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Laura Collett and Pippa Funnell take on defending champions in Hickstead eventers’ challenge

Pippa Roome Pippa Roome

    • Top names will take on the defending champions in tomorrow’s feature class at the Royal International Horse Show, as the Hickstead eventers’ challenge entries are released.

    Nicky Hill and the 15.1hh chestnut mare Kilrodan Sailorette, who won class in 2019, will return to defend their title in the Ashby Underwriting-sponsored class after a three-year hiatus due to the show being cancelled or abbreviated in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid-19.

    Tokyo Olympic gold medallist and Badminton Horse Trials winner Laura Collett will ride in the class on Dacapo, recent winner of the CCI4*-L at Millstreet in Ireland.

    Gemma Stevens (née Tattersall) brings forward another horse with good four-star form, Flash Cooley, while Pippa Funnell is on the Hickstead eventers’ challenge entries list with home-bred advanced event horse Billy Wonder.

    Pippa won the first eventing competition at Hickstead, in 1998, when the eventing grand prix pitted eventers against showjumpers and involved jumping a course that went outside the arena. Since 2015, the eventers’ challenge has taken place over a set course within the Hickstead arena, with the track remaining the same every year.

    Among other British competitors in the class tomorrow afternoon (Thursday, 28 July), Helen Witchell will bring forward her five-star horse My Ernie and Felicity Collins, who has been on great form over the past few weeks at Barbury and Aston-le-Walls, is entered on the grey mare Shadow Minnie Moon.

    International riders taking on the class include New Zealand’s Lucy Jackson (Kallio B), France’s Gaspard Maksud (She’s The One) and Brazil’s Ruy Fonseca (Ballypatrick SRS).

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    Pippa Roome
    Pippa Roome

    H&H magazine editor and eventing editor
    Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.
    Pippa Roome

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