Royal International Horse Show: All the action and results

Great Britain storms to Nations Cup victory

Great Britain won its home leg of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup series at Hickstead for the first time since 2010.

The British squad of Ben Maher (Exit Remo), Tim Gredley (Medoc De Toxandria), John Whitaker (Equine America Unick de Francport) and Harry Charles (Casquo Blue) were on dominant form to lift the Edward, Prince of Wales Trophy, finishing on a team total of just four faults.

Anchorman Harry Charles delivered two faultless rounds, exactly as he had done 12 months earlier, to share in the €50,000 double clear bonus. The last time Britain won the Hickstead Nations Cup in 2010, Harry's father Peter Charles had been on the winning team, and he was there to witness his son match his feat. "It’s my first Nations Cup win, and I’m so happy for all the boys, and for Di," said Harry. "I think for months this has been our goal, so when a plan comes together like it did today, it’s a real sense of achievement. It's a really special day.”

Harry's team mates were on equally strong form, with Ben delivering a clear round in the first round, and John and Tim delivering clears in the second. “I think we’ve had good vibes all week, and we felt quietly confident," said John, 67. "The first time I came to Hickstead was in 1970 or ’71 with a pony. But today was – after all those years – probably the best day.”

Britain's chef d'equipe admitted to shedding a tear after the emotional win. “It’s ideal when you get this combination of experience and youth," she said. "When we have Ben leading us out, it gives us all a great spring in our step to start with – we’ve all got confidence in him to go out first wherever we’re drawn. It was fabulous to have him in the team this week.

"Tim’s come to the top with us this year; he’s been in the winning team several times, so it’s absolutely fabulous. My third member John clinched it for us – his reputation goes well before him. And I’m so proud of Harry. Twice now, he’s been my anchor rider and delivered so well. I couldn’t be more pleased for him. At this age, he’s showing such a maturity.”

It was the first time Tim Gredley had been on a team at Hickstead. "I used to come here when I was doing working hunter classes – and one of the reasons I got into showjumping is because of watching the likes of John riding on the team here when I was 13 or 14. To actually be here jumping on a team with him, Ben and Harry was a bit of a surreal experience.”

For reigning Olympic champion Ben Maher, it ticked off another of his career goals - having won many of Hickstead's feature classes including the Longines King George V Gold Cup and the Hickstead Derby - the Nations Cup was one of the few accolades he was yet to win. "It was an amazing team to be part of, and an amazing day," he said.

The competition had remained tight throughout the first round, with France, Great Britain and Ireland sharing the lead at the half-way stage on just four faults apiece. Ireland’s hopes were delivered a blow in round two when Shane Breen picked up eight faults on Cuick Star Kervec and second rider Mark McAuley was eliminated following his round, though two clears from Jack Ryan (BBS McGregor) and Daniel Coyle (Legacy) meant the team finished in the runner up spot on 12 faults. France slipped down the leaderboard to third with 16 faults, with Sweden fourth, the USA in fifth and Germany, Brazil and Italy completing the line-up.

Following their win Great Britain has leapt up the European Division One leaderboard to sit in third place, behind Germany and Switzerland, with another opportunity to pick up points at the next leg of the Nations Cup series in Dublin in August.

In the opening class, the Clipmyhorse.TV CSIYH1* 2nd Qualifier, Nicole Lockhead Anderson and the impressive seven-year-old Conthargo PS finished best of the 34 competitors. Nicole’s decisive clear in a time of 69.89sec was nearly 1.5sec faster than second-placed John Crippen and Bennys Kelly.

The Agria Royal International Stakes went to Germany’s Richard Vogel, making his first appearance at the Longines Royal International Horse Show.

Drawn third to go on the 14-year-old Evermeta, Richard produced a blazingly fast early round of 62.12 seconds that none of the 39 other competitors in the class could match.

“She’s not a very patient horse, but it’s that quality that makes her so fast,” said Richard, who has only been partnered with the fourteen-year-old Dutch-bred mare for a few months. “The moment she clears each fence she’s like, ‘okay, where’s the next one?’ She doesn’t lose any time.”Though the new partnership is proving to be successful, Richard wasn’t initially convinced by owner Viktor Nyiri’s pitch to take her on.

