Prolific hack champion takes Winston Churchill win

Boston Black Tie and Helen Baker — three-time winners of the Ellena Thomas BSHA Supreme Hack championship — have added the ultimate accolade to their record: the Barberstown Castle Supreme Ridden Horse Championship.

After six days of showing action, the best of the week's champions came through to the judging of the overall supreme, which is held on the final day of the Agria Royal International Horse Show.  

But it was Nicola Faulconbridge's hack victor Boston Black Tie who secured Winston Churchill Cup, scoring 28 points out of a possible 30. They finished just one point ahead of Robert Walker and Full Cry, the Alan Marnie Meta Lounge Ltd SHB (GB) Supreme Hunter champions, who took the reserve.

“I wasn’t expecting that to happen, though you’re always hopeful!” said Helen, whose show combined simple and flying changes, as well as an elegant extension in trot, ridden one-handed. "Now the Irish Bank has gone, there’s so much more room to be seen out in front of the judges. His strength is his trot. It’s his party piece. I just have to stay with him.”

Helen has never taken this title before — although she has finished second, third, fourth and fifth in previous years. “Just to get in there to the Supreme is an honour, it’s a massive achievement," she added. 

Boston Black Tie, whose stable name is DJ, was bred by Stephen Howard, who had travelled down to the showground from Yorkshire to see the gelding win Saturday’s supreme hack title. After his class win, DJ spent the night out in the field with his friends, returning to Hickstead this morning to claim the top accolade.

Sutton Grange Fancy That made a fairytale comeback to the ring for Scottish rider Isla Smith. The show hunter pony victor only returned to showing last year, after a seven-year break, and today he took the Supreme Products Supreme Pony championship.

In the supreme, three ponies were awarded 26 points, with 15-year-old “FT” edging ahead on 27, after scoring a straight run of nines from the panel of three judges.

“He is so special and he loves the gallop,” Isla said. “I was so scared something was going to go wrong in that show, I’m not sure I managed my nerves that well. My heart feels like it’s beating out of my chest! But he loves being back out and big arenas really suit him.”

For the second year in a row, the Surrey Envelopes BSHA Supreme Cob Championship went to Danielle Heath and Isabella Mears Wood’s Mr Vincent, while the BSPS Supreme Show Pony Championship went to Lilly Ahern and Roseberry Picture Perfect. 

For full results click here.