Freeman's The Main Man

Ride judge Philip Hess is impressed with the winners of all three age groups, with Hawtins Stud once again enjoying success across the divisions.

- Lucy Elder

A FORTUITOUS meeting at this show three years ago paid off for the connections of Shearwater six-year-old champion Freeman.

Rider Hannah Biggs was spotted by the horse’s now owners, David and Sarah Johnson of Equine Construction, when she picked up some high placings in the advanced medium class they were sponsoring in 2016.

They were looking for a rider for their young horses and told Hannah to give them a call if she spotted anything particularly nice.

“I was at the Westfalian Elite Auction in Germany a couple of months later when I found Freeman. I called David and said, ‘You know that promise, fancy buying a horse?’ The horse came to England and has been with me ever since,” said Hannah.

“When I first saw him, he just moved through every inch of his body. He stalked like a cat and everything oozed quality. He was a little bit naughty with one of the other auction riders, so that put everyone else off and it was at that moment I thought, ‘He is mine’.”