Hickstead Derby icon Eddie Macken commends record-breaker William Funnell

Last summer William Funnell set a new Hickstead Derby record when he lifted the Boomerang Trophy for a fifth time – making him the only rider in history to have won the class five times.

Previously William had been the joint record holder alongside four other showjumping greats: brothers John and Michael Whitaker; Harvey Smith, and Irish showjumping legend Eddie Macken.

Eddie was the first rider to achieve four Hickstead Derby wins, and he remains the only rider to ever win four years in a row, with all his victories coming courtesy of the same horse – the great Boomerang.  After their fourth consecutive win in 1979, a new trophy was created depicting Eddie and Boomerang descending the Hickstead Bank, which has been presented to the winning rider ever since.

It is apt that Funnell has now lifted this trophy more than anyone else, as it was watching Eddie Macken in the Derby that originally inspired a teenaged William to become a showjumper. “I was here when Eddie won on Boomerang for a fourth time in really wet, muddy conditions, and I remember thinking how unbelievable that was,” said William. “It really inspired me to want to be a showjumper and to one day jump the Derby.”

Recently, Eddie Macken sat down with Chloe Breen, daughter of Hickstead founder Douglas Bunn, for a video interview about his Hickstead memories. Although his record of four wins in a row will continue to stand, Eddie was quick to pay credit to William’s new record total of five wins. “William has won five Derby titles now, and I'm delighted – he's a good friend of mine, and great guy,” said Eddie. “He bookmarks the class in his calendar every year and always gives it his best shot, and I think he prepares and sets his horses up for it really well, so there’s no better guy to do it.”

As well as Eddie’s remarkable Derby record, he had an incredible showjumping career including winning countless Grands Prix and Nations Cups, and he was top of the world rankings for three years running. His riding career spanned 50 years, with Eddie only stepping back from competing in 2018 at the age of 69.

Since then Eddie has had an extremely successful career as a coach in Canada and the USA, though recently he has made the decision to fully retire. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it, and still loved the horses and the coaching, but the traveling and time away from home sort of got to me,” Eddie explained.

“I am enjoying my retirement, and we have a lovely place where we live near Whistler. Anybody who has a career in showjumping knows they have to give up a lot. Riders live on the road, and we miss out an awful lot of time with our family, and obviously our families have to be very tolerant to put up with it. Hopefully I'm going to be able to make up somewhat for all that lost time, and I love spending time with my six grandkids.”

This year’s Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting takes place from 19-22 June – tickets are on sale now.