To say this was a competitive class feels almost inane – every class here is competitive. But the chance to drive a brand new Bentley through what is effectively a Pony Club games course certainly adds to the excitement.
Showjumper Jay Halim and his partner Ed Jackson, a doctor who has been working on the front line throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, saved the best to last to swoop in and pip long-time leaders Chris Smith and Adam Botham to the win.
“It’s really good fun,” Jay told commentator John Kyle. “It’s obviously lovely to share the moment with my partner, Ed, and with all my owners and supporters here this evening.”
Jay put his metaphorical foot down to whizz across the 1.25m course – taking a bold stride out between the third and fourth fences and cutting in tight to the penultimate upright, which caught out many unsuspecting victims, and ending with a beautiful jump over the Lottery oxer.
The pressure was then on Ed, who put his actual foot to the floor and wasted no time in a precision-accurate driving performance between the cones, as the sun set behind the estate.
Ed and Jay were the only team to break the 80 second barrier, crossing the finish line in 79.97 seconds, with no extra penalties to add.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Explaining his driving tactics in the 542 horsepower Bentaga V8, Ed added: “I think maybe I just had the pressure on – it was put your foot down, or no dinner!”
Chis Smith and Adam Botham settled for the runner-up spot, and also added no penalties to their finishing time of 81.31 seconds.
Third went to the fastest three-faulter side of Joe Whitaker in the saddle and Sam Horrel in the driving seat, who just clipped the final cone to add three seconds to their finishing time, giving them a total of 84 seconds.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
