Allister Hood in seventh heaven after one-two in Supreme Championship

Top showing producer Allister Hood claimed his seventh British Horse Society Supreme Ridden Horse Championship title today at the Longines Royal International Horse Show.

The Norfolk-based showman has won the Winston Churchill Cup – given to the overall supreme champion show horse at Hickstead – more times than anyone else. Today he came double handed to the championship, having qualified for the final with the Saracen Horse Feeds Supreme Riding Horse Champion Diamonds Are Forever and the Surrey Envelopes Supreme Cob victor Our Cashel Blue.

His elegant show on the dark-bay eight-year-old riding horse champion set the standard early on. The performance netted a score of 28 out of 30 from the three judges, including a perfect 10 from Tom O’Brien from the Al Shira’aa stables. Allister’s dream day was then made complete when cob Our Cashel Blue was crowned reserve Supreme on a score of 26.

“The first time I won the Supreme was with my hack Brown Buzzard back in about 1981,” said Allister, who has since gone on to win the title a further six times.

“Diamonds Are Forever is a real show horse with great charisma and movement. He gives you the most incredible feeling when you ride him. He’s been unbeaten for two seasons now," he added.

It was a real family affair in the Supreme, as Allister’s son Oliver also came forward with the Ridden Skewbald & Piebald champion Kellythorpes Master Key – they were one of three Supreme finalists who tied on a score of 22.

In the de la Hey Family Supreme Pony Championship, the title went to the winner of the BSPS Supreme Mini Championship. The lead rein pony Seamoor Lady Derby earned a score of 27 to take the title, having been ably shown by five-year-old James Burchell and led up by James’ father Oliver, who is a show producer based in East Grinstead.

It was the second year that Seamoor Lady Derby had lifted the Mini Championship, and going on to win the Supreme today was more than Oliver could have imagined.

“It’s a dream, I remember my mum bred a pony that was champion here many years ago when I was young, and I thought one day if I had children I would try to do that,” said Oliver. “But I didn’t dream about winning the Supreme, just the championship! James is my son, so it’s pretty special.”

James was born and bred in the horse world, and has always shown an interest in riding. After his win he paid tribute to the six-year-old mare. “She is very kind and very pretty,” he said.

For full showing results, click here.