Coloured Ridden Champion
SD Red Gambler ridden by Hannah Miller-Burton
During the Royal Windsor Horse Show, held in the private grounds of Windsor Castle in Windsor in Berkshire in the UK between 1st May to 5th May 2024
A second-placed combination proved you should aways return for the championship as they came to the fore to secure the 2024 Royal Windsor ridden coloured spoils.
The final field of eight contenders, that included former Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and Royal International (RIHS) winners, was assessed by judges Polly Coles (ride) and Susan Stockley-Bridges (conformation). After deliberation, Hannah Miller-Burton’s striking traditional pony SD Red Gambler and Kaitlyn Fairhurst were called forwards as their overall victors, much to the delight of the crowds.
Earlier in the morning, the 11-year-old roan stallion — who Kaitlyn had only sat on four times prior to their run at Windsor — had finished as the runners up in the CHAPS (UK) coloured pony native/cob/traditional class, behind eventual section reserves, Isabella Kirby and her family’s six-year-old home-bred traditional stallion Monivea Black Magic, who currently holds this class title at both HOYS and RIHS finals.
Kaitlyn, who has the ride on Gambler for the 2024 season while Hannah is pregnant, returned to the main arena championship with few expectations, though she wasn’t one to rest on her laurels. She made full use of Gambler’s powerful paces while maintaining balance and fluidity. They sealed their performance with a captivating gallop worthy of a Windsor overall sash.
“We just came for a nice picture,” said an overwhelmed Hannah, who bought Gambler as an unhandled three-year-old and has brought him on herself, riding him at HOYS and the RIHS multiple times during their partnership. “He does absolutely everything; he shows, he jumps, he drives, he hunts and he stands at stud. He does love an atmopshere, too; he’s a big show off.”
Hannah, who works as a stunt rider, has produced Gambler at home for the duration of his career.
Gambler was the pony to beat on day one of Royal Windsor; he also finished reserve in the in-hand coloured championship when handled by Philip Ward-Burton, behind John Cutts leading Caroline Hamilton’s plaited stallion Lostock Candyman.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Gambler has been second at Royal Windsor on previous visits and while he is no stranger to the spotlight, having stood supreme at the CHAPS championships before, the 2024 Royal Windsor ridden coloured championship was his biggest triumph to date.
“I have cried a lot today, though I’m allowed — I’m pregnant and now my pony has just won Windsor,” Hannah said. “Gambler hasn’t been doing a lot at the moment work wise. Kaitlyn lives far away and as I’m pregnant I’ve not been able to ride him much. Thankfully, Philip was available to ride him on his pre-Windsor outing last week, where he was supreme at CHAPS South East.”
Enjoy the best of Royal Windsor with Horse & Hound
To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news and the best of the action throughout Royal Windsor Horse Show, with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from £1 a week in the UK.Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper Royal Windsor Horse Show magazine report in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 9 May.
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
Former H&H showing editor and deputy features editor
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.
