Robert Whitaker’s Hickstead Derby-winning hero Equine America Gentlemen VH Veldhof has retired aged 20 – to spend the rest of his life with old friends.

Robert, who triumphed with Caroline Blatchford’s superstar in 2025, paid tribute to his incredible career as it came to an end on a high.

“Gentlemen, thank you,” he said. “This special horse has done so many incredible things for so many people, including myself, Stephen and Caroline [Blatchford] – the highlight of those winning the 2025 Hickstead Derby.

“Gentlemen, you are a superstar and owe us nothing, go and enjoy your retirement, you wonderful horse.”

Robert took the ride on the Quite Easy stallion, previously ridden by Tim Gredley and with whom David Simpson won the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, in late 2024.

“It sounds madness to buy a horse at 18!” Mrs Blatchford told H&H. “But Rob knew Gentlemen had been around the Derby before and done quite well. He said right at the beginning, ‘I think I could win the Derby on Gentlemen,’ and we all looked at him like he was a bit mad.”

Gent and Robert were flying from the start; winning a six-bar at their first show, and they went on to other wins and good placings at top level.

“They clicked immediately,” Mrs Blatchford said. “When we get a new horse, we don’t expect anything particularly for the first few months while they settle and get to know each other but that wasn’t the case with Gentlemen.”

Gentlemen VH Veldhof: that Derby win

Mrs Blatchford said it was “wonderful” to watch her horse win the Derby, and that it felt as if the whole crowd was willing he and Rob on.

“Then in the prize-giving they put that gorgeous wreath round the horse’s neck and the pair of them looked so proud. I’ve never seen Rob look happier.”

Mrs Blatchford said the decision was taken to retire Gent on a high and keep him on livery, but the first rider who competed him internationally, Belgian Koen de Waele, stepped up.

“Rob said he was Gentlemen’s biggest fan,” she said. “He immediately said, ‘I want him to come home.’ He’d been following him; every time he jumped within a couple of hours, he’d travel to see him.

“He’s made an impact on a lot of people and he’s going to live out his days in comfort.”

Koen told H&H he took Gentlemen VH Veldhof on as a six-year-old – and there were some challenges at first.

“Everything was there, but he was a handful; a lot of work,” Koen said. “He was a good jumper but spooky. Not at the fences, they could have been on fire and he’d jump them, but everything else. It took me more than a year and a half to hack him in the woods, I fell off 1,000 times!

“He’d spook, turn back and I’d fall off. He never ran away but some rides, I fell off five times. But at a show, in the ring, he never let me down, ever. He was an abnormal horse.”

Koen said it took years of work but “one day he clicked, then he did everything”.

“At eight, he jumped a grand prix, it was all so easy for him,” he said. “He was lucky when we sold him to go into good hands; first David Simpson then Tim Gredley.

“I have to thank Tim, who’s a real horseman, and he was such a gentleman to Robert when he let him have Gentlemen to back up Vermento. They did a great job with him, then with Robert, I don’t have to tell the story, and Robert took such good care of him too.”

Koen said Gent will spend most of his summer relaxing in the field, or in his stable if it gets too hot, then in winter he will enjoy outings to the beach, where Koen likes to ride his horses. He added that he said immediately he would like to have Gent back when he heard he was to retire.

“They didn’t over-use him; he’s retiring sound, which gives me a lot of satisfaction,” he said. “He came straight to my stable from the plane and if you didn’t know, he looked like a three-year-old, fit and sound. It was good to see him back like that and he knew the place, he knew his stable. It was like he’d never left.”

Koen added that Gent will live with his old friend, another of his former competition rides.

“I went to a show last week and he wanted to go; he was waiting by the gate, like ‘I want to go too’,” he said. “It’s not the plan but he still would be able to. Now he can be with his old buddy, who he grew up with. I’m very happy to keep him and have him retire at my place.”

• Enjoyed reading this? For more expert training advice from top riders and coaches, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also enjoy reading: 

‘I’ve been watching this since I was a kid’: Whitaker thrilled to win first Hickstead Derby, with 19-year-old superstar

‘I’ve only sat on him once or twice!’ London roof lifted as crowd favourite wins with borrowed horse

Can we bottle this rider’s winning feeling? ‘A moment I’ll never forget’ and 19-year-old horse wins towering six-bar

Tim Gredley makes Hickstead Derby comeback — 17 years after his first attempt in the iconic class

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

When charismatic 18hh “gentle giant” showjumping horse Flamboyant III won the 2026 Al Shira’aa Derby at Hickstead with William Whitaker in the saddle, he captured our hearts once again. Not only has the puissance hero wowed the crowds with his high-jump antics, the 16-year-old gelding has now thrilled us all with a string of gallant Hickstead Derby efforts, twice finishing runner-up – in 2024 and 2025 – before finally landing the historic showpiece with a spectacular double clear.

“He deserved this win,” said William after the fairytale success.

But what a journey the brilliant “Banksy” has been on, particularly with owners Vicky Smith and her son Elliott, the gelding’s regular rider.

“We’re so proud of all he has achieved, but Elliott needs to write a book about all the ups and downs of his life story!” says Vicky Smith.

Flamboyant III: “Strong, difficult, a bit unmanageable”

Flamboyant III, a son of VDL Cardento 933 out of Amarenz (by Niveau) was bred in the Netherlands by Anrike Trip-van Ijzeren, who travelled from Holland to watch her home-bred win the Hickstead Derby this year. Anrike sold him at auction as a three-year-old for little over £1,000 before Vicky Smith and her then teenage son Elliott bought him as an unbroken youngster.

“When we viewed Flamboyant loose jumping as a three-year-old, he jumped a massive gate and we thought, ‘He’s going to be good!’” explains Elliott.

But, as Vicky explains, it certainly wasn’t all plain-sailing.

“We sent him to Sammie-Jo Coffin to back and she described him as one of the worst she’d ever had,” says Vicky. “He was strong, difficult, a bit unmanageable and was always shooting off. It turned out he had terrible kissing spines.

“He was operated on, but could barely put one foot in front of the other so I didn’t think he’d ever do anything again. It took two years of rehab, but we had so much belief in him.

“We’ve had to be very, very patient and spent many hours with him. He had to learn to realise that it didn’t hurt when he jumped anymore. He still takes a lot of patience and calming, he’s definitely unique!”

Why Flamboyant’s first puissance attempt was “an afterthought”

Elliott describes the early years with Banksy as “a learning curve”.

“We progressed together – when I was going through my teenage years, he was doing the same sort of thing – but we took things slowly to make sure he had longevity because he was always a horse we were going to keep,” he reveals.

“He’s big and strong, so he makes the distances a bit too easily – as a six-year-old at Addington, he put in one stride at a two-stride double, so that was something we had to work on. But he made up for it with his jump,” he says.

“We jumped our first puissance more as an afterthought. I’d never jumped higher than 1.80m and that was the wall’s starting height, but we went the full five rounds and cleared 2.20m, which was a shock! But it felt so easy.”

Elliott and Flamboyant had found their forté and finished equal first in the Bolesworth puissance in 2019, 2021 and 2024 and they were placed at both Horse of the Year Show and the London International in 2022.

Hickstead Derby dreams and downfalls

“I always had aspirations to jump in the Hickstead Derby,” says Elliott. “Then in 2022 I fell off him after crossing the finish line in the Derby trial, breaking my leg. Lizzie Bunn said, ‘You’ve qualified, so who would you like to ride him, William Whitaker or another rider?’

“William has always been a big idol to me, so it was the perfect match. I had surgery on my leg the following day, then watched them jump an amazing 12-fault round from my bed on Sunday. Flamboyant proved he suited Derby classes and we’ve never looked back.”

William Whitaker takes up the story, saying: “It was very unfortunate what happened to Elliott in the Derby trial, but I said I’d give the Derby a go! I popped a few fences and tried to get a feel for him. He’s such a big horse, but he’s really sensitive. His adrenaline gets going, he starts running with his big stride and everything gets a bit short.

“He had three down that first year, but he did a lot of things well. He came home with me and stayed until the following Derby while Elliott was off, but the past two years I’ve only ridden him at Hickstead. It’s just a question of trying to remember what buttons I pressed last time!”

All in the preparation

Flamboyant lives with the Smiths in Devon for the majority of the year.

“We do lots of hillwork to keep him fit,” says Elliott. “I get to jump some bigger classes with him, then William takes him for the Derby shows, so it works out well.”

William was back in the saddle for last month’s Hamburg Derby, jumping a super round but just falling victim to the tricky double of single poles to finish sixth.

“He was very unlucky not to jump clear with the effort he put in,” says William. “There’s not much to back them off the double of rails where he faulted, especially after you’ve jumped the big oxer before, and he has such a big stride that he almost jumped in too well and made up too much ground.

“But from the moment he trotted in the ring, I felt him take a breath and relax and I thought that’s a good start, because it’s so different on Derby day with all the photographers in the ring and thousands of spectators. Then I just got him in a lovely rhythm and tried to make it as easy as possible for him.

“But I was glad for the two qualifiers in Hamburg, I felt like I needed them! Sunday was the most relaxed he’d been all week, he had definitely settled a bit by then.

“His best attribute is that he could jump a house and the Derby obstacles don’t faze him,” continues William.

Flamboyant’s only flaw? “You can’t catch him!” says William of the “gentle giant”.

“The first time we turned him out, it took six hours to get him in – in the end, I rang Elliott and said, ‘How do you catch this bloody horse, because in a minute he’s going to be staying out for the night!’ Eventually, when it was on his terms, he decided to come in,” he says.

A fairytale finish in this year’s Hickstead Derby

William finished second to his cousin Robert Whitaker (Getlemen VH Veldhof) after a three-way jump-off for last year’s Hickstead Derby, having jumped an elusive first clear in the opening round. The previous year he missed out to William Funnell and Dublon in a similar jump-off decider after three horses completed on four faults apiece.

This year, he went head-to-head with 2023 winners David Simpson and Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve in another epic jump-off after both jumped clear in round one.

“Having jumped clear last year and come so close to winning, you do feel Flamboyant deserved to have the Derby on his résumé,” says William, who watched past videos of Flamboyant’s Derby rounds in preparation “to look for anything in particular we need to work on”.

“My 2016 Hickstead Derby winner Max, Glenavadra Brilliant, was in a similar bracket – he deserved everything to come right for him on the day and eventually it did.”

Much of the credit for the final preparations go to William’s wife Elisabeth, who has been riding Flamboyant at home since the Hamburg Derby.

“I was lucky enough to get selected to go to St Gallen,” explains William. “Then I went to Poland for two weeks with Millfield Quickstep on Nations Cups, and Elisabeth said, because he’s a bit of a strong horse, ‘Who’s going to be riding Flamboyant?’ I said, ‘You are!’ You’ve done a fantastic job, love, well done.” 

Vicky sums up: “William Whitaker, with his wealth of experience, manages Banksy brilliantly. Because he’s still a very tricky ride, he requires a lot of patience and calming, and the way William reads how to jump each fence on him is incredible. I can’t watch, though! I’m hiding.

“He’s taught Elliott so much about the journey of life – it’s not just about the winning, it’s the maintenance and the looking after and as long as he comes back safe, sound and happy, that’s all that matters. He’s the horse of a lifetime, we’re so lucky to have him.”

Congratulations to the whole team behind the magnificent Flamboyant III – the Hickstead fairytale finally happened.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

Shane Breen reveals how to tackle the iconic Hickstead Derby course, fence by fence

Walk the Derby course with Horse & Hound’s guide to the ultimate show jumping challenge

Need somewhere to stay near Hickstead? We’ve found plenty of options…

‘I’ve been watching this since I was a kid’: Whitaker thrilled to win first Hickstead Derby, with 19-year-old superstar

‘This is why I ride horses, for days like these’: Funnell’s fabulous fifth Hickstead Derby

9 Hickstead Derby moments we won’t forget, plus other Hickstead highlights

‘I had nightmares about the Derby bank for weeks’: Hickstead first-timer tells story of his fourth-place finish

‘I was holding the throatlash’: Speed Derby superheroes jump triple planks with no bridle

How to watch the Hickstead Derby Meeting 2026 live from anywhere in the world

Michael Whitaker’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘I nearly had a heart attack when I saw how steep the bank was’

John Whitaker’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘If ever there was a horse that was a certainty to win it, it was Welham’

Geoff Billington’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘They had to dismantle the dyke to let us out!’

Nick Skelton’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘Apollo knew the course, virtually – he was brilliant to ride round there’

David Broome’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘I swear blind the bank disappeared back underneath you’

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

When Hickstead director Lizzie Bunn brought the famous Boomerang trophy to William Whitaker yesterday (21 June), he said: “Make sure you put a helmet on it this year!”

William and Vicky Smith’s fabulous Flamboyant III won the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby yesterday, in a jump-off with 2023 winners David Simpson and Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve, having come second in the class two years running.

And after his victory, William revealed things had not gone entirely to plan the first time he won the Derby, with Glenavadra Brilliant in 2016.

‘I forgot to say,” Hickstead director Edward Bunn said in the post-Derby press conference. “I checked the trophy and it’s got two ears.”

William explained the story, which most of those present would not have heard before.

“Last time I won the Derby with Glenavadra Brilliant, we had a big party, believe it or not, that evening,” he said. “When I woke up in the morning, I was at Daisy [Bunn’s] house, and I woke up with a great feeling.

“I walked into the kitchen and the trophy was there on the table. And I thought ‘that’s a bit like in a movie’, looking at the trophy. And I looked, and I looked again, and I thought, ‘Oh no’. One of the ears had been knocked off. I immediately went to Daisy and said ‘Who’s going to tell Lizzie [Bunn]?!’ But anyway, she took it very well.”

Commentator John Stokes said he thought Daisy was planning a party again that evening.

“But hopefully we’ll keep the trophy safe,” he said.

“Keep it well away from me, anyway!” William said.

• Enjoyed reading this? For more expert training advice from top riders and coaches, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also enjoy reading: 

‘The horse deserved to win’: William Whitaker wins second Hickstead Derby – 10 years after his first

‘He loved it’: horse who saw his first Derby fences two days ago cruises to win Hickstead speed title

Meet the £1k purchase who won the 2026 Hickstead Derby against the odds: ‘He needs a book about all the ups and downs of his life’

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

William Whitaker ended a 10-year wait for a second Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby title in fabulous style, with two perfect clear rounds – and joked that he hopes he won’t have to wait another 10 years to do it again.

William, who won the Boomerang trophy with Glenavadra Brilliant in 2016, and the mighty Flamboyant III, whom he first rode in the Derby as a catch ride four years ago, and has come second for the last two years, triumphed in a jump-off over 2023 winners David Simpson and Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve.

David had predicted a jump-off of five or six horses after he and Miriam Rohr’s 11-year-old won the Derby trial. But in the end it was just these two warriors who went head to head.

“When you’ve got a horse who’s come so close the last few years – before today, the horse deserved to win a Derby from the rounds he’d already jumped,” Will said.

“But obviously, you only get one shot a year, and you’re just hoping and praying that your preparation – not just me, [owners] Elliot Smith and his family do so much work as well with him – so to finally get it done is a huge relief. I’m absolutely delighted.”

There were 31 starters this year including some very strong competition, but one by one they fell by the wayside as the sun blazed over the International Arena. Hot contenders Stephan Dubsky held the lead briefly on four faults – heartbreakingly clipping the very last pole – and last year’s podium finishers Sammie-Jo Coffin and Chaccomo Blue scored the same, just lowering the rail after the bank.

Then David and his powerhouse stallion came in. They jumped a beautiful round, and carried their luck with them; they knocked a brick in the wall but not enough to dislodge it, then rattled the last element of the Devil’s Dyke so the pole bounced clear out of its cups – but landed safely back in them. They came home without another murmur, to a roar from the crowd.

And as was the case in the previous day’s speed Derby, once one had a clear round, they all wanted one. Next in was William and the imposing 16-year-old gelding, who jumped what looked like an exhibition round, calm, composed and perfect to secure a jump-off.

Derek McCoppin came closest to joining the two clears; he and the fabulous Capital Levubu, who had gone clear in Friday’s trial, looked set to do the same, the big scopey grey jumping for fun to leave everything up – but a splash of blue as they jumped the water ended their dream.

“He’s just an amazing horse,” Derek said. “He loves it in there; he jumped everything, just maybe I was a bit steady and should have kept the tempo up. But he just gets better and better and is still feeling as fresh as a daisy. If you’d told me last week I’d go round for four, I’d have been absolutely delighted. We’ll be back next year.”

So the stage was set for the showdown, and David was in first. A quick pat, and off they went, moving up a gear. They jumped the second on a curve, and rode a beautiful curve to the privet hedge, and back on themselves to the dyke. But the luck that had been on their side in the first round deserted them, and this time it was the middle element that fell.

They flew the rest to finish in 86.26sec but the pressure was on Will, as if he and Flamboyant could just leave everything up, the title was theirs.

The silence was almost absolute as they cleared the Cornishman for the second time. Over the second, the black gate, the wall, the hedge and the dyke; coming out clear to a brief cheer, quickly shushed as they approached the water. Then the rails, round to the last line – and a mighty roar of approval from the crowd.

2026 Hickstead Derby winner

“Flamboyant felt great,” Will said. “He was a bit sharper than I would have liked in the collecting ring but actually went in and settled down and gave me a fantastic feeling all the way round. He just let me do what I needed to do to make it as easy as possible for him.”

Asked what he was thinking as he rode into the ring, Will said: “I had about 10 Whitakers in the chute on the way up to the ring, all giving me information and telling me what the plan was, and each one of them was saying a different thing.

“Steven said ‘You’ve got to go slow’, Michael said ‘You’ve got to go fast’. Robert said ‘You might as well just have a go, and if you have one down, you might still win’. I thought ‘Goodness me, I don’t know what to do now!’

“David’s is a naturally quicker horse so I thought I just had to do my round and if I had one down early, I’d have to just throw caution to the winds. That was the plan, and luckily I didn’t have to do the second part of it.”

David said that as Pjotr is the faster horse, he knew a clear round should be enough to win.

“I didn’t see him knocking out the middle element of the dyke, but the luck I had in the first round ran out for the jump-off,” he said. “He loves it here at Hickstead; I’m delighted with how he was today.

“Will’s a great pal of mine and one day he’s going to win, one day I’m going to win. You just go in, do your job, and whoever’s day it is, it’s their day.”

David said Pjotr felt “amazing”, but that jumping the Derby is all about the rhythm, and for some reason he couldn’t find one at first in his opening round.

“Until I jumped the wall, I couldn’t find one, and luckily he helped me,” he said.

“I actually wasn’t too happy, but then took the first distance to the hedge, and everything came together.

“And in the jump-off, even with the heat and everything, he actually felt better again. I couldn’t be happier with him.”

Credit to the home teams

Both riders paid tribute to their horses’ teams; the grooms, owners and all those at home, who “allow us to deliver these results”, David said.

Sammie-Jo said she was delighted with her 16-year-old superstar, whom she owns with Brian O’Malley, and who was clearly enjoying every second of his Derby trip.

“I had more control coming down the bank than last year!” she said. “He just touched it, he didn’t mean to, but he was amazing; to do that in the Derby. He was a little bit wild – he knows where he’s going now – but it was amazing.”

Six combinations shared sixth place on eight faults apiece: Jessica Hewett (Kann Be Lucky), Shane Breen (Eristov), Gemma Stevens (Envoy Merelsnest Z), Commandant Geoff Curran (Hawthornhill), Alex Bragg (Hegglelane Houston) and Guy Williams (BH Gringos Legacy).

The 2024 champions William Funnell and Dublon jumped the trial but retired, and an overreach ruled them out of the Derby. Mark Edwards and Dillinger NE were bidding to make history as the first combination to win the speed Derby and Derby in the same year but luck was not with them and they finished with 24 faults.

Hickstead director Edward Bunn paid tribute to all who had contributed to a “wonderful” week of sport at the 2026 Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby meeting.

“I think we’ve had the busiest equestrian participation, more than 2,000 horses have competed in showjumping this week, 4,800 competition rounds, and it’s been phenomenal,” he said.

“I’d just like to thank Al Shira’aa Stables, Al Shira’aa, Sheika Fatima and Sammy for the support they continue to show this meeting because without them and our other sponsors Agria and others, we wouldn’t be able to put these shows on. That’s from everybody, the Bunn family and our Hickstead family, which you are all a part of.”

“And what a Derby,” he added. “I think it was another classic Derby; they’re always classics. “There were lots and lots of good rounds and it shows that this class is still important, still special, to us, to Hickstead and to the world to produce fantastic sport like this.”

But the last word went to William, whose wife Elisabeth has been riding Flamboyant.

“We did the Hamburg Derby and then I was lucky enough to get selected to go to St Gallen, where Dave was as well,” he said. “Then I went to Poland for two weeks with Millfield Quickstep on Nations Cups, and Elisabeth said, because he’s a bit of a strong horse, ‘Who’s going to be riding Flamboyant?’ I said, ‘You are!’ You’ve done a fantastic job love, well done.”

• Enjoyed reading this? For more expert training advice from top riders and coaches, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also enjoy reading: 

Meet the £1k purchase who won the 2026 Hickstead Derby against the odds: ‘He needs a book about all the ups and downs of his life’

William Whitaker takes Hickstead Derby catch ride as rider broke thigh in three places — after trial finish line

‘We might get a six-horse jump-off on Sunday’: stage set for fabulous Hickstead Derby after top trial

‘I’ve been watching this since I was a kid’: Whitaker thrilled to win first Hickstead Derby, with 19-year-old superstar

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Fifty-five years on, we are still talking about Harvey Smith’s V-sign during the 1971 Hickstead Derby at the All England Jumping Course.

For those who would benefit from a reminder of what happened, here’s an extract from the H&H report, published 20 August 1971, by Pamela Macgregor-Morris.

“There have only been a dozen clear rounds in the history of the competition, and this time there was none,” Pamela writes.

“First outstanding round was jumped by Stephen Hadley on Prospero, who came down the bank so fast that he had no chance at the post and rails at its foot and had a time-fault as well as three for a stop. But this held the lead until the last but one to jump, the defending champions, Harvey Smith and Mattie Brown, drew level to dispute the lead.

“Mattie Brown went on to win the barrage with eight faults to 12, and third place was shared by four eight-faulters.

“Harvey Smith was presented by Mr John Wilson, managing director of WD & HO Wills, with the golden horse (arrived from Yorkshire the previous day), and to all intents and purposes he and Mattie Brown had joined the other dual winners, Seamus Hayes with Goodbye and Nelson Pessoa with Gran Geste, in the British Derby’s annals.”

But this glorious double had a twist.

A box on the report adds: “Some hours after Harvey Smith had received the Wills Jumping Derby Trophy last Sunday, Mr Douglas Bunn, owner of Hickstead, sent him a telegram saying that ‘because of your disgusting gesture the directors and I have disqualified you’ and telling him that all prize money was forfeited.

“The ‘gesture’ referred to – a two-fingered one – was delivered, apparently towards the directors’ box, after Harvey had completed his winning round on Mattie Brown.

“The incident has now been referred to the stewards of the British Show Jumping Association (BSJA).”

The V-sign story, according to Harvey Smith

In 2022, Harvey shared his side of the story in a video interview with the Hickstead team.

He relates how, on returning to Hickstead the year after his 1970 Derby win on Mattie Brown, Douglas Bunn asked him if he’d brought back the trophy.

