Longines Royal International Horse Show Hickstead England

Eric Thelgaard is pictured riding, 'Shadow Line' in the final of the Hickstead Premier League Five Year Old Young Dressage Horse Masters. They finished with a score of 77.8%. The dressage competition at the Longines Royal International horse Show was quite separate from the main action and quite a long way from it.

Becky Moody is pictured with her, 'Carinsio' by Painted Black on their way to winning the Hickstead Premier Five Year old young Dressage Horse Masters. Carinsio is backing up a successful Four Year Old season.

Riding judge, Jane Bradbury puts Wendy Edgar's, 'Stanley Grange Night Ride' (Colbeach Nightlight/Stanley Grange Joy Ride) through its paces during the judging of the Garrick Engineering Open Large Hack class 154cm-160cm (15.1hh and N.E. 15.3hh).

Leon King rode Mrs P Underwood's, 'Wallaroo Bay' (Wolkentanzer/Coogee Bay) to sixth place in the class for Garrick Engineering large Hack. The judging is a very time consuming process with all horses working out, stripped for a conformation check and all ridden by the judge.

Popular and very successful UK breeder and exhibitor of show horses and ponies, Jerome Harforth is hard at work putting the finishing touches on one of his charges.

The Stretcholt Equestrian Centre Miniature Horse Championship is being judged in front of the main Hickstead building housing the Private Boxes and the Pommery Champagne Bar.

This spectator from The Borders thought the International Ring competition absolutely riveting all day. Dogs are welcome at Hickstead and everyone brings their canine companions. And we mean everyone!

Successful showing rider, Katie Jerram rode Katie Dove's, 'Golden Gunner' (Infantry/Strands of Gold) to win The Garrick Engineering Small Hack class 148cm-153cm.

Robert Walker rode Clair Twiston-Davies' five year old, 'Walton Forgery' (Kilvington Scoundrel/Artistic Flair) to win the Large Hack class and go on to take out the Garrick Engineering Supreme Hack Award. The judging of the Supreme Hack was conducted on the magnificent International Arena that despite all the rain is just perfect, enabling the riders to really move along as is their fashion.

Alycia Collins made an elegant picture riding Valerie Scouller's six year old, 'Rebonjour' (Roviris/Bonheur) to take second place in the Underwood Ladies Classical Side Saddle Championship.

Nadia Edgar rode her impressive, 'Checkpoint Charlie' to third place in the strong Underwood Ladies Classical Side Saddle Championship. This class for riders 15 years and over and horses over 148cm is judges 255 Conformation and Action, 25% manners and Way of Going, 25% Rider and 25% Turnout of Rider and Horse.

The spectators are not all as elegant as this, but many make an effort to look good in the Pommery Champagne Bar.

Rachel Pickard was delighted to take out the Underwood Ladies Side Saddle Championship with Mrs P Pickard's splendid, 'Natterjack Toad' (Csibesz/Sutton Daybreak). The impressive 17hh grey looked a delight to ride and they finished their lap of honour off with a serious gallop.

Welshman , Gareth Roberts is pictured at the gallop with his 'Charlie and Lola' during the Osborne Refrigeration Double Harness Scurry on the International Arena. This pair took tenth place and Roberts won the class with his pair, 'Fred and Barney'.

The groom's life looks to be rather a precarious one during the exciting Double Harness Scurry in which they really gallop around the course on the huge International Arena. Nigel Olliffe is pictured urging his "Fruit and Nut" on for fifth place in the class.

Sue Ridley took second place in the Underwood Double Harness Scurry driving her 'Prancer and Dancer'.

These ponies are really flying. Sarah Cooke drove her, 'Bow and Arrow' with great skill and speed to take third place in the Underwood Double Harness Scurry on the second last day of the Longines Royal International Horse Show, "The official Horse Show of the British Horse Society" that has everything from Pimm's to ponies.

Hayley Patterson is pictured riding the Patterson Horseboxes' 'Lochill High Society' (Windrush Billy The Kid/Roansmor Amy) to sixth place in the BSPS Jackson Fine Homes Intermediate (Galloway) Large Show Riding Championship. (153cm and N.E. 158cm). The Small Intermediate class is for horses 146cm and N.E.153cm, with riders 21 to 25 yearsold.

Mrs S Facchino's, 'Giants Causeway' (Young Edmond/Monmore Princess) is pictured during the judging of the Jackson Fine Homes' Intermediate Large Show Riding Championship. There are Hacks and Ponies and the Intermediates fill the gap with what in Australia would be called Galloways.

We were delighted to catch up with Australian Olympic Dressage Team Reserves, Rozzie Ryan and 'GV Bullwinkle' at Hickstead. Bullwinkle has really blossomed during his overseas trip and produced a 70% test in the Dressage Masters Large Tour Grand Prix Freestyle for second place

Riding for Ireland, Roland Tong is pictured aboard, 'Pompidou' that was fourth in the Dressage Masters Large Tour Final Grand Prix Freestyle with 67.9%.

The Longines International "back" jumping arenaa.

There are roughly 200 trade stands at the Longines Royal International Horse Show. It feels and looks like a lot more, as the crowds flooded in on a rare sunny Saturday afternoon. The shopping, eating and drinking are really part of the Royal International experience.

Steven Whitaker produced an early good round riding his Calvados stallion, Royal Rose' to take third place in the Sky Sports 1.45cm Speed Classic.

Riding for Great Britain, Phillip Miller makes a lovely jump aboard Diana and Penelope Cornish's Dutch stallion, 'Univeau' during the Sky Sports Speed Classic this afternoon.

World Ranking number two rider, Kevin Staut from France jumps a lovely fence aboard the Ecuries D'Ecaussinnes' Chin Chin gelding, 'Uchin van de Centaur'.

After not such a good start World Ranked number six, Germany's, Marco Kutscher jumped an exhibition round riding Thomas Sagel's Cornet Obolensky gelding, 'Cornet's Cristallo'.

Thers is no doubting where Joe Clayton wants to go. He is pictured riding Michael Whitaker's Animo II Z gelding, 'Antello Z' to sixth place in the Sky Sports Speed Classic.

Ireland's Clem McMahon rode L Humphries' Lux Z gelding, 'Point Two Elvis' to tenth place in the entertaining Sky Sports Speed Classic on the second last day of the Longines Royal International Horse Show.

Lucky last and Irish as well. Ireland's Shane Breen rode Mr R Davenports Kennan mare, 'Ominerale Courcelle' to out run all before them to win the 1.45cm Sky Sports Speed Classic. And they went fast with a moments' hesitation the difference between winning and out of the money.