Breen beats Funnell to Grand Prix honours

Shane Breen ended Hickstead’s September Tour on a high by winning the Breen Equestrian All England Grand Prix on the closing day of the show.

Eight years after winning the title for a first time in 2018 with Clyde VA, Shane took the title for a second time thanks to the homebred BE Alcantara.

Only four of the 59 starters conquered Nigel Jess’s challenging first round course, with first drawn Shane setting a very quick time of 40.51sec in the jump-off. Sally Goding (Spring Willow), William Whitaker (Cristallos Double Take) and William Funnell (Billy Tutu) all gave it a good shot by jumping clear and just falling short of the winning time, with Funnell and Billy Tutu crossing the finish exactly one second after Shane’s time to take second place.

It was a similar story to the Grand Prix at last month’s Al Shira’aa British Young Horse Championships, which Shane won on CSF Thomascourt Zena, while Funnell and Billy Tutu finished second.

BE Alcantara is a 10-year-old mare by Colmar, and Shane describes her as a ‘family horse’ as she’s also been competed by Shane’s daughter, Darcy. “It’s nice with the homebreds to see them come through. She’s really starting to grow up and become a real winner,” said Shane. “She’s got very clever in the ring, and I can really let the hand brake off.”

Jockey Georgina Ellis is no stranger to going fast, and she proved it by winning Saturday’s Douglas Bunn 1.35m Challenge with Fireball X and coming fourth with second ride Crosiere.

Georgina (nee Andrews) is regarded as the best female point-to-point jockey of all time, and she has ridden more than 100 winners under Rules. She describes showjumping as her ‘summer hobby’, with her Hickstead results including a second place in this class in 2023, and a third in this year’s British Speed Derby on Crosiere.

Drawn first to go in this year’s renewal of the Douglas Bunn 1.35m Challenge, which features many of the same fences at the Al Shira’aa Derby set at a lower height, Georgina and Fireball X set the standard with a fast clear round (88.69sec) that none of the other 18 competitors could match. Lucy Townley and Lizzie Bunn’s Billy Be Boss added the only other clear, finishing second in a time of 92.64sec.

“It’s a class I really enjoy,” said Georgina. “I rode both horses in the Speed Derby in June, so got a feel for some of the fences and the arena. They both jumped brilliant rounds today, but Fireball especially deserved that because he’s been placed loads of times and never managed to win, so it's great for him. He’s my horse of a lifetime.”

Harriet Biddick has had plenty of success here over the years, and it looks like she has another Hickstead superstar in the making with Stephanie Bristow’s Baluchi Lancer, winner of the All England Seven Year Old Championship.

Despite being drawn first to go in the jump-off, Harriet was able to put the pressure on her rivals with a fast time of 41.51sec.

“I thought I've just got to set a fair standard, and that's what he did. There was the best list of fast riders coming in after me, so it was definitely stressful,” said Harriet.

The next outing for Belucci’s is the Grade C final at HOYS, and Harriet is hopeful for a bright future in the sport. “I think he's going to be a lovely eight-year-old to watch next year. He’s done the county shows this year, so I knew he's brave on the grass, and a big arena like Hickstead suits him.”

Gemma Stevens, winner of Friday’s Breen Equestrian 1.40m Open with Warrior Special, added a second win of the week in the Stoner Jewellers All England 1.20m Open Championship with catch ride Coolnorran Cooley.

She was standing in for the horse’s owner, Prue Dawes, who’d had a head injury, and Gemma only competed the event horse for the first time in the qualifying class on Saturday. “I train Prue and know this horse really well, he’s just a wonderful horse in every way,” said Gemma. “Prue has done such an amazing job with him. He's so easy to ride, so confident, so careful, and so much fun. Yesterday was the first time he's ever been against the clock, and he really enjoyed it, and today he was like a duck to water.”  

Kirsty Short had her first International Arena win when Melody Chillout landed the All England Novice Championship, ahead of Bryony Crippen who was second and third place with Market Athena and Market All Star respectively. Allana Clutterbuck also enjoyed her first main ring victory when winning the All England 1.30m Open Championship with Newman J, finishing top of the seven-strong jump-off.

The KEP Italia 1.10m Amateur Championship went to Bryony Jones and Billy Kvitfjell, while the 1.20 Amateur title was won by Alana Collett and Rathbride Millie. The final class of the day, the Spidge Photography All England 1.00m Open Championship, went to former jockey Frankie Penford and catch ride Aragon Des Dames Z. 

For full results click here.