One Big Thing: The Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby sees two eventers near the top of the leaderboard
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We all may have had our eyes glued to the screens at Luhmuhlen this weekend, but some of our upper-level eventing friends were taking to the Derby!
While the tie for 6th place at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby on Sunday was split 6 ways, having 5* eventers gracing 2 of those 6 spots is something we love to see. Gemma Stevens on the Dime Syndicate’s Envoy Merelsnest Z shared the placing in the historic CSI4* with Alexander Bragg riding his mare Hegglelane Houston, tackling fences at a height that one commenter called “absolutely mental” when compared to the fences we eventers are used to seeing.
Even more impressive was the champion William Whitaker’s victory — his second at the event after his first win 10 years prior, but his fifth time on the field with Flamboyant III after two consecutive 2nd-place finishes the past two years. Noted as a long-awaited and “well-deserved victory” for the horse who spends most of each year with his owner, Elliott Smith, the Derby continues to be a special reuniting for the pair each year since 2022.
Learn more about the Hickstead Derby here to add it to your list of events to watch next year, and find all final placings from this weekend here.
US Events Opening Entries Today
GMHA Festival of Eventing August HT (VT); Otter Creek Summer HT (WI); WindRidge Farm Summer HT (NC); Fair Hill International Recognized HT (MD); Woodside Summer HT (CA); Masterson Equestrian Trust YEH/OEH Qualifier (KY); Stone Gate Farm Summer Mini Trials (OH)
US Events Closing Entries Today
Summer Coconino HT & Western Underground, Inc. TR,N,BN 3-Day Event (AZ); The Maryland Horse Trials at Loch Moy Farm (MD); Huntington Farm HT (VT); Genesee Valley Hunt HT (NY); Hunter’s Run HT (MI)
Other Links and Reading
- Meet the £1k purchase who won the 2026 Hickstead Derby against the odds: ‘He needs a book about all the ups and downs of his life’
- Why Your Phone Kills Focus in the Saddle
- USEA Podcast #415: Behind the Scenes of a USEA Classic Series Event
- Can Horses Suffer From Depression? A Scientific Perspective
Sponsor Corner: Kentucky Performance Products
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Training Tip of the Day
Alex Bragg walks us through the technical aspect of tackling the infamous Hickstead Bank:
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Go Eventing
In case you missed it, watch Caroline Harris and D. Day win Luhmühlen all over (and over and over) again:
