British Jumping Derby Explained
The British Jumping Derby meeting – known for sponsorship reasons as the Al Shira'aa Hickstead Derby Meeting – is an annual showjumping event held since 1961 at the Hickstead in June every year. It is considered one of the premier events in the equestrian calendar.[1] [2] [3]
A highlight of the meeting is the Al Shira'aa Derby, a 1,195-metre course with tricky jumps including the aptly named Devil's Dyke – three fences in short succession with a water-filled ditch in the middle and the difficult Derby Bank, a jump with 3 ft 5in rails on top and a 10 ft 6in slope down the front.[4] [5]
The course is known for its challenging nature that has changed little since it's inception. As of 2022, there were only 64 clear rounds since the event's start in 1961.[6]
Derby fences
The main arena is used for a number of classes throughout the meeting (and at the Royal International Horse Show amongst others), but the main Derby class always follows the same class, consisting of the following fences of 21 jumping efforts:[5]
| Fence name | Height | Width | Notes |
|---|
| 1. The Cornishman | 4feet | | Solid stone wall with a pole |
| 2. white oxer | 4feet | 6feet | |
| 3. a.& b. double water ditches | 5feet & 5feet | | |
| 4. black gate | 5feet | | maximum height fence for the course, upright and falls easily |
| 5. wall | 5feet | | |
| 6. privet hedge oxer | 4feet | 6feet | |
| 7. a. & b. road jump | 5feet and 5feet | | table fence with no exit except over jumps |
| 8. Derby Bank | 10feet drop with 3feet high fence before | | iconic obstacle of the course. fence 16 ft from main drop which horses must slide down |
| 9. white rails | 5feet | | two strides from bottom of bank |
| 10. a., b. & c. Devil's Dyke | 4feet, 4feet, 4feet | | closed obstacle, but sloping ground increases apparent fence height to near 6feet |
| 11. open water | | 15feet | |
| 12. Derby rails | 5feet | | |
| 13. open ditch | 5feet | 6feet | |
| 14. balustrades | 5feet | | |
| 15. a. & b. double of gates | 4feet, 4feet | 5feet |
| 16. rustic spread | 4inchesft10inchesin (ftin) | 6inchesft6inchesin (ftin) | | |
Results
The results of the main British Jumping Derby class at the show are as follows:
In 2019, Michael Pender became the youngest ever winner of the Hickstead Derby, taking the title from
Marion Coakes when she won the Derby in 1967 on
Stroller. Four riders have won the Hickstead Derby four times apiece -
Eddie Macken,
Harvey Smith,
John Whitaker, and
Michael Whitaker. In 2024
William Funnell became the first rider to win the event five times. In 2020 and 2021, the Hickstead Derby did not run because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Incidents
- 1972 – Chamusca Lad, ridden by Ann Backhouse was euthanized after falling on landing from the Derby Bank.[18]
- 1987 – Ryan's Son, the 1983 winner of the competition, fell during his round on the course. The fall did not initially appear serious, and the horse walked back to the stabling area where he collapsed and died.[19]
- 2004 – GG Barock was euthanized after breaking a rear leg while landing from the Derby Bank. After the incident, event organizers made changes to the Derby Bank to make the obstacle more friendly to equine competitors.[20]
- 2018 – Navalo de Poheton, ridden by Andrew Kocher (USA) broke a leg while competing in the Derby and was fatally injured. It was the horse's last competition before retirement.[21] [22] [23]
Sponsorship
Title sponsors in recent years have included furniture retailer DFS, floor and bed furnishing retailer carpetright and online retailer Equestrian.com. The current title sponsors are Al Shira'aa, who have signed a three-year deal as title sponsor of the event, now known as the Al Shira'aa Hickstead Derby meeting.
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Equestrian Shows. DFS British Jumping Derby. 2009-09-19.
- News: The Daily Telegraph. Sport 2010: compete month-by month calendar for the year ahead. Parry-Crooke. Simon. 2009-12-31.
- News: BBC Grandstand. Preview:Hickstead Derby. 2003-09-15.
- Web site: Debretts. The DFS British Jumping Derby, Hickstead. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100904175810/http://www.debretts.com/social-season/dfs-jumping-derby-hickstead.aspx. 2010-09-04.
- News: Horse and Hound. Facing the Hickstead Derby course. 2006-06-28.
- Web site: Showjumping . www worldofshowjumping com, World of . Epic Hickstead Derby battles . 2024-10-18 . www.worldofshowjumping.com . en-US.
- Web site: Sports Records. Show Jumping – Major Shows. 1 February 2010. 28 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201028145108/https://sportsrecords.co.uk/equestrian/equestrian8x.htm. dead.
- Web site: result 2010 British Jumping Derby . 2010-06-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120306020030/http://events.scg-nl.nl/2010/hickstead/results/019-res.htm# . 2012-03-06 . dead .
- http://results.scgvisual.com/2011/hickstead/r19.html result 2011 British Jumping Derby
- Web site: Paul Beecher proves unbeatable in Hickstead Derby - Horse & Hound . 2012-06-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120629033807/http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/competitionnews/390/313104.html . 2012-06-29 . result 2012 British Jumping Derby
- http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/features/phillip-miller-meet-hickstead-derby-winner result 2013 British Jumping Derby
- Web site: News from 2014 . 2015-04-09 . 2015-06-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150602051302/http://www.hickstead.co.uk/news/news-from-2014.aspx . dead .
- Web site: Trevor Breen Wins Hickstead Derby - The Official Website of British Showjumping . 2024-10-18 . www.britishshowjumping.co.uk.
- Web site: IJRC . www ijrc org . WILLIAM BECOMES THE THIRD WHITAKER TO WIN THE DERBY AT HICKSTEAD . 2024-10-18 . www.ijrc.org . en-US.
- Web site: William Funnell joins Hickstead record holders. www.hickstead.co.uk. EN. 2018-06-25.
- Web site: SHOW JUMPING: Michael Pender becomes youngest ever winner of the Hickstead Derby. Field. The Irish. www.theirishfield.ie. en. 2019-08-01.
- Web site: Hickstead . 2024-10-17 . www.hickstead.com . EN.
- Web site: 2004-06-07 . Hickstead: Tragedy overshadows Whitaker's win . 2024-10-17 . The Argus . en.
- Web site: 2019-12-11 . Showjumping Legend: Ryan's Son . 2024-10-18 . Haynet . en-GB.
- Web site: Horse & Hound . 2005-06-15 . Hickstead makes changes to Derby Bank . 2024-10-17 . Horse & Hound . en.
- Web site: Showjumping . www worldofshowjumping com, World of . Farewell to Andrew Kocher’s Navalo De Poheton . 2024-10-17 . www.worldofshowjumping.com . en-US.
- Web site: 2018-06-25 . Farewell to Navalo de Poheton, the Eighteen Thousand Dollar Champion . 2024-10-17 . NOËLLE FLOYD . en.
- Web site: 2018-06-25 . Horse who died at Hickstead was due to retire after the Derby . 2024-10-17 . Horse & Hound . en.
Ireland
United Kingdom
Brazil