Ronnie-Lee Jones shares his thoughts on Hickstead’s upgrades and has some advice for aspiring riders
It was great to see very large numbers of horses and riders competing at Hickstead, one of our best shows in the country. The improvements they have made are outstanding and the new international barn was faultless.
My partner Alex had his top horse in the CSI4* classes and although we had some very hot days, the international stables were at least 10°C cooler than outside. The thought that has gone into the layout and architecture, such as muck heaps and windows for horses, was admirable.
The stands were packed – it was good to see that showjumping is still relevant and attracting people for a day out. The footfall added to the atmosphere, which is vital for young horses to experience.
Even the VIP catering, which we were lucky enough to enjoy from the private viewing boxes, was fantastic. Every effort was made.
We had some great results over the week from top placings in a 1.45m to British novice and age classes, so we were able to take every horse in the yard and came home feeling well-accomplished.
Shaping up for an exciting HOYS
I’ve noticed a massive change this year in the standard of horses in our sport and the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifiers are definitely busier. In previous years I’ve competed in grade Cs with as few as 12 entries plus newcomers and Foxhunter regionals with a maximum of 40, but this year numbers have been huge.
Strong but considerate course-building has meant there have been 10-plus in the third round and every qualifier we’ve attended has been super-competitive. It’s shaping up to be a very exciting HOYS for 2025, showcasing the up-and-coming talent the UK has to offer.
Rowland Fernyhough’s column challenged the relevance of the current HOYS finals and fairness of the qualifying system. He made some valid points.
My feelings are that the system is the system and has been this way for years – although it wouldn’t hurt to have a shake-up of the rules to exclude older horses.
Horses need to be quality to be competitive over three rounds and the current format doesn’t detract from that. If anything, it highlights the talented younger horses that are still able to rise to the top of those classes.
Young and upcoming riders wanting a career in our industry can aspire to some of the results our top riders have achieved in this year’s qualifiers.
Laura Renwick has secured multiple tickets on home-breds while Holly Smith has almost 10 tickets to the various HOYS finals.
This sort of consistency is something the younger generation should look up to, as it only happens with huge amounts of hard work, knowledge and experience.
Exciting qualifiers with competitive jump-offs also make for great watching and are what we need to attract future investors to our sport.
TV coverage is a positive step
Coverage of the London Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) in August on ITVX will hopefully raise the profile of our great sport, highlighting both the lifestyle and top-class sportsmanship. It’s a positive step forward this year and I hope it continues.
● Did you attend this year’s Hickstead Derby Meeting? Let us know about your experience at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine
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