Read the full list of 2023 RIHS judges

2023 RIHS judges are announced — Hortons Magnifico and Justine Armstrong Small, cob champions at the 2022 Royal International

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

The organisers of the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) have confirmed the final list of 2023 RIHS judges.

The championship show is to be held at the All England Showground, Hickstead, from Tuesday 25 July to Sunday 30 July 2023.

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

TOPICS

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.

2023 Royal International Horse Show showing judges announced

The 2023 RIHS judges are as follows:

Coloured horses (ride) — Mr Ben Hester

Coloured horses (conf) and coloured supreme — Miss Jeanetta La Four

Coloured ponies (show) — Mrs Morean Hamilton

Coloured ponies (conf) and coloured supreme — Mrs Clare Dew

Working hunter ponies — Miss Brigit Ensten (jump) and Mr Richard Hollinshead (conf)

Show hunter ponies — Mrs Victoria Clark (show) and Mr Timothy Lucas (conf)

Pure-bred Arabs — Mr Richard Mills

UKPH M&M young riders and amateur — Mrs Clare Dew (show) and Miss Natalie Middlemass (conf)

Ladies hunter and amateur riding horses — Miss Esther Rostron (ride) and Miss Brigit Ensten (conf)

Hunters, lightweights (ride) — Miss Sara LeatherbarrowMiddleweights (ride) — Mr Nick GauntlettHeavyweights (ride) — Mr Magnus NicholsonHunters (conf) — Mr Tim MartinShoeing prize — TBC

BSPS Heritage M&M open — Miss Kathryn Lloyd (show) and Mr Anthony Perkins (conf)

BSPS Heritage M&M lead rein and first ridden — Mrs Jane Somerset (show) and Mrs Sue Rawding (conf)

Amateur hunter — Miss Faye Ludlow and Mr Chris Gordon

Working hunter — TBC (ride) and Mr John Llewellyn (conf)

Riding horses — Mrs Samantha Stephenson (ride) and Ms Lynn Russell (conf)

M&M working hunter pony — Mrs Amanda McHale (jump) and Mr Malcolm Fry (conf)

Small hunter — Mr Michael Cooper (ride) and Miss Judy Bradwell (conf)

Hacks — Mrs Nicola Taylor (ride) and Mr Chris Hewlett (conf)

Intermediates (all types) — Mr Andrew Bowie and Mr Nigel Wakefield

Pretty Polly — Mrs Sheelagh Donger and Miss Angela Grummitt

Miniatures — Mrs Lorraine Rowntree

SSADL classes — Mr Ben Hester and Mr Paul Cook

Part-bred Arabs — Ms Kaye Baker (ride) and Mr Chris Bartram-Lawton (conf)

Maxi cobs — Mrs Jo Hales (ride) and Mrs Angela Lance (conf)

Show pony lead rein and first ridden, and lead rein of show hunter type — Mr Nigel Wakefield (show) and Mr Andrew Bowie (conf)

Show ponies — Mrs Sue Rawding (show) and Mrs Jamie Mead (conf)

Nursery stakes — Mrs Louise Gaunt (conf) and Mr Chris Bartram-Lawton (jump)

Intermediate working hunter — Mr Chris Bartram-Lawton (conf) and Mr Mrs Louise Gaunt (jumping)

Cobs — Mrs Lucy Seletto (ride) and Mrs Sarah Smith (conf)

Working show horses — Mrs Samantha De Caprio (ride) and Mr Jonathan Geake (conf)

Amateur cobs — Mr Michael Cooper (ride) and Mrs Angela Lance (conf)

Amateur hacks and amateur maxi cob — Mrs Samantha De Caprio (ride) and Mr Jonathan Geake (conf)

Supreme ridden horse and pony championships — TBC

You might also be interested in:

Who will take the 2022 RIHS hunter championship? Full results from the hunter classes…

20 beautiful winners from the 2022 BSPS winter championships

‘He’s like a Ferrari’: legendary lightweight lifts RIHS hunter crown for the second time