Former racehorses Not At Present and Gaelic Surprise were crowned champions at The Jockey Club RoR National Championships at Aintree International Equestrian Centre last week.
Not At Present, the 10-year-old gelding who was bred by Grand National-winning jockey Davy Russell at Whitebarn Farm in Ireland and was trained by Ben Pauling, received the title of Tattersalls RoR Ridden Showing Supreme Champion under Molly Sherring. Not At Present won four of his 18 races under National Hunt rules during his racing career.
“Not At Present, known as Neil the baby at home, has made my wildest dreams come true,” said Molly.
“Just reaching the RoR National Championships at Aintree in his first season showing was incredible, but to go on and win two finals — the Tattersalls RoR Novice and Amateur Ridden — is simply unbelievable.
“Then, to top it off, winning the overall Supreme Showing Champion title was beyond anything I could have imagined.”
‘She’ll give you the world”
The RoR Elite Performance Award for Dressage was presented to Gaelic Surprise and her rider Patricia Haskins. The 13-year-old mare, who was formerly trained by Chris Down, raced nine times under National Hunt rules and was placed twice.
“I originally purchased Gaelic Surprise to sell but decided to keep her. She has been one of the hardest horses I’ve ever had to work with, but once she understands something and enjoys it, she’ll give you the absolute world,” said Patricia.
“She loves being between the dressage boards. The RoR National Championships is a fabulous event – we’ve thoroughly enjoyed this weekend. It’s the party of the year if you have a former racehorse.”
A range of classes
Almost 350 former racehorses participated in the championships which are dedicated solely to former racehorses and offer classes in dressage, arena eventing, showjumping and showing.
The competition, which took place at the Liverpool venue from Tuesday 19 – Sunday 24 August, also hosted the Always a Star Parade, supported by National Racehorse Week, celebrating those horses competing at the championships who had earned significant prize money during their racing careers.
On-site welfare team
The Welfare Stewarding Team (WST), supported by Agria and now in partnership with RoR, were present throughout the championships in a supportive and educational role.
They offered friendly, expert advice on all aspects of horse welfare and encouraged competitors to stop for a chat, ask questions, and make the most of their expertise.
In recognition of exceptional care and horsemanship, the team also presented 20 Good Horsemanship Awards during the event.
“Truly special” championships
“This year’s championships were truly special, with an incredible atmosphere throughout,” said David Catlow, managing director of RoR.
“To see so many former racehorses together – from those who were superstars on the track to those who only ever made it as far as training – all looking so well and thriving across such a wide variety of disciplines, perfectly demonstrates both the versatility of these horses and the dedication of their owners.”
“On behalf of RoR and all the competitors, I’d like to extend a huge thank you to our supporters, especially The Jockey Club for their generous headline sponsorship, Tattersalls for their support for the RoR showing series, and the many individual sponsors who make this event possible.”
Images © RoR.
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