A hotly contested amateur hunter championship sees the top two from the small and lightweight class come to the fore, but they’re met with stiff competition from the first and second placed heavy and middleweight combinations...
Home-producer Lucy Lockwood couldn’t hold back the tears when her mother Julie Lockwood’s bay gelding Chantilly Bojangles (Michael) scooped the overall amateur hunter championship on the first day of the 2021 Royal Windsor Horse Show.
Lucy, who works in the family’s finance business and has recently started a business with her partner, put on an immaculate display — including an accelerating gallop — with her Kroongraaf nine-year-old.
Michael was initially bought off the back of Lucy’s wedding not going ahead a few years ago. He had been offered to Lucy prior to her wedding, but she turned him down, and when things didn’t go to plan she bought him from the Colosso family. He is now known in the family as ‘the wedding pony’.
The win was made more poignant by past memories; Lucy’s 2019 Royal Windsor amateur hunter champion, heavyweight Rossa Dancer, died from cancer soon after his win. Lucy was left devastated.
“He was my baby horse; we’d had him since he was a two-year-old,” she said. “He wasn’t right soon after Windsor and sadly he died. We were gutted.”
Michael was champion hunter on his season debut. Windsor was his second show of the term.
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“Lockdown was a struggle for us,” Lucy added. “I live an hour away from my parents and my dad was shielding so Mum has kept Michael going for me; this win is literally all her doing, she has done everything for me.
“He’s a champ and you can’t fault him for a family pony.”
Reserve was Camilla Stowell Davies riding her own eight-year-old Crosstown Dancer chestnut Glenkeeran Dancing In The Deep. The duo have been on fine form this season, achieving their RIHS and HOYS places at early qualifiers.
Cerys Ford turned several heads on Rebecca James’ upstanding grey gelding Alis Real Bright Spark. The eight-year-old by King Of Mourne is a new ride for Windsor debutante Cerys who is no stranger to success in both amateur and open hunter classes. Second to this duo in class was Amy Cook riding her own nine-year-old Mr Darcy Dancer, another Crosstown Dancer Son.
Keep up to date with all the news from Royal Windsor Horse Show here on Horseandhound.co.uk throughout the show and don’t miss our full indepth reports in next Thursday’s magazine. Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find out more about getting the magazine delivered to your door every week
What does it take to have a winner at Royal Windsor Horse Show? Here is a selection of this year’s
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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.
