Trevor Breen and Kannoon Blue win The Astore & Sons 1.35m Open Championship in memory of Tracy Astore at The Al Shira'aa Hickstead Derby Meeting, The All England Jumping Course, Hickstead, Sussex.
The Irish rider and his wife Caroline’s Kannoon Blue won the Astore & Sons 1.35m Open Championship on the opening day of competition in the International Arena, at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby meeting.
Trevor said it is “always lovely” to win at his local show, but this time was extra special.
The Irish medal-winning rider suffered three fractures of his lower neck and back, in the fall in Hamburg last May. He underwent immediate surgery and it was found later that he had been millimetres from severing his spinal cord.
But he has made a remarkable recovery, and showed that he is back to his best as he and the nine-year-old homebred, a half brother of Trevor’s European silver medal winner Highland President, beat Carmen Edwards and Vigo Cruz into second.
Winner. Trevor Breen (GBR) and Kannoon Blue in The Astore & Sons 1.35m Open Championship in memory of Tracy Astore at The Al Shira'aa Hickstead Derby Meeting, The All England Jumping Course, Hickstead, Sussex, United Kingdom. June 19th 2025
(Image credit: Elli Birch/Bootsandhooves)
“It’s a bit more special because he’s a home-bred, and myself, Caroline and my father own him,” Trevor said. “He’s a similar type, but he’s probably not as difficult as Highland President. He has his own quirks, in his own way, but he’s a very talented jumper. I’ve taken my time with him and now, he’s getting to step up a bit.”
Trevor said Kannoon Blue’s first trip round the International Arena set him up perfectly for Aachen in a fortnight’s time.
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“This couldn’t have gone any better,” he said. “Until this year, he’d just jumped in national shows, then I took him to the UAE over the winter, which was his first real taste of international sport. Since then, he’s been on a very upward trajectory, but he’s taken everything in his stride so far.
“It was really easy today – he can go a little spooky but he didn’t at all in there. He was very confident, and it was very easy for him. He gave me a great spin; it was really easy work for me and that was a really good feeling.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
