IRISH-bred cobs monopolised the top places in their three categories at the Equestrian.com Hickstead Derby meeting, Cob In Hood going on to take the cob tricolour for Jayne Ross.

Eamon and Rachel McCourt’s top lightweight was winning here for the fourth year in a row and he excelled in the main ring championship. Taking the reserve was Sue Rawding and Chaplin, who stood second in line to the champion in the lightweight class.

This cracking eight-year-old, owned by Simon Reynolds, has been one of the most consistent cobs on the circuit over the last three seasons, standing champion at the Royal International last year and securing his Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) ticket here.

Topping the heavyweight line-up for Katie Jerram was Ruth Flack’s Copycat. This super heavyweight has also enjoyed a successful season, winning for his owner on one of his first appearances.

“If he can safely carry a rickety amateur like me, he really is a special horse,” said Flack, who was delighted to see Major Look and Mister Friendship stand third in their respective lightweight cob and small hunter classes.

Lynn Russell has certainly hit a purple patch with her cobs, who run under the banner of Baileys Horse Feeds. One of the most consistent for Russell this season has been the coloured gelding Cappa Sham, who gained two Hickstead places in the maxi cob and ridden coloured classes. She bought the six-year-old in the rough three years ago and he has been a big winner over the last two seasons, qualifying for HOYS last term.

Standing top of the maxi cob line up was Imogen Yates’ Colour Index who was bought from Reid Finlay as a youngster. Yates produces her winner from home but hands over the ring work to Angela Lance who had him spot on at every pace at Hickstead.

“Great stuff; this is our local show and our first win here,” said Yates.

Irish-bred horses were also out in force in the hunter divisions and standing reserve to the champions Potters Ace and Oliver Hood were the heavyweight winners Henrietta Spencer and her new acquisition Lord John. This was the first outing for Spencer, who picked up Lord John just four days prior to this meeting.

Lord John, produced by Allister Hood, was bred by Maurice Casey in Kerr, and was a successful ride for Hayley Curtis before Spencer saw him advertised.

Making their debut at Hickstead, Claudia Felstead and Subaltern Will topped the lightweight class.

Felstead has just moved from Galway to England to further her career as a veterinary surgeon. Subaltern Will (The Artist) is home-bred in Ireland by Felstead’s mother Denise Colebrook, who gifted the horse to Claudia when she graduated.

“He is the perfect all-rounder who does dressage and working hunter classes and he was reserve ladies horse last year at Balmoral,” said Felstead, who gained an amateur win on their British debut at Heathfield just before Hickstead.

Taking the Heritage mountain & moorland tricolour at Hickstead for Hannah Horton was Lady Sue Huntington’s winning Connemara Slieve Bloom Jill.

The Brock Buster Lodge eight-year-old was originally bought unbroken in Ireland through Midge Doyle.

Last season, Jill was the winning Connemara at HOYS and this term she is already qualified for the Royal International, HOYS and Olympia.

IRISH-BRED HUNTERS

In the north of England, Irish-bred hunters have excelled, Kelly Ward’s five-year-old working hunter Noble Gladiator (Dunkerrin Leader) adding another three wins to his already impressive tally at Hambleton, Bramham and Cheshire County where he clinched the worker championship after winning his restricted class.

Robert Walker took the hunter championships at Warrington and Royal Cheshire County riding Jill Day’s former Dublin young horse champion Caesars Palace (Emperor Augustus) and Viewpoint, a quality Loughehoe Guy five-year-old bred by Sean Jones.

Also winning at Cheshire County was Jayne Ross and Bloomfield Tetrarch who topped the middleweight division.

Walker again took the champion and reserve honours at Staffordshire County with Pride of Place (Tasset) and Patricks Choice (West Coast Cavalier).

Cob classes have been among the best supported this season and taking the title at Warrington was one of the most impressive Thomas Richards’ Paddy Power.

Further south, sisters Fiona and Eleanor Hirst, who are both huge fans of Irish-bred horses, took the championship and reserve honours at the South of England.

Taking the tricolour was Fiona riding her heavyweight winner the Guidam nine-year-old Dartans Barrack. The gelding was bred by Eyleen Nugent who duly took the reserve riding the Defi Platiere eight-year-old Lislan Defi, bred by Sinead Kelly.

Both of these careful chesnut geldings are out of Cruising mares.