He hadn’t (although the H&H report implies that the trophy was recuperated from Yorkshire in time) but retorted: “It doesn’t matter, I’m going to win it again!”

There followed, according to Harvey, a good deal of negative banter about the wellbeing of his horse. When he knocked a fence down in the first round, he remembers huge cheers from the directors’ box. It clearly riled him.

“I thought, you bas***ds!”

When he ultimately did recapture the title, he stuck two fingers up at the directors.

“It’s life, it happened, it’s what live television is all about – life,” he says. “It’s the best publicity stunt that Hickstead has ever had.”

Reactions to the V-sign

While the tabloids lapped it up, the equestrian press weren’t so sure. Horse & Hound distanced themselves from the confusing situation of the disqualification, putting the Derby Trial winners Ann Moore and Psalm on the cover that week, rather than the more traditional British Derby winner.

Dorian Williams – under the pen name “Observer” – wrote: “Though the commercially minded may well avow that any publicity is good publicity, I cannot help feeling that showjumping in general would have been better off without the spotlight glare attracted by last Sunday’s events at Hickstead.

“I cannot recall any incident in the history of the sport that has drawn so much public attention to it, in the National Press and on TV, as the dispute between Harvey Smith and the directors of Hickstead. And with all the discussion and arguments on the subject, only one thing seems to be certain: at 5.15pm last Sunday afternoon Harvey won the Jumping Derby on Mattie Brown without any shadow of doubt. For that I say, “Well done, Harvey!”

“For the rest, the ‘incident’ of the two-finger exercise is being referred to the stewards of the BSJA, who will shortly hear evidence from all parties concerned and any other witnesses. I doubt whether the stewards will consider it within their province to adjudicate on the destiny of the Derby prize money of £2,000.”

H&H also published a lawyer’s opinion on whether the disqualification should stand. The lawyer concluded that the rules of the competition did not apply to any “conduct of objectionable nature” that happened after Harvey had produced a winning round – because it did not relate to his “manner of riding while negotiating the course”.

As history relates, Harvey Smith and Mattie Brown were indeed reinstated after the infamous V-sign to confirm their second Derby victory. But when H&H went to press soon after Douglas Bunn’s telegram, the result was still in the balance.

• Enjoyed reading this? For more insight into top riders and to stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2026, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also like to read…

How to watch the Hickstead Derby Meeting 2026 live from anywhere in the world

Shane Breen reveals how to tackle the iconic Hickstead Derby course, fence by fence

Walk the Derby course with Horse & Hound’s guide to the ultimate show jumping challenge

What’s under the Derby bank, three types of grass, invading ducklings and other fascinating facts about Hickstead

A turkey presentation and nine other brilliant moments in the life of Harvey Smith

To celebrate this octogenarian’s outstanding contribution to equestrian sport over the years, we rifled through the picture archives to find

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

The stage has been set for a fabulous Al Shira’aa Derby on Sunday (21 June) as the Hickstead crowd was treated to a top afternoon’s sport in the Agria Derby trial, won by 2023 Derby champions David Simpson and Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve.

It is rare to have a jump-off in the Hickstead derby trial but this year an almost unheard-of six combinations went clear. Former Derby winners Guy Williams (BH Gringos Legacy) and William Whitaker (Flamboyant III) elected not to come back, which left event rider Alex Bragg (Hegglelane Houston), Derek McCoppin (Capital Levubu) and Stephan Dubsky (C The Stars) in the field with David and his own 11-year-old stallion.

“The horse is in great shape; but he’s been in great shape for the last couple of weeks,” David said. “He was unbelievable in Hamburg, and the week before last in St Gallen, so touch wood we can just maintain that for Sunday.”

First in for the jump-off, Stephan and his Derby specialist, owned by Miriam Rohr, were flying from the start to finish on 57.87sec, the fastest time, but clipping the Derby rails. Alex and his own 13-year-old, with whom he finished 12th in last year’s Derby, covered the ground in fine style, the super mare full of running and jumping, to cross the line clear in 64sec.

It was a fantastic round but Alex did not hold the lead long, as in came David and Pjotr; smooth, balanced and making it look almost effortless as they cruised home clear on 58.24sec. Derek and Bronwyn Meredith dos Santos’ 15-year-old stallion were tight and accurate and economical, getting a great shot to the triple bar before the last line, but clipped the very last fence, to finish on four faults in 59.51sec.

It was an afternoon of top performances but as well as these six, there will be an array of strong contenders lining up on Sunday; five-time champion William Funnell and his 2024 winner Dublon had just one rail and retired, Shane Breen and Fanfan De Beaufour, who jumped clear but with time-faults last year, had two down.

A host of strong four-fault rounds also speak of good chances in the Derby; Ellen Whitaker and Cordessia Z, Hayley Webster (Cachento), Jenna Palmer Evans (Ilord), Christopher Franks (Irving VG), Morgan Shirley (Klaris Ride On), Commandant Geoff Curran (Hawthornhill) and Olivia Mae Davison (Mendel DN) only lowered one rail apiece.

“I honestly would not be shocked to see a five- or six-horse jump-off on Sunday,” David said.

It is thought the only combination to have won both the trial and the Derby itself in the same year is William Funnell and the great Mondriaan, nearly 20 years ago. So does David think he and Pjotr might join them in 2026?

“Let’s hope so,” he said. “The horse cannot feel any better, so I think it’s really down to me not messing up on Sunday, and we should be in with a shout.”

Alex said he enjoys jumping in the International Arena, and paid tribute to David, who let him jump Hegglelane Houston in his grass ring in preparation for this week.

“He was kind enough to say yes, so I did say that was the only reason I didn’t beat him – it was nothing to do with the six seconds he was ahead!” Alex said, adding that he has been preparing for Sunday since his debut in the class last year.

“I didn’t know anything about riding down the bank… so I came to the top gently, and just let the mare look,” he said. “The mare’s so great, she shot down, and my experience at the bank was over before it even began, and I was over the white rails in a mess.

“So I’m definitely going to get a little bit steadier at the top. The dyke is something I’d have liked to practise more as it’s so unique to this show, but we’ve put some little blinkers on her as the crowd was pushing her away.

“She was very sensitive with the atmosphere last year, so we’ve tried to do things to help her as well as practise for the course specifically. But other than that, you just need to try to ride well, give them a good opportunity to jump well, and you probably need a little bit of luck.”

2026 Hickstead Derby trial: more to watch

Other combinations to look out for include Andrew Hodgins and Shanaclough Luichew, who turned heads with their unique style when they came third in the London International puissance last year, and eventer Gemma Stevens (Envoy Merelsnest Z) who finished on eight faults today, but looked in fantastic form.

The Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby starts at 3pm on Sunday (21 June).

• Enjoyed reading this? For more expert training advice from top riders and coaches, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also enjoy reading: 

Meet the £1k purchase who won the 2026 Hickstead Derby against the odds: ‘He needs a book about all the ups and downs of his life’

Retiring with the sun on his back: British Speed Derby legend bows out to live with his friends after stellar career

‘As mad as it looks, there’s a strategy to it’: the story behind unorthodox puissance hero Luichew, who captivated the London crowd

How to watch the Hickstead Derby Meeting 2026 live from anywhere in the world

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

The Hickstead Derby course remains the same year after year, and is much longer than your average showjumping course at 1,195m, with 21 jumping efforts.

Since the master of Hickstead Douglas Bunn held the first Hickstead Derby in 1961, the class has attracted a succession of the world’s leading athletes and horses ready to bravely tackle its notorious fences, from the fiendishly difficult Devil’s Dyke to the world renowned 10ft6in Bank.

Clear rounds are remarkably hard to achieve, so what does it take? Winner of the 2022 Hickstead Derby Shane Breen shares his insight.

“There’s nothing quite like trotting into the International Arena at Hickstead to compete in this special class,” says Shane, who won the Hickstead Derby with the sole clear that year on Can Ya Makan.

“Many of the experienced horses rise to the occasion, but when the crowd applauds it’s natural for them to get a bit anxious – they know it’s show time. From a rider’s point of view, you’re therefore trying to get them settled and relaxed before the bell rings for you to start.”

How to ride the Hickstead Derby course, fence by fence

Fence 1: The Cornishman

Height: 4ft 8in/1.42m

“Horses don’t normally spook at a fence like this; even Hickstead Derby newcomers will have jumped a similar brick wall. Never dismiss it though – one year John Ledingham and Kilbaha did a funny slip coming into it in the jump-off and knocked the rustic pole off the top. You can’t take anything for granted around the Hickstead Derby.”

Fence 2: white oxer

Height: 4ft 3in/1.30m

Width: 6ft 6in/1.98m

“You have to steer around the Irish bank to get to this oxer of white poles, so the horses don’t see it until quite late. It’s not that high but it is very wide, so you can’t just waltz round the corner under-paced and expect them to clear it.

“Some horses can get a bit high over it because they’re not used to seeing Christmas trees in a jump like that, but again it’s Derby day so people have schooled and prepared – the course hasn’t changed for more than 60 years so you can do your homework.”

Fence 3a and b: double of water ditches

Height: 5ft/1.52m (3a), 5ft 2in/1.57m (3b)

“These are all about straightness, the approach and good rhythm. The fences are very tall and if it’s a sunny day you can get glare off the water underneath, so with that, the blue of the water and the white rails, you do have to focus to see the poles. The ground is running downhill, so you need to keep your leg on but sit tall.

“You land and you’ve one stride before the second obstacle, which is exactly like the first but even bigger. They’re a bit like jumping two triple bars because from take-off to clearing the top rail is such a stretch. You need to meet the first fence on a good stride with good pace so the second one comes easy – miss it and the second one feels twice as big and wide!”

Fence 4: black gate

Height: 5ft 3in/1.60m

“The Hickstead Derby’s time allowed is generous, but almost everyone turns inside the balustrade to get to the gate because you’re giving yourself a bit of extra time if you need to be patient later on, at the Bank, say. So you swing left, then you keep straight before you do a nice flying change to the right.

“The gate is maximum height and falls easily, so it takes precision, but it’s also placed beside the pond, which doesn’t seem to give the horses any problems but it’s down to the rider to get a nice rhythm, very balanced and a good stride. You rarely see gates in jumping tracks nowadays but it does jump well.”

Fence 5: wall

Height: 5ft 3in/1.60m

“Similarly the wall is one of the tallest on course, with an arch underneath, but very rarely do you see a horse take a brick off. The fence is lighter than years before when it was chunkier and wider.”

Fence 6: privet hedge oxer

Height: 4ft 11in/1.50m

Width: 6ft 6in/1.98m

“It’s wide and those poles are about 16 ft long, which is remarkable. You’re coming away from the in-gate, so again you need to make sure your rhythm is correct and you’re on a good stride to make it easy for the horse to clear it – there’s still a long way to go, so you don’t want them having to overexert themselves at this stage.”

Fence 7a and b: road fence

Height: 5ft/1.52m (7a), 5ft 2in/1.57m (7b)

“You’re drawn here nicely on a line from the hedge and again the poles here are so long that every horse seems to hit it in the middle. You jump onto the higher ground, then there are three strides across the top before you jump out, and you can really feel the drop.”

Fence 8: Derby bank

Rail height: 3ft 5in/1.04m

Drop: 10ft 6in/3.20m

“You’ve a bit of time now to fix your hat or give your horse a reassuring pat on the neck. You’re in your own little world, but you can feel the hush of the crowd waiting to see how you’ll execute the Bank. You canter up and ideally you just pop over the fence at the top to give you time to steady up before the drop – the fence is small in comparison with everything else, but it’s still big enough, especially situated up there, to warrant respect.

“Obviously you won’t have schooled over a bank with those kind of dimensions but everybody will have prepared down a bank of some description because you want your horse to be really confident so that when you’ve come to a standstill at the top, there’s no risk of them stepping back, or even putting too much pressure on and going down too quick.

“When he makes the initial descent with his front legs, he should know to gently follow on until halfway down before he pops off the side of it. I’ve ridden it the same way every year – pop the fence, steady up, talk to the horse, let them do their thing.”

Fence 9: white rails

Height: 5ft 3in/1.60m

“It doesn’t always go smoothly, of course, but the perfect descent allows you two very nice normal strides to the rails, which are tall. If you’re clear over them, it’s a very welcome round of applause! But you have to block that out because this is where you need to steer your route carefully to the Devil’s Dyke.”

Fence 10a, b and c: Devil’s Dyke

Height: 4ft 9in/1.45m (10a), 4ft 9in/1.45m (10b), 4ft 8in/1.42m (10c)

“Opinion is divided here, some go to the left of the road jump, some go to the right but keep away from the crowds, but in the last few years I’ve come to the right of the road jump and cantered all the way up along the rail. I try to go far enough along that when I come off the fence, I’ve four strides.

“Horses tend to drift right through the Dyke because of the camber, so I jump the opening fence slightly left of centre, so they’ll hit the B part in the middle, hoping they’ll only be slightly right of centre for the C element. It’s also quite a steep drop from take-off to landing over fence A, which catches the horse’s eye, taking their attention away from the pole and that’s when you can have a fault. It really is a combination like no other.”

Fence 11: open water

Height: 15ft/5.6m wide

“By this point, horses have had two out-of-the-ordinary experiences with the Bank and Devil’s Dyke so it’s time for you both to take a deep breath, especially if you’re still clear. There’s a 3m rise in gradient from the bottom of the arena to the Master’s Box – you’re travelling uphill at this point so you don’t want to set off at the water too early.

“I find you’re better off to get up the hill, then when you turn for the water, pick up the distance you want and kick on! Water jumps can cause horses to spook and wobble in normal jumping classes, but interestingly in the Derby the water doesn’t seem to cause any trouble.”

Fence 12: Derby rails

Height: 5ft 3in/1.60m

“After the water you have 10 or 11 strides to the very tall Derby rails – most people seem to jump it on the right hand side of its five sections because it’s then a tight enough turn back to the dry ditch.”

Fence 13: dry ditch

Height: 5ft 1in/1.55m

Ditch width: 6ft/1.8m

“Dimension-wise, this is quite similar to fence three, the double of water ditches – it’s quite a stretch but if the horses are confident about jumping the dry ditch, they normally clear it well.”

Fence 14: balustrades

Height: 5ft 3in/1.60m

“Seven or eight strides later – which is purely down to the rider’s discretion and I’ve done both, but eight strides is my preference as it keeps you more balanced – the balustrades normally jump well. However, you’re travelling downhill again and if the horses are getting a bit tired, they can land over the dry ditch on their forehand.”

Fence 15a and b: double of gates

Height: 4ft 10in/1.47m (15a, 15b)

Width: 5ft 6in/1.68m (15b)

“You’re turning left-handed to go back up the arena, so you want to try to get a tired horse nicely collected, with good power in the hindlegs, to jump the first gate, then it’s one stride and a stretch over the second gate with a pole out the back. It’s wide, and horses tend to back off the gates, so it’s quite an effort for a horse who has made a lot of effort already in the last 85 seconds!”

Fence 16: rustic oxer

Height: 4ft 10in/1.47m

Width: 6ft 6in/1.98m wide

“I wouldn’t go looking at the time here, but depending on your horse or whether you’ve had a delay earlier on, you might check it as you reach the home straight. It takes time to get to the final big, brown oxer with Christmas trees in the middle, because you’re coming round the water jump, making it easier to find your line.

“There are four sections and it’s quite long, which is good because it means you can ride at it a bit – but you also have to keep your cool and ride it like it’s fence two, not like you’re about to win the Derby! It ain’t over till the fat lady sings and that big oxer requires your full attention. Your horse has helped you over the previous 15 fences and you’re a partnership so don’t let your guard down here – it’s your turn to support him and help the horse jump it.

“Riders tend to pick one of the uprights to aim at because the poles are flush with the uprights, which encourages a horse to jump a bit higher. If you land and you’re clear, there’s a great cheer from the packed stands – there really is no better feeling.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in…

How to watch the Hickstead Derby Meeting 2026 live from anywhere in the world

What’s under the Derby bank, three types of grass, invading ducklings and other fascinating facts about Hickstead

Meet the £1k purchase who won the 2026 Hickstead Derby against the odds: ‘He needs a book about all the ups and downs of his life’

Former winners to triumph, or a surprise result? Find out who’s taking on the 2026 Hickstead Derby

‘We all deserved to win and thankfully it was my day’: Shane Breen takes emotional Hickstead Derby win

Need somewhere to stay near Hickstead? We’ve found plenty of options…

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Watch the Hickstead Derby Meeting on TV this week and enjoy a true jewel in the crown of British equestrian sport.

Hickstead hosts a wealth of showjumping and showing classes, but is best known for being the home of the world-famous Hickstead Derby, and this class is certainly not one to miss.

At a glance

• Hickstead Derby Meeting dates: 18–21 June 2026
• Watch Hickstead Derby on TV: ClipMyHorse.TV
• Watch Hickstead Derby from anywhere: Use this NordVPN deal – 75% Off

How to watch Hickstead Derby on TV

There is no terrestrial TV coverage of the Hickstead Derby, and ClipMyHorse.TV will be the only place you can follow all the action live or on demand.

You can take advantage of a special Hickstead & RIHS membership offer with code “Hickstead2026”. This is valid 15 June – 15 August 2026 and provides 20% off an annual ClipMyHorse.TV premium membership – sign up here.

This offer can be used by new subscribers as well as past members, who will have to email the support team to access the discount code.

If you’re away from home, you can use NordVPN to secure your stream of the action from anywhere in the world.

What about HicksteadTV?

HicksteadTV will only be sharing a few winning rounds this year, so watching via ClipMyHorse.TV is the only option for live coverage.

What time is the Hickstead Derby?

The Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby will start at 2pm on Sunday 21 June.

Hickstead Derby TV schedule

ClipMyHorse.TV will be showing the following classes live at the times listed.

Thursday 18 June

Friday 19 June

Saturday 20 June

Sunday 21 June

How to watch the Hickstead Derby Meeting from anywhere

If you’re away from home and your normal coverage is geo-blocked, a VPN will get you your usual coverage from anywhere in the world.

There are many VPN providers out there, with some more reliable and safe than others. We’d suggest using a paid-for service such as NordVPN, where you can get an exclusive 75% off, which offers a 100% risk-free money back guarantee. If you’re not happy with the service any time within the first 30-days, then you can cancel with no penalties at all.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major events throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

Shane Breen reveals how to tackle the iconic Hickstead Derby course, fence by fence

Walk the Derby course with Horse & Hound’s guide to the ultimate show jumping challenge

What’s under the Derby bank, three types of grass, invading ducklings and other fascinating facts about Hickstead

Meet the £1k purchase who won the 2026 Hickstead Derby against the odds: ‘He needs a book about all the ups and downs of his life’

Former winners to triumph, or a surprise result? Find out who’s taking on the 2026 Hickstead Derby

Need somewhere to stay near Hickstead? We’ve found plenty of options…

Advance tickets for the Hickstead Derby meeting are now on sale

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:

• Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service)
• Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad

We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing. 

Hickstead is one of the most famous showjumping venues in the world, and we’ve uncovered some facts about the course and arena that will interest, intrigue and impress any showjumping fan.

Hickstead directors Lizzie and Edward Bunn had an email recently from someone keen to know the dates of the 2027 Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting. The concerned spectator said her son had just confirmed his wedding date for next summer and she wanted to make sure there wasn’t a clash as “I have a horrible feeling I might have to miss the wedding”.

A fair point, but the good lady was reassured that she would indeed be able to enjoy a fabulous day – and also watch her son get married.

That’s how much the Derby means to people, and this year’s meeting is on the horizon; four days of top equestrian sport culminating in the main event on Sunday, 21 June. But of course preparations have been ongoing for the event since last summer specifically – and for decades. The International Arena may look like a nice grass ring but the work, and money, that goes into it is phenomenal.

Fascinating Hickstead facts

Here a few things you probably didn’t know about what goes on behind the scenes at the All England Jumping Course.

1. The International Arena is, Lizzie explains, “an all-weather arena with a grass top”. After some very wet summers, the Bunns took action, and spent almost £1m, in 2010. They dug about 18 inches down, across the whole ring, then put down 1,900 tonnes of shingle with drainage. A membrane went in on top, then the topsoil that had been taken out, 2,100 tonnes of drainage sand, and grass back on top. Last September, when it rained so much the back arenas were puddling, the going in the main ring was just about perfect.

2. Three types of grass seed are blended to create the famous emerald sward; one for thickness, one for root depth and one for colour. Watering is of course key, and at the right times; the grass has to be a bit “thirsty” early on so the roots go deep enough. This root depth – about 12cm is perfect – is crucial as it is this depth that absorbs the weight of a half-tonne horse landing, releases it and springs back.

3. The Derby bank is the centrepiece of the arena. Used in only three classes each year – the Derby, the British Speed Derby and the Ashby Underwriting Eventers’ Challenge – it still needs more maintenance than probably everything else.

It’s built of a U-shaped blockwork wall, filled with rubble, covered in clay and turfed.

It spends most of the year tucked up in an astroturf jacket paid for by Netflix’s The Crown, which filmed at Hickstead some years ago; this comes off at Easter, then the old turf is stripped off and the face rebuilt if the old clay has gone brittle.

Then the bank’s checked daily. Grass doesn’t like growing on the side of a hill so it’s a tricky job; it has to be covered if the weather gets too wet, naked if it’s hot so the turf doesn’t sweat, kept moist enough for the grass to grow and dry enough to suit the clay – and an eye has to be kept for any ants that might feel like nesting in the turf.

4. After the Derby meeting, there’s only four and a half weeks until the Royal International Horse Show, so there’s a huge amount more work to be done. The ring is fertilised before each show, so it kicks in straight afterwards, and the seed is left in hessian sacks to pre-germinate so it hits the ground growing. Then there’s watering, decompacting and vertidraining to do, and mowing, ensuring the grass is short enough to thicken but not so short that the root depth is lost.

5. There are tricky bits of the course to deal with; the Devil’s Dyke was returfed in mid-May, timed to perfection six weeks before the Derby. The road crossing had been regraded and scarified; removing the top layer of dead matter and reshaping and levelling the soil, then reseeded. Even the Cornishman, the 4ft8in wall that’s the first fence in the Derby, had had its modest turf topping renewed. It’s the original wall that’s featured in every Derby for the past six decades, and needs less maintenance than some areas – although there has probably been some repointing done.

6. Someone is out in the main ring every day, checking and assessing; not just the look and feel of the ground but to check for issues such as any enterprising badger who might have come in to dig for worms.

“It’s a haven for wildlife!” Lizzie says. “We used to have great crested newts in the water jump and because you’re not allowed to handle them, a man used to come out from the Sussex Amphibian and Reptile Group and rehome them. We had ducklings on the lake once in the Derby and had to stop the jumping while they crossed the ring.”

7. The water in the Devil’s Dyke ditches is dyed blue, to help horses judge it; the surface here is concrete, which is cleaned and repainted every year, then a new layer of rubber on top. The open water was renovated a few years ago; it was shortened to 15ft to comply with FEI rules.

“You used to be able to swim a width underwater,” Edward says. “It was three feet deep.”

Now it’s only inches deep, and lined with rubber matting, but it’s still, with its presentation and dressing, as imposing a fence as you’ll find.

