We take a look back at the best moments from the show ring at the 2022 Royal International Horse Show
View Point catches the judges’ eyes
Good things come in fours – as the saying almost goes. That’s certainly the case for prolific hunter View Point, who is a four-time HOYS supreme hunter victor and a four-time Royal Windsor Champion. He also gave Cheshire showman Robert Walker his fourth British Horse Society Supreme Ridden Horse Championship at Hickstead last summer, on what happened to be the hunter’s fourth outing of the season!
A few days after winning their record fourth hunter championship at HOYS, Robert and View Point went forward to the Supreme Championship, the title they had won 12 months earlier. After lifting the trophy for a second time, it was announced that the 11-year-old bay gelding was to be retired to the hunting field – and indeed, what was left for him to achieve in the show ring after so much success?
But while the spotlights dimmed on his remarkable career in October, back at the Longines Royal International Horse Show in July his star had never burned brighter. Robert and View Point had picked up their supreme ticket in Thursday’s Saracen Horse Feeds Supreme Hunter Championship, before coming forward for Sunday’s best in show. The handsome bay caught the eye of the panel of judges, which included British Horse Society President Martin Clunes, Hickstead patron Sue Bunn and breeder Michael Maryan. They awarded the hunter 29 points, which put them equal with Danielle Heath and hack victor Forgelands Hydepark.
A thrilling ride-off ensued, with both Robert and Danielle going all out to take the title. Robert went for good old-fashioned horsemanship, showing off his hunter’s balance, rideability and effortless gallop, while Danielle impressed by riding one-handed, then galloping along the arena before returning to a halt and dropping both reins to showcase her hack’s immaculate manners. After a fierce deliberation by the judges, Robert was declared the champion with Danielle taking the reserve.
“He owes the owner and myself nothing,” said Robert after his win. “This is his fourth outing this season and he has won all four. He is just a horse of a lifetime.”
Two in hand for Danielle
While she ultimately just missed out on the British Horse Society Supreme Horse title, Danielle Heath had the accolade of qualifying two horses for the final. As well as her hack victor Forgelands Hydepark, Danielle also took the De La Hey Family Supreme Riding Horse championship with the nine-year-old bay Times Square II. It was the first time the Cheshire-based show producer had won the Riding Horse class at Hickstead. “He’s called Monkey at home, because he’s so cheeky. He’s got a brilliant character and it shows when he’s in the ring,” said Danielle.
Bowing out in style
Mia Donaldson and Wilderness Early Bird took the Supreme Products Supreme Pony championship, for the second year in a row. The Leeman Family BSPS Supreme Show Pony victors were awarded 28 points from the judges to land them the overall supreme title.
Mia and her pony became the first partnership to win the Dick Saunders Trophy two years in a row. Fellow riding pony champion Dance All Night also scored consecutive wins, but with Lucinda Elliot winning in 2013 and her sister Sami victorious in 2013.
After their win in the International Arena, Mia announced that it was to be her final season on the 13-year-old mare. “She’s amazing, she just loves to perform in that ring. There was a lot more pressure on us this year, having won last year, it’s amazing to come back and get the title again,” she said.
The pair also won the Harrison Civil Engineering BSPS Supreme Ridden Anglo and Part-Bred Arab Championship, giving them an impressive double of championships as well as crowning off a brilliant week with the supreme win.
Another double
Another pairing to win the same championship two years running were the Show Hunter Pony champions, Merrycorner Mister Bui and Zara Brookes, who also went on to be awarded the reserve championship in the Supreme Pony final. Zara also had another win in the Jackson Fine Homes Ltd BSPS Intermediate Show Hunter Championship with Good Idea, who also won the Culford Lodge Commodities Small Hunter Championship, this time with Robert Walker in the plate.
Crescendo rises to the occasion
Producer Jayne Ross is no stranger to success at the All England Jumping Course, with an impressive five Winston Churchill Trophies to her name. At the 2022 Longines Royal International Horse Show she was third in the overall supreme with the beautiful nine-year-old mare KBF Crescendo. She was another to score two class wins in a week, finishing champion in Tuesday’s Oyster Wealth Planning Supreme Skewbald and Piebald Indian Trail championship, then going on to take the top spot in the Ladies’ Hunter class.
Like father, like son
Sandra Burton won the Corroconsult BSPS Heritage M&M Supreme Ridden Championship on Aniar Cashel, a nine-year-old grey Connemara stallion – five years after taking the same title with his sire Banks Timber. “I was champion here with the sire of this one, Banks Timber, in 2017 and I didn’t ever think I’d be here winning it again with his son, it’s just amazing,” she said.
Magnificent Magnifico
The Surrey Envelopes Supreme Cob Championship was won in fine style by Justine Armstrong-Small, on Lauren Cunningham’s Horton’s Magnifico. The eight-year-old had come third on his first visit to Hickstead 12 months earlier. “He’s a true heavyweight, he enjoys the ring and he takes everything in his stride,” said Justine.
Noble winners
Hickstead is well known for its challenging working hunter tracks, with only the very best horses and ponies jumping producing those elusive clear rounds. Last summer’s Royal International saw two riders lift their respective championships for the first time, and both winners carried the same prefix. Eleanor Hirst won the Saracen Horse Feeds Supreme Working Hunter Championships on her own 11-year-old grey heavyweight Noble Gladiator, while young showjumper Ruby Ward took the LG Show Team BSPS Supreme Working Hunter Pony Championship on the seven-year-old roan 143cm victor, Noble Ronan.
Mini stars
Lilly-Mae Howard was six years old last summer when she became a Hickstead champion – haven taken the honours in the the Peter & Pip Baker-Beall BSPS Supreme Mini Pony Championship with Woodview Iola. Two years earlier, Lilly-Mae made headlines when qualifying for the Longines Royal International Horse Show at the age of just four!
This article was first published in July 2023
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