After a third Royal Windsor ex-racehorse class win on the bounce, Sar Cassidy-Hill’s 14-year-old ex-racehorse Imperial Ruby was called forward to take the Royal Windsor Retraining of Racehorses (ROR) thoroughbred ridden show horse championship for the first time in his career.
The mannerly bay gelding was partnered, as usual, by Sarah Gwilliam.
Bred by John Penny by Imperial Dancer, Imperial Ruby – who is known as Imp at home – beat last year’s Windsor ROR champion, Katie Dashwood’s Minella Rebellion (below), into reserve. Last year, Imp and Sarah were reserve to this pair.
“I’ve had him since he was in training with Mick Channing,” said his long-term owner, Sar. “He had a few runs as a three-year-old but his heart was never in it. He was never going to be a Saturday horse so there was no point in carrying home. He came home to chill out and he has lived a charmed life ever since!”
“The bond he has with Sarah is extra-special,” said Sar. “He’s a quirky horse with lots of personality; you can’t just school him for the ring. He knows his job, but when it comes to being a showman he decides when and where he wants to perform.”
“He does a bit of everything,” Sar added. “He goes in a side-saddle, he does a really good dressage test and he’s a happy hacker. We do low level stuff together and he’s a member of our family, but his showing career is with Sarah who has done the best job with him in the ring.”
Sarah’s is engaged to racehorse trainer Robbie Llewellyn:
“Imp gets show ring fit on the gallops at home,” confirmed Sar. “He was born on the 1 April and he’s called Imp as he’s such a joker. He’s definitely Imp by name and nature.”
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