Hickstead in numbers

1.8ha: the size of the International Arena

2m difference in gradient from left to right

60 acres of lorry parking and stabling

100,000 litres: the Hickstead water storing tanks’ capacity

5,484 horses competed at the All England Jumping Course in 2025

1,538 showjumping horses were at last year’s Derby meeting

Almost £2m: the cost of the new stable facilities

300 rolls of turf used annually in the International Arena

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also enjoy reading: 

How to watch the Hickstead Derby Meeting 2026 live from anywhere in the world

End of an era as Hickstead’s famous Irish bank is removed

Michael Whitaker’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘I nearly had a heart attack when I saw how steep the bank was’

Hickstead Derby Bank: how NOT to do it

The Hickstead Derby Bank has had its fair share of difficult descents over the years, so we look back at

Hickstead Derby Bank: all you need to know

The story of the iconic Hickstead Derby Bank — the biggest competition bank in the world

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

A former Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby champion heads those vying for the Boomerang trophy this year – and another may be joining him.

David Simpson and Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve, who triumphed in a three-way jump-off in 2023 when the stallion was eight, are lining up on excellent form, having won and come second in Hamburg Derby qualifiers last month.

David and Pjotr beat William Funnell in that jump-off, riding Equine America Billy Diamo and Dublon, with whom William came back to win a record fifth title in 2024. It is not certain whether William and Dublon will start next Sunday (21 June) but they are on the entries list.

“While those are the only winning partnerships due to return in this year’s class, there are a number of other former winning riders among the entries for the 65th Al Shira’aa Derby,” a Hickstead spokesperson said. “One of the strongest contenders for this year is the 2010 Hickstead champion Guy Williams, who has two potential Derby rides – Crumbgraft, who won last year’s Agria Derby trial, and BH Gringos Legacy, who was fifth in both the recent Al Shira’aa Hamburg Derby in Germany as well as last year’s Hickstead Derby.”

2026 Hickstead Derby entries

Shane Breen, who is based at Hickstead and won the 60th Derby with Can Ya Makan, will no doubt have his foot down this year; he jumped clear in 2025 with Fanfan De Beaufour but time-faults kept them out of the jump-off.

The 2026 Hickstead Derby entries do not include last year’s winners Robert Whitaker and Gentlemen VH Veldhof but the two combinations they beat in the jump-off, 2016 winner William Whitaker and Flamboyant III and Sammie-Jo Coffin with Chaccomo Blue, are among the favourites for 2026. Sammie-Jo would be the first lady winner since 2011, when Tina Fletcher lifted the trophy with Promised Land.

Five-star eventers Gemma Stevens and Alex Bragg, who have both been placed in the Al Shira’aa Derby are also on the list, as is Stephan Dubsky and Derby specialist C The Stars; and Commandant Geoff Curran, who was seventh in Hamburg with Hawthornhill.

“What a great line-up of horses and riders we have for this year’s Al Shira’aa Derby, with a number of former winners coming up against some other leading horses and riders with impressive Derby form,” said Hickstead director Lizzie Bunn.

“Former winners often have a good record in this class, but there have been plenty of surprise results too over the years, and that’s the best thing about the Derby. We’re looking forward to seeing who’ll lift the Boomerang trophy in this year’s class.”

• Enjoyed reading this? For more expert training advice from top riders and coaches, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also enjoy reading: 

How to watch the Hickstead Derby Meeting 2026 live from anywhere in the world

Shane Breen reveals how to tackle the iconic Hickstead Derby course, fence by fence

Walk the Derby course with Horse & Hound’s guide to the ultimate show jumping challenge

Meet the £1k purchase who won the 2026 Hickstead Derby against the odds: ‘He needs a book about all the ups and downs of his life’

The time of your life, the horse of a lifetime: Hickstead legend cheered into happy retirement

‘This is why I ride horses, for days like these’: Funnell’s fabulous fifth Hickstead Derby

Advance tickets for the Hickstead Derby meeting are now on sale

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Finding a hotel near Hickstead will help you make the most of your visit to the venue, whether you’re there to spectate, support or compete. The All England Jumping Course at Hickstead in West Sussex hosts a number of prestigious shows including the Hickstead Derby, the Royal International Horse Show and the All England Jumping Championships.

We’ve included a great selection of accommodation by type – not just hotels near Hickstead, but guest houses, B&Bs and holiday lets, too, so you can easily find what you’re looking for. Distances are calculated in driving distance to the showground (BN6 9NS).

Jump down to find the accommodation you’re looking for…

• Hotels near Hickstead
• B&Bs, inns and guesthouses near Hickstead
• Holiday lets and apartments near Hickstead

Hotels near Hickstead

B&Bs, inns and guesthouses near Hickstead

Holiday lets and apartments near Hickstead

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from Hickstead and other major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also like:

How to watch the Hickstead Derby Meeting 2026 live from anywhere in the world

Shane Breen reveals how to tackle the iconic Hickstead Derby course, fence by fence

Walk the Derby course with Horse & Hound’s guide to the ultimate show jumping challenge

Discover the top UK equestrian events on the 2026 calendar

H&H’s guide to 2026 London International tickets, plus exclusive discount code

End of an era as Hickstead’s famous Irish bank is removed

Advance tickets for the Hickstead Derby meeting are now on sale

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

The box office for Hickstead Derby tickets is now open, so if you’re keen to visit the West Sussex showground, here’s everything you need to know before you book. The 2026 Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby meeting will take place 18–21 June, and I’ve broken down all your ticket options below.

There’s currently an advance booking discount available, but there are also free days to take advantage of. Hickstead is also home to the Royal International Horse Show but these tickets will give you a view of the famous Derby course, which includes the 10ft 6in Derby Bank, the notoriously difficult Devil’s Dyke combination, and one of the widest water jumps in the world. This show also features national showing and driving classes, plus a large shopping village, family entertainment, bars and eateries.

Hickstead Derby tickets: General admission

A general admission ticket grants you access to the showground and all of its facilities, as well as both public grandstands.

We’re currently in the window for advance tickets, which means booking now guarantees you the best possible price. I’ve included the standard prices in brackets for comparison. All advance ticket orders are subject to a £3.50 booking fee per order (not per ticket).

Some days offer free tickets, but you should still add these tickets to your basket and book parking in advance. Children under five go free and do not need a ticket.

Thursday 18 June

All ages: Free

Parking: £11.50 (£15)

Friday 19 June

Adult (15+): Free

Senior citizen (65+): Free

Child (age 5–14): Free

Parking: £11.50 (£15)

Saturday 20 June

Adult (15+): £27 (£30)

Senior citizen (65+): £22.50 (£25)

Child (age 5–14): Free

Parking: £15

Sunday 21 June

Adult (15+): £36 (£40)

Senior citizen (65+): £27 (£30)

Child (age 5–14): £18 (£20)

Family (2 adults + 2 children): £99 (£110)

Parking: £15

Full week

Adult (15+): £63 (£70)

Senior citizen (65+): £49.50 (£55)

Child (age 5–14): £18 (£20)

Family (2 adults + 2 children): £162 (£180)

Parking: £42

Caravan pass: £120

Electric hookup: £100

Hickstead Derby ticket upgrades

You need to buy general admission tickets in addition to these upgrades.

Highweald Ringside Terrace

These tickets give you access to a raised platform with one of the best views of the Longines International Arena. It offers a more relaxing space to spend the day and has a private deli/café. You do not need this upgrade if you’re buying members’ tickets.

Friday 19 June: £10

Saturday 20 June: £15

Sunday 21 June: £20

Riverside picnic parking

This gives you parking access to exclusive areas that overlook the International Arena. You can pack a picnic (and a bottle of champagne or two) and enjoy the brilliant view over the arena for the entire day. These tickets are limited.

Friday 19 June: £100

Saturday 20 June: £140

Sunday 21 June: £175

Hickstead Derby members’ tickets

A members’ enclosure ticket includes general admission, but also grants you access to the members’ enclosure, which has a grandstand with the best views on the showground, as well as the members’ restaurant, members’ lawn, champagne bar and viewing deck. Daily members’ enclosure tickets are available, and upgrades can be purchased on the showground on the day of your visit.

Thursday 18 June

Adult (15+): £28.80 (£32)

Senior citizen (65+): £23.40 (£26)

Child (age 5–14): £23.40 (£26)

Family: £104.40 (£116)

Friday 19 June

Adult (15+): £28.80 (£32)

Senior citizen (65+): £23.40 (£26)

Child (age 5–14): £23.40 (£26)

Parking: £104.40 (£116)

Saturday 20 June

Adult (15+): £41.40 (£46)

Senior citizen (65+): £36 (£40)

Child (age 5–14): £36 (£40)

Family (2 adults + 2 children + parking): £156 (£170)

Sunday 21 June

Adult (15+): £54 (£60)

Senior citizen (65+): £45 (£50)

Child (age 5–14): £45 (£50)

Family (2 adults + 2 children + parking): £198 (£220)

Full week

Adult (15+): £153 (£170)

Senior citizen (65+): £127.80 (£142)

Child (age 5–14): £127.80 (£142)

Family (2 adults + 2 children + parking): £457.20 (£508)

Parking: £42

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

Need somewhere to stay near Hickstead? We’ve found plenty of options…

9 Hickstead Derby moments we won’t forget, plus other Hickstead highlights

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Leading showjumpers William Funnell and Shane Breen have paid tribute to the great Dorada, who has died at the age of 27.

The Breens described the much-loved chestnut, who won in every type of class across the world, as “a legend in the ring” and “for ever in our hearts”.

“Everywhere we went, he won – either a jump-off class or a speed class,” Shane told H&H. “From speed Derbys to Derbys to grands prix to speed horse of the year – he excelled at everything.”

Shane Breen on Dorada: “an out-and-out winner”

Shane first spotted the Irish-bred son of Harlequin Du Carel, out of a Clover Hill mare, with his breeder, Michael Ryan, later buying him from Goresbridge Sales as a three-year-old. Shane produced Dorada up to grand prix level and, after a spell with young rider Konstantin Pysarenko in the saddle, the whizzy little chestnut continued to soar to a string of high-profile results around the world.

Described as an “out-and-out winner” by the Breens, Dorada became best known as a Derby specialist, but he was also a demon against the clock and one of Shane’s best moments in the saddle came when they won the CSIO5* Prize of Sparkasse at Aachen in 2010.

“I jumped the Hickstead Derby on him and had the fence at the bottom of the bank one year and the dry ditch another year – just silly, four faults here and there,” said Shane, who also won the eventing grand prix at Hickstead for the second time riding Dorada. “He won at Aachen, Hamburg, Dublin, he won indoors, outdoors; it didn’t matter where, you’d pop him on the truck and he’d pay his way.”

It all started with a bet between Shane Breen and William Funnell

William Funnell’s first memory of Dorada involved a bet with Shane Breen. Little did he know that the gelding would later become one of his top string horses, although Dorada also jumped with Geir Gulliksen and his daughter Victoria from 2012 to 2013.

“Shane and I were in Arezzo, Italy, and I was riding Billy Birr and Shane was on Dorada and the horses were both chestnuts and the same age; around seven or eight,” said William.

“We both said they were horses we thought a lot of, so I challenged Shane to a high jump, winner takes all! Luckily we didn’t do it in the end, but we did have a bet which of these two horses would win the most. I think Dorada probably did win more in prize money in the end.

“I was very lucky to have Dorada for his last couple of competitive years. It was lovely to have an older horse like that, there was nothing I needed to teach him. All I had to do was get on and win with him really!

“Winning the Lummen Derby with him was one of the highlights. I always felt the Hickstead Derby was the one that got away from me though – finishing second twice, in 2012 and 2013 – but I still managed to jump clear in it.

“Then he was great at shows like Falsterbo where I could take him as a speed horse too; he was really, really fast so you knew you could win a class with him wherever you went. I think Shane taught him that!”

Dorada: part of the family

Both William and Shane described Dorada as “a favourite in the stable”.

“He was an unbelievable horse to have at home,” said Shane. “When I had him, our kids were very young and you could pop them up on him and lead them around. He was part of the family.”

Dorada went to William’s owner Carol Toliver to do some amateur classes in his later years and finally ended up back at Hickstead where he was ridden and looked after by John and Lucy Bunn and their daughter Natasha, spending the the final few years of his life in complete, happy retirement.

“Rest in peace, Dorada. Thank you for the magical memories,” said the Breens.

“He was a little dinger – just a lovely, lovely character,” added William. “I think everybody who had him through the years had a lot of fun with him.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

‘The price you pay for loving them is losing them’: farewell to ‘extraordinary’ horse who made Hickstead Derby history

‘Hurry up if you want to be part of it’: some sessions sold out, a year before spectacular Aachen World Championships

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

A teenage rider made his first trip to Hickstead – and Britain – a memorable one, winning all four of the classes he contested – having started his riding on racing camels.

The Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby meeting was also a first time jumping on grass for 16-year-old Mabkhout Alkarbi, who landed the qualifier for, and final of, the Fly Free 1.25m open with Casscalina Z, and the Doney Championship with Harry 233, both owned by Al Shira’aa Farms.

The UAE rider had an unusual start to his riding career, racing camels, with huge success.

“I won three or four races, and won cars, but my brother got them as I’m not old enough to drive,” he said, adding that the racing camels can reach 40mph, in a sprint, and that his most successful cameline partner was called Hatash.

“Then I started riding horses, jumping about 1.10m/1.20m, and now I’m with them every day,” he said. “My brother likes the camels, but I prefer the horses, and camels don’t jump!”

Mabkhout, whose nickname is Lucky as his name is translated as “fortunate” or “blessed” in English, said his father built a successful camel breeding stud.

A friend of the family told H&H he lives for the horses and is highly dedicated; having spent years shadowing other family members and learning the trade, he is now enjoying the fruits of his long labour.

After his fourth win of the meeting yesterday (22 June), Mabkhout thanked Al Shira’aa Farms for the opportunity to ride “the best horses in the world”.

“It feels very good,” he said. “I’m very happy.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

‘I’ve been watching this since I was a kid’: Whitaker thrilled to win first Hickstead Derby, with 19-year-old superstar

He said: ‘I knew you were going to do that!’ Top rider swipes win from under brother’s nose – with his ‘future dream horse’

Tapirs and zebras tuck into horse feed – and peppers

AP McCoy to showjump and race camels this Easter

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

Shane Breen’s 2022 Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby winner Can Ya Makan was officially retired just before the 2025 competition, with fitting ceremony in the International Arena.

Shane and Team Z7’s superstar stallion, who has excelled in everything he has turned his hoof to, had one last canter around the famous ring, then the 19-year-old’s saddle was removed, and a garland put around his neck, and he was led out of the ring, a guard of honour cheering him out under the famous arch.

“He definitely doesn’t think he should retire; as we went round just now, he spotted the jumps and was pulling me towards them!” Shane said. “I had to say ‘It’s not your day; you’ve had your day.”

The Canturo stallion won across the world with Shane; in everything from speed classes to Nations Cups.

“He’s been the horse of a lifetime; he did it all, and he did it with a smile on his face,” said Shane. “Everything he went in, he won; an unbelievable horse. When you went to a show, you knew he’d pay the bills.

“All he wanted to do was go in the ring, prick his ears and get on with the job. He was an absolute pleasure to ride.”

Shane said Can Ya Makan always knew when he’d won, and when he hadn’t.

“He’s so smart, so intelligent,” he said. “It’s great he’s a stallion as we can look forward to his offspring; so far they look beautiful and have his characteristics.

“I’m so grateful to Team Z7 for trusting me to have such an amazing horse, and we look forward to seeing some great winners among his offspring.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

‘We all deserved to win and thankfully it was my day’: Shane Breen takes emotional Hickstead Derby win

‘When you finally do it – it’s relief, surprise and delight… the whole lot’: Shane Breen on the ride of his life

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

There is a new name – at least a new first name – on the Boomerang Trophy, as Robert Whitaker triumphed in the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby for the first time, after a three-strong jump-off.

Robert and 19-year-old Gentlemen VH Veldhof jumped the fastest of three four-fault second rounds to finish just ahead of William Whitaker and Flamboyant III, and Sammie Jo Coffin on Chaccomo Blue in third.

Robert’s father John and uncle Michael have each won the Derby four times, and his cousin William once, but Robert had been unlucky – until now.

“I’ve tried to win a few times, but never really had the right horse,” he said. “I’ve gone round for four faults before, but years ago. Gentlemen has done it a few times; he was unlucky last year, and has been on great form, so I really knew he had a good chance. And he pulled it off.”

The Derby is a class often won in the first round and clears are hard to come by so some of the crowd may have been taken by surprise by Sammie Jo and the 15-year-old she owns with Brian O’Malley, who were first into the ring and flew round without a fault. This must be easy, any newcomers to the class may have thought, as the pair’s polished professional performance looked effortless.

But Sammie Jo then had no doubt a nail-biting wait as the next 18 combinations could not match her; her nearest contenders were on eight faults and seven had been eliminated or retired before Robert came in. Those who did not complete included Michael Whitaker, who had been eyeing a fifth Derby title with D&H Q Paravatti N, and was making it look easy, but then was unseated when the 13-year-old mare couldn’t quite get to the fence at the foot of the bank and stopped.

Robert and Caroline Blatchford’s stallion had confirmed a jump-off; there was some whistling heard from the sidelines as they approached the last fairly close to the 180secs allowed but they finished well within, on 176.93.

But those hoping last year’s winners William Funnell and Dublon would feature in the jump-off, and be in contention for a sixth title, were disappointed when the course specialists fell foul of the Devil’s Dyke and the Derby rails, and tipped the last oxer to finish on 12 faults. But William and Victoria Smith’s 15-year-old, who finished second in the 2024 Derby, went round like the pros they are to complete the second-round line-up.

There was heartbreak for last year’s third-placed combination, Carlos Mota Ribas and Juan Van’T Arkelhof; the Brazilian rider lost a stirrup before the cream oxer at 14 and had it down, finishing on eight faults, and for 2022 winner Shane Breen. Shane and Fanfan De Beaufour had jumped a copybook clear – but as they approached the final fence, there were shouts rather than whistles – to no avail as they finished two seconds over the time allowed.

So a jump-off it was, and Sammie Jo was in first. The huge-jumping Irish-bred grey was showing all his power and scope but drifted slightly to the right, and went slightly too high, over the white rails at fence two, bringing one down with him. They held on after that to finish in fine style – Sammie managing to survive a lost stirrup over the Derby rails to finish on just the four, in 96.07sec.

Meaning business

Next in was Robert and Gentlemen, who meant business from the start; no whistles were going to be needed from the crowd this time. They cleared the white rails and the black gate almost on one long smooth turn, and got a great shot to the privet hedge and Devil’s Dyke.

It was the Derby rails that caught them out but they flew home from there, finishing nearly eight seconds ahead on 88.33sec.

So as far as can be said of such a difficult class, the title was there to be won. William and Flamboyant were also not there to hang around, their turn from the white rails to the gate as good as Robert’s. They flew the wall, conquered the dyke and accelerated, coming to the last line with the trophy in their sights.

But again, as happened for them last year, the top rail of the second part of the double of gates swung, and hit the famous turf, and it was all over. They finished just behind Robert and Gentlemen, on 89.75sec, for a second second in a row.

“It was fed back to me that Robert had done a really good round, and I knew it was going to be a bit risky for me to go slow and try to just jump clear,” William said. “I thought I had to come with a bit of pace to try to keep near Rob’s time so if I did have a fence early, I could give myself another chance. But I wasn’t too far away in the end.

“He jumped the water great and kept going to the rails; he’s quite a blood horse, for a big horse, and I struggled to slow him down. He jumped so big into the double, he got under it, and tried his best but just chipped the back bar. Then I just went on the first one I saw for the last and unfortunately for me, was just a bit slow. But I was delighted with the way he jumped.”

Delighted for Robert

William added that huge credit goes to the Smiths, who keep Flamboyant going; he had not ridden him between last year’s class and Wednesday (18 June).

“I’m delighted with the way he jumped in the first round; he gave me an amazing feeling,” he said. “It’s a pity but I’m absolutely delighted for Rob.”

Sammie Jo, who has now been the leading lady in the class three years running, finishing seventh twice and now third, was delighted with Chaccomo Blue.

“He gave me everything,” she said. “He was a bit more rideable; I’m usually out of control! But he was great. We normally struggle with the dyke, but this year, he was really good.”

Asked if she would be back for another try, she said: “I hope so! He does seem to love the class, and he’s a big old scopey chap; hopefully we’ll give it a go.”

Robert said he took Gentlemen on from Tim Gredley at the back end of last year, as he was short of top horses – and that the Derby was always in his mind.

History – not rivalry

“I always thought he could win this class,” he said. “I had a good feeling about him. He’s been round it a few times so I just had to get on and he did his job, I’m thrilled with him.

“I think there’s a bit of history now; my dad and Michael have won it, and William and now I have – it’s history, not rivalry.

“To win this – I’ve been watching it for years, ever since I was a kid. You just need the right horse, and Gentlemen was the right one.”

Hickstead director Edward Bunn paid tribute to all involved.

“What a fantastic class,” he said. “Sammy was brilliant from the front, Rob put his marker down, and Will was a very close second. It’s what showjumping needs; thrilling competition.

“The crowd enjoyed it, hopefully, the audience on television or the live stream enjoyed it. From the Bunn family, again thank you to Al Shira’aa – and thank you to these guys for putting on such a wonderful spectacle.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

‘That was special’: emotions run high again as Robert Whitaker lifts King George trophy on father John’s home-bred

William Whitaker takes Hickstead Derby catch ride as rider broke thigh in three places — after trial finish line

Can anyone catch him? Unstoppable Edwards takes blistering speed Derby win

‘This is why I ride horses, for days like these’: Funnell’s fabulous fifth Hickstead Derby

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

Shane Breen came in last to swipe the Clipmyhorse.tv Master’s Trophy from under his brother Trevor’s nose at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby meeting – with his “future dream horse”.

Trevor and Luidam’s Warrior had held the lead from first draw in the 12-strong jump-off with a beautifully balanced and deceptively fast round, until Shane and BP Arctic Blue came in and took over a second off their time.

“He said: ‘What did you do that for; I knew you were going to do that’!” Shane joked afterwards. “I saw him go and it was a very good round, neat and tight, but I thought I’d go full speed to the first. The late Con Power once told me that if you gallop through the start beams, you’ll always be half a second ahead of everyone, so I just thought ‘gallop’!”

Shane and Gibbs Int Ltd and S Richards’ nine-year-old then took a few strides out, including a flier to the last double.

“I didn’t know if I’d beaten Trevor, then looked at the clock and was dead chuffed,” he said. “Arctic Blue is an absolutely incredible horse.”

Shane spotted the son of A Pikachu De Muze as a five-year-old, then he and his wife Chloe bought him at the end of 2023.

“I always thought he looked like a dream horse,” he said. “I produced him quietly last year, and this year he’s been amazing; he’s jumped six grands prix, won one, second in four and third, and he’s an absolute pleasure. He’s super smart and a great character, and he gives me everything; you can feel his whole body, like an elastic band. And all he wants is a few Polos and cuddles. He wants to be a celebrity, and hopefully he will be. Nine years old and for me, he’s my future dream horse.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

Extra-special moment as medal-winning rider who broke back in fall makes winning comeback to Hickstead

‘This is why I ride horses, for days like these’: Funnell’s fabulous fifth Hickstead Derby

‘Anything’s possible, isn’t it?’ Rider whose leg was amputated wins Hickstead championship

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

Guy Williams had a superb win in the Agria Hickstead Derby trial, on a horse he has only had two weeks – and came equal second on a horse he’s had six weeks.

