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][4]
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.[1][5]
The British Jumping Derby is one of those events a bit like the Grand National where it's not just the runners and riders that make the headlines but the course itself. It's an iconic showjumping contest, the like of which you won't find anywhere else in the world, no other course asks this much of a test of horse and rider and no other course creates this type of drama.
Derby fences
editThe 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 | 4 ft 8 in (1.42 m) | Solid stone wall with a pole | |
| 2. white oxer | 4 ft 3 in (1.30 m) | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | |
| 3. a.& b. double water ditches | 5 ft (1.5 m) & 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) | ||
| 4. black gate | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) | maximum height fence for the course, upright and falls easily | |
| 5. wall | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) | ||
| 6. privet hedge oxer | 4 ft 11 in (1.50 m) | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | |
| 7. a. & b. road jump | 5 ft (1.5 m) and 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) | table fence with no exit except over jumps | |
| 8. Derby Bank | 10 ft 6 in (3.20 m) drop with 3 ft 5 in (1.04 m) high fence before | iconic obstacle of the course. fence 16 ft[clarification needed] from main drop which horses must slide down | |
| 9. white rails | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) | two strides from bottom of bank | |
| 10. a., b. & c. Devil's Dyke | 4 ft 9 in (1.45 m), 4 ft 9 in (1.45 m), 4 ft 8 in (1.42 m) | closed obstacle, but sloping ground increases apparent fence height to near 6 ft (1.8 m) | |
| 11. open water | 15 ft (4.6 m) | ||
| 12. Derby rails | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) | ||
| 13. open ditch | 5 ft 1 in (1.55 m) | 6 ft (1.8 m) | |
| 14. balustrades | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) | ||
| 15. a. & b. double of gates | 4 ft 10 in (1.47 m), 4 ft 10 in (1.47 m) | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | |
| 16. rustic spread | 4 ft 10 in (1.47 m) | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
Results
editThe 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.[15] Five riders have won the Hickstead Derby four times apiece - Eddie Macken, Harvey Smith, John Whitaker, Michael Whitaker and William Funnell. In 2020 and 2021, the Hickstead Derby did not run because of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Sponsorship
editTitle 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
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "The DFS British Jumping Derby, Hickstead". Debretts. Archived from the original on 4 September 2010.
- ^ "DFS British Jumping Derby". Equestrian Shows. 19 September 2009.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Parry-Crooke, Simon (31 December 2009). "Sport 2010: compete month-by month calendar for the year ahead". The Daily Telegraph.
- ^ "Preview:Hickstead Derby". BBC Grandstand. 15 September 2003.
- ^ a b "Facing the Hickstead Derby course". Horse and Hound. 28 June 2006.
- ^ "All England Jumping Course, Hickstead". South East England Development Agency.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "British Jumping Derby Meeting". All England Jumping Course at Hickstead. Archived from the original on 2 February 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba "Show Jumping – Major Shows". Sports Records. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2010.
- ^ "result 2010 British Jumping Derby". Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 27 June 2010.
- ^ http://results.scgvisual.com/2011/hickstead/r19.html result 2011 British Jumping Derby
- ^ "Paul Beecher proves unbeatable in Hickstead Derby - Horse & Hound". Archived from the original on 29 June 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2012. result 2012 British Jumping Derby
- ^ http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/features/phillip-miller-meet-hickstead-derby-winner result 2013 British Jumping Derby
- ^ "News from 2014". Archived from the original on 2 June 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ "William Funnell joins Hickstead record holders". www.hickstead.co.uk. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
- ^ a b Field, The Irish. "SHOW JUMPING: Michael Pender becomes youngest ever winner of the Hickstead Derby". www.theirishfield.ie. Retrieved 1 August 2019.