New mum from Cardiff, Tori Thomas, and a horse formerly trained by her Cheltenham Gold Cup winning jockey husband have won a national title at the prestigious Horse of the Year Show at the Birmingham NEC.

Tori and her horse, Wonga Swinger won the 2024 SEIB Insurance Brokers Racehorse to Riding Horse series finale at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) at Birmingham NEC. This series finale was a hotly contested championship with 14 thoroughbred ex-racehorses forward for the championship.

Runners-up in this championship in 2023, Tori and Wonga Swinger have experience of the Main International HOYS Arena. Tori is a new mum to nine-week-old Lily-Rose who was spectating on the day from the sidelines with her grandmother.

Tori said: "Wonga was foot perfect today, it is unbelievable to have won and I'm speechless!"

The pair haven't been to many shows this season because of Tori's pregnancy.

She added: "We went to the SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse qualifier at Burghley on a whim and came second to qualify, earning our ticket for today, and then to Addington before heading here to HOYS. We have been here five times in total and finished in second place last year."

During his racing days, Wonga Swinger was trained by Tori's husband, former Gold Cup winning jockey, Sam Thomas. He twice enjoyed success on the racecourse before retiring.

Tori continued: "Wonga wasn't enjoying the racing so my husband let me have him to go hunting. My mum and auntie have always been into showing so we decided to give it a go. He's the first horse I've really done showing with."

Tori's husband Sam Thomas said: "Wonga Swinger wasn't very successful for me, Tori has absolutely transformed him, the way she has turned him around since he finished racing is amazing."

The SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse championship was set up to give horses a second career following their racing days.