With five of the 28 starters going through to a jump-off, Sally Goding and Spring Willow set the pace with a clear in 40.51seconds.

Three poles fell for Gemma Ellison with Helsinki VDL, before the 2009 winner Laura Renwick and Iron Lady Van De Kranenburg knocked almost 2 seconds off the lead time.

Allana Clutterbuck and Vykinbay then had a fence down, leaving Galway’s Jessica Burke to chase the top prize.

First Queen Elizabeth II Cup Win

The Irish rider took 0.83 seconds off Laura Renwick’s time to land the Queen Elizabeth II Cup for the first time.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet to be honest!” said a delighted Jessica. “When you look back on all the days I spent at home watching Hickstead on the TV, you grow up dreaming of things like this, so to put my name on the trophy is very special.”

Former maths teacher Burke moved to England from her native Galway five years ago to ride for the Arion Stud in Hampshire. She immediately made an impact in the sport, winning her first international Grand Prix soon after making the move across the water.

The Horse of a Lifetime

With Liam Nicholas’ 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse Express Trend, Jessica has gone on to have five-star success and represented Ireland on Nations Cup teams. The pair were also the winners of the LeMieux All-England Grand Prix at Hickstead’s September Tour in 2023.

“He is amazing, I don’t really have the words for him. He is the horse of a lifetime for me, he’s changed my life in a lot of ways and taught me some good lessons, so to win this with him is really special,” she added.

Jessica now has her sights set on a new Hickstead ambition – to be selected for the Irish team for the Agria Nations Cup of Great Britain. “I definitely want to jump on the team next year – that’s the next target for sure. It’s an amazing arena and an amazing show,” she said.

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Eight combinations out of the 28 starters jumped clear in the first round.

It wasn’t until the final three riders – all former winners of the Queen’s Cup – that the jump-off really took off. Two-time winner Ireland’s David Simpson came in on new ride Flashback VL and shaved more than 2 seconds off Sammie-Jo Coffin’s leading time.

Shane Breen and Haya went clear in 37.42secs with only Harriet Biddick, a winner of the class in 2017 on Galway Bay Jed left to jump with Night of Glory OL.

Despite their best effort, crossing the line clear in 38.49 seconds, they were forced to concede the win to Breen and Haya.

It was a fourth success in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup for Breen, having claimed the prize in 2008, 2013, 2022 and now 2023. He just one win short of the late Liz Edgar’s record of five wins in total.

Paying tribute to his willing partner, Haya, Hickstead-based Shane Breen said:

“This one’s maybe better, because it’s Haya’s second time winning. I thought it’d be nice if she could do the double, and that’s why I chose to keep her for this class. I have a great respect for her – she’s such a nice mare, in every way. She’s so careful, and just an incredible horse to have.”

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A total of 31 combinations qualified for the two round $500,000 Grand Prix, with only the top 12 advancing to the second round of the class.

The Limerick rider and Imerald Van’t Voorhof posted one of only seven clears in the opening round of the class. They finished the competition as the only combination not to lower a fence over the two rounds, as they picked up just a time fault in the second round.

Mexican riders Eugenio Garza Perez and Patricio Pasquel both carried four faults into round two, but clear second rounds put them in second and third places respectively.

“He’s a great water jumper (Imerald Van’t Voorhof) and very brave. I had a feeling if I brought him here he would excel.” Paul O’Shea on bringing his horse to Spruce Meadows for the first time.

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