Hickstead seemed to come round quite quickly after the tiredness of returning from Bolesworth. I had a good training session with Trevor Breen on the Friday after Bolesworth. Not jumping anything over about 1m, but working on me having the horses going better on the flat, better approaches and trying to nix my naughty left hand, and making sure the horses felt confident after jumping very big in Bolesworth.

Khalissy was up first on Wednesday in the 5 year olds in ring two. She jumped a little bit green to start with in the big grass ring and with the Hickstead fillers, and sadly had one fence down, so she didn’t qualify for the final on the first day. Next up was Heidi who was ridiculously fresh resulting in two poles down. Riding young horses is always a careful balance between freshness and tiredness, and also with mares it is important not to fall out with them, but Heidi is so powerful and confident in herself, that I think she can take a bit more work before she jumps at shows now.

Heidi - First Five Year Old Qualifier - AEJC

We then had quite a long wait for Askeaton to jump in the first seven year old qualifier in Ring 5. With the new COVID restrictions ring 5 had its own warm-up on the grass which I think made jumping in this ring much easier. The course walked okay, but ring 5 is quite a narrow ring with a very big hill, and with no county shows this year the horses are not used to these terrains. Askeaton jumped really well, just having a couple of poles, but I was pleased that all the horses had come out brave and happy after Bolesworth. I was also pleased with how good they all felt on the fantastic grass going, and how easily they stayed balanced up and down the little slopes.

Askeaton - First Seven Year Old Qualifier

We had a very early start on Thursday, with Askeaton in the 1.30 in ring 3. I thought this would be a nice easy round for her in case Bolesworth had worried her. Answer: not really, it was big and very technical. She jumped a great round, just having the middle of the combination which was particularly difficult with a big oxer in, a short two stride distance to a vertical and then a big oxer out. She is absolutely loving her big powerful jump, and is becoming more and more adaptable now. I just have to learn to ride her better and do her real justice. I think she will be even better next year when she will be stronger and more able to push herself back onto her hocks, but she gives me the most fabulous feeling both to and over a fence.

Next was Khalissy in the five year olds in ring 5. She was a little bit fresh and leery warming up on the grass, but she jumped a really beautiful round to be placed and qualify for the Championship on Friday.

BE Khalissy - 2nd Five Year Old Qualifier

Heidi also jumped a fantastic round in the six year old qualifier in Ring 5. She really ate up the ground and the gradients in this ring and felt super confident. Sadly she finished about two away from qualifying. This was a very hot class with 4 seconds covering the first 24 horses, and at only six she will definitely keep for another day.

Friday was another very early morning with Askeaton in the first class in Ring 2 for the second 7 year old qualifier. She jumped the most lovely round and was totally cheated out of the final by me. I turned up to the double in the jump-off and saw two options, a longish stride, where I thought she would have coming out, or a deep one which I took resulting in having going in. Shane said if I sat up and kept my head up I might have got away with it. But I was very pleased with her. Once again she felt fantastic on the grass, and I love these rings where you get the chance to use all the horses’ gears in the nice long stretches between fences.

We then had quite a long wait to walk the course for Khalissy in the Five Year Old Championship. A 1.20 A10 class, where the jumps are up to 10cm higher in the second half, is quite an ask for a five year old and although I have a lot of faith in Khalissy’s bravery, I did think this might be a bridge too far. She was very nervous standing in the funnel, so I was very conscious of trying to get her relaxed at the start of the round. As a result I think I was a bit too relaxed to the first fence which she had down. I galvanized myself after that, and she was absolutely fantastic until she got a bit tired at the end for two more poles, but I could not have been more proud of her. What a fabulous little horse: she was only broken in November, and she is now holding her own with the best five year olds in the country. Two lovely photos below from Elli Birch at Boots and Hooves Photography

Khalissy 5 Year Old Champs - Elli Birch.jpg resized.jpg

Khalissy 5 year old champs flat - Elli Birch.jpg

A real big hats off to Hickstead for putting on such an absolutely fabulous show under COVID restrictions, it was truly superb. It was so lovely to see so many friends in and for once the weather was lovely. The organisation was fantastic. The warm-ups were great and so well stewarded, the practice jump helpers were all so experienced and helpful, the collecting ring stewards are always great at Hickstead, and it was just a huge privilege to be galloping about in their big grass rings. I’ve been incredibly lucky to have at least one horse in the main ring each year at this fantastic show, and it really is one of the best rings in the world. It is huge, and atmospheric even without an audience, and is a fabulous test of horse and rider. The competition was intense, but I think the show was the best fun we have had this year.

As always many thanks to April, we had very early mornings and long days, but she always has the horses looking beautiful, and is endlessly patient with my very slow, chatty progress from class to class. Also thanks to Saracen Horse Feeds who keep our horses looking fabulous, Premier Performance CZ, for their great supplements, MacWet Gloves, who I couldn’t do without, and Just Equine who keep the horses very well dressed.

AEJC - Hickstead