We're not sure what the collective term is for coloured horses and ponies, but today we definitely had a proliferation of piebalds and a superabundance of skewbalds! The opening day of the Prenetics Royal International Horse Show saw hundreds of quality horses and ponies come forward with the ultimate aim of winning the Oyster Wealth Planning BSPA Skewbald & Piebald Indian Trail Ridden Championship - scroll down to find out who came out on top. 

Today also saw the start of our national showjumping classes in the outer rings, and the competition was as hot as the temperatures outside! Tomorrow things get underway in the International Arena, so read on to discover what you can look forward to. 

Due to 'freedom day' we can now remove the cap on ticket sales, so everyone is welcome to come down to Hickstead for the rest of the show (21-25 July). You can book online and download your tickets instantly, though you can buy at the gate if that's not an option - just be prepared to queue for longer at the gate compared to those with pre-paid tickets. Adult admission costs just £15, concessions £10, and under 16s going free. We'd love to see you here this week as we welcome the return of spectators for the first time in two years. 

Allister Hood and the prolific cob Our Cashel Blue achieved their first step to defending his Hickstead supreme champion title today at the Prenetics Royal International Horse Show. The 2019 British Horse Society Supreme Champions picked up their Winston Churchill ticket this afternoon when claiming the overall honours in the Oyster Wealth Planning BSPA Skewbald & Piebald Indian Trail Ridden Championship. Although ‘Blue’ is no stranger to success at Hickstead, it was actually a notable first for the pair. Click below to find out why. In the showjumping classes, the final Winter Grades B&C Qualifier went to Shane Breen (Vistogrand), with the pair finishing just 0.22sec ahead of Louise Simpson and Starouge. Meanwhile, Megan James had a quite remarkable result in the Al Shira’aa RIHS Five Year Old qualifier - click through to find out what happened. 

All today's show ring champions 

Day one's winning riders in the national jumping classes

Things get underway in the International Arena from tomorrow, with a busy day of British Showjumping Finals including the Pony of the Year Winter 128cms, the Pony of the Year Winter 138cms and the Oakley Coachbuilders Winter JC Finals - you won't believe how quickly these ponies can turn and how fast they can gallop around the course! Then the best national horses have their chance to shine with the SEIB Winter Novice and the Winter Grades B&C Championships. If you can't be here to watch, the good news is you can enjoy the livestream at Hickstead.TV

In the showing classes, there is loads to look forward to including show hunter ponies, working hunter ponies, mountain and moorlands and arabians; and over in the Driving Ground those high-stepping Hackneys will be taking centre stage. For full timetables, click here. 

What 'freedom day' means for the horse world 

Find out which exhibitors are here this week 

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