Five-time Funnell eyes the one derby title missing from his collection

Five-time Hickstead Derby winner William Funnell said he will be practising and watching videos as he aims to secure the one derby title missing from his collection.

William is taking Dublon, with whom he secured his record fifth Hickstead win last year, to the Al Shira’aa German Show Jumping & Dressage Derby (28 May-1 June) in Hamburg.

“I think I’ve won every derby – except Hamburg!” he said.

Douglas Bunn, who founded the All England Jumping Course at Hickstead, was inspired to run a derby there by the class in Hamburg. He famously measured the Hamburg derby bank, but in snow, which may have contributed to the fact the Hickstead bank is six inches taller.

And William has conquered the British bank on multiple occasions; he won a hat-trick of Hickstead Derby titles with the great Mondriaan, in 2006, 2008 and 2009, then won again in 2018 with Billy Buckingham. He and Dublon jumped clear in 2023 but finished second in the jump-off.

He has also won the derbies in Falsterbo, La Baule and Eindhoven.

“I always enjoyed going to Eindhoven, but unfortunately that was at the same time as Hamburg so I haven’t been to Hamburg that often,” he said, adding: “I’m also a bit nervous!

“I know the Hickstead Derby from the ground up, including the bank, which is a bit higher than the one in Hamburg. But at Hickstead, the horses have to jump off the bank because then it’s two long strides to the [next fence]. In Hamburg they have to slide down to the ground and then there is only a short canter to the next obstacle. I will practise this beforehand and watch lots of videos of the Hamburg bank in preparation.”

Combinations have two qualifying classes on the Wednesday and Friday of the show, for Sunday’s showpiece.

“The fact that one of the world’s best derby riders is one of the first to sign up in our premiere year in Hamburg increases our already huge anticipation even more,” says show director Matthias Alexander Rath from event agency Schafhof Connects. “In general, the riders’ interest in the 94th German Show Jumping Derby is enormous – that’s great!”

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