Former Derby winners take Sussex Cup spoils

David Simpson scored another Hickstead International Arena win with his Al Shira’aa Derby 2023 winner, Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve.

The pair won today’s ClipMyHorse.TV Sussex Cup, the 1.40m Grand Prix that brings week one of the All England September Tour to a close.

David was the very last of 59 riders to contest today’s class, and he completed the six-strong jump-off with a clear round on his 10-year-old stallion.

He took advantage of his last draw to produce a foot-perfect clear round, to go nearly 2sec faster than runners-up Sophie Paxton and Glasgow Z.

“He’s won quite a few classes in the main ring at Hickstead including the 7&8 Year Old Final and the Derby, and he just loves it in there,” said David.

Simpson praised the course designers for their efforts. “It wasn't crazily big but it was very technical and trappy, and every line you really had to pay attention as a rider,” he added.

The Hickstead Novice Championship went to Briony Martin and Baby Guinness OS. Briony had two rides through to the 14-horse jump-off, with both Baby Guinness OS and Ukato De Katapult producing first round clears.

Despite going first against the clock, Briony and Baby Guinness OS laid down the gauntlet with a time of 32.17sec. Ukato De Katapult was quicker, but a fence down put them in eighth place.

“Ukato is generally a bit quicker,” Martin said. “But actually, Baby Guinness really deserves this win because he’s such a nice horse,” she said.

Lauren Ross rode out as the winner of the Stoner Jewellers Hickstead 1.20m Open Championship with her 12-year-old bay mare Irena G. Isabelle Cook – the daughter of Olympic event rider Tina Cook – took the runner-up spot with Cymoon F Z.

“I’m really proud of her, she’s jumped amazingly all week and hasn’t had a fence down,” said Briony, who got the mare as an unbacked four-year-old and has produced her up through the levels.

The Billy Stud's run of good results at this show continued when Lottie Tutt won the Hickstead 1.30m Open Championship with the seven-year-old Billy Hellman. 

"She's quite a new ride for me, as I only started riding her three or four weeks ago," said Lottie, who also competed her at the Al Shira'aa British Young Horse Championships earlier this month. "Today was the first time I've properly asked her to go against the clock, and she was actually really fast."  

Saturday saw Madison Heath win the Seven Year Old Star of the Future final with BP Millionaire. Nine made it through to the jump-off, with Madison’s time of 38.19sec putting them just 0.4sec ahead of runners up Gemma Stevens and Ashent Go Ballistic.

“In a big open arena on grass he gets strong, so in the first round we struggled a bit with the steering, but by the jump-off he knew it was time to listen and to do what he does best,” said Madison.

Sandra Low Mitchell made the 10.5hr drive down from Scotland worthwhile when winning the Hickstead 1.20m Amateur Championship with the homebred La-Di-Dah. “My goal was to get in this ring,” she said. “There’s nowhere else like it.”

Dougie Breen – the 12-year-old son of Shane and Chloe Breen – took his first International Arena championship in the Hickstead 1.10m Amateur final.  

Breen had two rides through to the jump-off, and ended up winning with Avalon Du Carpont and finishing fourth with Hucalind DV. “I was lucky because I had two chances!” he said.

Jodannah Davis secured her first ever Hickstead championship on Saturday when claiming the Spidge Photography 1.00m Open Championship with the seven-year-old gelding Christo Z.

For full results, click here.