Posted: 25th June 2018 | Back to news feed
Brash lifts the Bunn Leisure Derby Tankard Thursday 21st June
Olympic gold medallist Scott Brash had his first international win at the All England Jumping Course today when competing at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting.
His victory in the Bunn Leisure Derby Tankard came on the nine-year-old Hello Shelby, who jumped a double clear in a time of 35.60sec. “I wasn’t really sure what he’d be like in the International Arena today but after the first round he just popped round the course like normal. He felt really good and I just picked up the pace a bit in the jump-off, kept it tight, nothing too crazy and it was enough to win,” said Scott.
(c) Nigel Coupe
The former world number one showjumper lives locally to the West Sussex showground, having relocated from his native Scotland in 2015. “So much history has gone on in the International Arena, so it’s great to ride in there, and the footing here is amazing,” added Brash, who is now aiming for a repeat win in Saturday’s Hickstead Master's Trophy.
The first international class of the show, the Stoner Jewellers Vase, went to Joe Whitaker. He was riding Diola, a nine-year-old mare belonging to his father Steven. “My Dad has been riding her a little bit – he’d actually been planning to compete her this week but he had to stay at home because we had a couple of mares about to foal,” said Joe. “He’s delighted because he’s put in the hard work, and she does feel great so fair play to him!” added the 30-year-old from South Yorkshire, who is the nephew of John and Michael Whitaker.
Joe finished with almost a second in hand over speed king Guy Williams, who finished second on Rouge De Ravel.
Breen has ideal Trial run with Can Ya Makan Friday 22nd June
Ireland’s Shane Breen added another victory to his tally of Hickstead wins when claiming the honours in the Bunn Leisure Derby Trial today at Hickstead.
Shane, 44, is based at Hickstead Place and married to Chloe Breen, who is the daughter of All England Jumping Course founder Douglas Bunn. Breen has clocked up a number of international wins here at his ‘home’ showground, but this was his first major win at Hickstead since claiming the honours in both the Derby Trial and the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in 2013. Five riders jumped clear in first round of the Bunn Leisure Derby Trial today, though William Funnell – one of the leading contenders for Sunday’s Al Shira’aa Derby – chose not to come forward for the jump-off.
(c) Nigel Goddard
Two of the Al Shira’aa Derby’s leading ladies were among the remaining four, with Holly Smith setting the pace with a clear in a time of 59.59sec with Hearts Destiny, and Harriet Nuttall opting for a steady clear with A Touch Imperious. With Ireland’s Richard Howley collecting 16 faults in the jump-off, it paved the way for Shane who went clear in 57.76sec to take the win on Can Ya Makan. “In the beginning, the horse and me didn’t get on so great so Georgia Tame rode him a few times. Dublin was our breakthrough show and he’s been great for me since then,” said Shane. “This was my first time jumping him in this ring and he was very comfortable in himself. I thought the jump-off would suit him because he can use his length of stride. Holly Smith said she’d gone quite quick, and when she says quite quick you know she means very quick! We just got into a good rhythm, a good groove and he was perfect. He’s super quick, nice in his mouth, very soft to ride and he’s got great balance – he’d be some dressage horse.”
Shane now has his sights set on Sunday’s grand finale, the Al Shira’aa Derby. He has had eight top 10 placings in Hickstead’s iconic Derby class, including finishing equal second in 2011, but has yet to lift the trophy. Breen now hopes to ride Can Ya Makan in the Longines BHS King George V Gold Cup and the Longines FEI Nations Cup of Great Britain at Hickstead’s five-star show next month. The top-35 horses in today’s feature class have automatically qualified for the Al Shira’aa Derby, which takes place on Sunday afternoon. A huge field of 71 starters came forward for the afternoon’s Bunn Leisure Derby Two-Phase, with women riders dominating the line-up.
It was Great Britain’s Yazmin Pinchen who took home the spoils, with the 15-year-old stallion Van De Vivaldi. Yazmin went clear round both sections of the course in a time of 32.71sec to keep Louise Whitaker and Ruby VIII in second place (33.53sec). Yazmin, 25, was proud to have a win with her 16-month-old son watching. "The last time I was here at Hickstead I was pregnant with Harry and I won the Royal International Accumulator, so it’s nice to be back and have a win with Harry here too. I want to win even more now, I just want to make him proud – get back to five-star and be better than ever. I’m really committed, really focused and just on a mission."
Speedy Sampson secures back-to-back Hickstead wins Saturday 23rd June
Yorkshire's Matthew Sampson rode out the winner of the Bunn Leisure Speed Derby for the second year in a row.
His victory came on his 2017 champion Topflight True Carlo, who is a former event horse owned by Christine Spanner. A total of 31 starters came forward for the annual speed showcase, which is held round the same course each year and features unique fences such as the Irish Bank and the Hickstead planks.
