Kokova Magazine

All the latest news and daily results from the All England Showground at Hickstead - throughout the course of the June 2011 Derby meeting.

Riders Thumbs-Up for the New International Hickstead Arena

The massive redevelopment of Hickstead’s International Arena has met with the approval of competitors at the British Jumping Derby Meeting.

The Bunn family, owners of the All England Jumping Course at Hickstead, invested more than £500,000 towards improving the ground.

Work began last August when the turf was completely stripped, an extensive drainage system installed, and new grass re-laid. The ground is designed to offer 'all-weather' style going combined with the absorption of natural turf.

Show director Edward Bunn, who masterminded the ground-works, is delighted with how the arena is looking.

"The results are well beyond expectations. We've had over 40mm of rain since last Friday, plus a short downpour this morning, but it’s continued to perform brilliantly and the riders are all commenting on how well it is riding."

Action kicked off in the morning of 23rd June 2011 - in the main ring with the Camardo Coffee 1.35m Open Championship, the first class to be held in the new-look International Arena, and was won by Abigail Newbery and Olympia III.

Leading British and international riders head to Hickstead

A host of leading British and international riders are due to appear at the All England Jumping Course for the British Jumping Derby meeting (23-26 June 2011).

Entrants include current British number one Guy Williams, who is the reigning Hickstead Derby winner, plus riders from Ireland, South Africa, Australia, Sweden, Belgium and Germany.

The start list for Sunday’s Carpetright Derby will be available from Saturday evening. The class will only be open to the top 35 placed horses in Friday’s Bunn Leisure Derby Trial, along with previous winning horses.

The Carpetright Derby

The Carpetright Derby (Sunday) is the pinnacle of Hickstead’s June meeting. It features some of the most famous fences in showjumping, including the daunting cliff face of the 10ft 6in Derby Bank, the infamous Devil’s Dyke and the vast expanse of the largest water jump in the country.

Some of the best riders in the world will be attempting to overcome these 16 massive fences, with only the very elite joining the list of past winners. Those who have won the Derby in the past will be automatically qualified to compete in this year’s event, but for everyone else, they have to qualify in the challenging Bunn Leisure Derby Trial (Friday). The Bunn Leisure Speed Derby (Saturday) provides another highlight of this four-day meeting, with horses having to tackle the permanent obstacles at speed.

As well as top-class showjumping action, the British Jumping Derby Meeting also offers lots more equestrian action including showing, driving and the Celebrity Polo Derby (Saturday evening). Hickstead is also home to one of the best shopping villages on the British show circuit, with more than 200 tradestands to visit.

Tickets are available on the gate.

Day One - Steven Whitaker wins on opening day of the British Jumping Derby Meeting

Steven Whitaker took the first major class of the meeting when he won The Stoner Jewellers Vase on day one.

Going clear on board his 13-year-old stallion Royal Rose II, he finished almost three seconds faster than Gerard Clarke (IRL) in second.

Steven had never won a class before in the International Arena at Hickstead, although he’s been enjoying a particularly successful run – winning 15 international classes in the past 12 weeks.

"I had a point to prove, after last year in the Derby when the commentator described me as a 'failed rider'." said Steven.

Steven is part of the famous Whitaker showjumping dynasty - he is brother to top riders Michael and John, and father to Ellen. Steven has always ridden and competed, but in recent years has focused on training his daughter.

"Ellen has been asking when she can get the ride back (on Royal Rose II), and then if I'll tell her how to ride him," he added.

Jane Annett from Kent was delighted with her win in the afternoon's main class, the Bunn Leisure Derby Tankard with Zidane V.

She said: "I thought the ground was superb and held up very well in the international arena, and Zidane V loved the going."

Zidane V, a 10-year-old gelding, was originally a dressage horse but he proved far too naughty for it and went to Jane as a showjumper.

Day Two - Guy Williams dominates on day two of the Derby meeting

Reigning Derby champion Guy Williams was on top form on the second day of Hickstead’s four-day international show. The British number one finished first in the Hickstead Master’s Challenge, and second in the Bunn Leisure Derby Trial, to take home a paycheque of £5,500.

The 39-year-old rider from Kent won the afternoon’s feature class on board the Chestnut gelding Titus, finishing clear in a time of 47.18 sec. Shane Breen (Magic Fox) and Nick Charles (Murka’s Midnightlady) were both very close on Guy’s heels - finishing on the exact same time of 47.83 to finish second equal.

Guy is feeling confident ahead of the Carpetright Derby, and is pleased with how Skip Two Ramiro – whom he rode in the Bunn Leisure Derby Trial and his other horses are all going.

Just 0.22 of a second kept Guy Williams off top spot in the Bunn Leisure Derby trial, with the spoils going to Peter Charles (Murka’s Vindicat W).

Despite winning the Derby Trial, Peter will not be riding the nine-year-old gelding in Sunday’s Carpetright Derby.

Titus has won every single class he has been entered into, winning six classes in the past two weeks. I'd love to jump him in the Derby and I think he will be a winner of the class in the future, but I'm going to give him one more year's preparation.

Guy Williams

Day Three - Shane Breen speeds to victory

Ireland's Shane Breen was the final rider to go in to the Bunn Leisure Speed Derby, and he put in a faultless round to take home the top prize of £6,500.

It was the second time Shane has won the class, having finished top in 2008 on board Royal Concorde. This time, riding the 11-year-old chestnut mare Magic Fox, Shane finished on a time of 96.27secs – 3secs faster than Harriet Nuttall in second place.

"I didn't want to push the mare too hard, but I'm delighted with her," said Shane, who is based at Hickstead.

Somerset-based Harriet Nuttall, 21, credited her hunting background for helping her to navigate her way round the solid Bunn Leisure Speed Derby fences. Harriet described the result as one of ‘her biggest achievements to date’.

Harriet rode her father Rupert’s Highland Cruiser II, a 10-year-old bay gelding. Rupert Nuttall is the Master of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt, and won racing’s Whitbread Gold Cup in 1997 as an amateur jockey.

Earlier in the day, Peter Charles picked up another major win in the International arena, taking top spot in The Falcon Equine Feeds Derby Trophy. He was on Murka’s Nevada, a 10-year-old stallion whom he says is developing into a ‘seriously good horse’ and could be one of three of his current horses who are medal prospects for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Day Four - Tina lands the Carpetright Derby

Tina Fletcher won the Carpetright Derby at Hickstead 2011, becoming the first female winner of the class since 1973. She rode the 16-year-old gelding Promised Land to score the only clear round and take home the £40,000 first prize.

Having finished second in 2010, Tina and Promised Land started as one of the favourites for this year's class. A number of riders had already notched up four-fault rounds - including last year’s winner Guy Williams (this time on board Richi Rich III), 27-year-old Ronnie Healy (Carlow Cruiser) and Irish rider David O'Brien (Mo Chroi).

A jump-off was looking likely until third-last to go Tina came into the International Arena and jumped a perfectly judged clear to go top. Penultimate drawn Michael Whitaker then joined the list of four-faulters, but when the final rider, Germany's Andre Thieme, retired after the Carpetright Balustrade (fence 14) it left Tina's round as the only clear.

"I grew up watching Hickstead on TV, and it was always the biggest event of the year for me – all my life I have wanted to win it." said Tina.

"Promised Land is an unbelievably brave horse, but at home he lives out in the field and I hardly ride him." she added.

The other big class of the day was the Equimax Under 25 British Masters, which went to Daniel Moseley. Like Tina Fletcher, he went one better this year, having finished second in 2010.

In the showring the Tattersalls and Retraining of Racehorses Show Horse championship went to Lizzie Richmond and Treat Em Mean; while the Supreme Hunter championship was won by Lucinda Freedman and Mr Mick.

An emotional William Funnell bids farewell to a Derby legend

The crowd at the All England Jumping Course at Hickstead gave Cortaflex Mondriaan a standing ovation today during a parade to mark the horse's retirement from international competition.

William Funnell won the Hickstead Derby three times on board the 17-year-old bay gelding, taking the title in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

Out of all three Derby victories, William nominated the final win as the highlight.

It was shortly after Douglas had died, and it was almost like it was destiny for me to win that day. I knew I needed a clear round, and I could almost hear Douglas saying to me 'Come on! Don’t mess it up!'

For some reason, it just felt as if it was going to happen for me, and Mondriaan jumped brilliantly that day. He made it feel easy.

says William.

Cortaflex Mondriaan won more than £250,000 during his career.

Visit the new website, www.hickstead.co.uk, for essential information such as directions, weather forecasts and more.