Legendary leaping ponies on the Royal Worldwide Horse Present

Some leaping ponies have made the Agria Royal Worldwide Horse Present (23-27 July) their very own, returning repeatedly for repeat successes.

Forward of this 12 months’s Professional Ponies UK BS winter 128cm championship and Coldstream Equestrian BS winter 138cm last which occur on the morning of Wednesday 23 July, we meet a number of the diminutive equine superstars we are able to’t wait to see flying spherical Hickstead’s worldwide area as soon as once more, giving their younger jockeys the time of their lives.

Bunbury Conquest at Royal Worldwide Horse Present: “All he needs to do is take care of the little baby on high”

Nonetheless flying spherical Hickstead effectively into his 20s is the distinctive Bunbury Conquest, who has earned legendary standing as one of many best all-time leaping ponies.

Alison Irvine’s 128cm pony, now 24, has been leased to the Widdowson household since 2021 and is considered one of three ponies 10-year-old Annabel certified for this 12 months’s 128cm last.

In 2023, Annabel grew to become the youngest-ever rider to say the title on the age of eight on “Questy”, who was additionally positioned within the RIHS last in 2021 and 2019 with Emily Irvine, and completed runner-up in 2017 with Charlie Atkinson.

“As a mum, figuring out you may belief a pony is so essential and when Questy canters up the funnel at Hickstead or by way of the curtain at HOYS he simply grows – he is aware of the job, nothing fazes him,” says Kathleen Widdowson, Annabel’s mom. “He has one factor on his thoughts and that’s to take care of the little baby on high.”

Can Playboy Van De Zoetewei do the Royal Worldwide Horse Present six-timer?

Hickstead’s most profitable leaping pony of all time with an unbelievable 5 wins within the 138cm last is the all-conquering Playboy Van De Zoetewei.

Now 14 and a part of the Scotland-based Capper household, he’ll be bidding for a record-extending six-timer on this 12 months’s class with Amy within the saddle, the pair hoping to defend their title from 2024. Amy’s older sister Lucy triumphed with “Bugsy” in 2023 and Tilly Bamford the 12 months earlier than that. It was Tabitha Kyle who set the ball rolling, racking up a double in 2019 and 2020.

“He simply goes into a unique mode at Hickstead, he loves it,” says Lucy and Amy’s mom Nicola Capper. “He loves the large grass area and also you simply can’t catch him there. He’s very delicate although – he’s not super-easy to journey. However we’ll by no means promote him, these ponies are price their weight in gold.”

A “dream” achievement with Jim

Anya Dewey Clarke driving Jim in The Professional Ponies UK BS Winter 128cms Championship on the 2024 Royal Worldwide Horse Present.

Anna Clarke describes watching her daughter Anya Dewey Clarke profitable final 12 months’s winter 128cm championship with the polo-loving 17-year-old Jim (Cobid) as “simply unbelievable” however “completely surprising”.

“It was a dream actually,” she says.

Anya, now 10, returns to defend her title together with her beloved “Jim-Bob”, the pair having lit up the Worldwide Area with a daring however fantastically executed jump-off efficiency in final 12 months’s last.

“It was heart-in-mouth however good,” says her mom. “He’s Anya’s world and like a finest buddy to her – he’s been a legend, an actual character and a one-in-a-million pony.”

Whinney Lass: “The gold mud unicorn”

Whinney Lass is the present’s most profitable 128cm pony, having received the ultimate 4 instances in succession between 2018 and 2021, first with Izabella Rogers, adopted by her youthful sister Sophia. The mare, now 22 and nonetheless owned by the Rogers household, has added a number of different placings, together with third final 12 months beneath present jockey Annabel Widdowson.

“Whinney has at all times been really easy and is such a candy pony basically, however she loves Hickstead,” says Nicola Rogers.

Whinney – who loves her dwelling comforts and porridge for breakfast, so long as it’s heat – has carried a string of younger jockeys to the winner’s enclosure who, in flip have “handled her like a princess”.

“These ponies are the foundations that begin these younger riders off and what Whinney did in a brief area of time was superb,” says Nicola.

Kathleen Widdowson provides: “They’re like gold mud, however Whinney is a unicorn.”

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H&H showjumping editor

Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her position as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her world wide reporting from exhibits and interviewing riders, connections and people concerned behind the scenes. Since becoming a member of H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on each topic throughout the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to steady administration — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She additionally has first-hand expertise of working within the equestrian business as a driving teacher and yard supervisor.