“I have a couple of other horses for the owner, and he said, ‘I think you’d be a great match’,” he said. “I doubted it a bit at the beginning, because I only saw videos of her – but he persuaded me to give her a try, and the first time I rode her, I liked her very much. She’s such a fighter with a brilliant mind.”Britain’s Matt Sampson was second, finishing on 65.51sec with the 13-year-old KWPN Fabrice DN.

Whitaker’s winning start

Yorkshire’s Tom Whitaker won the feature class at Thursday’s Longines International Horse Show at Hickstead.

Riding the talented seven-year-old Colliers Carlotta, Tom took the spoils in the British Showjumping Winter Grades B & C Championship. The pair were one of six combinations to jump clear in the opening round, and their time of 38.52sec was enough to relegate Ireland’s Trevor Breen (Glenard Kannendro) into second place.

“She’s always been a good horse, to be honest – I was just lucky enough to get the ride on her this year,” said Tom of the mare, who is owned by the Crimbourne Stud. “They just approached me out of nowhere and asked me to ride it, and I was delighted.

"She’s a proper winner. She’s very quick, with a massive stride, and she’s very careful – I think she’s one of the best I’ve ever had, actually. You always feel you’ve got a good chance to win when you’re on top of her, so I’m very excited about her,” added Tom, who is now based near Hickstead at Hascombe Equestrian Centre.

Earlier, eight-year-old Annabel Widdowson won the Pro Ponies UK BS Winter 128cms Championship. Annabel is one of the youngest riders ever to qualify for this prestigious finale, so to take the win against riders several years older than her was an impressive feat.

Riding her 22-year-old pony Bunbury Conquest, Annabel was the last competitor to go, and she blazed her way round clear to cross the finish line in a time of 41.63sec, 0.08sec faster than runner-up Portia Taylor Wilson (Doylan Honey Glint).

“Questy’s a fabulous pony – he has a connection with me. We’ve bonded because we’re both firecrackers; we both like to dare each other,” said Annabel.

Showjumping’s something of a family affair for Annabel: her grandparents, Gary and Beverley Widdowson, own Big Star, the now-retired Olympic gold medal-winning mount of British showjumping legend Nick Skelton.

Glaswegian teenager Lucy Capper travelled 500 miles to compete at Hickstead. Riding Playboy van de Zoetewei, Lucy took the win in the Pony of The Year BS Winter 138cm Championship after delivering a fast clear jump-off in a time of 38.56sec.

“It’s my first time at Hickstead, and he was such a star,” said the 14-year-old. “I couldn’t have asked for anything more from him.”

The first class of the day was the Oakley Coachbuilders BS Winter Grade JC Championship, which saw a line-up of 25 of the country’s best young riders and ponies compete for top honours.

In the end it was local rider Lauren Wilkins who lifted the trophy, delivering a 39.07sec jump-off round with Eloclea Ro Del Colle San Marco.

“It’s just incredible,” said Lauren, who first teamed up with the now-nine-year-old mare two years ago after sourcing her in Italy. “She was a bit cautious at the beginning [of the class], but she got the hang of it pretty well – and I think I rode it pretty well,” she said. “She covers the ground so well, and so it was across the ground that I was able to make up the time in the jump-off. I just needed to push on a bit between the fences.”

That speed between jumps allowed her to finish over a second and a half ahead of her nearest competitors, young showjumping prodigy Tabitha Kyle with Coppenagh Khaleesi, and Imogen Rome and her driving-pony-turned-showjumper Eden Ace, both of whom finished on a time of exactly 40.64 seconds.

Katie Speller and Be Warnham won the SEIB British Showjumping Winter Novice Championship. The pair were one of just five to go through to the jump-off, and they won by three-quarters of a second ahead of Michaela Scott (Eddie G Z).

“I've jumped in there a few times now and it's never actually gone to plan – so it's nice to finally have a good result! It’s the horse’s first time in there, and he just seemed to love it as well,” said a delighted Katie.

Speller takes novice title

Katie Speller and BE Warnham claimed victory in the SEIB British Showjumping Winter Novice Championship.

This class was the one she really wanted to try to win. And that’s exactly what she did: riding the 6-year-old BE Warnham, she was one of five to go through to the jump-off, which she won by three-quarters of a second.

“I've jumped in there [the iconic International Arena] a few times now and it's never actually gone to plan – so it's nice to finally have a good result! It’s the horse’s first time in there and he seemed to love it as well,” said a delighted Katie.

