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‘He lived to jump’: farewell to leading working hunter pony placed at HOYS on every appearance

Alex Robinson Alex Robinson

    • The leading working hunter pony Rebels Flight has died aged 26.

    Connemara gelding Rebels Flight, known at home as Rebel, won accolades over fences at most major shows up and down the country and was a three-time winner of the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) with his rider Sarah Parker.

    Sarah bought Rebel as a three-year-old from a lineage advert in H&H just after she passed her trailer test aged 17. Sarah backed Rebel herself and produced him up the ranks as a mountain and moorland (M&M) working hunter pony.

    Rebel won at the RIHS three times in a row, in 2008, 2009 and 2010, and he was also a runner-up at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). He qualified and was placed at HOYS every year since he first qualified until he last performed there over a decade later.

    Rebel was regularly referred to in the pages of H&H as being Sarah’s “pride and joy” when she was quoted after shows. 

    “I will never forget him making the toughest courses look like a walk in the park,” said Sarah’s good friend, Rebecca Penny. “The bigger the track, the better he jumped and he loved a challenge.

    “He absolutely lived to jump and he used to get so excited about going to a show. He loved nothing more than a big crown and a meaty course.”

    Rebel retired from the show ring aged 19. He has spent the last three years living with Nicola Donaldson who is based down the road from Sarah, helping children with additional needs and doing pony parties.

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    Alex Robinson
    Alex Robinson

    H&H showing editor
    Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 since when she has cemented its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK.
    Alex Robinson

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