‘I let him fly’: show hunter pony is RIHS champion for the third time in a row
An 18-year-old rider and her gelding kept their cool at the 2022 Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) to reclaim the title, the RIHS show hunter pony supreme, they won here last year.
Zara Brookes and her father Nick Brookes’ 11-year-old Merrycorner Mister Bui nailed their performance in the Longines International Arena to impress Leeman Family show hunter pony judges Cathy Hydge (show) and Gill Simpson (conformation).
“To win two years on the trot is incredible; he felt electric in there, but in the best way possible,” said Zara, who bought Irish sport horse “Buttons” in 2020 during lockdown and keeps him with Robert and Sarah Walker. “He’s a brilliant horse and I love him to bits.”
Buttons was cementing history as he achieved a career hat trick; he also won the show hunter pony title here in 2019 with Harriet Dennison.
Zara and Buttons were pulled sixth in their class after the initial go-round.
“I didn’t think the judges had noticed him,” said Zara. “I rode a really simple show, but used his gallop — his show piece — as a finisher.”
The show hunter pony championship was filled with quality, formed ponies each deserving of the title, but it was Button’s gallop which arguably ‘sealed the deal.’
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“There was some pressure and lots of people were asking me if I was going to retain the title,” said Zara. “The build up was nerve racking, but I couldn’t have asked any more of him. I love galloping him in a big arena like Hickstead, as I can really let him fly.”
Zara will now gear Buttons up for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in October, before enjoying one more season with him before she’s out of class.
“I loved his length of stride; he covered the ground and moved like a true champion,” enthused Cathy. “He was so smooth in his way of going, but he also said: ‘Hey, look at me’ which I always look for. From the moment he came into the ring I was drawn to him.”
Gill added: “He was very typey.”
While Gill and Cathy were impressed with the quality of the classes, both judges weren’t afraid to move the initial pull in line-ups around, rewarding polished performances.
“We moved quite a lot around, mainly because of errors such as wrong legs,” said Cathy. “We pulled quite a few up from the bottom. As a judge you have to be fair and pull a pony up if it performs well and looks good stripped.”
Reserve was Macie Donaldson and winning 133cm Parkhill Di Maria.
Other winners joining in the championship were winning 143cm Morning Sunflower (Isabella O’Donnell) and Gryngallt Page Too (Harry Edwards-Brady).
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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.