Rosemore Midnight Rendezvous (Dissy) ticked off another coveted title for his owners Jane and Sophie O’Keeffe when he landed the intermediate championship at Royal Windsor Horse Show, piloted by Sophie.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to win the intermediate championship here, and now he’s done it,” said Sophie.
The 10-year-old, produced by Justine Armstrong-Small, won the intermediate hunter type class en route to the title.
This was actually Dissy’s third spin in the championship here. He won the large intermediate show riding type class as a five-year-old, and had a near miss when he stood reserve last year having moved into the hunter type classes.
“It happened by accident,” said Sophie of the fortuitous move. “I’d entered him in the wrong class here, but Justine looked on the bright side. ‘He’s matured so much, let’s just give it a go,’ she said. So, we did and he won, so we stuck with the class.”
The pair went on to qualify for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) as a hunter type, too, last year.
Dissy also contends the riding horse classes with Justine, and gave the Essex-based producer her first win at HOYS in almost 20 years when they took the small riding horse class in 2023. They were also riding horse champion at Windsor last season, meaning that whilst it was a case of “third time lucky” in the intermediates, it was actually Dissy’s fourth win in front of the castle.
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A-level student Alice Binks steered small intermediate victor Roberry Fascinator (Hattie) into reserve.
“I had to to take a break from my revision, but it was worth it,” said Alice.
This was Alice and Hattie’s first visit to Royal Windsor. However, they have an otherwise impressive track record, having twice won and stood champion at the Royal International (RIHS), and supreme intermediate at the British Show Pony Society summer championships.
Danni Radford’s homebred Ladies Man (George) continued his winning streak by winning the large intermediate show riding type with his usual rider Poppy Carter. The nine-year-old Tiger Attack gelding is no stranger to the spotlight; he’s won HOYS twice in the intermediate show riding type ranks, and stood champion intermediate at Hickstead.
Now produced by Jayne Ross, George also posted a win in the small riding horse class here earlier in the week before taking his first major title as a riding horse.
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Bethan joined Horse & Hound as showing editor in January 2025, after spending two years as Editor for Showing World. Having adored ponies since childhood, she started showing as a teenager and has enjoyed wins at major shows up and down the country, including Royal Highland, New Forest, and the Royal Welsh, as well as HOYS, RIHS and London. She is particularly passionate about Welsh breeds and is also a Welsh language commentator.
