Show animals of the future take to the rings, as novice cobs and four-year-old hunters start the second day of showing on royal turf
For the first time in 20 years ridden hunters took to the Castle Arena at the 2021 Royal Windsor Horse Show. Kicking off the day’s showcase was the four-year-olds. Despite only five entries being presented for judging, a worthy winner was found in Daphne Tierney’s home-bred grey lightweight Bloomfield President.
The stunning gelding, ridden and produced by 19-year-old Alice Homer — who is having an exceptional show — was foot-perfect for ride judge Jill Wormall, who was third in the working hunters the previous day with her own Ballymurphy Alice.
“He’s really inexperienced, as he only came over from Ireland in late spring,” said Alice, who rode her mother Loraine Homer’s Little Joe to the heavyweight working hunter title and section reserve yesterday morning. “He’s done a fair bit of in-hand so I hoped he’d cope with the atmosphere, but there’s nothing like recreating the Windsor experience, no matter how many outings you give a young horse.”
President’s in-hand tally includes the traditional-bred championship at the 2019 Royal Dublin. Alice has had her eye on the Emperor Augustus son for a while:
“He couldn’t be anything other than a lightweight,” she enthused. “He moves brilliantly, too, and once we work on the gallop a little more he’ll be great. He has all the attributes to make it to the top.
“He doesn’t need much work but I spent a lot of time this morning getting him used to the atmosphere.
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“Windsor has always been a really good show for me. I was show hunter pony champion here when I was 15 and if I could pick one show to come to every year it would be Windsor.”
Third place was President’s stablemate, the OBOS Quality gelding Bloomfield Distinction, who is also home-bred by Daphne. He came over to the UK at the same time as President. Here, the attractive bay was ridden by Olivia Minihane.
Standing in between the two Bloomfield horses was Jayne Ross riding the Trembath family’s Tiger Attack gelding Tiger Cub, who certainly has the credentials to make it to the top, winning the Cuddy in-hand final at the Horse of the Year Show in 2019 as two-year-old.
Soon after the novice cobs were placed, and coming out on top was Sarah Walker riding six-year-old Red Butler, owned by Lisa Davey. The gelding has had an exceptional novice career and recently won and took section reserve at Three Counties. Second place went to the Leeman family’s six-year-old lightweight Love Joy piloted by Frazer Atherden while third was Vicky Smith on board Cheryl Owen’s five-year-old Cobsession.
“He was fantastic today,” commented Sarah.
In hack ranks it was the turn of Amanda Picilo riding Carol Taylor’s five-year-old home-bred Up With The Lark son Dare To Dream.
The hunter tri-colour went to Jayne Ross with Ellie Harper’s ultra-consistent gelding Wall Street, who pushed Robert Walker and Jill Day’s MHS Morning Master into second place in the novice lightweight/small hunter class.
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
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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.
