Warco is working hunter champion at Royal International

Warco once again demonstrated his liking for Hickstead’s challenging working hunter tracks, as he produced a fabulous clear to win his lightweight working hunter section for his owner/rider Penny Price.

Just four weeks previously, the careful 11-year-old chestnut gelding by Darco also skipped effortlessly round Kevin Millman’s course to win his open class at the Derby Meeting.

Today he gave super rides, and really opened up in the international arena to claim the tricolour. Standing reserve was Jo Callwood’s heavyweight winner Thor, a 10-year-old by Concorde.

Reigning M&M pony of the year Dunedin Marksman added to his championship tally, as Anne Mitchell’s eye catching Highland stallion claimed the coveted open M&M title for Emily Flynn.

After winning their opening small breeds section, Sarah Challinor and the Dartmoor Pumphill Buckthorn took the reserve.

For the second year running, Emily Hawkins and Pendock Pennyworth headed the first ridden M&M class. The pair took the mini reserve last July, but they moved up a notch this time to claim the tricolour, ahead of lead rein winners Liberty Grota and Ysselvliedts Nanique.

At the end of three well-filled classes, Clare Somerset clinched the M&M WHP championship with her mother Jane’s nine-year-old Tyan Tullamore. The nine-year-old has proved a super all rounder for Claire, who competes the Connemara in Pony Club team competitions. The reserve, Peasedown Mr Muddle (Stephanie Wheway) also came from the not exceeding 138cm section.

Dublin Universtity student Kevin O’Connell again made a successful raid on British soil when his winning heavyweight Avalanche II claimed the amateur hunter championship.

The strapping grey gelding won the inaugural £10,000 Fieldmaster supreme ridden title at the North of England three weeks previously, and he gave another good account of himself here to pip the 2009 champions Pippa Moon and Timelord IV, who stood top of the ladies hunter class here on Thursday.

In the riding horses, The Philanderer and Jayne Webber clinched the title after winning the large division. Small winners Sofia Scott and Rico Queen stood reserve.

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 riding horse (Mrs L Homer & Mr D Tatlow) sml. 1 & res, C Scott’s Rico Queen; 2, S Facchino’s Bowood Diamond; 3, C Yates’s Jackson Fair & Square. lge. 1 & ch, C Bardo’s The Philanderer; 2, V Ramm’s Sirius II; 3, Mr & Mrs Underwood’s Broadstone Dolce Vita Greenwood Communications amateur hunter (Mr N Collins & Mr A Steward) lwt. 1 & res, P Moon’s Timelord IV; 2, C Davies’s Standing Ovation; 3, S Fisher’s X Factor. mwt. 1, E Gibson’s Ringford Landmark; 2, C Davies’s Standing Ovation II; 3, S Fisher’s X Factor. hwt. 1 & ch, K O’Connell’s Avalanche II; 2, D Godber’s Rockefeller; 3, R Bosworth’ Osborne. Chestfields working hunter (Mr M Nicholson & Ms M Hennessy) lwt. 1 & ch, P Price’s Warco; 2, Mr & Mrs Underwood’s Paper Moon; 3, E Nettleton’s Winterstorm. hwt. 1 & res, J Callwood’s Thor 2, E Snowie’s Playboy Forever; 3, C Lyons’s Barry Bug. NPS/PRP Equestrian Rescue M&M WHP (Mr R Sutcliffe & Mrs G Wright) 122cm. 1, P Starkie’s Longthwaite Red Robin; 2, Hughes & Challinor’s Pumphill Buckthorn; 3, H Coy’s Forlan Honey Dancer. 138cm. 1 & ch, H Somerset’s Tyan Tullamore;2 & res, S Wheway’s Peasedown Mr Muddle; 3, G Worrow’s Silver Fox II. exc 138cm. 1, S Challinor’s Rebel’s Flight; 2, V Eggleston’s Tayroyd Supreme; 3, S Weir’s Ruby Slippers. Sandra Wood BSPS Heritage M&M open ridden (Mrs A Brickell & Mrs J Price) sml. 1 & res, Hughes & Challinor’s Pumphill Buckthorn;2, O Fitzgerald’s Parkbourne Piper; 3, D Hodge’s HRE Bigton. Welsh B&C. 1, K Vines’s Waxwing Prince Hal; 2, J Fairclough’s Pentrefelin Bodecia; 3, L Bates’s Mowcastle Mickey. New Forest/Connemara. 1, S Dowdeswell’s John’s Cuckoo; 2, L Stockley’s Misty Blue; 3, V Edwards-Sonnex’s Glencarrig Bobby. lge. 1 & ch, A Mitchell’s Dunedin Marksman; 2, W Ireland’s Kilmannan Black Magic; 3, S Atherden’s Stirlingdene.

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