Jayne Ross capped a successful day at the Equestrian.com Hickstead Derby today (26 June) by winning both the Alltech Small Hunter Championship and the Ready Supp Supreme Cob Championship.
It was a good day at the office for the Maidenhead-based rider, who won six classes in total.
Mr and Mrs McCourt’s lightweight Cob In Hood, an eight-year-old, stood supreme cob under judge Bridget Millington.
“He’s typical of what you’re looking for in a cob; he’s short coupled and low to the ground, but he’s got a fantastic temperament and good attitude,” said Jayne. “Cob In Hood has a bouncy personality and a cob is meant to be fun but mannerly. He’s got a really good outlook on life and ticks all the boxes.”
In the small hunter championship, Dianne Stennett’s seven-year-old Hello Dolly (pictured, below) was called forward first by judges Andrew Collins (ride) and Moggy Hennessy (conformation) from a line of seven.
“Hello Dolly is a great goer – a rhythmical horse who is very scopey to ride. She’s bang on 15.2hh but rides like a big horse. She has a big front so you can really sit into her and she is so comfortable,” added Jayne.
“Both horses are laidback but they rise to the occasion and the atmosphere in the international arena helps. They seem to pick up on the atmosphere and realise it’s quite an important scenario.”
Woodfield Choice was reserve supreme cob for owner Alison Morton, ridden by William Morton, while K Collosso’s Exploitation stood reserve small hunter with Leon King.
In the Alltech Supreme Riding Horse Championship, Dylan stood champion for Mrs C Spencer with Allister Hood in the saddle. They pipped Jayne Ross, who stood reserve on last year’s Supreme Horse of the Year Show Champion, the Rosettes Direct-owned Broadshard Simplicity.
For full results visit www.hickstead.co.uk
Don’t miss the full Equestrian.com Hickstead Derby showing report in next week’s issue of Horse&Hound, on sale Thursday 2 July.