‘He’s such a kind horse’: maxi cob goes through the gears to win first class of Windsor 2024
A lovable cob provided his rider with a first-ever Royal Windsor title as he jumped to the top spot in the 2024 Royal Windsor working show horse class.
Stella Chetcuti’s Bastille (Bas) and Kieran Price produced a flawless clear before a storming class go-round gallop.
Bas, a 15-year-old maxi contender, has been based on Kieran’s yard for 18 months.
“He came in on sales livery and Stella bought him from us,” Kieran explained. “Stella enjoys him at home during winter — she hacks him and takes him to the beach — and we have him back over the summer to contend a few shows.”
Kieran said that Bas’s scope became apparent as soon as he aimed him at a fence: “I decided to give him a jump one day and I thought ‘wow, I think we might have something here’.”
Bas was formerly a happy hacker but he has taken to a career in the show ring like a duck to water. In 2023, he won the Royal International maxi cob qualifier and cob section title at Sports Horse Breeding in the North West, and he also led the working show horse field at Wessex Horse Show.
“He’s such a lovely horse; he’s so kind and he’s no bother at all,” said Kieran, who was reigning on Windsor soil for the first time in his career.
In second in the 2024 Royal Windsor working show horse class was Randal, ridden by Jessica Taylor, while third position was secured by Georgina Andrews’ Carnsdale Pure Genius, ridden by Charlotte Trelevan.
Enjoy the best of Royal Windsor with Horse & Hound
To ensure you keep up to date with all the breaking news and the best of the action throughout Royal Windsor Horse Show, with no limits on how much you can read, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website from £1 a week in the UK. Sign up now. And don’t miss our bumper Royal Windsor Horse Show magazine report in the issue of Horse & Hound dated 9 May.
You may also be interested in:
Subscribe to Horse & Hound this spring for great savings
Judges announced for 2024 Royal Windsor Horse Show
2024 Royal International Horse Show judges announced
‘Our champion will own the ring’: meet the Royal Windsor judge looking for presence and manners