OWNER and rider Jill Day and Robert Walker had a dream start to the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) as their only two entered weight hunters, View Point and Patrics Choice, took the championship and reserve accolades after some marathon classes.

Approaching 90 hunters came forward in the three weight categories, with different judges Louise Bell (lightweight), Simon Campbell (middleweight) and Marian Thomas (heavyweight) assessing the rides along with conformation judge Angus McDonald.

Walker gave his rivals a taste of things to come when the Loughehoe Guy seven-year-old View Point (stable name Sean) topped a 28-strong lightweight class.

“Sean’s first class of the season was in April. He’s been pretty much on the go for a good while, but he’s a real showman who loves his job,” said Walker, who stood above Kirstine Douglas, Martin Skelton and Louise Lyons, all riding Irish-bred horses Man Of Honour (Mullentine Cavalier), Ducketts Grove (Golden Master) and First Rate (Obelix), respectively.

Ian Smeeth topped the middleweight line-up riding the Burley Family’s Kings Master eight-year-old It’s the Kings Speech.

Standing next in line were Jayne Ross riding Debbie Harrod’s recent supreme National hunter champion Bloomfield Valhalla (Lux Z) and Chris Hunnable with Mike and Jill Jerram’s About Town (Flaming Feather) taking third.

Walker came back to win the heavyweight section with Patrics Choice.

Like View Point, this West Coast Cavalier seven-year-old was bought by Jill Day as a foal. The two winners regularly winter together at the owner’s home in South Wales.

Filling the runner-up spot was Jayne Ross, riding Twinshock Warrior (Ricardo Z).

In the championship, held in Hickstead’s international arena with each judge riding the horses they did not assess in the class, View Point rose to the occasion to give Walker and two more judges great rides to take the championship.

“He improved and galloped better every time he went out and I couldn’t be more pleased,” concluded Walker.

“Patrics Choice also gave a good account of himself to stand reserve, with Sarah Walker taking the championship ride.

“The champion gave me the best ride of the day, but for such a big horse, the heavyweight was light on his feet and he gave us all a great gallop,” said lightweight ride judge Louise Bell.

SUPREME CHAMPION

View Point also came tantalisingly close to clinching the British Horse Society ridden horse supreme championship on the final afternoon but, despite giving a super freestyle performance, Walker had to settle for second place, two marks behind the 2017 supreme horse, Annabel Jenks home-bred riding horse champion Diamonds Are Forever ridden by Oliver Hood.

Small hunters turned out in force, Martin Skelton topping a huge line-up on his first competitive ride aboard Cheryl Farrow’s Banview Scirroco, a good galloping five-year-old by Diamond Roller.

Danielle Heath took second place riding her own and Kevin O’Connell’s Bercham Dragonfly (Kensons Aragon) with Robert Walker and Jill Day’s Party Time (Tasset) finishing third.

Killderry Rupert wrote himself into the Hickstead records book when he recorded a fourth successive victory in the lightweight working hunter final.

Between them, owner Katrina Braithwaite and the Cloneen Clover 11-year-old had spent six months off the road through injury.

Last summer, Rupert tweaked a tendon and just as he came back into work this spring, Braithwaite broke her foot.

“We just about managed to do one qualifier to get our Hickstead ticket,” said Braithwaite who went on to take the working hunter reserve.

LYONS CHAMPION

Taking the tricolour was Kilkenny’s Louise Lyons who won the heavyweight division riding the Classic Vision eight-year-old MJM Laszlo.

“It’s nice to pay a return visit to Hickstead. The last time I rode here was 22 years ago when I won the intermediate class riding Dartans Dorrindi.

“Laszlo is a big jumper with a big stride and he loves a bold track,” said Lyons who along with her mother Anne bought Laszlo unbroken in Ireland before selling him to the current owner Paulette Cooper.

“The champion ticked every box, nothing was too much trouble for him,” said ride judge Matt Ainsworth (319).

Another out-and-out jumper took the working hunter pony championship. Connemara Pony Cashel Bay JJ shrugged off driving rain to produce an immaculate clear to win his 153cm division for Susie Eddis.

This Castleside JJ 14-year-old has an enviable winning record. The versatile gelding successfully competes in native and working hunter pony classes at the highest level.

He is the current Horse of the Year Show and Royal International champion and he has also recorded championship wins at Dublin and Royal Windsor.

Sadly, as the working hunter pony classes ran late due to huge entries, Susie and JJ were not able to take their place in the De La Hey supreme ridden pony supreme championship.

Working hunter ponies and riders endured the worst of the weather after the heatwave broke in dramatic style on the final day and another combination, Alice Homer and Golden Pat (Streamstown Mickey), endured wind and rain to win their 143cm final.

Harriet Dennison took the show hunter pony championship riding the 153cm winner Merrycorner Mister Bui.

This Templebready Fear Bui six-year-old, bred by Louise Duffy, was reserve riding horse champion in Dublin for P.J. Casey two years ago and he gave a great gallop to clinch the tricolour in Hickstead’s vast international arena.

“He loves a big arena and always gives me a good ride,” said Dennison.

Taking second place in the 153cm class was Charlotte Elliott-Grooby, riding Chantilly Galway Girl (Arkan).

RANDALSTOWN

The Randalstown prefix was very much in evidence in the cob classes. Vicky Hesford won the championship riding Clare Twiston-Davies’ heavyweight winner Randalstown Musketeer, who was originally bought following a tip off from Hesford’s brother-in-law Robert Walker.

Emily Proud took second place riding the seven-year-old skewbald Randalstown Top Notch. Anne Leaver took the reserve riding Sue Benson’s winning lightweight Whitegate Dazzler (The Bone Maker).

Taking the next two places were Nicola McConville’s Randalstown Rolex and Ian Smeeth riding Chantilly Sandman.

Danielle Heath and the Irish-bred Brookdale Limited Edition extended their winning run when they topped a huge line-up of maxi cobs.

Last season, the seven-year-old finished fourth at HOYS at the end of his novice season and this term he has enjoyed seven successive wins.

“He’s such a light and responsive ride, you would think you were sitting on a hunter,” said Heath.

It was a clean sweep for Irish cobs in the amateur sections with Randalstown Rolex heading the lightweights, Hayley Erner and It’s Abracobdabra topping the heavyweights and Petra Frampton’s The Forger the best maxi cob.

While the De La Hey supreme ridden pony accolade went to Mel Stanford’s BSPS Heritage champion, the Highland pony Benbreac Of Croila ridden by Matt Cooper, there were plenty of Connemara ponies in the ribbons.

Sisters Emma and Sophie James claimed the top two places in the Ponies (UK) amateur Mountain & Moorland (M&M) final riding Glencarrig Rocco (Glencarrig Prince) and Shanbo Rory (Rory Rasputin).

Taking the top two places in the large breeds section of the Ponies (UK) final were Vanessa Clark and Isabella Worthington riding Walstead Guinness and Inverin Paddy.