As far as suspense-filled jump-offs go, this one would not make the top 10, as there was only Guy in it. He had jumped clear with Crumbgraft and BH Gringos Legacy, and as the only other clear, last year’s third-placed Derby combination Carlos Mota Ribas and Juan Van’T Arkelhof, elected not to jump off, Guy just had to go in on one of his horses to win it.

He and Claudio Zapata Stcliffe’s 10-year-old gelding Crumbgraft tipped the first part of the combination and the last oxer, but the super-scopey grey looked full of jump and enthusiasm for the job.

“I’ve never won the Hickstead Derby trial, and I thought I’d like to get my name on the wall!” Guy said. “I’ve only had him two weeks; I jumped him in a 1.40m not long ago, and it was a bit rusty, to say the least. Today, I thought the other class hasn’t got much prize money, so if I got lucky in this one, I could win a bit to pay [Hickstead director] Lizzie!”

Guy has been riding James Adams Riley’s 10-year-old mare Legacy for that bit longer – four weeks more – and she has already won ranking classes in Spain and France. She and Guy came fourth in the Hambury Derby this month.

“She probably should have won that, but I made a mistake, I held her a bit,” he said. “I was very confident today she was going to be clear – she’s a really good horse, an eventer, who doesn’t look backwards at all; her main thought is forwards.”

Carlos Mota Ribas and Juan Van’T Arkelho lose 100lbs in Hickstead Derby prep

Carlos, who has been placed in the speed Derby and had multiple placings in the Derby itself, promised last year that one day he would lift the Boomerang Trophy.

“I scratched from the jump-off as he’s 16 now, and has had knee surgery – and he’s everything to me,” he said. “I’d rather have him good on Sunday to give this crowd a good show, try to be in the jump-off, try to be clear and try to win. That’s something I’ve never accomplished so far.”

Carlos said he learns every year, watching the other riders and himself.

“I go home, I watch all the videos, I study what I did wrong,” he said. “What can I do better? How can I train better? This year, my horse is 80lb lighter, I am 20lb lighter, so we have 100 pounds less on the boat. I try to do everything possible, and it’s in the lap of the gods on Sunday.”

And asked which of his two promising rides he would tip over the other for the win on Sunday, Guy, who won the title in 2010 with Skip Two Ramiro said: “Legacy. Without a doubt.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

‘This is why I ride horses, for days like these’: Funnell’s fabulous fifth Hickstead Derby

Hickstead Derby legend bids for historic comeback: ‘A fifth one would be nice!’

‘One more would be nice!’ Can William Funnell make it six Derby titles?

How to watch the Hickstead Derby Meeting 2026 live from anywhere in the world

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

Trevor Breen made a winning Hickstead comeback, a year after he broke his neck and back in a potentially career-ending fall.

The Irish rider and his wife Caroline’s Kannoon Blue won the Astore & Sons 1.35m Open Championship on the opening day of competition in the International Arena, at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby meeting.

Trevor said it is “always lovely” to win at his local show, but this time was extra special.

The Irish medal-winning rider suffered three fractures of his lower neck and back, in the fall in Hamburg last May. He underwent immediate surgery and it was found later that he had been millimetres from severing his spinal cord.

But he has made a remarkable recovery, and showed that he is back to his best as he and the nine-year-old homebred, a half brother of Trevor’s European silver medal winner Highland President, beat Carmen Edwards and Vigo Cruz into second.

“It’s a bit more special because he’s a home-bred, and myself, Caroline and my father own him,” Trevor said. “He’s a similar type, but he’s probably not as difficult as Highland President. He has his own quirks, in his own way, but he’s a very talented jumper. I’ve taken my time with him and now, he’s getting to step up a bit.”

Trevor said Kannoon Blue’s first trip round the International Arena set him up perfectly for Aachen in a fortnight’s time.

“This couldn’t have gone any better,” he said. “Until this year, he’d just jumped in national shows, then I took him to the UAE over the winter, which was his first real taste of international sport. Since then, he’s been on a very upward trajectory, but he’s taken everything in his stride so far.

“It was really easy today – he can go a little spooky but he didn’t at all in there. He was very confident, and it was very easy for him. He gave me a great spin; it was really easy work for me and that was a really good feeling.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

‘Like I was never out of the saddle’: medal-winner riding again four months after serious fall

Trevor Breen reflects on the ‘first fall I’ve not walked away from’, saying ‘it’s not been the year I planned…’

The Horse & Hound Podcast 158: top showjumper Trevor Breen on his comeback from serious injury

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

It’s a unique challenge of skill, ability and bravery, so what does it take to ride round Hickstead’s famous Derby fences? 2022 winner Shane Breen guides us round ahead of this year’s renewal, which takes place on Sunday 22 June

Since the master of Hickstead Douglas Bunn held the first Hickstead Derby in 1961, the class has attracted a succession of the world’s leading athletes and horses ready to bravely tackle its notorious fences, from the fiendishly difficult Devil’s Dyke to the world renowned 10ft 6in Bank.

Clear rounds are remarkably hard to achieve, so what does it take? The 2022 winner of the Hickstead Derby Shane Breen shares his insight.

“There’s nothing quite like trotting into the International Arena at Hickstead to compete in this special class,” says Shane, who won the Hickstead Derby with the sole clear on Can Ya Makan three years ago.

“Many of the experienced horses rise to the occasion, but when the crowd applauds it’s natural for them to get a bit anxious – they know it’s show time. From a rider’s point of view, you’re therefore trying to get them settled and relaxed before the bell rings for you to start.”

• If you’re interested in watching the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby action in person, you can buy tickets here.

How to ride the Hickstead Derby, fence by fence

Fence 1: The Cornishman (4ft 8in/1.42m)

“Horses don’t normally spook at a fence like this; even Hickstead Derby newcomers will have jumped a similar brick wall. Never dismiss it though – one year John Ledingham and Kilbaha did a funny slip coming into it in the jump-off and knocked the rustic pole off the top. You can’t take anything for granted around the Hickstead Derby.”

Fence 2: white oxer (4ft 3in/1.30m high and 6ft 6in/1.98m wide)

“You have to steer around the Irish bank to get to this oxer of white poles, so the horses don’t see it until quite late. It’s not that high but it is very wide, so you can’t just waltz round the corner under-paced and expect them to clear it. Some horses can get a bit high over it because they’re not used to seeing Christmas trees in a jump like that, but again it’s Derby day so people have schooled and prepared – the course hasn’t changed for 60 years so you can do your homework.”

Fence 3a and b: double of water ditches (5ft/1.52m and 5ft 2in/1.57m)

“These are all about straightness, the approach and good rhythm. The fences are very tall and if it’s a sunny day you can get glare off the water underneath, so with that, the blue of the water and the white rails, you do have to focus to see the poles. The ground is running downhill, so you need to keep your leg on but sit tall.

“You land and you’ve one stride before the second obstacle, which is exactly like the first but even bigger. They’re a bit like jumping two triple bars because from take-off to clearing the top rail is such a stretch. You need to meet the first fence on a good stride with good pace so the second one comes easy – miss it and the second one feels twice as big and wide!”

Fence 4: black gate (5ft 3in/1.60m)

“The Hickstead Derby’s time allowed is generous, but almost everyone turns inside the balustrade to get to the gate because you’re giving yourself a bit of extra time if you need to be patient later on, at the Bank, say. So you swing left, then you keep straight before you do a nice flying change to the right. The gate is maximum height and falls easily, so it takes precision, but it’s also placed beside the pond, which doesn’t seem to give the horses any problems but it’s down to the rider to get a nice rhythm, very balanced and a good stride. You rarely see gates in jumping tracks nowadays but it does jump well.”

Fence 5: wall (5ft 3in/1.60m)

“Similarly the wall is one of the tallest on course, with an arch underneath, but very rarely do you see a horse take a brick off. The fence is lighter than years before when it was chunkier and wider.”

Fence 6: privet hedge oxer (4ft 11in/1.50m high and 6ft 6in/1.98m wide)

“It’s wide and those poles are about 16 ft long, which is remarkable. You’re coming away from the in-gate, so again you need to make sure your rhythm is correct and you’re on a good stride to make it easy for the horse to clear it – there’s still a long way to go, so you don’t want them having to overexert themselves at this stage.”

Fence 7a and b: road jump (5ft/1.52m and 5ft 2in/1.57m)

“You’re drawn here nicely on a line from the hedge and again the poles here are so long that every horse seems to hit it in the middle. You jump onto the higher ground, then there are three strides across the top before you jump out, and you can really feel the drop.”

Fence 8: Derby bank (3ft 5in/1.04m rail followed by 10ft 6in/3.20m drop)

“You’ve a bit of time now to fix your hat or give your horse a reassuring pat on the neck. You’re in your own little world, but you can feel the hush of the crowd waiting to see how you’ll execute the Bank. You canter up and ideally you just pop over the fence at the top to give you time to steady up before the drop – the fence is small in comparison with everything else, but it’s still big enough, especially situated up there, to warrant respect.

“Obviously you won’t have schooled over a bank with those kind of dimensions but everybody will have prepared down a bank of some description because you want your horse to be really confident so that when you’ve come to a standstill at the top, there’s no risk of them stepping back, or even putting too much pressure on and going down too quick.

“When he makes the initial descent with his front legs, he should know to gently follow on until halfway down before he pops off the side of it. I’ve ridden it the same way every year – pop the fence, steady up, talk to the horse, let them do their thing.”

Fence 9: white rails (5ft 3in/1.60m)

“It doesn’t always go smoothly, of course, but the perfect descent allows you two very nice normal strides to the rails, which are tall. If you’re clear over them, it’s a very welcome round of applause! But you have to block that out because this is where you need to steer your route carefully to the Devil’s Dyke.”

Fence 10a, b and c: Devil’s Dyke (4ft 9in/1.45m, 4ft 9in/1.45m and 4ft 8in/1.42m)

“Opinion is divided here, some go to the left of the road jump, some go to the right but keep away from the crowds, but in the last few years I’ve come to the right of the road jump and cantered all the way up along the rail. I try to go far enough along that when I come off the fence, I’ve four strides.

“Horses tend to drift right through the Dyke because of the camber, so I jump the opening fence slightly left of centre, so they’ll hit the b part in the middle, hoping they’ll only be slightly right of centre for the c element. It’s also quite a steep drop from take-off to landing over fence a, which catches the horse’s eye, taking their attention away from the pole and that’s when you can have a fault. It really is a combination like no other.”

Fence 11: open water (15ft/5.6m wide)

“By this point, horses have had two out-of-the-ordinary experiences with the Bank and Devil’s Dyke so it’s time for you both to take a deep breath, especially if you’re still clear. There’s a 3m rise in gradient from the bottom of the arena to the Master’s Box, so you’re travelling uphill at this point so you don’t want to set off at the water too early.

“I find you’re better off to get up the hill, then when you turn for the water, pick up the distance you want and kick on! Water jumps can cause horses to spook and wobble in normal jumping classes, but interestingly in the Derby the water doesn’t seem to cause any trouble.”

Fence 12: Derby rails (5ft 3in/1.60m)

“After the water you have 10 or 11 strides to the very tall Derby rails – most people seem to jump it on the right hand side of its five sections because it’s then a tight enough turn back to the dry ditch.”

Fence 13: dry ditch (5ft 1in/1.55m high, 6ft /1.8m wide ditch)

“Dimension-wise, this is quite similar to fence three, the double of water ditches – it’s quite a stretch but if the horses are confident about jumping the dry ditch, they normally clear it well.”

Fence 14: balustrades (5ft 3in/1.60m)

“Seven or eight strides later – which is purely down to the rider’s discretion and I’ve done both, but eight strides is my preference as it keeps you more balanced – the balustrades normally jump well. However, you’re travelling downhill again and if the horses are getting a bit tired, they can land over the dry ditch on their forehand.”

Fence 15a and b: double of gates (4ft 10in/1.47m and second element 5ft 6in/1.68m wide)

“You’re turning left-handed to go back up the arena, so you want to try to get a tired horse nicely collected, with good power in the hindlegs, to jump the first gate, then it’s one stride and a stretch over the second gate with a pole out the back. It’s wide, and horses tend to back off the gates, so it’s quite an effort for a horse who has made a lot of effort already in the last 85 seconds!”

Fence 16: rustic oxer (4ft 10in/1.47m high, 6ft 6in/1.98m wide)

“I wouldn’t go looking at the time here, but depending on your horse or whether you’ve had a delay earlier on, you might check it as you reach the home straight. It takes time to get to the final big, brown oxer with Christmas trees in the middle, because you’re coming round the water jump, making it easier to find your line.

“There are four sections and it’s quite long, which is good because it means you can ride at it a bit – but you also have to keep your cool and ride it like it’s fence two, not like you’re about to win the Derby! It ain’t over till the fat lady sings and that big oxer requires your full attention. Your horse has helped you over the previous 15 fences and you’re a partnership so don’t let your guard down here – it’s your turn to support him and help the horse jump it.

“Riders tend to pick one of the uprights to aim at because the poles are flush with the uprights, which encourages a horse to jump a bit higher. If you land and you’re clear, there’s a great cheer from the packed stands – there really is no better feeling.”

Heading to Hickstead? Don’t miss some great shopping…

There are more than 120 tradestands, up 10% from last year, for you to get stuck into if you’re heading to the Hickstead Derby meeting this week (19–22 June).

From fashion to street food, there’s something for everyone, so don’t miss out.

Has this whetted your appetite? Buy tickets to the Hickstead Derby meeting now

If you’d like to head to the Hickstead Derby meeting this week, you can buy tickets here.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in…

Credit: Peter Nixon

How to watch Hickstead 2025 live streams: your armchair viewing guide

Advance tickets for the Hickstead Derby meeting are now on sale

Hickstead Derby legend bids for historic comeback: ‘A fifth one would be nice!’

Credit: Future

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

• Horse & Hound is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Learn more

The first major show to be held at Hickstead this year is the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting (19-22 June), and if you can’t attend in person, here’s how to watch Hickstead on TV.

There will be a huge number of showjumping classes, culminating in the iconic Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby on Sunday 22 June, as well as the usual showing and carriage driving classes.

The ClipMyHorse.TV streaming service will be showing all of the action from the International Arena at Hickstead for a fee in the UK. If you’re abroad, and trying to watch ClipMyHorse.TV like you normally would back in the UK, then you can use a VPN. Check out NordVPN, where you can get 72% off, plus a £50 Amazon gift card and a 30-day money back guarantee, and follow the instructions below.

How to watch Hickstead on TV

There will be no terrestrial TV coverage available from this year’s Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting.

You can follow all the live action from the International Arena at Hickstead on ClipMyHorse.TV. Subscriptions to this livestream start from £17.33 per month.

Classes will be available to view on demand at ClipMyHorse.TV soon after the completion of the competition, where rider clips will be available to purchase.

How to watch Hickstead from anywhere

Not in the UK right now? You don’t have to miss out on any of the action from Hickstead.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) will alter your device’s IP address to make it appear to be in a different country, allowing you to access your usual streaming services from anywhere in the world. It’s great for watching horse sport on the move, and it’s also handy even if you’re watching at home. VPNs are designed with internet security in mind, creating encrypted connections that keep your data safe from third parties and improve streaming speeds by preventing bandwidth ‘throttling’ from your internet service provider.

There are many VPN providers out there, with some more reliable and safe than others. We’d suggest using a paid-for service such as NordVPN, which is the best VPN in the world according to our colleagues at TechRadar.

How to use a VPN

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. NordVPN is the one we recommend.

2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access.

3. Then head over to ClipMyHorse on your browser or device and enjoy the livestream.

We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:

• Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service)
• Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad

We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing. 

Advance tickets for the Hickstead Derby meeting are now on sale

Hickstead Derby legend bids for historic comeback: ‘A fifth one would be nice!’

Credit: Future

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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

Eight years after Hickstead Derby legend Michael Whitaker last jumped in the iconic class, the 65-year-old showjumper is bidding to make a historic comeback.

The four-time Hickstead Derby winner will team up with 13-year-old mare D&H Q Paravatti N, who he shares with his 23-year-old son Jack Whitaker, for Friday’s Derby trial, bidding to qualify for the Al Shira’aa Derby itself on Sunday (22 June).

Michael told H&H he only decided to make his welcome return to Hickstead’s International Arena after Jack received the call-up for GCL team duties at the Longines Global Champions Tour in Paris this weekend.

“Jack was originally planning to ride Paravatti in the Hickstead Derby so he’s done quite a bit of work with her in preparation – practising over banks, devil’s dykes and so on – and he said she was pretty good,” said Michael, of the mare who has competed in Hickstead’s CSI5* King George V Gold Cup but never over its unique Derby fences. “So when Jack got the call-up to compete in Paris, I thought I might as well give it a go on Paravatti instead.”

A Hickstead Derby five-timer?

For many years, Michael Whitaker reigned alongside his brother John Whitaker, William Funnell, Eddie Macken and Harvey Smith as the only riders to have won the Hickstead Derby four times. But in 2024, William teamed up with Dublon to land the class for a record fifth time. So is Michael bidding to join his former team-mate in the Hickstead record books?

“We’ll see – a fifth one would be nice!” said Michael. “We’ll do the Derby trial and see how that goes first. If everything goes OK, we’ll give it our best shot, that’s the plan anyway.”

Michael last jumped in the Hickstead Derby in 2017 riding Gentlemen VH Veldhof, who is now ridden by his nephew Robert Whitaker and could be one of his chief rivals in this week’s CSI4* classes.

Michael’s previous Derby victories came with Owen Gregory in 1980, followed by a hat-trick on the great Monsanta in 1991-1993. As well as D&H Q Paravatti N, the Olympic, world and European medallist brings Oscar Kan Duresses and new ride Nice Van Baublo, previously ridden by Brazil’s Pedro Veniss, for Hickstead’s CSI4* classes this year.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

Advance tickets for the Hickstead Derby meeting are now on sale

Five-time Funnell eyes the one derby title missing from his collection

‘This is why I ride horses, for days like these’: Funnell’s fabulous fifth Hickstead Derby

9 Hickstead Derby moments we won’t forget, plus other Hickstead highlights

Michael Whitaker’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘I nearly had a heart attack when I saw how steep the bank was’

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

Five-time Hickstead Derby winner William Funnell joked that winning a sixth title would be handy – as it would make it harder for anyone else to equal his achievement.

William said it had been a dream come true to lift the famous Boomerang trophy four times, let alone becoming the first rider to win the Derby for a fifth time, as he did last year with Dublon.

But he is now eyeing a sixth title in this year’s running of the class, on the last day of the Derby meeting (19-22 June).

“Dublon did his first show in Abu Dhabi in April, and I’m going to try the Hamburg Derby with him so I’m currently getting him fit and training for that,” William said. “Then he’ll have a bit of a break, before hopefully having him on top form for Hickstead again.”

William made his debut in the Derby as a teenager and repeatedly came close to winning, until he and Mondriaan triumphed in 2006. The combination returned to win again in 2008 and 2009, then in 2018, the late Billy Buckingham secured William’s place in the exclusive club of four-time Derby champions.

But he surpassed Eddie Macken, John and Michael Whitaker and Harvey Smith last summer, to set a record that is unlikely to be broken soon – unless John decides to have another go.

“It would be nice to just to get one more this year to make it really difficult for everyone!” William said.

“It was lovely to win a fifth Derby last summer, but actually winning the first one was the most difficult. At times it felt like it was never going to happen.

“It’s lovely being out on my own and winning it five times, but having won four times was still a dream.”

Asked if he felt more, or less, pressure to win having secured that fifth title?

“There’s pressure every year in some way,” he said “I know I’m going into the Derby with a horse capable of winning it, and that’s when you get more nervous about making a mistake as a rider, because you don’t want to let your horse down. In any Derby, you still need a little bit of luck on your side.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

‘This is why I ride horses, for days like these’: Funnell’s fabulous fifth Hickstead Derby

William Funnell: ‘My historic Hickstead Derby win was a massive team effort’

‘To win on one you’ve known from a foal adds to the whole value’ – the thrill of competing home-bred elite horses

Five-time Funnell eyes the one derby title missing from his collection

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

Five-time Hickstead Derby winner William Funnell said he will be practising and watching videos as he aims to secure the one derby title missing from his collection.

William is taking Dublon, with whom he secured his record fifth Hickstead win last year, to the Al Shira’aa German Show Jumping & Dressage Derby (28 May-1 June) in Hamburg.

“I think I’ve won every derby – except Hamburg!” he said.

Douglas Bunn, who founded the All England Jumping Course at Hickstead, was inspired to run a derby there by the class in Hamburg. He famously measured the Hamburg derby bank, but in snow, which may have contributed to the fact the Hickstead bank is six inches taller.

And William has conquered the British bank on multiple occasions; he won a hat-trick of Hickstead Derby titles with the great Mondriaan, in 2006, 2008 and 2009, then won again in 2018 with Billy Buckingham. He and Dublon jumped clear in 2023 but finished second in the jump-off.

He has also won the derbies in Falsterbo, La Baule and Eindhoven.

“I always enjoyed going to Eindhoven, but unfortunately that was at the same time as Hamburg so I haven’t been to Hamburg that often,” he said, adding: “I’m also a bit nervous!

“I know the Hickstead Derby from the ground up, including the bank, which is a bit higher than the one in Hamburg. But at Hickstead, the horses have to jump off the bank because then it’s two long strides to the [next fence]. In Hamburg they have to slide down to the ground and then there is only a short canter to the next obstacle. I will practise this beforehand and watch lots of videos of the Hamburg bank in preparation.”

Combinations have two qualifying classes on the Wednesday and Friday of the show, for Sunday’s showpiece.

“The fact that one of the world’s best derby riders is one of the first to sign up in our premiere year in Hamburg increases our already huge anticipation even more,” says show director Matthias Alexander Rath from event agency Schafhof Connects. “In general, the riders’ interest in the 94th German Show Jumping Derby is enormous – that’s great!”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

‘This is why I ride horses, for days like these’: Funnell’s fabulous fifth Hickstead Derby

9 Hickstead Derby moments we won’t forget, plus other Hickstead highlights

The 60th anniversary of the Hickstead Derby: memorable highlights of this iconic class

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

The 2019 Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby winner has been retired sound, happy and still at the top of his game, after a joint win in the Dublin Horse Show Defender puissance.

Mikey Pender and Hearton Du Bois Halleux shared the win with Joe Trunkfield and Cruze on 17 August, and Mikey announced that the Nonstop stallion would bow out of competition aged 17.

Mikey told H&H the idea of retiring “Harold” had been “half in the back of my mind”.

“And there was no better way to do it,” he said. “I wanted to do it when he was still healthy and in good form, and that felt like the perfect time.”

Mikey took on Paul van den Bosch’s stallion in 2018, just over a year before their famous Hickstead win, when Mikey at 19 became the youngest ever winner of the class. They also won eight puissances together, including three at Dublin.

“It’s so special [winning on home soil] and he’s done it three times; it’s amazing what he’s done,” Mikey said, adding that he had no idea when he first took the reins how much Harold would achieve.

“I had to try to work out the controls and it took a bit of time to get to know him, and for him to get to know me. But when it clicked, we got on very good and it all went from there.

“There were a good few highlights but I think in one year we won Hickstead, Dublin, Olympia and Bolesworth and that’s unreal.”

Mikey said Harold was “like a bit of a lion” in the ring.

“But he was the sweetest horse in the stable,” he said. “Anyone could ride him at home, he’s so kind-natured. I wanted him to have a good retirement, I didn’t want to push it so it felt very right to do it.

