Robert Walker reclaimed the 2024 Royal Windsor novice hunter tricolour for the second year in a row, this time aboard Jill Day’s lovely lightweight contender Flash Point I.
The Watermill Swatch five-year-old is out of the same mare, Quality Dame, as Robert’s now retired legend View Point (Sean), a winner of the open hunter championship at Windsor a record four times and a former overall title holder when the show held a supreme.
The gelding was bought as a foal from his breeders, The Jones Family.
“Jill has loved him from day one,” said Robert. “As soon as he came trotting up over the hill with the other foals he stood out a mile off. He’s always had a lot of charisma.”
When asked if he shares qualities with his regarded brother, Robert said: “It’s a hard thing to explain. In some ways he’s very similar; he gives you a comfy feel like Sean and he has so much ability. But, he’s a more chilled out character. Ahead of his class today he only needed half an hour of work, despite being one of the lowest mileage horses on my team this year.”
Flash Point has only been shown lightly in 2024, his debut season in the ring, but he’s been successful at North of England spring and the two local NCPA shows he has contended.
“I was worried he wouldn’t be experienced enough for Windsor but he was just gorgeous today,” Robert said. “This [the novice hunter championship] is the one everyone wants to win with their young horses, and there were some nice future weight stars in that ring today. Investing in young show horses is one of Jill’s passions so this is one she always wants to aim for each season.”
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Jayne Ross finished reserve in the 2024 Royal Windsor novice hunter championship riding the Trembath Family’s winning heavyweight KBF Stackton Tressel. Bred by Micheal Cook and Tony Reynolds, this six-year-old is by Aveia out of Sampsons Court LuLu.
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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.
