William Funnell wins Derby class at La Baule

William Funnell (pictured right at another competition) notched up an impressive victory in the prestigious Derby class in La Baule on 15 May.

William, with Katinka Traaseth’s mare Kannelle De La Baie, jumped one of only four clear rounds in the first round and followed this with a swift turn of foot in the jump-off, which, as a single-phase competition, followed straight after.

The pair headed runner-up, French rider Julien Epaillard, by nearly eight seconds.

William said: “We brought Kanelle De La Baie here with this class in mind and she hasn’t failed us.

“She won the Flasterbo Derby last year and also came third at Hickstead, so she’s proving herself to be a superb Derby horse.

“I was fortunate to be drawn late to go in the class, which meant I’d managed to see Julien’s round. I knew exactly where I had to be and when if I was going to beat him.

“Some days things go perfectly to plan and today was one of them.”

World Class Showjumping Performance Manager, Rob Hoekstra added: “This was a brilliant class. Derby’s are always popular and this competition was no exception; the grandstands were packed and the atmospherewas electric.

“It was a great day for British showjumping.”

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