“He’ll stay with me, at home in his field, close to my house, so I can still see him as much as possible.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also be interested in:

Watch how Michael Pender won the Hickstead Derby — including THAT jaw-dropping leap over the water

Take a look at the jump-off round that secured this young Irishman’s Hickstead Derby victory

13 things you might not know about the youngest ever Hickstead Derby winner, Michael Pender

Here are a few things to help you get to know the youngest ever Hickstead Derby winner a little better...

Hickstead Derby winner and puissance first-timer share Olympia spoils

‘Every time you get on him you know there is no jump too big and no course too difficult’

Irishman becomes youngest ever winner of the Hickstead Derby

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

William Funnell reflects on his historic Derby win and looks ahead to Paris

I am absolutely thrilled to have won my fifth Hickstead Derby and the whole day served as a reminder that there really is no other occasion in the sport quite like it.

My father was a showjumping farmer from Kent and, as a young kid, we would always come up around harvest time and he would jump at Hickstead. Watching Eddie Macken winning with Boomerang for the fourth time and taking the trophy home was a lasting memory and the whole draw of the Derby started for me then.

I first jumped in the class when I was 17 – riding a six-year-old who belonged to Cyril Light – and we completed the course. But my five wins have all come since 2006 – it took me a very long time to win it! I was the bridesmaid for so long, finishing second and third, so I definitely appreciate winning it all the more.

It may have been my historic fifth win that everyone’s talking about, but I couldn’t have done it without Dublon, who has grown in stature into a very special Derby horse. It’s also been a massive team effort, so thanks to everyone who played a part – from Roland Stanley, who allowed us to train using his world class facilities, to the whole team at home, and it was lovely to share the moment with them, my dad and wife Pippa.

Will I hang up my boots?

The Hickstead Derby does feel like “my class” now and I did think maybe I should retire on Sunday while I was on top. But I still enjoy riding and you live for those days.

It may be that Dublon gets sold on before next year and perhaps I won’t do another Hickstead. But if I’ve still got him and he’s fit and well, he would be very capable of winning another Derby, so why not go for a sixth? I’m not saying that I’m not retiring, but we’ll see.

After the win, I received so many congratulatory messages – far more, I’d imagine, than if I’d won the Longines Global Champions Tour of London for example. Everyone can understand the difficulty of fences like the bank or the dyke, but how many can comprehend the technicality of a short distance to a double of verticals on sand?

The two don’t even compare as a spectacle and Hickstead is a massive draw for new people to come and watch our sport. So we need to keep its prize money high enough to keep drawing top competitors as it would be a very sad minus for the sport if we lost the Hickstead Derby.

Paris, here we come

As soon as the celebrations died down on Sunday evening, I was back in my role with Team UAE. The deadline for Olympic showjumping team entries is this Monday (8 July).

It’s been difficult enough for me to finalise my squad, but I certainly wouldn’t have wanted to be the one choosing the British Olympic showjumping team this year as it’s been a particularly tough one.

But it’s great to see Ben Maher, Scott Brash, Joe Stockdale and Harry Charles flying the flag for the Brits in Paris. It’s always going to be a close-run thing for the final team slots, so you have to feel for the other shortlisted riders, Tim Gredley and Robert Whitaker, who have also enjoyed great campaigns, but just missed out.

I’m sure a lot of people have been thinking of Tim Stockdale over the past week – I imagine him smiling down with great pride at seeing his son Joe selected to represent Great Britain at the Olympic Games. Joe and his brother Mark are wonderful lads and it’s given Pip and me enormous pleasure and pride to help Joe on his showjumping journey.

He, Ben and Harry showed what great form they were in at the recent Longines League of Nations in Rotterdam, where Great Britain finished third, while Scott will instead make his final pre-Olympic appearance in Aachen this week, so it will be interesting to see his preparation there.

It’s a massive job now to get the improvement we need to make sure that Team GB is in contention in Paris. Pre-training falls in line with what I’m doing with the UAE riders, so I can take time out to make sure there’s no stone left unturned for Joe and Cacharel so hopefully we can get them to Paris in absolute tip-top condition. It’s going to be very exciting.

● Read the full story behind William’s journey to a fifth Hickstead Derby win in the 18 July issue of H&H magazine

● Do you agree with William that good prize money is key to ensuring the future of the Hickstead Derby? Let us know by emailing hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and country, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine

• This exclusive column will also be available to read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 4 July

You might also be interested in:

British Olympic showjumping team is revealed: who has been selected for Paris 2024?

Reigning champions reveal ‘incredibly charged’ team for Paris Olympics

How to watch showjumping at the Paris Olympics live from around the world

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Subscribe today and enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus unlimited website access and digital versions of the magazine dating back to September 2012.

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

“This is why I ride horses – for days like these,” said William Funnell, after he won a dream, record-breaking, fifth Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby title.

William and Dublon triumphed in a jump-off of first-round four-faulters, against Carlos Eduardo Mota Ribas with Juan Van’t Arkelhof and William Whitaker and Flamboyant III, jumping the only second-round clear to put William’s name firmly in the history books. He had previously won a hat-trick with the great Mondriaan in 2006, 2008 and 2009, then a fourth title in 2018 with Billy Buckingham.

He had been part of a select group – the others Eddie Macken, John and Michael Whitaker and Harvey Smith – who had lifted the Boomerang Trophy four times, and came so close to surpassing them last year when he finished second on Dublon and third on Equine America Billy Diamo. He set a record then, as the first rider to jump the Derby clear on two horses, but it was the fifth title that had remained tantalisingly out of reach – until now.

“It’s a great feeling to be here again, and winning it,” William said. “Last year, I thought if I can’t jump two clears and win it, I would have retired. But just the enormity of this class; cantering into the ring, the challenge of the course, it’s so special. It’s why I do it.”

It had been a class full of faults, as is the Derby’s wont, and until Carlos and his own and K&R Horses’ 15-year-old came in as 18th of 22 starters, Shane Breen (Fanfan De Beaufour) and Emeric George (Dune Du Ru) were sharing the lead on eight apiece.

But, as the riders agreed, each of the three four-faulters fell foul of a “silly fence”, and Carlos’s was the privet hedge at six. It must have felt like a long way home but the pair put in a polished performance, a copybook descent of the bank and faultless through all the hardest challenges of the course to get their noses in front.

But not for long. William and Dublon came in 20th, to silence from the crowd who had been reminded of a record that could be broken. The pair were clear until the bank; William’s “silly fence” to knock was the rail on top, at 1m, 60cm smaller than most of the others.

Hopes flickered briefly but William’s superb horsemanship came to the fore as he rode home like the Derby expert he is, setting up a jump-off – as long as no one else went clear. It was not the day of next in Guy Williams and Mr Blue Sky UK, but then came William and Victoria Smith’s 14-year-old, who William rode in the Derby two years ago as a catch ride after Victoria’s son Elliott broke a leg in the Derby qualifier.

Their bad luck came at the middle element of the Devil’s Dyke but again, William rode beautifully to come home clear after that. And when last in Shane Breen, on Nows The Time, was eliminated at the dyke, the jump-off was on.

Strong and confident

First in Carlos and Juan were strong and confident, putting in a mighty leap over the white oxer at fence two, and taking the black gate on an angle. Carlos rode strongly to the privet hedge – that wasn’t getting the better of him again – and Juan was eating up the ground. But then the second and third elements of the dyke went down, and the second of the double of white gates.

In came William and Dublon, to almost total silence; William cantering his turn to the dyke in practice, then straight to the Cornishman. He took the oxer at two on a beautiful curve, Dublon even and balanced and full of jumping, over the privet hedge and then clear through the dyke, the crowd willing him through. Could he dare to dream? The water, the rails, round to the last line, and a cheer, quickly hushed, as he cleared the double of gates, and took a final flyer over the last. The crowd cheered and cheered, and William grinned as he put a finger to his lips. He wasn’t there yet.

William Whitaker started full of purpose, the huge bay fast and forward, and balanced in his turns. He was tight to the dyke – but possibly slightly too much so as the first part fell to seal the result. There was a shout from somewhere as William, ever the professional, finished a super round with just the second of the two white gates falling.

“All credit to Elliott,” William said afterwards. “And his family, for preparing the horse as they did; we only decided I’d be riding him on Friday, so it was a bit of a catch ride again, if you like. The horse jumped fantastic today; I had that silly fence in the first round, but that’s what the Derby is all about. I didn’t expect this result, this morning, so I’m very pleased.”

For the prizegiving, the crowd got to its feet for God Save the King and didn’t sit down again as William was bellowed round two laps of honour; hat in hand and grin from ear to ear.

“The crowd was fantastic today,” William said afterwards. “It helps when you’ve won it five times – “How many?” asked William Whitaker, straight-faced. “Five,” William Funnell replied, equally deadpan – “But it’s a fantastic class, a spectacle.

“It’s something that probably as a kid I’d have dreamed of, and now I’ve won it more than Eddie Macken and the great Boomerang. But that’s why I ride horses, for days like these.”

William said that after some good luck in jump-offs, he had “had a couple of dodgy ones”, so his plan once Carlos had faulted was to try to jump clear and push William Whitaker into faulting as well.

“I knew he’d only sat on the horse on Friday, and wasn’t sure how fit he would be,” he said. “I was a bit ugly into the dyke last year so I wanted to do that better, and then I just let him run.”

Derby trial

William shared the win in Friday’s Derby trial with Carlos, and Robert Whitaker and Evert who finished joint seventh on Sunday on 12 faults.

“On Friday, people say ‘Your horse jumped great‘ – and my dad backed me to win at four to one! – but when you walk the course on Sunday, it’s still very tough,” he said. “There’s a lot of work to do before you’re sitting here.

“We all had silly fences and all could have jumped clear but we made it a good Derby. It’s so special; so many people who wouldn’t go to the Global Champions Tour come here and watch this and we need to make sure we keep it in our sport.”

Carlos, who also shared the Derby trial win last year on Trix, finishing 12th in the showpiece, and came second in 2022 with Jella Van’t Kathof, said he will keep aiming for the win.

“I don’t give up; I keep on coming,” he said. “I had a silly fault at the bush; in the Hamburg Derby, I nearly fell off at that fence so I think I pushed him a bit much, to have a silly fault before the most difficult fences. But it is what it is, and I’m really happy.

“You learn something new every time you ride this course; you jump the trial then walk the course on Sunday, see these massive jumps and think ‘What am I doing here?’

“But this is my passion and as long as I’m healthy and can ride, I’ll come back, and one day I’ll be sitting [in Will Funnell’s seat]. I might not do it five times! But that I promise you.”

Shane and Emeric were joint fourth, and in sixth was Joseph Clayton and Gentlemen VH Veldhof, who had only hit the cream oxer in an otherwise textbook round, but who must have been slower than they appeared, as they notched up seven time-faults.

Hickstead director Edward Bunn explained that half the bank was hedged off for the class, for safety reasons owing to the wet spring compounded by a recent downpour, then thanked the riders for another great sporting spectacle.

“And now we have a GOAT [greatest of all time],” he said. “It’s official, William Funnell is the GOAT of the Derby.

And so he is.

You might also be interested in:

William Funnell’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘One of the best horses in the world was galloping loose round the ring’

William Funnell’s thoughts on top of the Hickstead Derby bank and who’s going to win this year…

William Funnell wins his fourth Hickstead Derby to join illustrious group

The British rider is now looking to go into the history books with a fifth win in the future

9 Hickstead Derby moments we won’t forget, plus other Hickstead highlights

The 60th anniversary of the Hickstead Derby: memorable highlights of this iconic class

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Subscribe today and enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus unlimited website access and digital versions of the magazine dating back to September 2012.

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

A Touch Imperious has been retired aged 20 with fitting ceremony, cheered round one last lap of the Hickstead International Arena in which he had shone so many times.

Harriet Biddick took the saddle off “Henry” in an emotional moment before this year’s Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby, the class he is most famous for.

He and Harriet finished second in the Derby five times, and came third twice, winning nearly £117,000 just in this class.

“He may not have won but he’s a Derby champion in our hearts,” said commentator John Stokes. “We wish him a long and happy retirement, and thank him and Harriet for the joy and excitement they’ve brought us in this most iconic competition.”

Harriet trotted Henry twice round the ring, to thunderous applause from every stand. Shining and plaited, ears pricked, the big chestnut was then taken to the winner’s enclosure, where his saddle was replaced with a wreath hanging with apples and carrots. Harriet led him out of the ring as her fellow riders formed a guard of honour by the chute, and (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life was played.

Harriet said emotional though the decision was, it was the right one for Henry, whom she felt was not quite fit enough for one last try at the title.

“He is 20 now, and he owes us nothing,” she said last week. “He’s got a fantastic record in the class, and I want to keep it that way.”

A Touch Imperious was bred by Dominic and Leo Rice, of Premier Sports Horses, and Harriet’s father Rupert Nuttall bought him as a youngster. Harriet produced him all the way up, to success also including joint-winning the Hickstead Derby trial two years ago, and representing Britain on Nations Cup teams, and at the 2018 final.

“It will be the end of an era for me,” Harriet said. “A really emotional day but he’s amazing. We’ve had a 15-year career and that’s a partnership to dream of. To [do what he’s done] and so consistently and well shows how talented and brave he is and I’m just lucky to be his rider.”

The combination were eliminated at the bank on their first Derby attempt, 11 years ago, but Harriet put in some practice and “he never looked back”, she said. “He’s basically done all that on his own. He’s amazing.”

Harriet said Henry would step back from the big shows and have a good holiday, then probably just do some hacking, and “enjoy life”.

“He’s been my whole career,” she said. “It’s hard to not get emotional but I just don’t think I’ll get a horse like that in my future. I know he is my horse of a lifetime.”

You might also be interested in:

‘We all deserved to win and thankfully it was my day’: Shane Breen takes emotional Hickstead Derby win

‘It’s going to be emotional’: superstar Hickstead Derby hero to retire in main ring aged 20

‘Such bad timing’: 19-year-old Hickstead Derby hero ruled out for 2023

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Subscribe today and enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus unlimited website access and digital versions of the magazine dating back to September 2012.

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

There are 23 horse and rider combinations making up the 2024 Hickstead Derby entries, with an afternoon’s top sport on the cards.

A mix of veterans and class debutants are on the start list for the 62nd anniversary of the class, including last year’s runners-up William Funnell and Dublon, who will be bidding for a record fifth Derby win for William.

The 2024 Hickstead Derby entries are:

• Alexander Butler and Pico, a 13-year-old stallion owned by the Tirnaskea Stud
• Derek McCoppin and Adonis Van Erpekom Z, a 10-year-old stallion owned by Bonnie Smith
• Ella Dalton on Hurricane VDL, a 12-year-old gelding owned by Elisha Simmons
• Christopher Franks on Irving VG, an 11-year-old stallion owned by Louise Barr
• Shane Breen on Fanfare De Beaufour, a nine-year-old stallion owned by Michael Duffy
• Ahmed Alabidi on Ardfinnan Son, a 17-year-old stallion owned by Jenny Ryan
• Emeric George on Dune Du Ru, an 11-year-old mare owned by SARL Urainie
• Ellen Whitaker on Demi Louvo, an 11-year-old mare owned by N Mckibbin, and A, K and S Port
• Sally Goding on D’Amour Du Nenuphar, an 11-year-old are owned by Yash Nensee
• Mathies Ruder, on For Freedom EKT, a 12-year-old stallion owned by Erik Welling
• Gemma Stevens on Envoy Merelsnest Z, an 11-year-old stallion owned by the Dime Bar Syndicate
• Joseph Clayton on Gentlemen VH Veldhof, an 18-year-old stallion owned by the Unex Competition Yard
• Henry Turrell with Rocco, his own 13-year-old stallion
• Robert Whitaker on Evert, a 15-year-old gelding owned by Caroline Blatchford
• Ezequiel Andres Ferro Menendez on Celli, a 12-year-old mare owned by Torsten Ritter
• Dermott Lennon on Gelvins Touch, an 18-year-old stallion owned by Victoria Loane
• Sebastian Hughes on Colorado Volo, his own 12-year-old gelding
• Carlos Eduardo Mota Ribas on Juan Van’t Arkelhof, a 15-year-old gelding owned b the rider and K&R Horses BVBA
• Sammie Jo Coffin and Chaccomo Blue, a 14-year-old gelding owned by Brian O’Malley
• William Funnell on Dublon, owned by Barbara Hester and Yoshiaki Oiwa
• Guy Williams on Mr Blue Sky UK, a 15-year-old gelding owned by Elaine Annis
• William Whitaker on Flamboyant III, a 14-year-old gelding owned by Victoria Smith
• Shane Breen on Nows The Time, a 12-year-old gelding owned by Daisy Bathe

The class starts in the International Arena at 3pm today (23 June).

You might also be interested in:

9 Hickstead Derby moments we won’t forget, plus other Hickstead highlights

‘My horse comes first’: reigning champions ruled out of 2024 Hickstead Derby

Rider’s lifetime dream realised as eight-year-old stallion takes superb Hickstead Derby win

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Subscribe today and enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus unlimited website access and digital versions of the magazine dating back to September 2012.

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

One of the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby’s most popular and consistent contenders is to be retired before this year’s event, at the age of 20.

Harriet Biddick’s heroic A Touch Imperious will be given a fitting send-off in the International Arena just before the class on Sunday (23 June).

Harriet and “Henry” have finished second in the Derby five times, and come third twice, winning nearly £117,000 just in this class. He was also the joint-winner of the Derby trial in 2022. It had been hoped that he would be able to try for the Boomerang trophy again this year, having missed the 2023 running with a minor injury, but Harriet felt he was not fully fit.

“He is 20 now, and he owes us nothing,” she said. “He’s got a fantastic record in the class, and I want to keep it that way.

“He’s jumped some nice clears recently and has been feeling good, but I didn’t want to jump him in the Derby unless he felt 1,000%. I know it’s going to be emotional, but it’s a real honour to be able to retire him at Hickstead, it’s like home to him.”

A Touch Imperious was bred by Leo and Dominic Rice, of Premier Sports Horses, by Touchdown out of Cavalier Royale mare Cavimperius. Harriet’s father Rupert Nuttall bought him as a young horse from Ireland and Harriet has produced him to the top. Together they represented Britain on Nations Cup teams including the 2018 final.

“A Touch Imperious may not have won the Al Shira’aa Derby, but he is one of the most consistent horses in the history of the class,” said Hickstead director Lizzie Bunn. “We are really sad to see his remarkable career draw to a close, but we’re touched that Harriet has chosen the All England Jumping Course – the scene of so many of his best moments – as the location for his retirement ceremony.”

The retirement ceremony will take place shortly before the parade of riders in the Derby.

The Rices bought back a half sister of Cavimperius, Premier Lux Like Murphy by Lux Z, and now have a filly out of her, by their Touchdown stallion Premier Sport who is out of a Cavalier Royale mare.

You might also be interested in:

‘I won’t use a hackamore this time!’ Speed Derby veteran is bidding to regain title lost after bridle mishap

‘Such bad timing’: 19-year-old Hickstead Derby hero ruled out for 2023

‘We all deserved to win and thankfully it was my day’: Shane Breen takes emotional Hickstead Derby win

Horse and rider become the most successful Hickstead speed derby combination in history

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Subscribe today and enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus unlimited website access and digital versions of the magazine dating back to September 2012.

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

To celebrate the 62nd anniversary of the famous Hickstead Derby, which is held at the All England Jumping Course, Hickstead, we decided to pick out just nine unforgettable moments from the class, alongside some other key moments from the venue’s illustrious history. Established in 1960 by Douglas Bunn and now run by his family, the showground has hosted some thrilling Hickstead Derby finishes, battles for the Nations Cup, lightning-quick jump-offs and some highly decorated championships.

1. Harvey Smith’s famous V sign 

Having won the Hickstead Derby in 1970 on Mattie Brown, Harvey returned the following year without the trophy. He claims to have forgotten it but organisers felt Harvey had defied instructions, being so confident he’d repeat his win. Eventually the trophy was retrieved from Yorkshire and after a jump-off against Steve Hadley on Prospero, Harvey and Mattie Brown crossed the line as victors. BBC viewers saw him stick two fingers up in the direction of the members’ stand and the directors’ box, which Harvey claims was the V-for-victory sign, but Hickstead founder Douglas Bunn saw it otherwise and it was decided Harvey would be eliminated, forfeiting his first prize of £2,000. The story made headline news the following day while the incident was referred to the BSJA stewards in London. Eventually Harvey Smith was reinstated, but the episode has become Hickstead legend.

2. Mondriaan’s poignant retirement 

William Funnell’s great partner Mondriaan will always be remembered as one of the all-time Derby greats, having taken the title in 2006, 2008 and 2009, recording the class’s 50^th clear round. His retirement ceremony in the international arena in 2011 remains one of the most poignant moments in the showground’s history as the 17-year-old gelding left the scene of some of his greatest triumphs for one last time.

3. Geoff Billington wins the Hickstead Derby for the first time at 52 

Battling through heavy rain in 2007, Geoff Billington and the grey Cassabachus skipped round the Derby track with just a time-fault to give Geoff his first victory at the age of 52.

4. Ladies first 

Tina Fletcher (Promised Land) became the latest woman to lift the trophy in 2011, following in the footsteps of Pat Smythe, Alison Westwood (later Dawes), Marion Coakes and Anneli Drummond-Hay.

5. John Whitaker’s fourth win 

John’s first Hickstead Derby win came in 1983 with the great Ryan’s Son and he went on to claim victory with the 21-year-old Gammon in 1998, 20-year-old Welham in 2000, before joining the elite group of four-time winners in 2004 with catch-ride Buddy Bunn, Douglas Bunn’s home-bred. John took over from an injured William Funnell, sitting on Buddy Bunn for the first time the day before the class, and beating his niece Ellen Whitaker in a jump-off (John Whitaker and Ryan’s son, pictured).

6. Boomerang and Eddie Macken’s four-in-a-row 

The record four-timer set by the Irishman and the heroic Boomerang between 1976 and 1979 allowed him to keep the original gold Derby trophy and a new bronze trophy was commissioned in their honour, the Boomerang Trophy.

7. The pony who cleared the Derby fences

Marion Coakes (later Mould) jumped an amazing three clear rounds in the Derby with the 14.2hh Stroller but only won once, in 1967, when Marion was 20 years old (pictured top).

8. Trick rider takes the trophy 

In 1990, Joe Turi — a trick rider from Hungary — rode the stallion Vital to victory in the Derby after a nail-biting jump-off with Nick Skelton, denying the Warwickshire rider a fourth consecutive win. The year before, Joe had ridden Mill Ruby to victory in the Speed Derby, the third running of the class.

9. Ben Maher’s Derby double 

In 2005, just a year after his Hickstead debut, Ben became the first rider since John Ledingham to win the Speed Derby (on Mercurius) and the Derby (Alfredo) in the same year, returning to top the Speed Derby again in 2006 on Mercurius.

Other Hickstead highlights…

10. Guy Williams goes high speed

Guy Williams won the fast and furious Speed Derby for a record fourth time in 2015, breaking the course record in the process with the lightning-quick Casper De Muze. His first win in the class came 13 years previously with his two-time victor Be Precise.

11. Beezie Madden’s historic King George

In 2015, US rider Beezie Madden became the first woman to win the King George V Gold Cup, first run in 1911 and restricted to men only until 2008. Beezie followed up 12 months later with her second success on the occasion-loving Cortes C — it was more than 50 years since any rider had achieved back-to-back victories.

