The showing rings at the Royal Highland Show again attracted strong entries from across Scotland and beyond, with exhibitors competing for prestigious blue sashes and coveted Horse of the Year Show qualifications.
Across both ridden and in-hand classes, established champions continued to impress, while several younger animals emerged as exciting prospects for the future.
As always, Scottish exhibitors were to the fore although competition from leading producers from throughout the UK ensured that the honours were hard won. The result was a compelling programme of competition that reflected the enduring appeal of showing and reinforced the Royal Highland Show’s status as one of the country’s premier equestrian events.
Dumfries-based producer Kirstine Douglas enjoyed an exceptional Royal Highland Show, securing three championships from three class winners during a memorable week.
Leading the charge was Kirstine’s own Creagh Masterpiece, which claimed the small riding horse title before going on to secure the overall riding horse championship. The victory earned the combination the prestigious Paisley Perpetual Gold Challenge Cup, valued at £395,000.
Kirstine’s success continued with Morean Hamilton’s Mr Bear, which headed a quality lightweight cob class before being crowned overall cob champion. The prolific Irish-bred gelding has become one of the most consistent performers on the circuit and showed all the attributes of a top-class lightweight cob, combining quality, presence and an outstanding way of going.
Royal International
Produced by Kirstine since being broken to ride, Bear continues to improve with age and has amassed an impressive record of championship wins, including reserve at the Royal International. On home soil, he again demonstrated why he remains one of Scotland’s most successful show cobs, producing an outstanding gallop in the championship.
Another notable success came in the intermediate show hunter class, ridden to victory by 16-year-old Robin-Mae Leslie from Fraserburgh, who trains and works for Kirstine. Atmospheric, owned by Morean Hamilton, was making her debut in intermediate company and looked at home from the moment she entered the ring. A small hunter winner at the Royal Highland Show in 2023, she has already qualified for the Royal International and was crowned British Show Horse Association supreme Small Hunter of the Year in 2024.
The victory provided further reward for Morean, a long-standing supporter and ambassador of Scottish showing.
While Scottish-produced horses may be fewer in number than in previous generations, performances such as these continue to demonstrate that the quality of horses being produced and campaigned north of the border remains exceptionally strong.
Elsewhere, the hunter and sport horse sections provided some of the most competitive classes of the week, with several repeat champions and notable Scottish successes emerging throughout Thursday and Friday’s action.
Cockereen Willow
Making history in the in-hand championship was Billy Moran’s 12-year-old grey Irish Draft brood mare, Cockereen Willow, which secured the overall in hand championship title for the fourth consecutive year and the supreme hunter championship for the third-year running. The victory also earned her a place in the coveted Price Family championship.
In-hand hunter reserve was Ashleas Dignified a bay colt owned by Ashley Anderson of Caithness and shown by Simon Charlesworth. This quality yearling sired by Ashlea’s Black Magic has a big record already in the south. Ashley also won the coloured in hand section championship with her nine-year-old stallion Freckleton Untouchable, again shown by Simon Charlesworth.
Fourteen in hand champions from across the various sections came forward in the main ring on Friday to contest the Price Family championship title, creating an impressive line-up of quality animals. Judge David Dixon, past chairman of Sport Horse Breeding GB, shortlisted his five final contenders, however, the experienced mare’s quality, movement and presence proved impossible to overlook, securing a historic victory and her third qualification for the prestigious in hand final at HOYS.
The win marked a notable achievement for Billy, whose name will now appear on the Silver Challenge Cup for a second time. This rotational trophy was awarded to the light horse section this year and was presented by Queen Elizabeth II in 1960 to commemorate Her Majesty’s presidency of the society. Billy’s first success came in 2014 with the champion sport horse, Broadstone Dolce Vita.
Reserve was the champion from the part-bred Arab class, Sparkton Decore En Rouge, a 128cm bay mare sourced from John Harvey owned by Shane Bride and Theresa Brown.
