Hickstead Derby Day
Created | Updated Dec 17, 2010
I took the family to the Hickstead Derby at the end of June. It's a big showjumping event held at a showground in Sussex, and attracts riders from all over the world. Now, I don't know an awful lot about the sport, but apparently this is the 'Grand National' of the UK showjumping calendar - the course is the longest and the fences are the biggest.
Some of the obstacles have become famous, particularly the 'Derby Bank' – a man-made hill where the horse has to jump a small, railed fence on the top, then come down an almost vertical 10 feet 6 inch (3.2m) slope, before jumping another rail at the bottom. Many a horse stands looking down the edge of the precipice and refuses to budge while the rider kicks them hard – not unlike in one of those old Thelwell cartoons. The horses that do attempt it come down in any of a number of ways, all of then ungainly. Some slide down on their backsides, others tentatively creep down forwards on their bellies before losing their grip and landing in a crumpled heap at the bottom. A third type of horse has no fear whatsoever – they launch themselves off from a high point, landing with very buckled knees. This latter sort should have their eyes tested.
For all of that, the Derby Bank isn't the most difficult fence. That honour goes to the one which follows it on the circuit, the Devil's Dyke – actually, I forgot its name and embarrassed myself by calling it the 'Dingley Dell' within earshot of other spectators. Set in a hollow, it's a treble of 'rustic' fences – the poles look like sticks rather than being painted with bold stripes. It's the obstacle which fewest competitors complete without knocking one or more poles down.
In fact, to complete a clear round at the Hickstead Derby is a huge achievement, and in the 48 years of the event prior to the 2009 event there had only been 49 clears. The winner quite often takes the trophy with a final score of four or even eight faults (it's four faults for each fence you knock down – there are also penalties for refusals and for exceeding the allowed time – usually through meditating at the top of the Derby Bank). So, the stage was set – would we see clear round number 50?
The 2009 Jumping Derby
The 2009 event was a somewhat sad occasion, as Hickstead's founder, millionaire businessman Douglas Bunn, had died a few days before. There was a minute's silence held in his honour and some special band music was played.
So, we sat down – fortunately there was space in the covered stand, as it was hot and sunny – and watched a procession of horses and riders trot out confidently before demolishing the course. Every time a horse knocks a pole down, a couple of course builders dart out from behind the bushes and replace it. More serious is when a horse decides to refuse a fence after it's gone past the point of no return. Generally it hits the thing sideways, sending poles, planks and plants flying. In these situations the klaxon sounds and the round is suspended, while more people, some of them wearing bowler hats and carrying large measuring sticks, dart out from behind other bushes and try to reconstruct the fence from first principles.
For a long time, the best score was eight faults – very few were jumping either the Derby Bank or the Devil's Dyke clear, and there are many other fences which were posing different problems – a high double of rails over water-filled ditches was catching out many near the start. Eventually, a couple of the better known riders and horses posted a score of just four faults. The stage was set as we came to the final round of the day.
The rider was William Funnell, and he was the reigning champion. In fact he had won the title in both 2006 and 2008 on this same horse, Mondriaan. William is married to Pippa Funnell, a well-known name from the other equestrian discipline of three-day eventing (even if her name sounds like something to do with laboratory glassware). Funnell's horse didn't look quite as burly and athletic as some of the others in the event, but, boy it could jump high – even if it often seemed to take off at the last second. The crowd gasped with every obstacle. Funnell calmly tackled the course – leaving Mondriaan to decide how to tackle the Derby Bank, which he did with no fuss whatsoever, even though much of the turf had already been stripped away from the bank by the previous competitors. And then the key moment – he safely negotiated the Devil's Dyke, one of only a handful that day to do so. The tension grew fence by fence as the crowd sensed another great Hickstead moment, and then burst into spontaneous cheers as he jumped the last in front of the Members' Stand. It was a fitting way to record the 50th clear round in the event's history, and no doubt Douglas Bunn would have enjoyed it.
Other Attractions
So that was the day's main event, but there's a lot more to see and do at Hickstead, should you ever decide to visit. Here are a few suggestions:
Away from the main arena are plenty of smaller fields with minor jumping competitions for junior and amateur riders. There's also a practice ring with a bar where you can sit outside with a drink or a meal while you watch the riders warm up. The catering around the main arena is quite basic – chips, burgers and ice creams mainly – so bring a picnic or, if you're made of money, upgrade your ticket and become members for the day. I couldn't tell you what the delights are of the hospitality areas, but they were certainly well-supported.
There are plenty of trade stands if you want to do a bit of shopping, but be warned that there's a bit of a horsey flavour to them. OK, there's a lot of a horsey flavour: you can buy just about anything you need, but only if you own a horse. Saddles, riding gear, horse boxes, feed supplements, horse-themed artwork, the lot.
Other events take place in the main arena. The Derby is preceded by the 'Celebrity Scurry'. Now this didn't mean a lot to me, but it turned out to be a horse-and-carriage race. Each had two ponies, one driver (in the obligatory bowler hat) and one celebrity riding behind, who had to lean right or left as the carriage went around corners. In any case, I couldn't see a lot; I thought they said 'slurry' and insisted we sit a long way back. I can't say I had heard of the so-called 'celebrities', either. The name 'Jodie Kidd' rings vague bells, but I'm not sure why. If you are keen on celebrity spotting, then this is probably easier in the members' area, but you can't miss BBC TV presenter Claire Balding, who strides around the site interviewing anyone famous, so you might want to follow her around.
Finally, a warning if you're anti-bloodsports: be prepared to put up with a lot of pro-hunting propaganda. Fox hunting was banned in the UK in 2004, but a vociferous and influential group of landed gentry have been campaigning to have the act abolished. Members of a local hunt (who are now reduced to non-bloody alternatives like drag hunting) paraded themselves and their hounds around the main arena while the public address system urged everyone present to vote for the Conservative Party, who have promised to repeal the ban in the next parliament, if elected. However distasteful you find this display, please don't let these disillusioned toffs put you off attending what is an exciting showjumping event and a family fun day out.
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