Last minute Royal International qualifiers up for grabs at Derby Meeting

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For the first time ever, all showing classes at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting (20-23 June) have become qualifiers for the Agria Royal International Horse Show (23-28 July).

This will give competitors a last-minute chance to qualify, with entries for the Royal International being extended for these final qualifying combinations from the Derby Meeting.

“It made more sense for us to offer qualifiers for the Royal International, as many competitors use the Derby Meeting as a prep run for the RIHS,” said Hickstead Director Lizzie Bunn. “We also felt it would be of benefit for competitors to have a final chance to qualify and will be taking entries at our June fixture for those who pick up a qualifying ticket.”

The Agria Royal International Horse Show is widely regarded as the pinnacle of the outdoor showing season, with horses and ponies being campaigned around the country in order to pick up one of the qualifying tickets to compete at the show.

Showing is already a major part of the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting, the prestigious Tattersalls RoR Ridden Show Series Finals taking place on the final day of the show. This year there will be RIHS qualifiers for hacks, cobs, maxi cobs, riding horses, open hunters, small hunters, and working hunters.

This year’s Derby Meeting will also see the return of the popular mountain and moorland lead rein and first ridden classes, which offer qualifying places to the top two placed ponies as well as the highest placed Pretty Polly (home-produced) ponies, giving riders two qualifying opportunities in the same class.

“The Derby Meeting is a must-visit for many of the country’s top showing producers, but we’d love to see even more competitors enter this year’s show thanks to the possibility of qualifying for the Royal International,” added Lizzie Bunn.

Entries for the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting will open in April.