(c) Sian Hayden
Today’s class saw a number of thrills and spills; with no clear rounds, six eliminations and one retiral. By the half way stage, Britain’s Paul Crago was leading in a time of 98.97 sec, having had one fence down with Valentino IX, though a number of former winners were still to come. But four-time Speed Derby champion Guy Williams saw his chances of a fifth victory vanish when Casper De Muze knocked down four fences to finish out of the placings. Similarly, Harriet Nuttall had an uncharacteristic three jumps down to end up fifth on her 2016 winner Silver Lift.
While Ireland’s Paddy O’Donnell and Hey There Delilah produced the fastest round of all time, they knocked down two fences to relegate them to third in 99.48sec. It eased the pressure off for last to go Matthew Sampson, who tipped just one fence to finish on 96.58sec. “I just thought I’d try to do a similar round to last year and luckily it paid off, and I was quick enough even with one fence down,” said Matthew. “It was a lot more pressure this year to be honest, even walking round the showground people were saying ‘I can’t wait to see you Saturday’.”
Matt now has a very good chance of winning Sunday’s Al Shira’aa Derby, having won the Hamburg Derby in May with his other ride, Gloria Van Zuuthoeve, No one has won both the Speed Derby and the Hickstead Derby in the same year since Olympic gold medallist Ben Maher in 2005. Ireland’s Shane Breen secured his second international win of the week when winning the Hickstead Master's Trophy with the nine-year-old stallion Clyde VA. “It’s a little bit unexpected,” said Shane. “For an inexperienced horse, it was quite a difficult course but he’s incredibly careful – I can count on one hand the number of fences he’s had down.
"He’s a class horse with a big stride and he made it very easy, but whether he won or lost I’m delighted with him so the win is a bonus. He’ll be a super horse for next year. We just need to keep building on his experience and I think he could definitely be a championship horse.”
The new £1,500 Harcour Hickstead Amateur championship drew to a conclusion today, with the title going to Amy Carnet and Ja Lo II, while Ireland’s Christopher Megahey and Curprice claimed the Hickstead Under 25 Masters. In the showing classes, producer Jo Bates claimed the Alltech Supreme Hack Championship on Elusive.
William Funnell joins Hickstead record holders Sunday 24th June
Britain’s William Funnell joined an illustrious group of four-time winners when claiming the Al Shira’aa Derby today at Hickstead.
Riding the homebred 10-year-old Billy Buckingham, William was one of just two riders to go clear in the first round, meaning he had to jump-off for honours against Holly Smith and Quality Old Joker. The first to go in the jump-off, William’s horse never looked in danger of touching a fence, although a foot in the water meant they finished with four faults in a time of 89.62sec.
(c) Nigel Goddard
It gave Holly a bit of breathing space, but she was caught out first by the black gate and then by the water as well, meaning she retired into second place. William, 52, is the fifth rider to have four wins in the Hickstead Derby, having previously clocked up a hat-trick of victories in 2006, 2008 and 2009 with Cortaflex Mondriaan. He joins Harvey Smith, John and Michael Whitaker, and Ireland’s Eddie Macken, who have all had four wins in this iconic class.
The Dorking-based rider now believes he could add to his Derby tally with Billy Buckingham. “As long as I’m fit and the horse is fit you’d like to think you could go on and win it a fifth time. It’s nice to be in the record books with those guys, and to do it this year on a home-bred is special,” he said. His horse was previously ridden by Lucy Townley, the daughter of Hickstead Director Edward Bunn. William took over the ride in 2017, and the pair finished sixth on their Derby debut last summer having hesitated at the top of the Bank and getting a time fault as well.
“We’ve done a bit of practice to make sure he’d come down the Bank. Last year I wondered if I’d wasted a clear round because they don’t come round here very often, so it’s nice to get another one and win it on a home-bred by [William’s championship horse] Billy Congo.”
The 57th Al Shira’aa Derby took place in perfect conditions, with dry, sunny weather all week. “I’d like to congratulate the Bunns on the work they’ve done in the arena, this is the best grass ring in the world with the best footing,” added William.
Holly was bidding to become the first female winner since 2011, and only the sixth in history, but she had to settle for second place following her third place debut in 2017 with Quality Old Joker.
In equal third place was the ultra-consistent Harriet Nuttall and A Touch Imperious, who yet again left all the fences standing but were another pair to be caught out by the 15ft Open Water; and Shane Breen and his Bunn Leisure Derby Trial winner Can Ya Makan, who knocked down the Balustrade fence at 14.
James Whitaker ended up in fifth place with one fence down and a time fault on Glenavadra Brilliant, the horse James’ elder brother William Whitaker rode to victory in 2016.
Earlier today, Nicole Pavitt and Paris 16 won the Beethoven 7 & 8 Year Old Championship, ahead of Ireland’s Peter Moloney.
The Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting drew to a conclusion today, with the classes available to watch on demand on ClipMyHorse.TV. Television highlights will be shown on Sky Sports Action on Wednesday 27 June and on Horse & Country TV on Tuesday 3 July.
Hickstead’s next international show is the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of Great Britain at the BHS Royal International Horse Show (25-29 July) with tickets on sale now.
For results from the show, click here.
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