‘He’s just a gorgeous horse’: 19-year-old rider heads strong ladies’ hunter field
At just 19 years old, Alice Homer produced an impressive first Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) ladies’ victory riding Angela Coggins upstanding grey middleweight hunter Bloomfield Eloquence (James).
The seven-year-old gave both Alice and ride judge Anna Levy an incredible sit on in the Science Supplements Ring 5, to be pulled top after the initial go-round and stay in poll position throughout the class.
Watermill Swatch-sired James is relatively new to the side-saddle game, and here he beat a super-strong field which included Georgina Wilkes and her prolific Mexican Summer — ladies’ champion at Royal Windsor just a few weeks ago — and Francoise Babbington aboard her reigning Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) champion Seabourne Silent Valley.
“I’m elated; I can’t believe it,” said Alice, who rode in the ladies’ class here for the first time two years ago aboard Sarah Van Vegchel’s Hardingville Sunrise.
“James only started taking a side-saddle at the end of last year and contended his first ladies’ class in the September. He’d been over in Ireland at the Bloomfield stud where he competed astride with Jane Bradbury before coming over here.”
Over in his homeland, James was champion at both Balmoral and Gorey shows.
James is also off to HOYS this year as a middleweight and ladies’ mount, qualifying in the latter class with Alice’s mother, Lorraine, in the saddle.
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“I’ve stolen the ride back for the day,” added Alice.
Angela is best friends with Loraine and bought James as a six-year-old.
“He’s just a gorgeous horse,” Alice concluded. “He loves hacking and is so straightforward. It feels incredible to have my name up there with all the riders who have won this title here before me.”
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Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 as showing editor, cementing its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK. She moved on in October 2024 to pursue other opportunities, but continues to write for us on a freelance basis.