Rain won’t stop play at Royal International Horse Show

While home-produced ponies and their riders had to brave incessant rain during the morning classes at the Royal International Horse Show, the elements were much kinder for the afternoon championship in Hickstead’s international arena.

The Pretty Polly tricolour and sash went to Katie Morton riding the Strinesdale Matador seven-year-old Oldcourt Charlotte from the mixed height show pony class. Both pony and rider were making their Hickstead debut.

Another pony sired by the late, great Strinesdale Matador clinched the part-bred Arab tricolour, Lorna Fitzgerald’s Crafton Touch of Gold winning his small division for Alice Greenwood, en-route to the championship.

Having taken the hack championship here at the recent Derby Meeting, Katie Dove’s Golden Gunner again combined movement, manners and presence to win his small class again for Katy Jerram, and he added a second Hickstead title to his season’s tally. Allister Hood again had Paul Mortimer’s large hack winner Becconsall Pick Pocket going beautifully to take the reserve.

Given minimum time to change her riding attire, Katie Jerram was soon back to take centre stage in the international arena. Riding HM The Queen’s Stardust, Katie won the Betty Skelton Memorial ladies classical side-saddle championship.

Twenty seven maxi cobs came forward for their championship, and standing top was Avril Bartolomy riding Clantara Shadow Play. The Scottish bred seven-year-old, who has racked up eight wins this season combines Percheron and TB breeding.

Danielle Heath and Lanson claimed the small hunter championship. Danielle bought the horse as a five-year-old last summer, but as he was fairly backward, she turned him out to mature. This season the Irish-bred gelding has registered three good wins, and he now goes to new owner Lisa Jackson to be ridden by her daughter Emma in intermediate classes.

Don’t miss next week’s Horse & Hound (out 5 August) for a special RIHS report, including comment and analysis of all the action

Results

Garrick Surface Coatings Ltd hack (Mrs C Oliver & Mr R Oliver) small. 1 & ch, K Dove’s Golden Gunner; 2, Mr & Mrs Underwood’s Courtland Be Fair; 3, J Harvey’s Mathemadam High Spirit. lge. 1 & res, P Mortimer’s Becconsall Pick Pocket; 2, A Winbourne’s Opium Casa Leona; 3, S Wood’s Royal Angel. Continental and North EasternTyres small hunter (Mr D Ingle & Mrs J Holderness-Roddam). 1, D Morton’s Lanson; 2, Mr & Mrs Underwood’s Utah; 3, T Deja’s Hurlers Cross. Wahl (UK) BSPS Pretty Polly (Mrs D Williams & Mr J Bourne) mixed ht SP. 1, D Morton’s Oldcourt Charlotte; 2, B Moore’s Chinook Easter Magic; 3, C Cutmore’s Roseview Limited Edition. sml mixed ht SHP. 1, K Gillott’s Annandale Darcy; 2, J Armson’s Hanmere Showman; 3, A Harrison’s Millpond Look Again. do lge. 1, K Marfleet’s Valentino III; 2, Mrs Peck’s Royal Applause; 3, Mr & Mrs Brewster’s Diptford Sea Eagle. LR. 1, H Barton’s Chaseford Accolade; 2, J Van Praagh’s Linksbury Silver Princess; 3, J Harker’s Amesbury Vanity Fair. FR. 1, B Newby’s Ardenhall Miss Moidore; 2, S McDowall’s Woodview Fantasia; 3, Rocks Family’s Cosford Mellitza. Harrison Civil Engineering ridden anglo & part-bred Arab (Miss C Chubb & Mrs J Beatham) small. 1 & ch, L Fitzgerald’s Crafton Touch of Gold; 2 & res, K Smith’s Hollowmarsh Oliver; 3, K Bott’s Whalton Wolf Whistle. do lge. 1, H Lang’s Royal Doulton II; 2, R Helliwell’s Tremarl Mr Mole; 3, S Cowley’s Burfordly Valentino. Stretcholt Equestrian Centre BMHS (Miss J Lewis) 3yrs & over colt/stallion. 1 & ch, R Jones’s Broomells Sun Up; 2, Mr & Mrs Parsons’s Spotlights Bo Diddy; 3, C Leonard’s Blacketor UK Quickstgep King Dragon. do female. 1, Sir Timothy & Lady King’s Scott Creek My Key to Fashion; 3, B Moss’s Ujenik Bantoms Little Princess. 2-y-o colt/filly/geld. 1, Mr & Mrs Hilton’s Ujenik Extasy’s April Showers; 2, M Lewis’s Lewingales Dancing With the Stars; 3, C Lindsey’s Apollos Little Rose. y’ling. 1, B Moss’s Carianjo Impressive April Showers; 2, C Lindsey’s Young Warrior; 3, Allstars International’s Scott Creek Monarch of Sumkindawiz. sml miniature 4yrs & over. 1 & res, M Archer’s Limelights Indian Summer; 2, J Martlew’s Meadowfox Miniature Masterpiece; 3, Mr & Mrs Hilyer’s Aesthete Play Boy’s Ego. veteran. 1, J Domhill’s Toyhorse Prince Dillon; 2, R & K Leppard’s Toyhorse Prince Conker UN; 3, M Foulkes’s Looking Glass Fabuella. Betty Skelton Memorial classical side saddle (Mrs P Stacy) 1, HM The Queen’s Stardust; 2, S Boxall’s Advance Party; 3, Baileys Horse Feed’s Diemos.

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