Ridden hunter
The ridden hunter championship and reserve supreme title went to the 10-year-old small hunter champion, Randalston Lord Sugar, ridden by amateur rider Abbie Finch. The combination arrived at Ingliston in outstanding form, having recently won the same class and championship at Hambleton, where they went on to be crowned reserve overall at the show.
Showing remains one of the few equestrian disciplines where amateurs and professionals compete on a level playing field, making Abbie’s success more notable given the strength and depth of competition throughout the hunter sections. Based in Bolton, she works for The Jockey Club and Aintree Racecourse in ticketing and customer relations, balancing a full-time career with campaigning her successful hunter.
There was further success for Caithness producer James Munro, who enjoyed a memorable day by securing both the lightweight and middleweight hunter titles. His lightweight winner, Orgis PW, by the Dutch Warmblood stallion Ulysses M2S, continued an impressive run of form after standing reserve hunter champion in 2025.
Standing reserve ridden hunter was the heavyweight, Mongorry Cormac, ridden by Will Price. The quality of the final championship line-up reflected the depth of talent present throughout the hunter divisions, leaving judges Matt Ainsworth and Sarah Chapman with a particularly difficult task. However, it was Abbie Finch and the ever-reliable Randalston Lord Sugar who ultimately secured the championship. The striking chestnut impressed throughout with his quality, presence and workmanlike attitude, making his job appear effortless.
Fresh from judging the hunter section, Sarah Chapman took charge of a well-supported in-hand sport horse division, where she was looking for athleticism, movement and suitability for future sport.
SHF Royal Flush
Her championship honours went to SHF Royal Flush, owned by Hazel England and Sarah Houlden and bred by Kate Ludden. Combining quality, presence and expressive movement, the chestnut three-year-old proved a deserving winner against strong competition.
SHF Royal Flush is by the event stallion Britannia Royal, a son of the five-star mare Headley Britannia. One of the most celebrated event horses of modern times, Headley Britannia won Badminton, Burghley and Kentucky and was a member of Australia’s silver medal-winning team at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. With such distinguished bloodlines behind him, the championship-winning youngster demonstrated all the attributes of a modern sport horse and looks to have a promising future ahead.
In this section it was remarkable that four out of the five classes were won by the same owner and breeder, David Shand from Strathpeffer, whose Achilty Sports Horses shown by his grandson, Hunter Macdonald are enjoying a great season both north and south of the border. His three-year-old potential hunter pony, Achilty Defendar, led his in-hand pony breeding section on Friday.
The RoR Tattersalls Thoroughbred ridden show horse class attracted 22 entries, with only former racehorses eligible to compete for the title. Designed to showcase the versatility of the Thoroughbred beyond the racetrack, the class highlighted the successful retraining and second careers that many former racehorses go on to enjoy.
Victory went to Scots Gold, an eight-year-old grey gelding owned by Di Wilson and ridden and produced by Cumbrian-based Jacqueline Williamson of Solway Sport Horses. Arriving at Ingliston in outstanding form, the gelding was fresh from taking the championship at Dumfries and Galloway Horse Show, making it three outings and three championships this season.
During his racing career, Scots Gold made 16 appearances under Rules, recording two second-place finishes on the flat and a third over hurdles. His final race came on Boxing Day 2023 before embarking on a successful second career in the show ring.
Scots Gold success
Having spent more than 30 years working within the racing industry, Di is a passionate advocate for the retraining of racehorses and the opportunities available to them beyond racing. Beautifully presented and ridden by Jacqueline, Scots Gold impressed throughout with his manners, presence and elegance, giving judge Will Murray an exceptional ride in the Thistle Ring and demonstrating the remarkable adaptability of the breed.
