Her Majesty The Queen enjoys a Jubilee win at Hickstead

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Show producer Katie Jerram-Hunnable secured a royal victory at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting at West Sussex’s All England Jumping Course today.

Riding the five-year-old Sunbeam for Her Majesty The Queen, Jerram-Hunnable took top honours in the Supreme Coloured Horse Ridden Championship.

“It’s so lovely to have a win for the Queen in her Jubilee year,” said Jerram-Hunnable. “He’s a homebred of hers, and he’s beautiful, but he’s only five, so it was a big ask. The Queen knows about the win, and she’s over the moon.”

Sunbeam is not the first Hickstead champion that Jerram-Hunnable has piloted for Her Majesty - the ex-racehorse Barbers Shop won here back in 2013. “I was thinking when I was in the ring that this was our first big chance since Barbers Shop to win another one for Her Majesty,” added Jerram-Hunnable.

Sunbeam, whose mother Tiger Lily IX was evented by the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Tindall, was born at the Hampton Court Stud farm, and Jerram-Hunnable first laid eyes on him as a youngster. From that moment she felt he had that little extra something that makes a top-class show horse.

“I thought he was absolutely lovely,” she added. “Then he was sent to me as a three-and-a-half year old, and we’ve had him ever since – but he’s what we’d call one of the ‘Covid babies’. He hasn’t seen a lot in life yet.”

To overcome Sunbeam’s lack of exposure to the atmosphere of major show rings such as Hickstead’s, The Queen and Jerram-Hunnable hit upon a novel approach. “Normally, they come through their novice years and get stepped up to big shows like this, but these Covid babies haven’t seen a lot. But ‘Sunny’ was stabled on site for the Jubilee celebrations, so he heard a lot of the noise and crowds!”

Katie hopes to bring Sunbeam back to Hickstead for next month's Longines Royal International Horse Show, of which Her Majesty is the official patron.

For full showing results click here.