Walkers end winning week on a high

Sunday’s supreme championships brought the showing classes at the Agria Royal International Horse Show to a close – and it was a day of celebration for the Walker family.

Isabella Walker, the 12-year-old daughter of prolific show producers Robert and Sarah Walker, took the Supreme Products Supreme Pony Championship with Stoneleigh Show Time.

Helen Davies’ eight-year-old gelding had only just picked up his qualifying ticket moments before the judging of the supreme, after finishing top of the Enablelink BSPS Supreme Show Pony Championship.

In the Supreme, judges Tim Gredley, Maggie Wyeth and Vanessa De Quincey gave Stoneleigh Show Time an impressive score of 29 out of a possible 30. With 27 points, Alice Homer took the reserve spot with her mother Loraine’s Tidy Town, who was the winner of the Jackson Fine Homes Ltd RIHS Supreme Intermediate Championship.

It was the first time Isabella had lifted the Dick Saunders Trophy – and the accolade came less than an hour after her Dad Robert contested the Barberstown Castle Supreme Horse title, in which he finished reserve with the hunter Flash Point.

The Agria Royal International Horse Show has been a superb show for the Walker family, with Robert winning all three hunter weight classes on Thursday, before son Sam Walker took the overall Sport Horse Breeding (GB) Supreme Hunter Championship. “Both children have been brilliant this week – one’s been champion in the Hunters and one’s been Supreme in the Ponies,” said a very proud Robert. “That’s what dreams are made of! Now they can both do some mucking out – that can be their next job, that would be good for them!”

Robert has won four Winston Churchill Trophies, and he came close to winning another today in the Barberstown Castle Supreme Horse, only to miss out to the defending champions. 

The trio of judges gave Robert and Flash Point a score of 29 after their individual show, to tie with last year’s winners, Craig Kiddier and Mulberry Lane.

Craig and Robert then did a ‘ride-off’ for honours, with both riders showcasing their horses’ balance, manners and impressive gallops. Once again, Mulberry Lane – the winner of the Baileys Horse Feeds Supreme Working Hunter Championship – showed off his hunting credentials by jumping a fence in the International Arena. Last year the pair had impressed the crowd by jumping the Cornishman, this year it was the privet hedge – and once again, Mulberry Lane made it look easy.

After much deliberation, it was the 2024 victors who got the nod from the judges, giving them the title for the second year in a row.

“To be honest, it’s another world. I never thought we’d do it again after last year. And then, to do a ride-off – I’d never done one before, and I thought, oh no, what do I do?” said Craig.

As for jumping another of the famous Al Shira’aa Derby fences, Craig had had to put in a special request with Show Director Lizzie Bunn. “We’d been told yesterday that we couldn’t really jump anything in the International Arena, but luckily my friend took me to see Lizzie this morning, and she was so helpful. I must thank her so much – without her, I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did,” he added. 

Craig describes Susan Tennant’s gelding as the 'perfect hunter'. “He’s everything – if you were ever looking for the perfect horse, he’s it. He’s got character, he’s got class, he’s got swagger,” added Craig, who also won the HOYS Supreme with him in 2024 as a ridden hunter.

In third place in the Supreme Horse were the Surrey Envelopes BSHA Supreme Cob Champions, Danielle Heath and Mr Vincent. Danielle had two horses in the Supreme, with her Riding Horse champion Times Square III also through to today’s final.

For full results click here