross country ride at Tonimbuk International Horse Trials 2021
