William Funnell from Dorking in Surrey joined Seamus Hayes and Alison Dawes in the show jumping history books on Sunday, becoming only the third rider ever to win the Hickstead Derby on two occasions.
Crowds packed into the All England Jumping Course to watch a thrilling jump off between the 2006 Champion, William Funnell riding Julie Slade’s Cortaflex Mondriaan and last year’s winner Geoff Billington riding Lady Rowallan’s Cassabachus. Both combinations finished the first round with an unlucky four faults having successfully negotiated the unique Hickstead ‘bogey’ fences.
William first to go in the jump off had his sights set on leaving the fences up rather than cutting corners, putting the pressure onto Geoff not only to jump clear but to beat his time of 97.98 seconds. And his gamble paid off with Geoff repeating his first round error at the Derby Rails meaning that the £40,000 first prize went home with William. Six riders shared third place.
DFS Hickstead Derby
1 William Funnell GBR Cortaflex Mondriaan 4/0 97.98 secs
Owner: Julie Slade
2 Geoff Billington GBR Cassabachus 4/4 98.16 secs
Owner: Lady Rowallan
=3 William Whitaker GBR Insul Tech Leonardo 590 8 158.52 secs
Owner: Michael Whitaker/Nick Ward/Insul Tech
=3 William Whitaker GBR Animation II 8 163.55 secs
Owner: Diane Jay-Ing
=3 Guy Williams GBR Skip Two Ramiro 8 168.76 secs
Owner: David Walker
=3 Douglas Duffin GBR Volcano 8 171.57 secs
Owner: Julie McClelland
=3 Peter Smyth IRL Polo Tomasi 8 173.87 secs
=3 Jan Motmans BEL Quick Chin vd Elsendam 8 173.99 secs
Full results can be downloaded from www.hickstead.co.uk.
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