For a remarkable 10th time, Louise Bell took the coveted working hunter title at the Royal International Horse Show.
Her winning partner this time was her own Into the Blue who belied his five years to produce a copybook clear round to win his lightweight division at Hickstead.
“He’s been lightly jumped so far, and we had difficulty getting him out recently due to shows being cancelled, but he couldn’t have gone any better today,” said Louise.
The reserve went to the heavyweight winners and 2011 champions Jo Callwood and Thor.
Leon King and Pearl Underwood’s ‘large’ winner Irish-bred Tattygare Watch This Space produced a blistering gallop in the international arena to clinch the riding horse title; the reserve going to Victoria Hesford and Midnight Scoundrel who headed the ‘smalls’.
It was a major disappointment for Jayne Webber when Comberton Clancy was withdrawn after he appeared slightly lame after working in for his large riding horse class.
The M&M WHP title went to Victoria Leavesley riding her nine-year-old Connemara Cashel Bay JJ.
Native ponies also turned out in force for the BSPS flat classes, and young Oliver Fenton sported one of the broadest smiles of the day when Oldacres Lilli first won her lead rein class before going on to take the mini championship.
The charismatic little grey pony was a surprise Christmas present for Oliver three years ago.
Katie Bacon claimed the open championship with her Connemara stallion Galloon Rollover. However, her victory presented her with a major problem.
“This now qualifies us for the supreme championship (Sunday), so I now need the day off,” said Katie.
Brian Higham and Chris Hunnable had three good amateur hunter classes to sort, and their choice for champion was Lucinda Freedman and Mr Mick, with the reserve going to Carolyn Mackness and Lowmoor Playboy.
Results
Leeman working hunter (Mrs R Connors, Mrs W Phipps) lwt. 1 & ch, L Bell’s Into The Blue; 2, P Price’s Warco; 3, H Sloan’s Tinka’s Flash. hwt. 1 & res, J Callwood’s Thor; 2, J Sharp’s Regal Spark; 3, M Cooper’s Anchorman. Garrick Surface Coatings open rh (Miss K Carter, Mrs G Chapman) sml. 1 & res, C Twiston-Davies’s Midnight Scoundrel; 2, Smith & Penn’s Lovestruck; 3, Mr & Mrs Curtis’s Made In Ireland. lge. 1 & ch, P Underwood’s Tattygare Watch This Space; 2, Sea Ocean Field; 3, D’Astaire. BSPS Heritage M&M (Mrs Z Snape, Mr R Sutcliffe) Dartmoor/Exmoor/Shetland. 1, G Rossall’s Treworgan Sandpiper; 2, P Starkie’ Pumphill Bennet; 3, S Rawsthorn’s PHI. Welsh A/B. 1, S Manners’s Bronheulog Harvey; 2, K Scott’s Cadlan Valley Sandpiper; 3, P Starkie’s Holyoake Enchantment. New Forest/Connemara. 1 & ch, K Bacon’s Galloon Rollover; 2, S Kivlochan’s Braemar Be Lucky; 3, C Dugmore’s Prince Nestor. Fell/Dales/Highland. 1 & res, Waterside Black Prince; 2, J Minns’s Castlehill Raven; 3, C Dawson’s Sunnybrowe Prince. Welsh C/D. 1, L Bigley’s Llanarth Seldom Seen; 2, J Knight’s Renvarg Maverick; 3, C Thorpe’s Lynbrie Welsh Lord. Heritage mini (Mr D Puttock, Mrs E Morgan) LR. 1 & ch, V Fenton’s Oldacres Lilli; 2 & res, V Clark’s Coxwood Fabian Steadman; 3, G Baxandall’s Nantlais Bonheddwr Charlie. FR. 1, E Lister’s Dykes Diplomead. NPS/PRP Equestrian Rescue M&M WHP (Mrs S Hore, Mrs J Webb) 122cm. 1 & res, S Hughes’s Pumphill Buckthorn; 2, J Armson’s Hanmere Showman; 3, M Shepherd’s Carmilo Magician. 138cm. 1, H Somerset’s Tyan Tullamore; 2, C Harrison’s Furzley Charaide; 3, S Manners’s Bronheulog Harvey. exc 138cm. 1 & ch, R Leavesley’s Cashel Bay JJ; 2, A Bebbington’s Willoway Court Jester; 3, F Aston’s Nimbus Blaise. O’Connell amateur hunter (Mr C Hunnable, Mr B Higham) lwt. 1 & ch, L Freedman’s Mr Mick; 2, I Darcy’s Diamond Hill II; 3, Z Turner’s Hoppy Jumping. mwt. 1 & res, P Duncan’s Lowmoor Playboy; 2, Yandle & Simpson’s Sugar Roland; 3, P Coles’s Redwood Ash. hwt. 1,R Harvey’s Welcome Back Elvis; 2, C Ford’s Punchestown; 3, S Tait’s Foxcourt All Talk.
