The start of a Legacy

A former in-hand star reigns under saddle, a hack is ready to flourish, while a former Olympia winner returns to the ring

- ALEX ROBINSON

BSHA Northern Spring, Kelsall Hill, Cheshire

“I HAVE high hopes for him,” raved dog groomer Mel McCluskey-Fedo about her riding horse, Legacy, who was crowned Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) amateur champion on his second outing of the year. The pair were adding an amateur riding horse Hickstead pass to the open ticket and section title they achieved at Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain in the north-west earlier this month.

It’s no surprise that Mel has big dreams for the Financial Reward six-year-old, who is out of Kilcahill Diamond. In 2019, he finished sixth in the supreme in-hand final at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).

“I bought him from George and Michaela Whitaker, who in turn got him from Dessie Gibson,” said Mel, who keeps the former Balmoral in-hand champion with Team Helliwell. “He’s bred to jump, but he didn’t quite reach the level the Whitakers were hoping for, so we’ve brought him back to showing. And he’s taken to the ridden job like a duck to water.”

Another new face was Jeanie Barton’s lightweight cob Mr Bennett, who took the novice championship, as well as amateur home-produced and young rider classes, with 17-year-old Amelia Jones. The nine-year-old has been kept “ticking along” by Amelia while Jeanie waits for surgery.