She has worked for Hickstead-based Irish rider Shane Breen for four years, specialising in producing promising young horses.

“Shane has really given me a chance and has given me some very nice young and older horses to ride. We work together and he helps me a lot – it’s a really good set-up as you're always learning something.”

BE Warnham, who Shane has long considered to have star quality, is one such ride.

“I rode him when he was a 4-year-old, just for a little bit, and then I started riding him again this year,” said Katie. “He’s well-bred with a lot of blood and we turn him out in the field, so he's calmer and a little bit more manageable, but he just has so much scope and he's so smart – he knows where his legs are, and you know that you can turn and go as fast as you can and he's just going to try.”

That willingness meant that Katie’s primary job in the tight jump-off was simply to let him do what he does best.

“I had to just kind of trust him. [Showjumping coach] Michael Quirk said to me, ‘He's a quick horse – don't do anything silly. Just stay tight and feel what he's telling you he can do’. So, I did that, and then had to just keep my cool and steady again, so as not to have the last fence down.”

Wilkins gains biggest win

Lauren Wilkins scores the biggest win of her career with the Oakley Coachbuilders British Showjumping Winter JC/JD Championship title

The Longines Royal International Horse Show at the All-England Jumping Course at Hickstead got off to a flying start with this Championship, which saw a line-up of 25 of the country’s best young riders and ponies compete for top honours.

After a fierce fight for the fastest time, local rider Lauren Wilkins, 15, from Billinghurst, lifted the trophy, delivering a super-quick jump-off round with Eloclea Ro Del Colle San Marco.

“It’s just incredible,” said Lauren, who first teamed up with the now-9-year-old mare two years ago after sourcing her in Italy. Since then, they’ve been making a mark in 1.20m classes – and have stepped up to 1.30m, too.

“She’s going to be a really good pony,” added Lauren, who explained that the talented mare also likes to keep her on her toes. “She can be a little bit wired, but then sometimes she’s like a dobbin – you never know!”

When Lauren re-entered the ring for her jump-off round as one of just five to jump clear in round one, she felt her pony grow in strength and confidence.

“She was a bit cautious at the beginning [of the class], but she got the hang of it pretty well – and I think I rode it pretty well,” she said. “She covers the ground so well, it was across the ground that I was able to make up the time in the jump-off. I just needed to push on a bit between the fences.”

That speed between jumps allowed her to finish with 1.57 seconds in hand over her nearest rivals, young showjumping prodigy Tabitha Kyle with Coppenagh Khaleesi, and Imogen Rome and her driving-pony-turned-jumping-phenomenon Eden Ace, both of whom dead-heated on time.

Scala’s champagne moment on Supernova

Ireland’s Fred Scala produced a masterful round on Corriebeg Supernova to win the Ashby Underwriting Eventers’ Challenge, while last year’s victor Gemma Stevens had to settle for second and third place.

It was the first time Fred had taken part in the class at the Longines Royal International Horse Show, though he has always wanted to compete here at Hickstead. “I wanted to do this class forever growing up. This class was always a highlight each year, so it's just been a dream to win,” said the 34-year-old rider, who is from Co Carlow but is now based in Derbyshire.

Although Fred incurred a 4sec penalty for knocking the second part of the Devil’s Dyke, he crossed the line in a time of 128.84sec to go into the lead. For a moment it looked like defending champions Gemma Stevens and Flash Cooley, last to go, might knock Fred off the top spot – but when she also picked up a 4sec time penalty at the final fence, her time of 129.59sec relegated her to second place. She also produced the fastest round of the day on her other ride Santiago Bay, but with two fences down they finished on a total time of 130.52sec.

Gemma remained philosophical at missing out on back-to-back titles. “It’s not a bad day in the office, taking second and third – and it never gets old going in that arena. I’ve been incredibly lucky over the last couple of years and I've had plenty of spins round there in different classes, and honest to God, it never gets old cantering up the chute into the main arena. It’s just awesome,” she said.

Fred gave effusive thanks to the organisers and sponsors of this popular eventing showcase. “It was just great fun, and such a fun class – fast, a great course, the ground was amazing, the atmosphere was amazing, and the crowd was amazing,” he said.

