Renowned supremes

In 1993, the Hollings’ 148cm show pony Royal Bronze (pictured, below), ridden at the time by Anna Evans, was the first pony to ever lift the Winston Churchill trophy. “The atmosphere was electric and the judging was nail-biting,” says Stuart Hollings. “Both ‘Royal’ and the legendary cob Super Ted [ridden by Ali Oliver, now Fernyhough] were on equal points the first time so these two had a re-run, each performing another show. Royal ended his show with a great gallop to capture the title after gaining two 10s and a nine, compared to Super Ted’s 10 and two nines. A great day for pony showing in the Hickstead main ring.”

In 2002, the very first victor of the pony supreme was Michael Coates’ bay show hunter pony Yealand Chapter, ridden by Samantha Coates.

Broadstone-bred horses have top form when it comes to Winston Churchill victories — in 2002, the Broadstone Stud’s Broadstone Dee and Jo Bates were victorious, while in 2005 P Hayler and P Atkinson’s Broadstone Doulton and Robert Walker came to the fore.

Guy Landau and John Dunlop’s 2008 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) hunter of the year Finn McCool II returned to Hickstead in 2009 to take the overall supreme horse honours. Later in the year, the classy lightweight went on to reclaim his HOYS hunter title, where he was retired from the show ring.

In 2010, history was made as the late dun gelding Pebbly Pipe Dream became the only working hunter pony to date to take the supreme pony title. The then nine-year-old 143cm and his jockey

Abi Boulton were making their first appearance at Hickstead, and jumped one of few clear rounds to bag the working hunter tricolours.