Norfolk’s Allister Hood claimed The British Horse Society Supreme Horse Championship at Hickstead with the remarkable cob Our Cashel Blue.
It was an eighth Hickstead supreme title for Allister, who has now clocked up more wins than any other rider in the history of the championship. It marks an incredible comeback for the pair – Allister suffered a heart attack last season, while Our Cashel Blue has returned to top form after the diagnosis and successful treatment of a rare form of cancer.
Hickstead is always happy hunting ground for the Diss-based Hood showing team. “It’s been a marvellous week, and this morning we’ve had an absolute red-letter day,” says Allister, whose team claimed six wins and a brace of placings through the week. Allister got an impressive score of 29 out of 30 from the panel of three judges, Holly Smith, Bob Ellis and Ann Brickell, to put him clear of Jayne Ross and her Saracen Horse Feeds Supreme Hunter champion Twinshock Warror in reserve with 25 points. Jayne also took third with the Brereton Supreme Hack champion Forgeland Hyde Park. As well as taking supreme honours, the team also produced a spectacular one-two in the Surrey Envelopes Supreme Cob Championship. Allister took the title with Our Cashel Blue, while son Oliver took the reserve spot with Master of the House.
Photo: Emily Gailey