12. A winning debut

Making her Hickstead international debut in 2015, Chloe Winchester landed one of the most prestigious titles in the national sport, the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, at the age of 21 with the brilliant mare Avoca Valkyrie.

13. The only horse to rack up five showcase wins

Trevor Breen’s Adventure De Kannan boasted a tremendous record in the international arena. The one-eyed wonder horse “Addy” showed incredible versatility by winning the 2009 Speed Derby, the 2012 Eventing Grand Prix and the All England grand prix at the national show in September, then in 2014 the pair landed the big one itself, the Derby, by jumping 0.02sec faster than Phillip Miller in the jump-off. A month later they returned to Hickstead to triumph in the Queen’s Cup. What a horse.

14. A new Chapter for showing

The Supreme Ridden Pony Championship was first introduced at the Royal International in 2002 and that inaugural title went to Mrs Michael Coates’ Yealand Chapter. Prior to that year, the pony champions competed against the horses for the supreme ridden title and two ponies lifted the overall – Royal Bronze in 1993 and Trelawn Playboy in 2001.

15. Home team glory

It’s been a decade since Great Britain last won the Nations Cup on home soil at Hickstead, but as a nation there have been some great triumphs in the series. Great Britain’s greatest run came between 1949 and 1954 with six wins on the trot.

16. From the Grand National to the Speed Derby

Only Robbie Power can claim to have won a Grand National, a Cheltenham Gold Cup and a Hickstead Speed Derby. The former junior showjumper turned leading jump jockey took time away from the racecourse to jump in the 2012 Eventing Grand Prix, finishing third, returning the next year to win the Speed Derby with Doonaveragh O One.

17. The Boss rules at Hickstead

One of the most memorable moments at the Royal International was when Susie Eddis and 13hh worker Beat The Boss took the 2015 supreme pony title. His brilliant paces, self-carriage, great gallop and wonderful manners made him the stand-out choice for the judges.

18. Lucinda Fredericks’ Hickstead success

The rider’s victory in the 2004 running of the Eventing Grand Prix riding the then still up-and-coming 11-year-old Headley Britannia was special as it was one of the first steps to her tremendous wins at Badminton (2006), Burghley (2007) and Kentucky (2009). Nicky Boulter was best of the showjumpers that year with Magna Carta

You might also be interested in:

The amazing moment 14.2hh Stroller won the Hickstead Derby

We rewind the clock 52 years to 1967 when the pint-sized Stroller clinched the Hickstead Derby title...

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Subscribe today and enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus unlimited website access and digital versions of the magazine dating back to September 2012.

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

Last year’s Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby winners David Simpson and Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve will not attempt to defend their title on Sunday (23 June).

David, who would have been on short odds to take the title again, said the stallion had picked up a mild viral infection.

“It’s such bad timing, but welfare is paramount to me, and my horse has to come first,” he said. “I was so looking forward to trying to defend my title, but the Al Shira’aa Derby is a huge challenge – it’s twice as long as any other showjumping course, with 21 jumping efforts – so horses need to be at the peak of fitness.

“Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve is still a young horse, being only eight when he won the Derby last year, so he’ll hopefully be back for many more Derbies in the future.”

David and Pjotr’s victory denied William Funnell a record fifth Derby win a year ago; William finished second with Dublon and third on Equine America Billy Diamo after a three-way jump-off – having jumped the course clear on two horses, which had never been done before.

Equine America Billy Diamo has since been sold but William is now favourite to lift the Boomerang trophy this year with Dublon,

Shane Breen, who won the Derby in 2022 with Can Ya Makan, is entered with two class debutants this year; 12-year-old Nows The Time, owned by legendary former jockey AP McCoy and usually ridden by AP’s daughter Eve, and nine-year-old Fanfan De Beaufour.

Other notable entries include Robert Whitaker and 2023 Derby trial winner Evert, Ellen Whitaker with former eventer Demi Louvo and eventer Gemma Stevens with her 2023 Derby ride Envoy Merelsnest Z.

“It really is a wide open field for this year’s Al Shira’aa Derby, and we’re looking forward to seeing which combinations are on form in Friday’s Agria Derby trial,” said Hickstead director Lizzie Bunn. “We are sorry not to see David Simpson come back to defend his title, but it would be an incredible feat for William Funnell to set a new record with five wins, and I don’t think there’ll be a dry eye in the house if he accomplishes this feat. But the history of the Derby is filled with surprise results, and it wouldn’t be a shock if a first-time winner lifted the Boomerang trophy this year.”

The start list for the Al Shira’aa Derby will be confirmed on Saturday evening.

• Hickstead tickets start from less than £20, with advance discounts and concessions available. Thursday 20 June is free general admission for all, while there is free admission to those under 15 years of age on Friday and Saturday. Book tickets

You might also be interested in:

Rider’s lifetime dream realised as eight-year-old stallion takes superb Hickstead Derby win

Advance tickets for the Hickstead Derby meeting are now on sale

‘I won’t use a hackamore this time!’ Speed Derby veteran is bidding to regain title lost after bridle mishap

Meet this year’s Hickstead Derby winner, who jumped shards of light when loose schooling as a youngster

Shane Breen: ‘Spectators certainly got their money’s worth at Hickstead’

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Subscribe today and enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus unlimited website access and digital versions of the magazine dating back to September 2012.

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

When everything goes right, when there is total harmony and a horse gives his all – those precious moments are what a partnership is all about. Eleanor Jones finds out about one unforgettable ride...

The one ride that really stands out for Shane Breen is his win on Z7 Ipswich in the Dublin Horse Show grand prix in 2019 – more so than his Hickstead Derby win with Can Ya Makan in 2022.

“Dublin feels like home turf, it’s one I’d always wanted to win,” he says. “You do all the pony classes, and win every division, you come close, come second, and when you finally get to do it – it’s relief, surprise and delight… the whole lot.”

Shane went into the class thinking, “I didn’t have a chance.”

“It had proven to be quite a difficult track, without many clears,” he says. “But he warmed up well, and he does like that arena, and you always think, ‘Maybe, maybe there is a chance.’ As we went round, he did feel he was jumping incredibly well, but you just have to go from jump to jump.

“I think the more you’re enjoying it, they keep jumping that well. But if you think, ‘they’re jumping great, I’ve got a chance’, that can be when you tighten up, change something for a split second, and end up having a fence down. You must not overthink it, but stick to your plan.”

A clear was in the bag, and the jump-off was still to come.

“There are partnerships with horses, when you know each other so well, and know their strengths and weaknesses,” Shane says. “He’s naturally quick and there were options on the course but I didn’t take them all.

“It worked out, and there’s relief when you go into the lead, but Scott Brash was behind me and he’s quick, so I didn’t let myself think I’d done it. I didn’t watch him, but heard the crowd shouting and thought he had me. Then I saw my wife Chloe and some friends spin round, jumping up and down, and I thought, ‘Perfect. I’ve done it.’

Shane Breen on his Hickstead Derby win

“There are big days like the Hickstead Derby, too,” says Shane Breen. “I live there and walk round the arena and I’ve been second, or had a fence, or gone clear and felt I threw it away in the jump-off, and there was that eerie feeling of, ‘Will I ever do it?’

“I had [eventual winner] Can Ya Makan and Golden Hawk last year. If you’d asked me, I’d have said Golden Hawk was the favourite. They’re great horses and it didn’t make a difference to me which one won because they’re both special to me. It was a great feeling.”

Now, when Shane walks round the main arena at Hickstead, his one thought is “Can I do it again?”

“It’s days like those that keep us going,” he says. “There are plenty of times you get beat and wonder when it’ll be your day. I suppose that’s why you appreciate these good days even more. You’ve got to enjoy it, as that’s what it’s all about.”

You may also be interested in…

‘A horse I’ll never forget’: Hickstead hero retires in emotional ceremony

Shane Breen on his Hickstead Derby victory: ‘Maybe one of my kids will win it one day’

A prize-giving FaceTime call and some divine intervention: the inside story of Shane Breen’s Hickstead Derby success

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits. 

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

Showing – and the industry as a whole – must work together to continue the progress made to combat equine obesity, from grassroots to the top levels.

At the equine weight forum, at the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS), where the Weigh to Win body condition awards were handed out for the fourth year, representatives of showing societies joined vets, riders and the outgoing and incoming chairs of the Showing Council to discuss the issue. It was agreed that it is “crucial” for everyone to work with and via the Showing Council to improve consistency and help support judges and stewards.

“Taking it forward as a collective is the way forward,” said Hickstead director of showing David Ingle. “It’s about a united voice; if we have 40 different voices, nothing will land, it will be a lot slower and we might not do it. If we do it together, we will do it.”

The Horse Trust introduced the awards in 2019 to celebrate horses and ponies of a healthy weight; they are assessed by vets and rosettes are handed out separately to the class placings. Among the major shows to feature the scheme are the RIHS, the Hickstead Derby meeting, Royal Windsor and the Great Yorkshire.

Imogen Burrows, chair of the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) ethics and welfare committee, said she and past BEVA president Lucy Grieve are among those “passionate about championing this”.

“We’re working on how to communicate it to clients and owners,” she said. “And this isn’t just showing; it’s a global equine industry issue, and we’re aware of that. I was really excited to be asked to help with the awards, and it really gave me a perspective on the pressure when you’re standing in the ring– I take my hat off to all the judges.”

Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher, an experienced equine vet, lifelong cross-discipline competitor and coach, who was involved in affiliated showing for years, said there is also a lot of work going on to combat equine obesity outside the show ring.

“We’re doing a lot of work with riding establishments,” she said. “The new regulations that came in five years ago have more emphasis on weight and welfare. We’re working with them to body condition-score animals, and encourage them to seek professional nutritional advice if there’s a consistent problem.”

Ms Hamilton-Fletcher spoke of watching a go-round of small ponies, and “all their bottoms were square”.

“But looking at the little 128cm showjumping ponies, there were no square bottoms,” she said.

“This is where we need to let judges and showing people see what they’re looking for, compared to what’s become normal in the showing world.”

The normalisation of excess equine weight was a key issue to be tackled, it was agreed; as people are so used to seeing it, it has become the norm.

“Reframing ‘normal’ is an important thing to do,” a spokesman for the awards said. “It is non-confrontational and would help people to retrain their eyes as to what is a healthy weight.”

Education was a key theme; there have been discussions about getting more information on obesity into the British Horse Society qualifications, the conference heard, to “get the information in right from the beginning”, so the message can be spread in every yard.

“On behalf of BEVA, we’ve been working on obesity for a number of years,” Ms Grieve said. “We’ve done lots of work with Tamzin Furtado [who is behind the awards with the Horse Trust’s Jan Rogers] trying to educate vets and make sure they’re on board, and trying to get farriers, physios and saddlers on board so everyone’s singing from the same hymn sheet.”

From a competitor’s point of view, showing producer Chris Hunnable said he and his wife Katie Jerram-Hunnable are “totally in support of all the hard work” involved in the awards and associated campaigning, and suggested it would be beneficial to have more feedback from assessors, on which to reflect. The possibility of feedback forms was discussed, with the view that exhibitors could read them or not as they choose.

Incoming Showing Council chair Liz Inman said that in her time as Burghley event director, feedback forms were introduced for the young event horse classes, which she said were challenging for judges but “in a positive way as it made them really think about their reasons for judging”.

The issue of show animals’ being fit for purpose was brought up; Katie referenced Shires.

“They’re the most unfit bunch of horses I’ve ever seen coming round the ring,” she said.

“I had an argument with an owner, who didn’t want the horse fit – but then it shouldn’t be in the ring. I wouldn’t ride it; I thought it was a disgrace it couldn’t walk, trot and canter round the ring.”

The need for veterinary research to continue, to improve knowledge on obesity, was discussed, as well as recent work looking at fat deposition in equine upper airways. Developing guidance and policy for showing societies is key, to be delivered in training for judges, stewards and exhibitors and by using “engaging positive language for vets, judges and stewards to use when tackling the challenging subject without causing people offence, which tends to have the opposite effect”.

The conference heard that welfare stewards are being present at shows to consider issues including body condition, and suitable rider weight, and it was agreed that “helping to support competitors through this in a positive way must be the way forward”.

“RIHS once again provided a warm welcome and an ideal base to bring together the equine weight forum,” Dr Furtado said. “Many changes and updates were discussed across the societies, including examples of new activities, training, and research projects which had all arisen from better collaboration between groups. It was really inspiring to once again see the showing organisations working together to be proactive about making change, and we have high hopes for the year ahead.”

You might also be interested in:

‘Judges must place fat horses lower’ to help beat equine obesity

Major show gives signs of hope in battle against equine obesity

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

Showjumper David Simpson realised a lifelong dream when he won this year’s Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby on the eight-year-old stallion Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve. In episode 139 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, which is currently supported by Spillers, David explained how he came to find such an impressive talent.

David first spotted Pjotr, as the horse is known at home, when he was a two-year-old colt.

“Karel Cox has a big stable in Belgium and I’ve bought a lot of good horses from him before,” explains David, who is married to Louise Simpson (neé Pavitt). “The basis of our business is buying young horses, bringing them on and then selling them. When Louise and I need to stock up on horses, Karel’s is our first port of call in Europe.”

David says he and Louise usually purchase five- and six-year-olds, but on this particular occasion they decided to buy some two- and three-year-olds as well, and that’s when Pjotr was pulled out for them to look at.

“Where the door wouldn’t fully close on Karel’s old indoor arena, there was a crack of light, which was near where the loose jumping fence was located,” explains David. “Every time Pjotr jumped the fence, he would pop the crack of light too, as if it were another fence. No matter what happened after that, I was definitely going to buy him that day.

“Louise said that with the quality of his canter, even if he didn’t become a top jumper, he would be the most commercial horse in the world and luckily he has become both.”

As Pjotr is still only an eight-year-old, one of the biggest challenges is to be able to preserve his career, given that he has reached five-star at such a young age.

“I remember breaking him in when he was three and after two days, you could have ridden him around the sand school – I always take a lot of time with my breakers to give them the best possible start in life, but he took everything I did with him on board straight away,” says David. “So because he was so clever, we didn’t want to bore him and we showed him very little. With Hickstead on our doorstep, we could jump him on sand and grass there and I don’t think he went anywhere else until he was seven.”

David believes that Pjotr’s career is only just beginning and he has high hopes for him in the future.

“I genuinely think he has championship ability – he’s super-scopey, super-careful, beautiful to ride and very competitive,” says David. “He’s already jumped a five-star grand prix this year and he’s ready to go again. But he’s only eight so we have to hold ourselves back and choose the right shows for him so that he’s still in the sport when he’s 17 or 18.”

Listen to more from David Simpson in episode 139 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, including a fence-by-fence recollection of how he secured his 2023 Hickstead Derby win and more.

You may also be interested in…

The Horse & Hound Podcast 139: Hickstead Derby winner David Simpson | Keeping horses hydrated

Rider’s lifetime dream realised as eight-year-old stallion takes superb Hickstead Derby win

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

Irish showjumper Shane Breen, who runs Breen Equestrian from his Hickstead base and won the Derby for the first time in 2022 riding Can Ya Makan, reflects on a vintage Hickstead, and the rise of British breeding

This year’s Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby was a great competition. I think everybody was on the edge of their seats watching David Simpson and William Funnell battle it out – so congratulations to them. It was a great crowd and spectators certainly got their money’s worth!

William was hard done by not to make history with a record fifth win after jumping two clear rounds but, like me, David’s dream was always to win the Derby.

In 2007, David came over to stay with me for two months’ training and he stayed with us for nearly eight years before he moved over to Granny Sue’s [Sue Bunn]. We’ve always been good mates, so from that point of view, his victory felt very similar to when my brother Trevor won in 2014 and 2015.

On Tuesday night, David was asking, “Is my horse too young? He’s only eight.” But I said he’s jumped it 100 times at home – you’ll be fine. So fair play to him – he’s wanted to win the competition so much that he’s built an absolute carbon copy of the fences at home. So for me it wasn’t a huge surprise – he’s well trained and well schooled, and the horse has learnt the ropes.

As David now knows, there’s no better feeling than having your moment in Hickstead’s international arena. It’s an iconic class – it’s a bit different even though it’s the same every year, but it always throws up some thrills and spills, like me falling off Scarteen! So it wasn’t my day, it was David’s day, which I’m delighted about, and I’ll be back to fight it out next year.

A boost for British breeding

The young horse classes at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting were brilliant with some very nice horses in them. Generally, globally, there are better youngsters coming through. I think that’s due to breeders realising how the sport has changed, with tracks so light and technical with so many variations.

So yes, these horses need a great rider, but you need a horse who is super-balanced, intelligent, careful and scopey – the full package – and more of those are coming through in the UK now.

That’s what we’re trying to do at Breen Equestrian anyway, and I’ve seen the improvement in my horses. There’s no ring like Hickstead with its three-metre fall in gradient, so horses have to find and hold their balance, and use their power. It’s a real test for horse and rider.

Pride and emotion

It’s always a busy show as my two sons were competing in the under-10s while my daughter Darcy, who was doing those classes only three years ago, was jumping horses for the first time this year. She’s made the children-on-horses team for the European Championships at Gorla Minore, which is very special.

Everyone was asking how I was feeling ahead of Golden Hawk’s retirement and I thought I was fine. But cantering round the arena before I got off him, it suddenly hit me that this was the last time I’d ride him in a ring and I got quite emotional. He’s been an amazing horse for me and done so much more than he’s given credit for.

Thankfully, he’s breeding beautiful stock and proving a great flagship for the Breen Equestrian stud. Now he’s retired, he can go into quarantine to get his fresh semen all over Europe, as well as the UK next year. I can’t wait to ride some of his sons and daughters.

● Do you agree with Shane’s thoughts? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your views published in a future edition of Horse & Hound magazine

• This exclusive column will also be available to read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 6 July, 2023

You may also be interested in reading…

‘A horse I’ll never forget’: Hickstead hero retires in emotional ceremony

Rider’s lifetime dream realised as eight-year-old stallion takes superb Hickstead Derby win

‘I had nightmares about the Derby bank for weeks’: Hickstead first-timer tells story of his fourth-place finish

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

A pub landlady who set a bucket-list goal of competing at Hickstead with her £1 horse said she had the time of her life – and plans to jump bigger there next year.

Jayne Tillsley said she achieved a lifetime goal when she went to the Hickstead Derby meeting at the All England Jumping Course last week, with Alina’s The Business, whom she bought for £1, and Dakuno (Juno), whom she has on loan, and who at 17.2hh towers over his 4’11” rider.

Jayne and Juno jumped double clear in all three of their classes, finishing in the top 10 of up to 190 starters each time, and Alina completed her and Jayne’s first 1.10m derby, and came 11th of 190 starters in another class.

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” Jayne told H&H, adding that she was the only one of her family to miss a holiday to Mexico to jump at Hickstead. “I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.”

Jayne, who runs the Butchers Arms in Sheepscombe, Gloucestershire, said she had always ridden, and worked full-time as a groom, but her family had always been publicans.

“But when I hit 40, I’d had enough, and thought I was done with horses,” she said. “I met a really nice man and we decided to run a pub, and I gave up horses – didn’t sit on one or go near one, or even look at one, for seven years.”

But as others have found, sometimes horses do not let you give them up. Jayne kept her photos, and admits she did sometimes miss the equestrian world – and when a barmaid asked if she would ride her horse, she said “Absolutely not!”

But of course she did, and when a friend saw her Facebook post about it, she got in touch.

“She said ‘Oh my god, you’re riding again; will you come and ride Purdy?” Jayne said. “I said ‘No, she’s as sharp as they come’, and she carried on, so I thought ‘Ok then’.”

Jayne drove from Reading, where she was based then, to ride the mare in Worcestershire, and liked her, but could not afford to keep her. Purdy’s owner offered to pay half the costs.

“I said I’d have her; my parents said ‘Don’t do it’!” Jayne said. “I said I was only having her to hack, then two weeks later, I booked transport, registered us both with British Showjumping [BS] and went to Cherwell, did my first BS show for years and came second, out of about 100 people. My parents said ‘No way, this isn’t going to happen again’. Two weeks later, I did it again.”

Back into the game, and thanks to a bonus from the pub she worked in, Jayne bought a horsebox. Two weeks later, Purdy tore a ligament, repeating an old injury, and Jayne was devastated to learn “there was no fixing her”.

She then jumped Unforgettable (Eric) for five years, jumping at the BS national amateur and veteran championships, and was thinking she would like another one to run alongside him.

“I met these lovely people in the pub, who had a horse they wanted to loan; their daughter had done dressage on her but the horse didn’t like it,” she said. “I went to see Alina and fell in love straight away. They were happy for me to have her on loan, and we had the best time.

“Then, a year ago, they said: ‘We need to talk to you about Alina,” and my heart sank. They said they needed to sell her and I said ‘I completely understand. But I can’t afford her’. And they said ‘Do you not have £1?’ I got my shopping trolley pound out of the car and gave it to them.”

Then there was devastation again when Eric died.

“When I lost that special horse, I almost gave up again,” Jayne said. “I was very poorly last year with an infected gallbladder; I was lying in hospital thinking ‘That’s it, I’m a goner’. So I made a bucket list’.”

This included jumping at the Blue Chip Winter Showjumping Championships, on Alina, and Dakuno, who is owned by Sarah Hedges.

“She messaged me after Eric died and said ‘I’ve got a horse for you’,” Jayne said. “She said he was 16.2hh. I’m 4’11”, and when I rocked up there was this great big horse. I said ‘I’m not getting on that, he’s enormous’.”

Jayne jumped Juno, after which she said Sarah “nagged” her to take him on. He and Jayne have not had a pole down this year, including at Hickstead.

“I saved hard for it,” Jayne said. “Everyone there was lovely, and when I got there, and walked down that long walk, I thought ‘Wow’.

“I knew what I wanted to do there; I’d told my coach Claire Chambers I wanted to do the 1.10 derby and she said ‘You’ve got this’. And to jump some 1.15s beforehand, to be prepared. And I wasn’t put off; I’ve made another goal to jump the 1.20m derby next year, on my £1 pony.”

Jayne said the whole show was an “amazing experience”, also walking the Hickstead Derby course and watching the professionals do their thing.

“Isn’t that the beauty of showjumping?” she said “To be able to compete alongside them. And I spent all my savings to go, and had my £5,000 lorry next to one that must have cost £400,000, but you’re treated as if you’re just as important; Hickstead does it right.”

Jayne went home with four rosettes, as well as the memories.

“I didn’t win a class or a rug, but I came away feeling as if I had,” she said. “I jumped my first 1.10 derby, won the rosettes – which are on display in the pub – had the best time ever, and achieved my goal, so I felt like a winner. I’m proud of them both, and proud that I was determined to do it. When you’re so ill, and thinking about how you’re going to carry on, and find the willpower and strength to say ‘This is my bucket list’ – you don’t know what’s round the corner, and life is too short.”

Jayne added that she wanted to thank Claire, who “has given me the confidence to go to Hickstead and achieve my lifetime goal”, and also the Moose drink company, which paid for her stabling.

“The man from Moose who comes in the pub organised it, and without that, I wouldn’t have been able to go,” she said. “He’s a good man, and his vodka’s pretty good too – I had a swig before I jumped my derby!”

You might also be interested in:

‘The best pound I’ve ever spent’: horse bought for £1 takes national showjumping title #StoneleighStories

‘I’d never part with him, even if someone offered me millions of pounds. He’s my best friend’

Alan the £5 pony who lived by a main road is heading to national championships

The pony got into dressage ‘by accident’

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

“I’m still buzzing!” says 24-year-old Irish showjumper Daniel McAlinden the day after finishing equal fourth with just four faults in his first ever Hickstead Derby.

