‘He’s got elegance and grace but with the power of a hunter’: lightweight floats to ladies’ title at RIHS 2026
Reigning Derby Meeting champion returns to Hickstead to land the ladies’ hunter spoils at the 2026 Royal International
Lightweight hunter Tigbourne claimed his second sash on Hickstead’s hallowed turf as he and Hannah Horton lifted the ladies’ hunter championship at the 2026 Agria Royal International Horse Show (RIHS).
The pair looked effortlessly elegant, floating around the ring with Tigbourne giving a mannerly yet sparkling performance.
Owned by Lucinda Freedman and Isabel Clifford-Kingsmill, Tigbourne was bred by he late Daphney Thorneycroft. The nine-year-old is sired by Roviris.
He first turned heads at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair as a yearling, standing supreme when fielded by Ann Bassett and the late Tony Wareham. Since then, he has gone on to fulfill that early promise to become a top notch show horse.
A former Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) winner with Hannah astride in the saddle, he has previously stood second in the lightweight ranks here, and claimed his first Hickstead championship at the Derby Meeting earlier this year.
Hannah, who has produced him since a six-year-old said: “He always wants to please and the bond we have is very special.
“He’s a really comfortable ride, so we thought we would give the ladies’ a go. He hasn’t been campaigned much side-saddle – this is his first season, but he’s taken to it like a duck to water. He’s got elegance and grace but with the power of a hunter, and he’s really mannerly but with the showmanship of a champion.”
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In reserve were a more recent pairing: Jill Day’s MHS Morning Master (TJ) and Alice Pimbley, who also looked a picture of elegance together.
Alice and TJ – a former HOYS champion with his producer Robert Walker in the saddle – qualified with an impressive win on the pair’s debut together, and TJ’s first run out ever carrying a side saddle at the Sport Horse Breeding (GB) (SHB (GB)) spring show. They are also HOYS-bound together for the first time.
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Bethan joined Horse & Hound as showing editor in January 2025, after spending two years as Editor for Showing World. Having adored ponies since childhood, she started showing as a teenager and has enjoyed wins at major shows up and down the country, including Royal Highland, New Forest, and the Royal Welsh, as well as HOYS, RIHS and London. She is particularly passionate about Welsh breeds and is also a Welsh language commentator.