‘Probably one of the nicest horses I’ve had’: Gemma Stevens on cruise control to win second Hickstead eventers’ title

Gemma Stevens secured her second Ashby Underwriting Eventers’ Challenge at the Agria Royal International Horse Show, with a stallion she said is “probably one of the nicest horses I’ve ever had”.

The combination went seventh of 24 and jumped one of only two clears to set a time no one – including Gemma herself with her 2022 winner Flash Cooley – could come near.

“He went round with such ease,” Gemma said. “He did jump round last year, but I didn’t go for because he was quite green and he’d never been in that arena. Then we took him to Aachen [for the ride and drive class this month] and he absolutely loved it; there were 40,000 people in that arena that evening, and he was not bothered one bit, he literally strutted his stuff into the arena. He was second in his first advanced on Saturday at Aston, and he’s come out of that absolutely bouncing, and was ready to give his best today.”

It appeared as if Gemma had set cruise control on the Rex Syndicate’s nine-year-old from the start and she barely took a check throughout; she rode the tightest lines with the utmost balance and control to finish on 122.36sec, over eight seconds clear of second-placed Alex Bragg and Ardeo Premier.

Alex, who won this class last year with Quindiva and came seventh with Pamplona today, tipped just the road crossing with “Eddie” for a final time of 130.92.

“He just turns up and he does the job,” Alex said. “He’s so reliable; whatever you put in front of him, he will take on so I trust him impeccably. He came down the bank and he sort of went off the top, and then said ‘Oh, this is quite a long way down’, didn’t really know what to do and slid right to the base. He spun a shoe off, I nearly came off with the front shoe, but I sat up, put my leg on, got the steering back, and off you go.

“If you watch the next fence, you wouldn’t have thought that had just happened. And that’s him;if something like that happens, he puts it behind him, and off he goes.”

Alex said the class is a fun one, but also educational for the horses as they have to learn to pick out the fences and focus, and Gemma agreed.

“Thank you to Hickstead for still running this class and also for the changes they’ve made,” Gemma added. “I thought it was good, and encouraged more accurate riding. And this is the best surface in the world.

“It felt wonderful today. I have to say, he’s probably one of the nicest horses I’ve ever had. He’s very exciting, and what’s so good is his brain. He just loves it, he doesn’t get phased, he’s not worried by an atmosphere. He enjoys going in these big arenas and doing it.”

The other clear round went to Ellie Fredericks, daughter of 2004 Hickstead eventing grand prix winner Lucinda, riding Upper Class Brit, a granddaughter of Lucinda’s 2004 winning round, the legendary Headley Britannia. They finished ninth on 140.93sec.

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