“If someone said last week I was going to have a week like that I wouldn’t have believed it.”

Galway-based Daniel may not be a household name just yet, but he launched into the spotlight after his masterful ride on the 12-year-old gelding Keatingstown Z Wellie Two in the Al Shira’aa Derby at Hickstead on Sunday (25 June). The pair pinged down the Derby bank and soared over the open water in eye-catching style, just picking up four faults at the first element of the legendary Devil’s Dyke.

“The horse just loves the show,” says Daniel, who had only been riding Sharon Fitzpatrick’s home-bred by Z Wellie 72 out of the mare Marchionesse for two months before tackling the world famous Hickstead Derby and they warmed up with a tilt at the puissance at Bolesworth International, where they finished third.

“I haven’t had him that long and at Bolesworth it felt like we were clicking together, so it all came together at the right time and I’m delighted,” reveals Daniel, who also finished third with Keatingstown Z Wellie Two in the Derby trial.

“Jumping the Hickstead Derby is 100% the dream – just to be in the company of the Breens and Jordan Coyle, and everyone like that, they’re the lads I’ve always looked up to. It’s such a famous ring and the crowd was so full, so the atmosphere was great. Sure there were plenty of nerves but that horse is the one I get the least nervous on because he’s very talented. It’s more a case of me keeping as cool as possible.”

Hickstead Derby: ‘I can’t thank my horse enough’

Daniel received plenty of great advice beforehand from his good friend Mikey Pender, who won the Hickstead Derby in 2019.

“He gave me a bit of a pep talk, so I was following a bit of his instructions,” explains Daniel. “When you’re so in the moment, it’s hard to look back and picture the round clearly, but everything came off to plan. I was a bit worried about him looking at a couple of jumps, but after the Liverpool at fence three I felt more confident and I relaxed a bit.

“I’ve been having nightmares for weeks about the Derby bank because I’ve never done it before. But he came down really well and he kicked off the bank and gave a really good jump over the next one. He got a bit buzzy with me a couple of strides after that, but I think I got him back and relaxed enough, but the Dyke is such a hard jump to do anyway and the first part is very tall coming in. Even when I had it down, I kept calm and I was so happy to finish on the four faults.

“I actually thought I’d had another fence down after the open ditch, but the crowd were getting really excited coming to the last, so I thought surely I must have been on four! So crossing the line was an unbelievable moment. That horse has been knocking on the door now for a while and I can’t thank him enough. He’s unbelievable.”

Daniel McAlinden: why the Hickstead Derby was not the original plan

While Daniel McAlinden and Keatingstown Z Wellie Two looked as though they’d been jumping Derby tracks all their lives, the plan to jump the Hickstead Derby was actually only formulated a month ago. Susan Fitzpatrick was the gelding’s regular rider but several other jockeys have taken the reins and Irish showjumper Ger O’Neill took him in the Hickstead Derby in 2019 although they failed to get round.

“The Fitzpatricks gave me the ride on him – they’re such nice people and you could feel they were so happy for me and the horse,” says Daniel. “But, when I took him on, this was never the plan. I had dinner with Sharon and Susan at Balmoral in May and I suggested it to them – chancing my arm a bit, because I wasn’t sure they wanted to do it, but there were very keen.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do because I’ve a hunting background at home – it’s such a prestigious class.”

Daniel says he’d love to be back to contest the Hickstead Derby again next year, if Keatingstown Z Wellie Two hasn’t been sold before then, and his other goal is to try to do the puissance in Dublin this August.

“I’m just taking every show as it comes,” says Daniel who has built up his stables and a thriving business at his home in Galway, taking liveries and dealing horses.

“We’ll get home now and make a better plan for him, but at the moment he’ll go out in the field for a week to enjoy himself. It’s him taking you for a walk to the grass though! He likes to go his own way, but I let him get away with a couple of things if it makes him happy!”

Hopefully we’ll see much more of this exceptional young rider and the Fitzpatricks’ marvellous horse.

“The plan is to try to get as far as I can in the sport, but getting horses is the hardest thing, so hopefully this will help my situation!” says Daniel.

If Daniel McAlinden wasn’t on your radar before, he certainly should be now. Hopefully this remarkable achievement in the Hickstead Derby if a sign of much more to come.

You might also be interested in:

‘It means so much’: emotional Hickstead win in memory of young rider lost to cancer

Rider’s lifetime dream realised as eight-year-old stallion takes superb Hickstead Derby win

‘I was holding the throatlash’: Speed Derby superheroes jump triple planks with no bridle

‘I can’t believe it’: young rider and ‘free’ horse take speed Derby win on debut

John Whitaker’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘If ever there was a horse that was a certainty to win it, it was Welham’

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

There was an emotional win in Hickstead’s International Arena for Jay Halim on Sunday (25 June), on a horse whose previous rider, his owners’ daughter, evented until her death a year ago.

Jay, also a former eventer, rode Charles Filmer’s 10-year-old Lachain Crux to win the Doney Championship by a second and a half from Lucy Townley on Billy Von Papan.

The gelding had been evented to novice level by Charles and Antonia’s daughter Miranda, who died aged 30 last June from neuroendocrine cancer, and who was a posthumous finalist in the inspiration of the year title at last year’s Horse & Hound Awards.

“I’m really pleased for him, and really pleased for the owners. It means so much,” said Jay.

Jay added that he could “feel every stride” yesterday; he had come third in Saturday’s British Speed Derby on Zuniek VD Tojopehoeve Z but had a fall from his other ride in the class, Gentle. But he rode a beautiful round on Sunday, on a horse he was sent to produce and sell, although he hopes to keep the ride.

“He’s a super, super horse; he’s got loads of ability, and so it’ll be really interesting to see if I could hold on to him and see what’s there, because he’s really proving to be a lovely horse,” he said. “He’s got so much stride – I could have taken another stride out on every distance with him.

“I don’t ride on grass that often any more, so I find it a little bit peculiar to be honest – having evented so much, it was kind of my comfort zone, and now I’m a bit like a fish out of water at times! But I’m naturally a very forward rider, and I think that’s a key element of jumping on grass. Hickstead is so special to me anyway, so I love being here, and it’s lovely to be in that arena.”

You might also be interested in:

‘I can’t believe it’: young rider and ‘free’ horse take speed Derby win on debut

‘I was holding the throatlash’: Speed Derby superheroes jump triple planks with no bridle

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

A horse Shane Breen will never forget, and who “always puts a smile on your face” has been retired in Hickstead’s International Arena, on the day of the 2023 Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby.

Shane rode his superstar stallion Golden Hawk on one last lap of honour in front of a cheering crowd, then the 18-year-old was unsaddled in the victory spot, and garlanded with flowers.

“Golden Hawk has been an amazing horse for me,” Shane said. “He’s one of those horses – you ride a lot, every day, and you can get a bit weary. But he always puts a smile on your face when you ride him.”

Golden was joint second with four faults in last year’s Derby, and jumped clear in 2019 but was denied the title by Michael Pender in the jump-off. Having joined Breen Equestrian as a six-year-old, he went on to scale the heights with Shane, winning the Hickstead Derby Trial in 2019, and the Liverpool International Horse Show grand prix in 2018. He and Shane jumped Nations Cup double clears for Ireland, and competed in the Nations Cup final in 2016.

“There’s not just one highlight [that comes to mind],” Shane said. “In this arena, he came so close to the King George, he came second in the Dublin grand prix; I can’t pick one as I’ve had so many special days. For me in my heart, he’s a special horse.”

Golden will retire to stud; Shane said Breen Equestrian has had enquiries from multiple studs but has decided to keep him, which he believes will be “a great boost for UK breeders”.

“He’s an amazing character,” Shane said. “I’d have loved to ride him today, and be in the winner’s enclosure.

“The good thing is that he’s a stallion; I see his offspring now and compete some of them, and I think they’re as talented as him. I’m going to miss him – he’s a horse I will never forget.”

You might also be interested in:

‘We all deserved to win and thankfully it was my day’: Shane Breen takes emotional Hickstead Derby win

Watch how Michael Pender won the Hickstead Derby — including THAT jaw-dropping leap over the water

Take a look at the jump-off round that secured this young Irishman’s Hickstead Derby victory

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

David Simpson said words could not describe how it felt to realise his long-held dream of winning the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby – after he and the eight-year-old Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve triumphed in a three-way jump-off.

David and the Dutch-bred stallion – who won the seven-year-old championship at last year’s Derby meeting with David’s wife Louise – tipped just the Derby rails to finish on 90.48 seconds, ahead of William Funnell and Dublon, who had cleared everything but the middle part of the Devil’s Dyke to finish on 91.68 seconds. William was also third on Equine America Billy Diamo, whom he retired in the jump-off.

“He’s incredible,” David said. “I came here in 2007 to work for Shane Breen but before that, from as young as I can remember, when you talked about showjumping, you talked about the Hickstead Derby. So to lift that trophy – words can’t describe it.”

William had looked on very good odds to take what would have been a record fifth Derby victory; his first-round clear on Billy Diamo was a masterclass in jumping the course, foot-perfect from start to finish, to the delight of the crowd. It was still the only clear when he came in on Dublon, 15 horses later, and produced an almost carbon-copy round. It looked as if William could have won not only his fifth but his sixth title in one go – until the next rider, David, came in. The athletic stallion took every fence in his stride, jumping the Derby course for the first time as if he had done it 20 times before, crossing the line to a roar and setting up the jump-off.

First in Billy Diamo (pictured, below), a big chestnut gelding reminiscent of, but not related to, William’s 2018 winner, the late Billy Buckingham. They started in style, smooth and controlled, but then the black gate went, and the back rail of the privet hedge. Having tried his hardest in the first round, perhaps the heat of the day got to the big 13-year-old gelding; after the first part of the Devil’s Dyke and the second of the double of gates also fell, William called it a day.

He was back in with Dublon, who finished joint third in the Windsor puissance with Joe Stockdale last month, and the 12-year-old looked confident and full of jumping, putting in huge leaps over the double of gates and the last oxer to finish on just the four.

And in came David. To a hoarse bellow of “Come on Ireland!” from the members’ enclosure, after which the proverbial pin would have clattered to the ground, the stallion looked fresh and full of galloping from start to finish. As he cleared the last and checked the clock, and the crowd rose to its feet with a roar, David not only removed his hat but hurled it skywards, grinning from ear to ear as he patted and patted his incredible horse.

“We call him Albert Einstein as he’s so clever,” David said afterwards. “When we backed him at three, he rode just the same as he does now. He knows what you want to do before you even ask him; he’s incredible.”

David said he remembers the first time he saw the horse, when he was a two-year-old, “like it was yesterday”.

“We were looking at a lot of young horses,” he said. “There was a crack of light coming in [to the indoor arena] and every time he came to it, he jumped it. That’s what made me buy him as he stood out. He’s been special since we backed him; everything’s come easy to him.”

David said that before the class, he’d have been delighted to cross the finish line with one or two fences down.

“He’s eight, it’s his first trip round; it just shows his incredible brain,” he said. “He delivers every time. He’s an amazing horse and we’ll see what the future holds for him, but this is an amazing day and about celebrating the horse, and how great he is.

“And thank you to Will. I had all the time with Shane, which was incredible, but doing a bit with Will and having someone who’s sometimes maybe too critical! Has been so good for me. Thank you.”

William has now jumped five of the 68 Hickstead Derby clears ever jumped, a record he holds jointly with John Whitaker, and he is the first rider to have jumped clear twice in one year.

“I’ve now got to hang around for another year to try for a fifth one!” he said. “David’s part of the Billy Stud team, and rides for us, and I thought I was getting a bit old for catch rides at 57, plus Dublon’s a bit strong so I said to David ‘Maybe you’d better ride him’. And then I gave myself a kick.

“They both jumped great; I thought with the heat, was I going to get round twice? And Billy Diamo gave it everything in the first round; he’s a big horse in this heat. But at least with the other one, I gave David a run for his money. I wasn’t favourite, with two of the biggest, slowest horses in it, but it made for a good class, and I’m chuffed with both of them.”

William said he swapped a “nice young horse” for Dublon (pictured, above), with Joe, before Windsor, giving the reins back for Joe to jump the puissance, then had since put in some practice on Derby-type fences with the 12-year-old.

“He’s a big, scopey jumper and the more I’ve done with him, the more I’ve liked him,” he said. “I lost my stirrup at the gate in the Derby trial and everyone thought I was being clever, reining back before the dyke, but it was because I’d lost my stirrup and was too scared of falling off! It’s always nice to have a good Derby horse, and you’ve got to be in it to win it. I’ve been in a few jump-offs that have gone my way but you can’t win them all. Well done, David.”

Three combinations who had been on good odds before the class had bad luck in the first round; 2022 winners Shane Breen and Can Ya Makan, who looked the picture of health and form, tipped the first part of the double of ditches, then the fence on top of the bank. Having also knocked the first part of the Dyke, after which they were not in a position to jump the second part, Shane elected to retire. Last year’s joint runners-up Carlos Eduardo Mota Ribas and Trix knocked the fence at the bottom of the bank, then the first two parts of the dyke and the second of the double on gates to finish on 16 faults. Dermot Lennon and Gelvins Touch, also joint runners-up last year, took the back rail off the privet hedge, the second part of the dyke, the cream oxer and the last fence, also finishing on 20.

You might also be interested in:

William Funnell’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘One of the best horses in the world was galloping loose round the ring’

John Whitaker’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘If ever there was a horse that was a certainty to win it, it was Welham’

The 60th anniversary of the Hickstead Derby: memorable highlights of this iconic class

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

With the return of the iconic Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby fast-approaching (today, Sunday 25 June), we’ve been chatting to some of the competition’s past winners to hear their stand-out memories.

Here is what Michael Whitaker, who won the Hickstead Derby at his first attempt in 1980 riding Owen Gregory, and in 1991, 1992 and 1993 on Mon Santa, had to say…

First Hickstead Derby memory

“We used to watch it all the time in the early days, it was one of the biggest classes in England at that time,” says Michael. “I really remember Harvey Smith sticking his fingers up when he won. After watching it on TV, I couldn’t get there quick enough to ride in it myself.”

First Hickstead Derby experience

“Well I did win it at my first attempt!” says Michael. “But my outstanding memory from that year is walking up the Derby bank for the first time and realising just how steep it was – I nearly had a heart attack! My brother John had ridden in it by this point and we’d talked about how steep it was, but it’s only when you get up there that it hits you.

“I don’t think I practised at all before we went – [my ride] Owen Gregory had already been round a couple of times with his owner’s daughter, Ann, and he’d gone pretty well with her. Owen Gregory [pictured below] was just unbelievable around Hickstead. He must have jumped round at least 10 times and the worst he ever did was two down; he was second two or three times as well as winning. Even the last time I rode him round, he only had one down and he was 20 years old by then.

“Hickstead Derby horses have to be really brave but very careful at the same time, which is quite a difficult combination to find. What also surprised me jumping round that first time was just how big everything was – the gate and even the double of ditches – and I hadn’t jumped that many big classes at that age [Michael was one of the youngest to win the Hickstead Derby at the age of 20] so it seemed particularly big to me back then. The more you do it, the more you get used to it and you’re not so shocked by it, but the first couple of times I was definitely thinking ‘God, this is big’.

“Winning such a big class at that age did great things for me.”

The times it all went right in the Hickstead Derby

“I think I then rode in it every year until I won on Mon Santa,” says Michael. “He shared the same qualities as Owen Gregory so I had two real belters of horses. I enjoyed riding him round there a lot more than some of the horses I rode after him anyway! But we never used to practise at all with Mon Santa – the only time he ever jumped a devil’s dyke was at the Hickstead Derby, but I don’t think he ever knocked it down.

“His third win really stands out as it rained so much they had to pump water out of the devil’s dyke. He went round for one down but everyone else had more than two down, it was that bad. He came out looking like he’d had a mud bath with his overreach boots upside down and tendon boots all over the place, but he just battled his way round.”

You might also be interested in:

Nick Skelton’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘Apollo knew the course, virtually – he was brilliant to ride round there’

Geoff Billington’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘They had to dismantle the dyke to let us out!’

David Broome’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘I swear blind the bank disappeared back underneath you’

Guy Williams’ Hickstead Derby memories: ‘Skip Two Ramiro is probably my all-time Hickstead horse’

The Hickstead Derby’s 60th running – and four other events to follow this week

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

At 2.45pm on Sunday, 25 June, the world famous Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby kicks off in front of a global audience, so who are the names to look out for among this year’s Hickstead Derby entries?

From reigning champion of Hickstead, Shane Breen, to four-time winner William Funnell, a bunch of intrepid first-timers and a trio of Olympic eventers, the field of 27 entries representing four nations for the 2023 Hickstead Derby really is an eclectic cross-section of the equestrian world.

Here is your guide to the 2023 Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby entries.

HICKSTEAD DERBY ENTRIES

1. Carlos Mota Ribas and Night Secret Z (BRAZIL)

The unenviable task of pathfinder for the Al Shira’aa Derby this year falls to this Brazilian rider and the 11-year-old Non Stop stallion. However, the role couldn’t be in better hands as Carlos is a much-loved Hickstead regular, finishing equal second with four faults in the class last year. Night Secret has yet to prove himself in the main ring at Hickstead but completed the Hamburg Derby on eight faults. Never underestimate this Brazilian!

2. Henry Turrell and Rocco (GBR)

The local rider has contested the speed Derby several times but in preparation for stepping up to the big one for the first time this year, Henry and his home-bred 12-year-old Rocco (Cardento x Numero Uno) took in some classes in Hamburg last month and jumped round the Derby trial for 20 faults. What a special moment it will be to contest this world famous class for the first time on a horse he’s bred and produced himself.

3. David Simpson and Flashback VL (IRL)

This two-time Queen Elizabeth II Cup-winning rider brings two horses through for this year’s Hickstead Derby, coming out first on this relatively new ride with whom the locally based Irish team rider had 12 faults in the Derby trial at Hickstead on Friday. He has previously won a Derby trial and his best Derby finish was fourth in 2013 with the brilliant Rolo Tomasi. He has ridden round Hamburg, too, so is an expert pilot for the vast expanse of the Hickstead turf.

4. Sebastian Hughes and Colorado Volo (GBR)

One of the best stories in the class, this will be Seb’s first time riding in the Hickstead Derby and he will be on board the distinctive white-faced chestnut gelding “Chief”, who was bought as a “gangly” five-year-old with a view to selling him, but this “one man and his horse” duo have gone on to jump the dizzying heights of puissances at five-star shows, and now the legendary Derby track awaits them.

“Just to have a horse that would be able to do the Derby is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he says.

5. Stephan Dubsky and C The Stars (IRL)

This combination caught the eye when finishing fifth in the Hamburg Derby last month with just four faults. The Germany-based Irishman is a former international eventer and makes his Hickstead debut this year with this exciting nine-year-old.

6. Ryan Lockwood and Over The Top Van Den Haagakkers (GBR)

This 23-year-old rider is another British showjumper making his Hickstead debut this year and extraordinarily had only jumped one class, the area trial at Wellington last week, on Elliott Rowe’s nine-year-old before bringing him to West Sussex. The horse jumped round last year’s speed Derby with Elliott, while Ryan steered him home with eight faults in Friday’s Derby trial.

7. William Funnell and Equine America Billy Diamo (GBR)

This rider needs no introduction to Hickstead Derby followers; he’s one of an elite quintet of riders to have lifted the trophy four times and will be bidding for a record fifth victory with two ride – the first of which is his 18hh 13-year-old home-bred, who finished 11th last year.

“Last year was Equine America Billy Diamo’s first time round and it’s always good to get that first one under your belt,” says William. “Hopefully he’ll have grown from that and this year I’ve really focused on doing the right things to produce him for Sunday.“

8. Shane Breen and Scarteen (IRL)

Hickstead-based Irishman Shane Breen begins the defence of his title with a home-bred 10-year-old, who he sold a half-share of as a five-year-old and only bought back last month. Since taking the reins, Shane and the super grey have been placed in Hamburg and won the La Baule Derby, picking up just four faults in the Derby trial on Friday. This rising star could be a really strong prospect among this year’s Hickstead Derby entries.

“He’s very scopey and careful, so much versatility and such jump; you could put him into whatever you want,” says Shane.

9. Andre Reichmann and Ego De Toxandria Z (BRA)

Hickstead has welcomed this Brazilian rider and nine-year-old gelding for the first time this year and they adapted well to the international ring’s unique obstacles and undulations, finishing with eight faults in the Derby trial. The last Brazilian rider to win the Hickstead Derby was Nelson Pessoa in 1996.

10. Jonathan Smyth and Premier Spirit (IRL)

Fresh from a grand prix runner-up position at Bolesworth last week, this 25-year-old Irish rider warmed up for Hickstead with a puissance third on this 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding who has plenty of scope. They completed the Derby trial on 36 faults.

11. Tim Gredley and Gentlemen VH Veldhof (GBR)

British showjumping team regular Tim Gredley made a return to the Hickstead Derby in 2022 for the first time in 17 years and returns for the second year in succession with the same horse, the 17-year-old Gentlemen, who was a previous Derby ride for Michael Whitaker. The last British winner of the Hickstead Derby was in 2018, can Tim make amends?

12. Paul Sims and Dream Roller (GBR)

This former eventer has ridden round Badminton but this will be his first attempt at the Devil’s Dyke, bank and open water in Hickstead’s international arena. His 12-year-old gelding stepped up to five-star level in the UAE with Paul’s friend Joe Whitaker earlier this year but has since returned to Paul and the pair posted an impressive eight-fault round in Friday’s Derby trial

13. Carlos Mota Ribas and Juan Van’t Arkelhof (BRA)

The Brazilian is back with his second ride, a 14-year-old gelding who is making his Derby debut but who looked right at home in the Derby trial, picking up just four faults.

14. Dermott Lennon and Gelvins Touch (IRL)

Another notable Irish rider bidding to lift the Boomerang trophy this year is 2022 world champion Dermott, who has had several runner-up places in the Derby without lifting the silverware. The 17-year-old Gelvins Touch (Touchdown x Diamond Lad) hasn’t jumped internationally since last year’s Hickstead Derby where the pair just had four faults at the rails at the bottom of the bank to finish equal second. It would be a lovely story if this veteran could take top honours this year.

15. Trevor Breen and Gonzalo (IRL)

Trevor is the younger brother of Shane Breen and, two days after representing Ireland in the Nations Cup in Rotterdam, Trevor has qualified this 12-year-old former eventer, with whom he finished fourth in the King George V Gold Cup at the Royal International last year, for Sunday’s Al Shira’aa Derby.

“He’s such a lovely horse, he’s beautiful to ride and he has a huge heart and fights for you, so he makes my life a bit easier,” says Trevor.

If anyone can give Shane a good run for his money, it’s most certainly brother Trevor, who has won the Hickstead Derby twice, in 2014 and 2015.

16. William Whitaker and Flamboyant III (GBR)

Another former winner, with Glenavadra Brilliant in 2016, and one of two Whitakers in the field. Flamboyant III, a 13-year-old Cardento gelding, was a catch ride for William in last year’s Hickstead Derby when owner Elliott Smith broke his leg and the pair have been jumping at the top level since. They jumped an eye-catching four-fault round in Friday’s Derby trial and look bang on target for their second Derby tilt.

