In a groundbreaking move, all showing classes at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting (20-23 June) will serve as qualifiers for the prestigious Agria Royal International Horse Show (23-28 July) for the very first time.
This unprecedented decision provides competitors with a final opportunity to secure a qualification for the Royal International, as entries for this esteemed event are now extended for the combinations participating in the Derby Meeting.
Lizzie Bunn, Director of Hickstead, explained the rationale behind this decision, stating,
“It made more sense for us to offer qualifiers for the Royal International, as many competitors use the Derby Meeting as a prep run for the RIHS. We also felt it would be of benefit for competitors to have a final chance to qualify and will be taking entries at our June fixture for those who pick up a qualifying ticket.”
The Agria Royal International Horse Show is widely recognized as the pinnacle of the outdoor showing season, and this new opportunity enhances the significance of the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting as a key preparatory event.
Entries for the Derby Meeting, featuring a range of RIHS qualifiers, will open in April, attracting top showing producers and offering competitors a compelling reason to participate in this year’s event.
Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.