Top Star, Top Spot: Laura Renwick Extends Winning Streak at Hickstead
Monday 23 June 2025
The Al Shira'aa Hickstead Derby Meeting hosted the Redpost Equestrian Senior Foxhunter Second Round, with 48 horses vying for victory in the prestigious championship qualifier. The competition was fierce as riders aimed to jump all three rounds of competition to come out on top.
Twenty-one successfully navigated the challenging first round, earning their spots in the second round, with the intensity only escalating from there as 14 of these talented pairs making it into the highly anticipated jump-off.
First to go in the jump-off, Laura Renwick and her own Top Star C, set of determinedly around the shortened course, with their time of 33.63 seconds setting a benchmark that proved unbeatable, securing the top spot and a ticket to HOYS.
In second place was Katie Speller with Team Z7’s Z7 Pink Panther, the pair crossing the finish line 3.21 seconds in arrears. Third place went the way of Paul Sims and Marshmallow II, the eight-year-old gelding jointly owned by Hannah Sims and Carmen Pierce, who finished just 0.49 seconds further off the pace.
“It was a great class in the end, very technical and the ground was very good, the horses just seemed to spring off it,” said Laura. “We had a bit of a mishap at the start when my stirrup broke so ended up out of order in the first round. By the jump-off I was back in order, and we were first to go.
“He’s still learning to go fast but he’s got incredible scope and stride, so I just used that to my advantage, and it paid off. He finished third at Vale View and Felbridge, fifth at Weston Lawns, so it was a bit of a nail biting to wait to see if we had done enough but I’m delighted to finally have got his ticket to the final.”
Talking fondly about the seven-year-old stallion, Laura said: “He was bred by Sue Clark and is out of Elegant C, who is also the dam of Top Dollar VI, a gelding I used to ride so it is great to have that connection. It’s so lovely that his breeders are following along with his journey; they came to watch at Vale View and were over the moon when we finally got the ticket to HOYS on the weekend.
“He had such a great week at Hickstead, he came third in the Seven and Eight Year Old Final and jumped clear every day, so I can’t ask much more of him. I think he and Top Gun NFS, who I have also qualified for the Foxhunter Final, are two of the best horses I’ve had. I’m normally abroad so miss HOYS but I’ve spent more time recently in the UK building up my team again and it is such a prestigious final, it is one we wanted to aim them for,” added Laura.
For those who missed the action, you can catch up on all the thrilling moments on ClipMyHorse.TV.
The All England Showground, Hickstead - Sunday, 22nd June 2025
Redpost Equestrian Senior Foxhunter Second Round
1st – Laura Renwick & Top Star C - 0/0/0 33.63 seconds
2nd – Katie Speller & Z7 Pink Panther - 0/0/0 36.90 seconds
3rd – Paul Sims & Marshmallow II - 0/0/0 37.39 seconds
NB: Results pending official grading.
Image: Boots and Hooves Photography
.jpg "Great Britain’s Team Audevard finish in seventh place with unlucky four fault rounds at the CSIO3* Longines EEF Series Nations Cup of Budapest")