Pippa Funnell and Tom McEwen take on reigning champion Gemma Stevens at Hickstead

Some of the eventing world’s most recognised names will be heading to the Longines Royal International Horse Show on 27 July to be among the Hickstead eventers’ challenge entries.

Gemma Stevens is returning to defend her Ashby Underwriting Eventers’ Challenge crown, although on a different horse to last year when she won on Flash Cooley. This year she will ride Caroline Teltsch’s seasoned campaigner Santiago Bay. This 15-year-old mare has been placed in this class previously and has competed successfully at five-star level with Gemma.

“This kind of class really suits me and my way of riding,” said Gemma. “I’ve always loved doing them, and it’s really fun to have a good horse to do them with.”

Pippa Funnell was third in this class in 2022 with five-star campaigner Majas Hope, and she returns with this 16-year-old gelding, who she owns, in 2023.

Pippa won the first eventing competition at Hickstead, in 1998, when the eventing grand prix pitted eventers against showjumpers and involved jumping a course that went outside the arena. Since 2015, the eventers’ challenge has taken place over a set course within the Hickstead arena, with the track remaining the same every year. If Pippa can win for a fourth time, she will match Gary Parsonage’s record of victories in this class.

Tom McEwen, who was part of the gold medal-winning team at the Tokyo Olympics and who has been selected to compete at European Eventing Championships in a couple of weeks, has Fred and Penny Barker’s MHS Brown Jack entered for the eventers’ challenge. This is Tom’s first attempt at this class since 2018, with his best result coming in 2015, when he finished third.

Nicky Hill produced an unbeatable round to win in 2019 with Kilrodan Sailorette, with the pair unable to defend their title in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Last year, the defending champions took an early tumble on course, but they’re back to try and regain their crown this year.

Helen Wilson (My Ernie) was just one second behind Gemma Stevens last year to finish in the runner-up spot, while Simon Grieve finished fourth on Drumbilla Metro – both combinations are entered for this year’s renewal.

Other names to look out for among the Hickstead eventers’ challenge entries include Francis Whittington (DHI Fiktor Nita) and Felicity Collins (RSH Contend OR). Irish challengers include Heidi Hamilton, who finished seventh last year on Dam Easy, and Fred Scala with Corriebeg Supernova, while Brazil’s Ruy Fonseca brings Ballypatrick SRS, on whom he finished fifth last year.

Eighteen-year-old Isabelle Cook, daughter of former British team regular Tina Cook, will line up in this class for the first time having enjoyed plenty of success at junior level. Germany’s Mathies Ruder, son of Olympic rider Kai Ruder and a junior European champion in his own right, is also on the entries list.

“After her brilliant win last year, Gemma Stevens is the favourite to retain the title in the eventers’ challenge,” said Hickstead’s Lizzie Bunn. “But she’s going to face some tough opposition, with many of last year’s placed riders returning, as well as some exciting new talents having their first attempt. It would also be great to see Pippa Funnell win for a fourth time, having proved last year that she’s still as formidable a competitor as ever in this class. It’s a wide-open field, and we look forward to finding out who the 2023 champion will be.”

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