Rebellion rises up from Reserve to Champion

Some of the top retrained racehorses in the country came forward for the prestigious Tattersalls RoR Ridden Show Series Finals on the final day of the Al Shira'aa Hickstead Derby Meeting. 

Prolific show ring winner Minella Rebellion took the Open Series final for the first time, having been reserve twice, while former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Native River landed the top spot in the Amateur Final.

Katie Dashwood was delighted to see Minella Rebellion take the win after knocking on the door for several seasons. “He’s been an honourable reserve champion for the last two years, so this is very much the icing on the gateau!” she said. “We were second going into the championship, so I thought, ‘well, second is very good, but we might as well go in there and absolutely give it a shot!’ And I know he loves this arena.”

Holly paid full credit to show producer Jo Bates and her daughter Holly. “Jo’s had him for virtually all his showing career, and she’s done miracles – all the credit goes to them, I’m just the muppet who gets to ride him! But I’m incredibly lucky – he’s my horse of a lifetime.”

Minella Rebellion had little success on a racecourse – he raced five times but never won – but he’s been a prolific winner in the show ring, with supreme wins at Aintree and HOYS. At the other end of the racing spectrum, today's Amateur Final winner Native River won more than £1,100,000 in prize money during his stellar racing career.

Under new rider Emma Vine, Native River has made a spectacular switch to the show ring, qualifying for Hickstead, HOYS and Aintree.

"I came, really, with no expectations. This is his first full season, so it's a big environment. I was over the moon to win both of his preliminary classes, and just to make it into the main ring. He loved the atmosphere and the cheering – he thinks that they're all here for him!" said Emma. 

"I haven't ridden in the main ring at Hickstead ever before, so it was a really big thing for me. I've been here jumping in the outside rings, but never in the main ring. So my aim was to get in there, and to get in there and win it… it’s definitely been an emotional day, and I'm so proud of him."

In the Agria Coloured Horse Ridden Championship, it was Louise Durdin and the 10-year-old cobert De Niro who got the nod from the judges, ahead of Heidi Cooper and Woodroyd Glamour Gurl.

“He’s got a really striking colour, and he’s really well put together," said Louise. "His mechanics are very good, so he can really use his back end. So to sit on, he’s fantastic – he’s so comfortable, and he’s lovely and light." 

For all the showing results click here.