Royal Windsor, Berks FORM followers may well have bet on Team Walker having another successful Royal Windsor, but when Robert partnered Jill Day’s magnificent lightweight View Point (Sean) to stand hunter champion for the third consecutive time, he became the first rider since Robert Oliver in 1993 – and only the fourth ever – to do so with the same horse.
Sean was champion and ultimately supreme here in 2018 and section champion again in 2019, the last time the show was held. This year, he again floated round the Castle Arena as if on air. Every stride at every pace looked smooth, purposeful and effortless, and his low, raking gallops were a masterclass.
Ride judge Jill Wormall confirmed: “He rides as good as he looks – a perfect picture.”
An approving roar from the crowd endorsed the judges’ decision when he was called forward as champion.
Robert’s feat put him even more firmly among the hunter “greats.” Robert Oliver scored four years in a row with the legendary Kings Warrior, and only two further horses – Mighty Atom and His Grand Excellency – have been champion three years running, both back in the 1950s.
“I always feel the pressure here with Sean as I want him to do well. He means so much to all of us and is my horse of a lifetime,” said a beaming Robert of the 10-year-old twice Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and Royal International (RIHS) champion, who has somehow managed to up his game a little more each year. “I was quietly hopeful because after a year off due to lockdown, he felt better than ever when he came back this year, but obviously you never know.”
Denne historien er fra July 08, 2021-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
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Denne historien er fra July 08, 2021-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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'Sorry, but I wasn't feeling it'
Fresh from the opening meet, Tessa Waugh hasn't quite yet been bitten by the hunting bug. Without the crisp autumnal air and cheek-pinching cold she hoped for, it's a sluggish start
New pair pull off a win
A former European Championships pony is on form with his new rider, while elsewhere former showjumpers and eventers take ribbons
Lording it over the rest
Horses who have returned from injury, a second generation homebred and a long format specialist score on the final weekend of the British season
Smith hits flying form
A \"her way or no way\" mare helps Zoe Smith to an impressive ribbon haul and a rider beats his own boss to the top spot
Jankorado hits the jackpot
Paul Sims is triumphant despite his interrupted jump-off preparation and a borrowed horse comes up trumps
Peanut
From \"dangerous, scary\" to hedge-hopping brilliance, hunting has been the making of this unstable but very lovable equine character
She's a corker
Communication, says long-standing and highly respected Belvoir master Lady Sarah McCorquodale, is the key to all, as Catherine Austen discovers
Access all areas Cavalier Centre
The Cavalier Centre is a fully accessible, state-of-the-art equestrian centre designed to improve lives through horse-based activities. Ellie May Forrester pays a visit
'Use it or lose it'
Not everyone wants to reach for the pipe and slippers at a certain age. Becky Murray speaks to some veteran horse-and-rider combos for their secrets of human and equine longevity
A new way forward
Worm control in horses is vital, but established methods will not remain effective for much longer. Tim Mair FRCVS explains why and how we need to change