The working hunter ring is always one of the highlights for spectators on Saturday, and this year’s classes produced plenty of excitement. A tough and technical track, designed by renowned course builder Graeme Barclay, tested both horse and rider as befits a Horse of the Year Show qualifier. The lengthy course featured three doubles and a narrow parallel approached off a corner, with lightweight poles causing problems for several combinations throughout the day.
In the 153cm section, Carnsdale Be Charming, owned by Inverness-based Cheryl MacIntosh but leased to Catherine Garret for her daughter Lola Bass, continued an impressive run of form.
Having already secured his Horse of the Year Show qualification at Lincoln earlier in the week, the ticket was passed down to Kirkcudbrightshire rider Indie McKeand aboard Ballyvary Patsy. More commonly seen in the showjumping arena, the pair have also qualified for the Horse of the Year Show Foxhunter final and demonstrated their versatility with another clear round performance.
Scottish riders continued to make their mark throughout the working hunter divisions, with many proving well accustomed to the demanding questions posed by Barclay’s tracks.
The 143cm qualification went to 16-year-old Linlithgow rider, Lexi Brash aboard her grandfather’s Connemara, Robe Classic Thunder. Producing a foot-perfect round, the pair earned one of the biggest cheers of the day from the packed ringside spectators.
Flying the flag for the south of Scotland again was rider Prestyn Patterson aboard his mother’s coloured mare, Baby Buttons. A relatively new partnership and Prestyn’s first season on the working hunter circuit, the combination continued to impress against experienced opposition, highlighting the strength of emerging young talent within Scottish showing.
Plaited ponies
The future of plaited ponies remains a subject of much discussion within showing circles, with declining entries in some areas resulting in a number of shows being awarded mixed-height HOYs show pony qualifiers. It was therefore encouraging to see the Royal Highland Show retain individual height qualifiers across the children’s riding pony sections, underlining the importance of these traditional classes.
While the numbers may not match those seen in previous generations, the quality on display suggested a bright future for the section, with several talented young riders and well-produced ponies coming to the fore.
Championship honours went to Serene Royal Prince Charming, an eight-year-old bay gelding ridden by Frank Newbould and produced by his mother Sarah part of the Emmerson Show Team. The combination impressed throughout the day, combining quality, presence and an accomplished performance to secure the title.
The Richardson family continued their run of success. Having already secured three Horse of the Year Show qualifications in the mountain and moorland divisions, they added a fourth victory in the 138cm children’s riding pony class. Further success followed when Lily Richardson guided Centurion Prince Regent to reserve, capping another memorable Royal Highland Show for the Warwickshire-based family.
Champion show hunter pony was Crissy Knipe’s Tandridge First Edition, a nine-year-old bay gelding by Tandridge Democrat ridden by Samantha Taylor.
Tandridge Stud
The victory marked another success for the renowned East Sussex-based Tandridge Stud, which continues to enjoy an exceptional season producing quality ponies true to type, whether destined for the show pony or show hunter ranks.
Noted for their excellent movement, balance and ability to cover the ground with ease, Tandridge-bred ponies continue to excel at the highest level of competition, and this latest champion was no exception.
The mini sections are always a joy to watch as young jockeys take their first steps into the showing world. The lead rein show hunter class proved particularly competitive, with the top contenders arriving with impressive records.
However, victory and the championship went to Martin Wood’s Annadale Let’s Dance, ridden by granddaughter Gracie-May Whitaker and led by Yorkshire producer Craig Elenor.
Second place and reserve went to Rowfantina My Buddy, who has enjoyed an outstanding season. Formerly campaigned successfully as an open 122cm show hunter pony, Mr Buddy has adapted seamlessly to a new career in lead rein classes with Scottish rider Phoebe MacGregor, adding yet another chapter to an impressive showing record.
Four days of outstanding competition showcased the quality of horses, ponies, riders and producers competing across Scotland.
From established champions to emerging young talent, the Royal Highland Show again demonstrated that Scottish showing continues to thrive on the national stage, providing confidence and optimism for the future of the sport.
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