OVER six days of dawn-’till-dusk showing, Irish-bred cobs and hunters again amassed an enviable list of top-three places, tricolours and reserves at Hickstead, with Lady Caroline Tyrrell’s and reigning Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) supreme champion Our Cashel Blue leading the way.

For the second year in succession, this stunning blue and white cob took the overall reserve supreme championship in the international arena on the final day.

Having just taken the cob title after heading a huge lightweight class for Allister Hood in testing conditions in an outer ring, the free-moving eight-year-old pinged along in the international arena.

To preserve the ground for the final King George V Gold Cup Grand Prix, the six finalists for the British Horse Society supreme ridden horse final were asked not to gallop and Allister Hood made full use of Cashel Blue’s manners and obedience for their freestyle show, which included halt, rein back and 20m circles around judges Sue St Pierre, Tom O’Brien and David Sheeran.

Their efforts earned 26 marks out of a possible 30 to finish two behind the champion riding horse, Annabel Jenk’s home-bred Diamonds Are Forever, who was also ridden by Allister Hood.

“It doesn’t matter where you are, or what you ask, Blue just does everything with a smile on his face. He’s got charisma, presence and super movement and paces,” said Hood.

Although Herculean efforts by the Hickstead ground staff kept the show on the road, persistent rain which frustratingly fell for most of the week made the going heavy on the final day and cobs had to dig deep.

The reserve accolade went to the second-placed lightweight Chantilly Sandman. This seven-year-old chesnut, who was champion cob at Dublin for the O’Shaughnessys, is now doing well on the British circuit for producer Ian Smeeth.

Standing next in line was Randalstown Rolex who has had one of his best seasons for Robert Walker.

Irish cobs also showed the way in the heavyweight class where Jayne Ross stood top on the McCourt’s eight-year-old Rockstone Raven, who also took the coloured horse championship on the opening day.

Standing next in line were Simon Reynolds and Morrows Marksman and Hayley Erner with Its Abracobdabra.

There were further cob wins in the amateur divisions, Sue Phillips taking the championship with her heavyweight winner Randalstown Top Notch, while Callum Potts, in his first season with Chaplin, secured the reserve.

The popular maxi cob class boasted one of the largest classes of the week with amateur rider Petra Frampton standing at the head of the 30-strong line-up with The Forger.

The 10-year-old grey gelding, who previously hunted with the Galway Blazers, was a Dublin winner for Imelda O’Shaughnessy in 2011 and 2013.

“He is comfortable, safe and he does absolutely everything at home to popping rails and leading the ponies on hacks,” said Frampton.

With an average of 30 in a class, the three hunter weight classes were marathon affairs and all credit to Jayne Ross, who made Hickstead history when the Berkshire rider and producer won all three weight classes.

Though it was Dianne Stennett’s British-bred lightweight Time 2 Reflect who took the championship for the third year running, Ross’s other two winning partners were the highly successful Irish-bred horses Bloomfield Valhalla and Bloomfield Excelsior.

Middleweight winner, Bella Malim’s Lux Z five-year-old Valhalla was maintaining great form after taking the open championship at the Hickstead Derby Meeting and the novice tricolour at the National hunter show.

A former Dublin champion, the Jack Of Diamonds seven-year-old Excelsior has enjoyed another successful season under Ross, the upstanding grey fairly eating up the ground, particularly in gallop.

Attracting many admiring glances was the second-placed lightweight Ducketts Grove, who ultimately stood reserve hunter champion for Martin Skelton.

Two years ago, this Golden Master five-year-old, bred by Ruth Walsh in Ducketts Grove, was three-year-old champion at Balmoral and a winner at Dublin for Dessie Gibson.

“He was one of the easiest horses to back and ride away and he is fulfilling all his early promise,” said producer Vanessa Ramm.

Standing third in the lightweight class was Robert Walker riding Jill Day’s View Point (Loughehoe Guy).

Two of Jill Casey’s horses, Ruby’s Pleasure and Tigs N Jigs – ridden by Mary-Ann Casey and Kate Solon – contested the small hunter class and Hayley Patterson finished a very creditable third in the small hack division riding Bankswood Savoir Faire.

Robert Walker topped the small hunter line-up with Kim Colosso’s 2016 Dublin winner Chantilly Bojangles.

The Kroongraaf six-year-old and reigning small hunter of the year skipped gaily through the mud to impress ride judge Wendy Gibson.

After seeing a photograph of Rehy Horizon, Jenna Tyldesley travelled to Ireland to buy the Harlequin Du Carel six-year-old and in their first side saddle season the pair topped a huge class of ladies’ hunters.

“He’s improving with every outing,” said Tyldesley.

Standing second was Esther Rostron riding the Mourne Mountain eight-year-old Seabourne Silent Valley, who also took the reserve amateur hunter accolade for Gary Merton.

Taking the amateur hunter tricolour was Henrietta Spencer riding her Crosstown Dancer eight-year-old Lord John who seems to relish the big rings at Hickstead.

In tricky ground conditions and jumped in some of the heaviest rain of the week, Katrina Braithwaite’s Killderry Rupert jumped the first working hunter clear round of the day over a super hunting course set by Kevin Millman.

Although this was the third year in succession the Cloneen Clover 10-year-old headed his lightweight class, the careful grey gelding could not quite manage a third championship, that accolade going to the British-bred heavyweight winner Red Why Salute (Danny Carroll).

Sandra Burton fielded a strong hand in the BSPS Heritage Connemara class, the Lancashire owner taking first and third place with Banks Timber (Teglstrup Duke) and Fly The Last Flute (Cocum Camelot).

Taking second place was Lady Huntington’s triple Hickstead winner Slieve Bloom Jill (Brock Lodge Buster).