Young talent’s success at Hickstead was well deserved, says top showing producer Simon Reynolds
Firstly, I would like to congratulate everyone at Hickstead for a brilliant Royal International Horse Show. Everything was so well organised, from the helpful security team and parking staff to all the officials and stewards. It is no mean feat to bring together a huge event with such precision.
Congratulations to Will Morton for lifting not only the hunter championship, but also the supreme horse title with the lightweight hunter Kilcarna Brilliant. The horse started his career with showman Robert Walker’s son Sam in the intermediate show hunter ranks before growing over height. He’s still not a tall horse and the picture is very nice with Will.
Another young talent to flourish there was working hunter champion and reserve supreme rider Craig Kiddier aboard Mulberry Lane.
These two young riders have not won these classes by chance or opportunity – they have grafted and worked hard from a young age, serving their apprenticeship. I am sure all of those years working away behind the scenes made those victories at Hickstead all the more special, proving that a true win does not come handed on a golden platter.
I was lucky enough to stand cob champion and third in the supreme with the lightweight cob Copenhagen. This year the cobs were upgraded to the brilliant ring five with the oval all-weather track, and the move was popular with competitors and spectators.
Points of concern
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I would like to make a plea for more shows to offer novice classes throughout the year, as in the latter half of the season they seem to drop off. It takes at least two seasons to establish a novice horse properly. However, members must support these classes, or we will lose them. Perhaps the way forward is to follow the lead of Mid Herts and other shows in putting on an unaffiliated novice class, which was very well received.
Another point of concern after talking to competitors is the move only to allow the champion intermediate to qualify for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), which is having a negative impact on morale and possibly on the numbers wanting to participate in 2024. Theoretically, a 14.2hh show pony from the small division could be competing against a small riding horse from the large division for the HOYS ticket. Comparing the two is like chalk and cheese.
Perhaps what this has highlighted now more than ever is the need to categorise the intermediates as hacks, riding horses and small hunters, for riders under 25 years old, to be presented and ridden as they would in the adult ranks under the umbrella of the British Show Pony Society.
It is so important to maintain type and the categorisation of horses, something that for years we have all tried to improve on. There is real skill and knowledge in breeding or finding that special “one”; the best example of its type.
I really hope further changes will not be made to amalgamate more classes in the future.
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This exclusive column will also be available to read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 10 August, 2023
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Simon is a show horse producer, whose most successful horse to date has been maxi cob Hallmark IX. A regular Horse & Hound columnist, you can read Simon’s views in the magazine and online.