17. Daniel McAlinden and Keatingstown Z Wellie Two (IRL)

24-year-old Hickstead Derby debutant Daniel only took the reins on 12-year-old Wellie last month so there are plenty of unknowns. Ger O’Neill rode the gelding in the 2019 Derby but they failed to complete. However, a third place finish in Friday’s Derby trial for Daniel and the Irish-bred does show promise ahead of Sunday.

18. Sammie Jo Coffin and Chaccomo Blue (GBR)

The Cornwall showjumper has enjoyed plenty of success in the Hickstead international arena but brings this 13-year-old gelding for the first time, fresh from a string of good placings on the county circuit. This big-jumping gelding relished the challenge of the Derby trial, just picking up eight faults.

19. Kai Ruder and Cross Keys (GER)

This top German rider may be better known for his eventing successes but in recent years he’s been seen in the showjumping ring and has jumped the Hamburg Derby a handful of times. He makes the journey to Hickstead for the first time this year, bringing his long-time partner, the 18-year-old Cross Keys, a German-bred son of Casall.

20. Gemma Stevens and Envoy Merelsnest Z GBR)

A British eventer this time, Olympian and world championship gold medallist Gemma Stevens (nee Tattersall) no less, who has been combining eventing and showjumping in recent years and was offered the ride on the Brendon Stud’s stallion Envoy Merelsnest Z, or “Dime Bar” as he is known at home, for her debut in this year’s Hickstead Derby.

“I’m not expecting to be troubling the leaders at this stage, but just the fact I’m giving it a go and on a horse I’ve not ridden that much… Why not?” says Gemma.

21. Robert Whitaker and Evert (GBR) **WITHDRAWN**

Could Robert be the 10th Whitaker to win the Hickstead Derby? He and his cousin William are representing the famous showjumping dynasty this year and Robert brings Caroline Blatchford’s 14-year-old Evert, a recent winner in Italy and a horse with an exceptional record in the international ring at Hickstead, as well as in Hamburg with his previous rider Karel Cox. Their fantastic clear round in Friday’s Derby trial put them right up among the favourites for this year’s class.

22. Jordan Coyle and Eristov (IRL)

US-based Irishman Jordan brought the 14-year-old Eristov over for last year’s Derby, where they finished with 12 faults – his first visit to Hickstead since his debut in 2013. Irish riders have won five of the past nine runnings of the Hickstead Derby.

23. Shane Breen and Can Ya Makan (IRL)

The reigning Hickstead Derby champions, who won last year with the sole clear round, are bidding to become the first combination to win back-to-back since William Funnell and Cortaflex Mondriaan in 2008 and 2009. Can Ya Makan is now 17 and Shane has produced him carefully for this day and will go in as red hot favourites.

24. William Funnell and Dublon (GBR)

Four-time winner William Funnell’s second ride Dublon is another lofty chestnut, who he only started riding last month after Barbara Hester’s gelding left Joe Stockdale’s stable. It would be remarkable if this pair won at their first show together.

“With my history in the class it would be lovely to get the fifth one,” says William.

25. David Simpson and Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve (IRL)

The Irishman returns with his second ride, the youngest horse in the class, eight-year-old Pjotr. This low mileage Belgium-bred stallion has been stepping up impressively in recent months and jumped a classy eight-fault round in the Derby trial.

26. Carlos Mota Ribas and Trix (BRA)

This nine-year-old gelding was bred by John Whitaker, ridden by Robert Whitaker and then sold to the Brazilian showjumper two years ago – they were second in last year’s speed Derby then the duo tied for first with former rider Robert (on Evert) as the only two clears in Friday’s Derby trial. Definitely one for the short list.

27. Sandra Auffarth and Nupafeed’s La Vista (GER)The legendary German Olympic eventer has the honour of being the last into the ring for her debut at Hickstead. She and the 14-year-old mare have finished top-three in the Hamburg Derby and appeared to adapt quickly to the Hickstead fences in Friday’s Derby trial. Can Sandra add the Boomerang trophy to her glittering array of silverware, which includes Olympic and world championship eventing gold medlas? It would certainly be an incredible story if she did – and that’s what the Hickstead Derby is all about.

The Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby is at 2.45pm on Sunday 25 June. Horse & Hound will be bringing you all the stories online as they happen and in next week’s magazine, in the shops Thursday 29 June.

You may also like to read…

John Whitaker’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘If ever there was a horse that was a certainty to win it, it was Welham’

How to watch the Hickstead Derby Meeting 2026 live from anywhere in the world

William Funnell’s thoughts on top of the Hickstead Derby bank and who’s going to win this year…

‘Such bad timing’: 19-year-old Hickstead Derby hero ruled out for 2023

‘Terrifying but very cool’: Olympic eventer to tackle Hickstead Derby

A prize-giving FaceTime call and some divine intervention: the inside story of Shane Breen’s Hickstead Derby success

William Whitaker takes Hickstead Derby catch ride as rider broke thigh in three places — after trial finish line

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

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

There are not many horses and riders who could jump the famous Hickstead planks with no bridle – but Silver Lift and Harriet Biddick did just that today in the British Speed Derby.

The 18-year-old gelding and Harriet were showing why they are the most successful combination in the class’s history, with three wins under their belt and challenging for a fourth, flying round the course they are so familiar with – when Silver Lift’s forelegs appeared to slip very slightly on top of the Irish bank.

They landed and carried on over the triple of Hickstead planks, just tipping one, and the crowd was starting to roar them home, they might still just do it – but then Harriet lifted her hands, one of which held the bridle, while her horse’s head was bare. It had somehow come off entirely between the bank and the triple.

“The bridle came off his head; I had the throat lash in my hand,” Harriet said. “I don’t know how it happened.”

Harriet said she realised the bridle had gone but the superstar pair jumped through the triple anyway, the penultimate fence, and for a moment it looked as if they might also clear the last oxer, but Silver Lift cantered past on the left side.

“I was going ‘Go right, go right!’” Harriet said. “He’s the only horse I would trust [to do that].”

But it was not to be and the pair completed a circuit of the International Arena before Silver Lift pulled up by the tunnel, Harriet with superb horsemanship sticking all the way.

“He’s such a good horse,” Harriet said.

The class went to speed Derby first-timers Ella Dalton and Quality Rubies N Diamonds.

You might also be interested in:

‘I can’t believe it’: young rider and ‘free’ horse take speed Derby win on debut

Horse and rider become the most successful Hickstead speed derby combination in history

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

Ella Dalton said that had someone told her, last night, that she would win the British Speed Derby on her first attempt, she’d have said “no chance!”

But the 21-year-old rider and Quality Rubies N Diamonds put in a superb debut performance at Hickstead this afternoon (24 June), tipping just one rail to finish on 101.72, a squeak ahead of fellow first-timers William Rekert and Concert Z.

“It’s emotional,” said a delighted and somewhat disbelieving Ella as her win was still sinking in. “And quite shocking that I managed to win. I was trying to enjoy it, but the bank is actually quite high. I was quite scared by that! But when you’re on a horse who’s bold and brave, you get braver.”

Ella took on the mare, who was owned by Dave Jones and Sue Walker of Duckhurst Farm, as a six-year-old, and the pair jumped in the 2021 newcomers final at Horse of the Year Show, after which she was sold.

“She jumped abroad for a bit but they didn’t get on with her, so they gifted her back to me,” Ella said. “We’ve got a few free horses! I’m very lucky. She’s really chilled at home; Mum hacks her out and she’s a proper granny’s hack, but at shows she gets excited.

“I didn’t really think this would be her sort of class, but I’ve had a few lessons with Elliott Rowe and he’s transformed our rounds, so a lot of this is down to him. I can’t believe it.”

William and Alan Fazakerley’s gelding had put in a scorching but controlled round, just tipping one of the Hickstead planks after a leap off the Irish bank, at only their first show together.

“We picked him up last weekend!” William said. “This is the fourth time I’ve sat on him, so I’m very pleased with that.”

William said he has had some help from four-time speed Derby winner Guy Williams, who “knows what he’s doing”, and made the most of the scopey 12-year-old gelding’s speed as he was bellowed home by the crowd.

“If you’d said last week I’d finish in the top five, I’d have said no chance,” he said.

Third-placed Jay Halim and Zuniek VD Tojopehoeve Z have only been together a few months but they set an early lead, tipping only the first part of fence two, as Ella did, and showing an effortless turn of speed to finish on 106.21 – despite Jay’s less than ideal preparation for the class.

“I was doing a working hunter class, so I only got on her 10 minutes before!” he said. “So I wasn’t entirely in the zone, but she was amazing. I’m really pleased to have her, and grateful to her owners Agrarian for giving me this opportunity.”

You might also be interested in:

‘He lives in my nan’s garden’: meet the family pet who came third in speed Derby

Horse and rider become the most successful Hickstead speed derby combination in history

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

Ahead of the 61st running of the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby on Sunday (25 June), we’ve been chatting to some past winners to hear their stand-out memories.

Here is what John Whitaker, four-time winner of the Hickstead Derby in 1983 on Ryan’s Son, 1998 on Gammon, 2000 riding Welham and in 2004 on Buddy Bunn, had to say…

First Hickstead Derby memory

“Stroller and the famous Harvey Smith V-sign – it was so controversial,” says John. “Harvey was always so good in the Derby and in those days they always showed it on TV.”

First Hickstead Derby experience

“I’m sure I jumped Ryan’s Son in it when he was seven and he only had two down,” remembers John. “I don’t think we practised at home beforehand, we just went straight in! But one of the faults he had was at fence two, which ended up being a fateful fence for him [where he fell shortly before he died in 1987] – he just always put his back legs down in it for some reason.

“I can’t remember if we were placed that first year with eight faults, but I think in general horses get better every year and Ryan’s Son certainly improved every time. A bit later, I built a devil’s dyke and a bank at home and it definitely pays to practise – not such a steep bank necessarily, just something to give horses the idea of what they have to do. I think in general most people practise the fences now, it 100% helps.”

The times it all went right

“The four wins were all pretty special in their own way – and each had a story to them,” says John.

“Ryan’s Son was obviously a great one because it’s a real milestone in your career. I can’t remember how many times he did the Derby, but he was very consistent and placed nearly every time.

“Gammon was semi-retired and my daughter Louise had been doing young riders with him – she started riding him when he was about 17 and did very well in the Europeans and other good classes. That year [1998] I had a very good young horse, but it just wasn’t working out very well and I realised he had no chance in the Derby. My wife Claire said ‘Why don’t you take Gammon?’ It had never even crossed my mind to take him so I said ‘Is it fair on Gammon, is it fair on Louise?’ But Louise said ‘That’s fine, go for it!’

“So I practised a bit at home, then he had one or two fences down in the Derby trial because he was just too fresh – he certainly didn’t feel like a 21-year-old, he felt more like an eight-year-old! So I certainly wasn’t worried anymore about him coping with the Derby at his age and he went in and won it.

“Saying you could ‘enjoy’ riding the Derby on a horse like that probably isn’t the right word, but it is a good feeling. Because there is so much space between the fences, you have to stay focused – you can change your mind three times before you reach the next one! But when you’re on a roll on a good horse there, it also gives you time to tick off the fences and think, ‘I’ve done that one, I’m still clear.’”

Derby bonus

John continues: “Welham didn’t actually do the Derby till he was 17 or 18 because he had championship commitments, then won it when he was 20,” says John. “But if ever there was a horse that was nearly a certainty to win it I thought it was him, because he loved the big ring, big jumps, so he really deserved it.

“The year he won it [2000], there was a £50,000 bonus if you could win the Hickstead and Hamburg Derbies, so I did Hamburg first. Welham stopped at the small fence at the top of the bank and it was the year they had changed a stop from three faults to four faults. He jumped the rest of the course clear and finished on four faults and there were no clears that year. So if it had been the previous year, he’d have won outright with three faults. Instead, I had to jump-off with Franke Sloothaak, who went clear and really, really fast. I set off to try to beat him, and I was quicker flying to the last fence, but he just touched it and it came down in slow motion, so as I galloped through the finish I could see it falling.

“So I lost the class twice basically – and the bonus!

“Fortunately in 2004, I’d only started two horses at the Derby meeting – you’re only allowed three, so when William Funnell realised he was injured and couldn’t ride Buddy Bunn and asked me to ride him, I could do so.

“We did the Derby trial and things weren’t quite perfect, so I changed his bit and other small things. Then the night before, I was taken to see Mr Bunn to try to negotiate our share of the prize money – but he was having none of it! His only advice was ‘If you don’t ride like a prat, you’ll win’. I looked at Claire and thought we’re getting nowhere here, but I didn’t think we had a chance of winning, so there was no point arguing about the prize money.

“In the Derby the next day, my niece Ellen [Whitaker] was the only clear and I was last to go – I don’t know how I got such a good draw, riding Dougie’s horse! I jumped clear, then she had one down in the jump-off and I jumped clear again.

“You can’t hold back for anybody, even family, so I did feel sorry for Ellen when I jumped clear because the Derby is such a good one to win – I felt like I’d taken it off her a bit.”

You might also be interested in:

Nick Skelton’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘Apollo knew the course, virtually – he was brilliant to ride round there’

Ben Maher jumps with only one stirrup and a ‘dream comes true’ for Matt Sampson: who won showjumping ribbons this week?

Tim Gredley makes Hickstead Derby comeback — 17 years after his first attempt in the iconic class

Geoff Billington’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘They had to dismantle the dyke to let us out!’

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

Ahead of the 61st running of the world-famous Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby on Sunday 25 June, we’ve been chatting to some of the past winners to hear their stand-out memories of the class.

Here is what Geoff Billington, who won the Hickstead Derby in 2007 riding Cassabachus, had to say…

First Hickstead Derby memory

“In the early days, a show called Arena North always used to clash with Hickstead and I was always there – I never went for the Derby,” remembers Geoff. “But I remember watching John Whitaker with Ryan’s Son and Michael Whitaker on Owen Gregory. Back then, I was too frightened to say I wanted to do something like win the Hickstead Derby because it felt so out of my reach. Similarly, I never said I wanted to go to the Olympics because I never thought I’d have a horse good enough, or thought I was good enough to go. It’s only when it gets within your grasp that you start to think and believe.”

First Hickstead Derby experience

“I had many rounds before I ever got placed!” says Geoff. “I can’t remember my first time, but one year my horse wasn’t happy jumping the devil’s dyke and tried to dive between the post and the privet hedge – there was probably only about a foot gap in those days and they had to dismantle the dyke to let us out!”

The time it all went right in the Hickstead Derby

“Cassabachus was a fairly normal novice but I remember saying to Michael Whitaker, ‘I think this horse could win the Derby,’ and he said, ‘Have you lost your marbles?’” explains Geoff. “But he was very brave, rideable and he could jump big individual fences.

“The first time he jumped it was in 2006 and he finished third. There were three of us in the jump-off, David McPherson had four faults, I tried to go quick and had eight faults, and the winner with a slow clear was Willy Funnell on Mondriaan. In 2007, the weather was treacherous and there were no clear rounds. They were talking about cancelling it. My pupil Andrew Mizon wasn’t even going to go that year, but his dad was my dentist and I was in the dentist’s chair one day and I said ‘You should jump that Irish horse [Special Diamond] in the Derby’, but he said the entries have closed. I said ‘I’ll sort that out, I’ll ring Lizzie Bunn!’

“So I got him in, but he nearly beat me! He was in the lead for a long time with the only four faults until I jumped clear with a time fault and won. It’s a brilliant feeling.”

You might also be interested in:

Advance tickets for the Hickstead Derby meeting are now on sale

Geoff Billington in good spirits in hospital after fears of heart attack

Champion Flat jockey targets Hickstead speed Derby: ‘I just hope I don’t embarrass myself!’

‘I’m just going to go for it!’ Olympic eventer targets this year’s Hickstead speed Derby

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

There was a thrilling three-way battle for the Breen Equestrian Beethoven seven- and eight-year-old championship at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby meeting today (23 June) between three of the best young horse producers in the country.

Lining up for the title were Pippa Funnell on the seven-year-old mare Billy Mufasa, her husband William Funnell riding the year older Billy Etna, while Hickstead-based Shane Breen represented the sponsors with the eight-year-old Instrumental V, a really exciting trio of mares.

Pippa and Lizzie Bunn’s Bily Mufasa scooted home in 34.78sec but just toppled a tricky vertical off a sharp bend.

The fences went up for the two older horses and Shane delivered a smart clear with his mare, setting the target of 33.16sec.

William then set off determinedly and he and the lovely grey were up on the clock, but the first part of the double fell for four faults, although his time of 30.04sec would have been enough to win. So Shane took top honours and William just earned some bragging rights over Pippa as the husband and wife team finished second and third.

“Mufasa is one Lizzie Bunn bought in the auction so it would have been lovely if she’d won – if Pippa had been in the lead I wouldn’t have tried to beat her, put it that way!” said William. “Billy Etna is one we’ve all ridden a bit and she’s been to the [young horse] world championships the last two years. I’ve ridden her this year and she’s been so consistent – that’s the first fence she’s had down. She’s nearly ready to step up and back up the others. It’s still nice to have two out of the top three from some really nice horses here.

“I was surprised there weren’t’ more clears but a lot of horses probably haven’t got to jump on grass until this week because there are so few grass rings nowadays.”

The super winning eight-year-old Instrumental V was bred in Germany and produced by Peder Fredricson till Shane took the reins at the start of the year year, winning a CSI2* grand prix in the UAE.

“I saw her last year at a few shows and thought she was a very good jumper then Peder said he was for sale,” said Shane. “Chloe and I bought her at the beginning of the year. We wanted to get her in the main ring this week then aim for the Queen’s Cup in July. She’s a hell of a jumper, she’s a lot of power in her gallop. She’s not overly big but she has a huge stride. I still have a bit of work to do with her, but she has all the ingredients.

“I hadn’t seen Pip but I knew she’d had one down so I thought to jump a clear anyway. With William coming behind me, he was definitely going to come up in time to watch me. So it was up to him to beat me and he could have, he just nicked the fence. That’s just the way it goes. But it’s nice to get back some of my money!”

You might also be interested in:

He won’t be sweeping my chimney before Christmas! The genius mayhem of the London fancy dress

‘Heart of a lion, mind of a professor’: brilliant mare hits the big time

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

William Funnell shares his insight into what goes through riders’ heads as they tackle the Hickstead Derby, plus the horsepower challenges currently facing the British team

I was very proud of my wife Pippa’s win at Bramham. When you’re younger, things happen and you expect them to happen again, so sometimes you don’t appreciate it when you do win. Speaking for both Pip and me, as you get older you tend to value those moments much more.

For that reason, I will appreciate the Hickstead Derby, which takes place on Sunday (25 June), as well if it happens. With my history in the class it would be lovely to get the fifth one. I always build pressure on myself but I’m certainly feeling this one.

Last year was Equine America Billy Diamo’s first time round and it’s always good to get that first one under your belt. Hopefully he’ll have grown from that and this year I’ve focused on doing the right things to produce him for Sunday.

I hope I’m fit enough to ride two horses round – I’ve been cycling up plenty of hills in preparation – because I have a second ride on Dublon, a lovely big horse who jumped round last year with Adam Botham.

The Derby is always a massive spectacle and I really look forward to it, but come Sunday morning you think “Here we go again, I’ve got to come down that bank”. I’m not the best with heights! When you’re at the top of it, you just have to think about the fence at the bottom and how nice it would be to lift the trophy, rather than how high up you are, especially on a horse like Diamo who is an 18hh giant.

The main thing about jumping the Derby is to keep focused, get in a good rhythm and give yourself time because something unexpected always happens – you need to be ready to help out your horse if required, without taking over.

I see so many people at the top of the bank holding on to the reins and not letting the horse’s head drop down over the edge. However, a horse can’t walk downhill without dropping his neck – even though it goes against every instinct to let him do so when you’re standing up there with a massive drop beneath you.

If I were to pick, you’d have to put Shane Breen down as favourite to win again this year – I always said once he broke his duck, it won’t be long before he catches up with my four wins.

A release from the pressure

As a bit of a release from the pressure of the Derby, we will be showcasing our next batch of Billy Stud auction horses at Hickstead on Saturday (24 June) evening. It follows on from our first live auction, where everyone who came, whether or not they bought, enjoyed it and saw it as a nice way to view and buy young horses. This group of four- and five-year-olds is probably the nicest we’ve bred and they’ll go under the hammer next Tuesday (27 June).

It’s taken a few years but there are a lot of auction horses now competing at the top level and five or six were sold overseas last time, which is also encouraging. People realise we are breeding good horses in the UK and British buyers don’t need to go to Europe, which with the problems of Brexit can only be a good thing.

There is a lot of stress involved having had these horses since conception, so it’s nice to know they’re going to people who will do a good job with our product.

Lack of strength and depth

We’re approaching a run of important Nations Cup team competitions, yet again short on new combinations and horsepower, notably with an injured Explosion W. It’s great to see Tim Gredley back and he did a great job in St Gallen, so I’m sure he’ll get plenty more team opportunities. But we’re lacking strength and depth at a crucial time.

● What makes the Hickstead Derby so iconic? Let us know your favourite memories of the class at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your views published in a future edition of Horse & Hound magazine

• This exclusive column will also be available to read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 22 June, 2023

You may also like to read…

William Funnell’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘One of the best horses in the world was galloping loose round the ring’

Geoff Billington’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘They had to dismantle the dyke to let us out!’

John Whitaker’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘If ever there was a horse that was a certainty to win it, it was Welham’

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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

Looking ahead to the 61st edition of the iconic Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby on Sunday 25 June, we’ve been speaking to some of the competition’s past winners to hear their stand-out memories.

Here is what Nick Skelton, who won the Hickstead Derby in 1987 riding J Nick, and 1988 and 1989 on Apollo, had to say…

First Hickstead Derby memory

“Watching Stroller win in 1967 when I was 10,” says Nick. “In those days it was the big class in showjumping, a real spectacle and I’d never seen anything like the bank or the dyke.”

First Hickstead Derby experience

“When I was riding for Ted Edgar, we thought St James would win the Derby because he was careful and dead brave. We didn’t build any of the Derby fences at home, but I think we went to practise at David Broome’s and St James jumped the dyke there fine, but he didn’t take to it at all at Hickstead,” recalls Nick.

“But there’s nothing like the dyke at Hickstead. The way Dougie Bunn and Pam Carruthers built the course is just brilliant – the dyke is angled in that corner and the horses jump away from the cars, making it a bit scary; it’s very clever. I don’t care what they say though, the course now is a lot easier than it was!”

The times it all went right in the Hickstead Derby

“I had to wait until 1987 when I won it on J Nick – he was a real handful, strong and wayward, but he jumped it very well. He jumped the dyke about a foot higher, he was very good, and I remember being interviewed by David Vine afterwards on the BBC,” says Nick.

“Then Apollo was just brilliant to ride round there because he’d been round so many times, he knew the course, virtually, so it was all very easy to him. He was second there twice as well as his two wins.

“People used to jump their best horses in it – even the likes of Deister won the Hickstead Derby, and Apollo won the Aachen grand prix in 1987 and 1988.”

You might also be interested in:

Advance tickets for the Hickstead Derby meeting are now on sale

Champion Flat jockey targets Hickstead speed Derby: ‘I just hope I don’t embarrass myself!’

When Andy Murray chatted with fellow Olympic champion Nick Skelton: ‘I was in a lot of pain for a long time’

The stallion everyone’s talking about, a ‘thankful and proud’ new mum, and Explosion W: who won showjumping ribbons this week?

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

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