British Eventing six-year-old winners: which ones became stars?

Billy-Walk-On-BILLY-WALK-ON-HorseNo160_Aston4_20PN_788_405155301_721968391.jpg — Pippa Funnell riding BILLY WALK ON in A Section D during Aston (4) Horse Trials near Daventry in Northamptonshire in the UK, on the 13th August 2020

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Do young horse class winners go on to be successful at the top level of the sport? It’s a much-asked question, so we decided to delve into the archives and find out what happened to the previous British Eventing six-year-old winners, ahead of this week’s championship (8-11 October 2020).

This class ran at intermediate novice level at Tweseldown initially, before moving to Osberton and becoming a CCI2*-S (previously CIC*). This week’s class runs at Thoresby, as a one-off because of complications related to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Another stallion, Opposition Heracles won the six-year-old class under Dan Jocelyn, but then had a number of different riders including Izzy Taylor, Pippa Funnell, Sam Griffiths, Kitty Boggis (now King) and Kirsty Johnston (now Chabert, pictured above). He was successful up to intermediate and two-star (now three-star) level and he finished third in the CIC3* (now CCI4*-S) at Hartpury in 2006 with Pippa Funnell. His final rider was Yasmin Sanderson and he last competed in 2015.

One of the most high-profile champions in his later career. Ridden by Lucy Wiegersma (now McCarthy), Granntevka Prince won Blenheim CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) in 2009 and stepped up to four-star (now five-star) later that year at Pau, finishing fourth. He completed three more four-stars with Lucy, including a ninth place at Luhmühlen and 23rd at Burghley, before spending his final competition years giving experience to Janou Bleekman, who rides for the Netherlands. He was a young rider team silver and individual bronze medallist for Janou in 2017 at Millstreet. He was put down in 2018.

Another hugely successful winner. Redesigned and Pippa Funnell won Bramham CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) in 2010 and were fifth as individuals at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky that autumn. The horse had multiple four-star (now five-star) entries and starts in his later career, but injury prevented him from ever quite hitting the heights his talent deserved, although he was 12th at Badminton 2015 and 16th at Burghley in 2013.

A huge star. Persimmon went on to win six more times at international level with Kitty King and finish second at Bramham CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) before capping his eventing career with team silver and individual fourth at the European Championships at Blair Castle. After falling out of love with dressage, he moved to Will Fletcher as a showjumper and in this second career he has been under-18 champion at the 2017 British Showjumping National Championships, a young rider team silver medallist in 2018 and third in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at the Royal International in 2019.

Tom How and Belco HRS won the seven-year-old championships a year after their six-year-old victory and enjoyed success at open intermediate and CIC2* (now CCI3*-S) the following season before Piggy French (now March) took over in 2015. She scored four wins on the horse, culminating in the CCI2* (now CCI3*-L) at Weston Park. The ride then moved to Tom’s sister Sophie and she enjoyed success at open novice and CIC* (now CCI2*-S) level on Belco HRS, before his final competitions, at grassroots level, with Jonathan Procter in 2019.

Four times an international winner since his six-year-old victory, including in the CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) at Tattersalls in 2015, and he has had numerous placings too. Ceylor LAN and Kitty King were selected for the British team for the Rio Olympics in 2016, where they finished 30th after 20 jumping penalties across country. Two years later, he proved himself at five-star with fourth in the CCI4* (now CCI5*) at Luhmühlen.

Reinstated was second in the CCI2* (now CCI*-L) at Tattersalls in 2015 and won twice at British one-days, before a fall in the seven-year-old championships at Le Lion d’Angers in which William suffered a serious head injury. William said at the time this was the first mistake the horse had ever made and he bore no grudge, riding him for a Horse & Hound photoshoot the following spring. Harry Meade, Hector Payne and William all competed Reinstated in 2016, his final year in the sport.

Billy Walk On had four top-two placings in internationals the year after his six-year-old victory, including second in both the national and world seven-year-old championships. Since then he has moved up the grades successfully, with highlights including second at Chatsworth CIC3* (now CCI4*-S) in 2018 and sixth at Blenheim CCI4*-L in 2019. He has started at both Badminton and Burghley but has yet to complete a five-star.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

TOPICS

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.

Meet the 16 previous winners of the British Eventing six-year-old championship – which ones became stars?

British Eventing six-year-old winners at Tweseldown

British Eventing six-year-old winners at Osberton

You might also be interested in:

Flying the British flag: meet our contenders for the eventing young horse World Championships at Le Lion d’Angers

Paul Tapner has no plans to ride again as he recovers from serious head injury