Tiley’s mount is small but mighty in Hickstead win
Friday 23 June 2023
 (2)yil7v2ikw64m.jpg "Tiley’s mount is small but mighty in Hickstead win")
West Sussex showjumper Hannah Tiley may have been mounted on one of the smallest horses in the field in Capistelle JX, but that didn’t stop her from logging the quickest round of the day in the two-phase 1.25m Open class at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting.
The diminutive duo sped across the finish line in 31.19sec, nearly three seconds clear of their nearest rivals, Eleni Falla and Mistro I. Theirs was one of just four double-clears from the class.
“I've had her since she was five, and she's been great,” says Hannah, who’s based in the village of Rusper. “She’s won in the main arena a couple of times, and she just loves it in there – and she loves to jump. She's really careful, so she makes it easy.”
Despite Hannah’s early draw, she set the standard for the rest of the competitors – one that couldn’t be surpassed throughout the class. “I was first to go, and so I didn't really know what to do,” she says. “But I just tried to be forward everywhere.”
Though she found herself having to add an extra stride in one of the course’s pivotal combinations, Hannah and Capistelle JX maintained a high cruising speed to retain their position as the speediest in the class. “It's a great ring, and the ground’s always perfect, so it’s great to win here.”
The Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting takes place from 22-25 June at Hickstead in West Sussex. Tickets are available online or at the gate, and the action will also be shown live on Hickstead.TV and ClipMyHorse.TV.
Image credit: Julian Portch
