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‘It’s still an honour to ride for the royal family’: producer pilots The King’s horse to Royal Windsor ridden RoR championship

Millie Bowles Millie Bowles

    • Princess Anne watched on as one of The King’s ex-racehorses won the Tattersalls Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) ridden class for former Flat horses before claiming the 2026 Royal Windsor ridden RoR championship under producer Katie Jerram-Hunnable.

    First Receiver’s win capped an already stellar day for Team Jerram/Hunnable as Katie’s husband Chris Hunnable had already led The Queen’s Reach For The Moon to the in-hand RoR spoils earlier in the day.

    It was an emotional day for the team, as both horses were bred by The late Queen Elizabeth II. The bay gelding made Her Majesty’s wish of a homebred win at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) come true shortly after her death in 2022.

    He first came to Katie earlier that year, after royal groom Terry Pendry invited her to come and look at him at Sandringham. Terry, who was ringside with Princess Anne, said: “That was The Queen’s dream. She’d won everything else in the show world. Horse of the Year Show was the only thing that she never ever won. She’ll be looking down.”

    Katie said: “First is absolutely fantastic. We’ve been really lucky to have kept on with him, now The King’s horse, and it’s just an honour still to ride for the royal family. It’s quite unbelievable and I never thought the journey would continue, but it has. They’re still keen.”

    She added: “All of the horses I’ve ever ridden for The late Queen – and now The King – are home-breds, and I think that’s even more special.”

    To be handed the trophy by Princess Anne, who attracted crowds at the Adelaide Arena, made the win even more memorable.

    Katie said: “That, to me, was just the icing on the cake and I didn’t expect it at all. It brought back the old days when we had all the following with The late Queen here.”

    2026 Royal Windsor ridden RoR championship reserve

    Reserve in the 2026 Royal Windsor ridden RoR championship were the winners of the class for former National Hunt horses, Tori Thomas with her own Wonga Swinger, who is also a former HOYS winner, and the reigning RIHS amateur riding horse champion.

    Also taking part in the championship were second placed in the class for Flat horses, Hannah Horton and Migration – 2025 winners here, and second place in the division for former National Hunt horses, Gentleman At Arms ridden by Harriet Hammond.

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