Student pips the master mast to the post

A lightweight hunter steps up to the plate, a coloured cob lands a double and a hack breaks more records

- TRICIA JOHNSON

ROBERT WALKER cemented his supremacy when continuing his amazing – and now unprecedented – run to head the LeMieux open hunters for the fifth time in a row.

With four-time champion View Point now retired, it was finally a chance for another super-impressive lightweight to shine and Jill Day’s eight-year-old MHS Morning Master (TJ), supreme in-hand horse at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) as a three-year-old, did not disappoint.

Ironically, though, Robert was not on board for the championship award as he opted to stay with yet another up-and-coming superstar, the middleweight victor, Greenhall Treasure Island, who already has two titles from his only other outings this year.

Here, though, a momentary spook cost him dear and the historic trophy was duly handed to delighted groom Aimee Stunt, who pulled out all the stops on TJ to show the free-moving lightweight at his absolute best, lighting up the ring with a blistering gallop.

“We absolutely loved this horse,” agreed judges Ali Tate and ride assessor Beanie Sturgis. “He’s full of quality and had the full-on wow factor from the very start. He’s also totally correct in type – not too tall – and it’s lovely to see a horse come through to ridden ranks from in-hand as it doesn’t always happen.”

Aimee was clearly overcome by the moment. “It was the best feeling in the world just riding in that ring – let alone winning – and I was very lucky to get the opportunity,” she maintained. “If someone had said at the start of the week that I’d be receiving the trophy in front of the royal box, I’d never have believed it. It will definitely be the highlight of my time with the team.”