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‘I want a horse to make me feel a million dollars on board’: meet the 2025 Royal International amateur hunter judge
In the next of our exclusive articles for H&H subscribers on what the judges will be looking for in specific classes at the Agria Royal International Horse Show, amateur hunter ride judge Lesley Whitehall shares details about her equestrian background, what tempted her out of retirement last year, and what she will be prioritising at Hickstead
The Royal International (RIHS) amateur hunter judges have a tough job as seasoned competitors go head to head for coveted titles, and competition is hot! 2025 Royal International amateur hunter judge Lesley Whitehall will be assessing each horse’s ride. She’ll be officiating alongside conformation judge Michael Maryan.
Meet the 2025 Royal International amateur hunter ride judge
“My father was a builder,” says Lesley, “so we didn’t go on holiday as children – we went to shows. As a family, we’d all go off showing in an old Bedford TK wagon. There was no living and we had a gas stove outside. It was such fun!”
Lesley and her brother shared their first pony – a roan that cost £90 – and they “did a bit of everything with it, from gymkhana to Pony Club.”
“I’ve still got my first ever rosette,” she says. “It’s pink with a chip stain!”
In 1976, her parents bought the siblings a “proper pony”. The proper pony was a 12.2hh Welsh section B called Crawel Souflette who campaigned the local and county circuit. The pair qualified for Olympia in 1978 and though they were placed, they were also disgraced when she took off in the lap of honour. This earned the pair a mention in the National Pony Society (NPS) Annual Journal!
Her trainer at the time was the great Donald Owen. Lesley went on to have many super ponies, such as Keston Oliver, who was sixth at both RIHS and Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).
After leaving school, she worked for the Weatherby family with their hunters and point-to-pointers, and then spent a decade producing horses alongside Nigel Oliver, including RIHS winning small hunter Cornish Sovereign.
A spell working for Jo Jenkins – or “Mrs J” – followed. Lesley enthusiastically recalls competing at 131 shows during one season, collecting 80 championships and 20 reserves.
“It was exhausting, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. We had beautiful horses – like Dicki Boggledyke – and it really was such fun.”
Lesley also enjoyed competing at HOYS, riding home-bred Groveside Casanova into second place in the hack ranks.
“I rode Ali Tate’s ladies horse Shambo River King to lots of success,” she adds.
It was one of Ali’s horses that persuaded Lesley to come out of retirement last year. She rode Commodus to win at Royal Cornwall and Great Yorkshire in the ladies ranks.
Lesley’s judging experiences
Lesley began judging in the late 90s and sits on the Sport Horse Breeding (SHB (GB)), British Show Horse Association (BSHA) and British Skewbald and Piebald Association (BSPA) panels.
“I did the riding horses at HOYS shortly after probationing and have been back to do the hacks and cobs since. I’ve also judged the Grand Nationals in Sydney twice and in South Africa five or six times.”
This will be Lesley’s second time on the bounce at RIHS, as she judged the heavyweight hunters last year.
“I love it. I like to see it as giving back to a sport I’ve loved and been loyal to. I try to be fair and have a nice time with competitors,” she says, adding jokingly, “I’m an aged old bird who likes to enjoy a day out and other people’s horses!”
So what will she be looking for on the day?
Competitors will need to command Lesley’s attention.
“They’ll need to sell it to me,” she says. “I’ll want the person on board to be smiling and see an overall picture of enjoyment.
“When they enter the ring, I like to see a nice walk with a bit of presence. As they go through the gears, they’ll need to go across the ground. I don’t mean going fast, I mean they will need to be naturally ground covering.”
Horses will need to be in self-carriage, too: “I don’t want to see the rider having to kick, kick, kick away and I don’t like them to be leaning or strong either.”
Once on board, Lesley wants to sit behind “pricked ears” on a horse that takes her “forwards with purpose”.
She explains: “I have to go through the gears – up through trot and canter – so I need to start off in a good walk. I don’t care about a horse going a bit ‘pokey nosed’ as long as it’s taking me forwards, enjoying itself, and giving me a nice feel.
“I want a horse to make me feel a million dollars on board!”
Be warned, one Lesley’s pet hates is thin, or pony reins on horses.
“I hate them!” she says. “I want proper reins and pedals that go short enough! I like to ride short!”
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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.
