Zara Brookes scores Hickstead hat-trick

For the third year in a row, Cheshire’s Zara Brookes and Merrycorner Mister Bui took the win in the Enablelink Supreme Show Hunter Pony Championship.

Today’s ride at the Longines Royal International Horse Show marked their farewell performance, after three years together. Despite being the reigning champions, Zara felt plenty of pressure as she rode into the ring for the last time, because she knew she wanted to give her pony another moment of glory to cap off their exceptional partnership.

Both Zara and 'Buttons' made the most of the Hickstead atmosphere, showing off the 153cm winner's extravagant gallop. “It's nice to end my last ride on a high – and all I wanted was one last gallop, and I got it. That's all that matters to me,” said Zara, 19.

Buttons has given Zara so much confidence in the ring, in particular in the gallop. 

“I bought Buttons during lockdown in 2020, and my mum said to me, ‘look, if you can stop him, you can have him!’ And then she let me loose in this big field and that was it! I was always scared to gallop and then I got Buttons and now I love it!”

Zara has now picked up her qualifying place in Sunday’s Supreme Products Supreme Pony Championship, in which she finished reserve champion 12 months ago.

In the UKPH Young Riders M&M Supreme Championship, seven-year-old Welsh sec A pony Rowfantina Orlando-Bloom took the top spot. The homebred is owned by Amanda Burchell-Small, and ridden by her grandson James Burchell, who is himself no stranger to success in the International Arena, having won the overall supreme pony title in 2017 with lead rein victor Seamoor Lady Derby.

“It felt really good!” said James after his win on Rowfantina Orlando-Bloom. “I’m so lucky to have this pony – he’s amazing.”

In the O’Donnell Family Pure Bred Ridden Arabian Championship, Georgina Rees scored her first ever International Arena win with her own 10-year-old mare Bellflower. “She’s got that real ‘look at me’ about her – her natural ring presence makes her special, and she has beautiful movement. She’s lovely to ride,” said Georgina.

Tickets for the Longines Royal International Horse Show (25-30 July) are available at the gate or can be bought online from www.hickstead.co.uk. The action will be livestreamed throughout on ClipMyHorse.TV and Hickstead.TV, with additional coverage on Sky Sports and FEI.TV on Friday and Sunday.