Versatile Tidy Town sweeps up in the Small Hunters

Fast-rising star Alice Homer scored her maiden International Arena triumph today at the Agria Royal International Horse Show.

Alice came top of the line-up in the Culford Lodge Commodities Small Hunter Championship with her mother Loraine’s versatile gelding Tidy Town. “It feels very, very special,” said Alice, who is based at her family yard in Banbury, Oxfordshire. “He’s the sort of horse that any person would be lucky to have.”

Eight-year-old 'Guinness' was originally found in Ireland by Alice’s grandfather, legendary showman David Tatlow, when he was searching for a horse for the McKie family.

“He bought him as a foal out of the field for them to make into an eventer but he didn’t grow big enough,” Alice said. “They’re good friends of ours and they sent him down to us to sell, thinking he’d make a lovely little 15.2hh hunting pony, but when he got here I said ‘that’s not going anywhere!’

"I did buy him as a hunting pony, because I thought he had a serious engine and a great jump, but after we’d had him about five or six months he just blossomed and changed into this beautiful show horse.”

“Guinness” is unusual on the showing circuit because he contests working hunters, Intermediates and Small Hunter classes. “The jump was what came first and the flat classes were what came after,” Alice explained. “We always thought that he would make a good worker and he's got his Horse of the Year Show tickets in the working hunters as well now.” 

Local producer Helen Baker and Boston Black Tie cantered away with the Ellena Thomas BSHA Supreme Hack Championship.

“He’s got more attitude and is more diva-ish than the horses I’ve won on before!” said Helen, who will be etching her name on the trophy for the fourth time. “It’s been a big gap until today, so I am really pleased.”

Helen has produced Nicola Faulconbridge’s now seven-year-old gelding since he was sent to her as an “untouched” three-year-old. He performed well as a novice, finishing third at Horse of the Year Show when he was five.

This season they have displayed even more consistency, with “DJ” also claiming the hack title at last month’s Derby Meeting. “I think that’s why he was a bit jolly today because he thought ‘I know this ring’. Cheeky monkey!” she added.

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Tickets for the Agria Royal International Horse Show (24-28 July) can be bought online or at the gate. Watch the livestream at Hickstead.TV