Young Lottie loves Hickstead

Though most of her competitors in the Hickstead RIHS Amateur Championship were twice her age, 12-year-old Lottie Adams felt nothing but calm resolve when she rode into Hickstead’s iconic Longines International Arena this morning aboard Evotion.

It was only after she delivered a foot-perfect clear round, in the fastest time of the day, that the emotions began to rush in, and there was a hitch in her voice as she hugged and praised the 8-year-old mare.

“I’m really happy, and I’m really proud of my mare,” said Lottie, who lives in neighbouring village Hassocks. The young equestrian has known plenty of success in the ring aboard ponies, but her partnership with Evotion – her first-ever horse who is known in the stable as Lottie – is still a relatively new one.

“We’ve only been together for a little bit” explained Lottie. “I’ve been on ponies all my life, and I’ve just moved up to horses – we’re both called Lottie, and we’re like soulmates. We won the qualifier to get here, but this is our first big win together.”

Olympic-dreaming Lottie was well-supported ringside by her trainers Chris Warren and Duncan Gibson, who are also busy equine dental technicians who treat horses around the south-east.

“My trainers always tell me to really go for it, so that’s what I did,” said Lottie. “I just live up the lane, so it’s very special. It was really good to ride in that kind of atmosphere – I really loved it.”

Fourth Queens for Breen at Hickstead

Saturday’s Breen Equestrian Queen Elizabeth II Cup went to Ireland’s Shane Breen and the 11-year-old mare Haya, for the second year in a row.

Eight combinations out of the 28 starters jumped clear in the first round, but it wasn’t until the final three riders – all former winners of the Queen’s Cup – that the jump-off really took flight. Two-time winner David Simpson came in on new ride Flashback VL and shaved more than 2sec off Sammie-Jo Coffin’s leading time. But David knew he was going to be followed by two extremely quick riders in Shane Breen and Harriet Biddick, and when Shane duly produced an effortlessly quick round in 37.42sec it looked very hard to beat.

Harriet, who won the class in 2017 on Galway Bay Jed, was last to go with Night of Glory OL, who has been on excellent form of late with wins in both the International Trial and the Stairway at the New Forest show. Today they produced a relentless pace round the course – but they had to settle for the runner-up spot after crossing the finish in a time of 38.49sec.

Since the class changed from being an international Grand Prix for ladies only to being a national final open to men and women in 2008, Shane has now lifted the Queen Elizabeth II Cup four times in total – 2008, 2013, 2022 and now 2023. He now hopes to equal the late Liz Edgar’s record of five wins in total.

Shane gave tribute to his winning ride, who is owned by Old Lodge Stud. “This one’s maybe better, because it’s Haya’s second time winning,” said Shane. "I thought it’d be nice if she could do the double, and that’s why I chose to keep her for this class. I have a great respect for her – she’s such a nice mare, in every way. She’s so careful, and just an incredible horse to have.”

Harriet Biddick, always a consistent performer at the All England Jumping Course, gave the Old Lodge Stud a one-two thanks to the 13-year-old mare Night of Glory OL. “I’m very pleased with her. I knew it was going to be a hard target to beat, but she jumped another great clear,” she said.

David has only been riding Flashback VL for a few months. “He’s not naturally the quickest horse, especially when you’ve got these two behind you. I wanted to put the clear up and hope they’d make a slip up, but they both delivered, so I ended up third,” he said.

It was a British clean sweep in this morning’s Royal International Salver, with the host nation taking eight of the top nine placings. The win went to 21-year-old Jack Whitaker on Equine America Valmy de la Lande, giving the rider his first Longines International Arena win for more than a decade.

“I knew there was a few fast ones behind me. One of my good mates, Will Edwards, has got a very fast horse, so I thought I had to put the pressure on him – and he just wasn’t fast enough, was he?” joked Jack, who ended up just 0.6sec faster than Edwards. “Valmy’s been my best horse for a few years now. He’s serious, and we know each other inside and out. He was good for me today – I had a few rogue shots in the jump-off, and he took off for me every time. He was on the ball.”

The day's action came to a close with the Royal International Speed Classic. A total of 48 starters came forward for the €25,500 world ranking class, but it was the fifth rider to go who held the lead almost from start to finish. Brazil's Francisco Jose Mesquita Musa and Catch Me Marathon had their second major win of the week, following their victory in Thursday's Royal International Trophy. "My horse gave me a great birthday present," said Francisco, who turned 45 on the day.