Ireland's David Simpson and Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve winning the 2023 Al Shira'aa Derby at Hickstead (c) Julian Portch Photography 

Next week’s Al Shira’aa Derby at Hickstead could be one of the most competitive renewals in years, with the 2023 and 2024 champions both returning for another tilt at the trophy.

Ireland’s David Simpson was an impressive winner in 2023 with the talented Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve. The horse is now 11 and on excellent form, having picked up a first and second place in the Hamburg Derby qualifiers last month.

William Funnell is back with Dublon, on whom he won in 2024 and came runner-up in 2023. William is the most successful rider in Hickstead Derby history with a total of five wins, and no one knows more than him what it takes to jump clear round the formidable course.

While those are the only winning partnerships due to return in this year’s class, there are a number of other former winning riders among the entries for the 65th Al Shira’aa Derby. One of the strongest contenders for this year is the 2010 Hickstead champion Guy Williams, who has two potential Derby rides – Crumbgraft, who won last year’s Agria Derby Trial, and BH Gringos Legacy, who was fifth in both the recent Al Shira’aa Hamburg Derby in Germany as well as last year’s Hickstead Derby.

Shane Breen, who is based at Hickstead Place, won the 60th Al Shira’aa Derby with Can Ya Makan in 2022. In last year’s class, he jumped a superb clear on Fanfan De Beaufour but picked up a couple of time penalties to keep him out of the jump-off.

Two riders who did feature in last year’s jump-off are among the favourites for this year's class: William Whitaker, a winner in 2016 with Glenavadra Brilliant and twice runner-up in 2024 and 2025 with Flamboyant III, and Sammie-Jo Coffin, who was third with Chaccomo Blue. Both are hoping to reproduce the clear rounds they delivered last summer, with William hoping to add a second Derby win to his CV and Sammie-Jo bidding to become the first lady rider to win the Hickstead Derby since Tina Fletcher in 2011.

Other competitors to look out for are five-star eventers Gemma Stevens and Alexander Bragg, who have both been placed in the Al Shira’aa Derby; Stephan Dubsky and the Derby specialist C The Stars; and Commandant Geoff Curran, who was seventh in Hamburg with Hawthornhill.

There is a strong contingent of international riders entered in this year’s Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting, with entries from Canada, the UAE, Belgium, Chinese Taipei, Libya, the Netherlands and Sweden. Germany’s best hope of a first Hickstead Derby title since Paul Schockemöhle won in 1985 and ’86 lies with 25-year-old Marvin Jüngel. He won the Hamburg Derby in 2023 and 2024 with Balou’s Erbin Old, with the pair making their Hickstead debut next week.

“What a great line-up of horses and riders we have for this year’s Al Shira’aa Derby, with a number of former winners coming up against some other leading horses and riders with impressive Derby form,” says Hickstead Director Lizzie Bunn. “Former winners often have a good record in this class, but there has been plenty of surprise results too over the years, and that’s the best thing about the Derby. We’re looking forward to seeing who’ll lift the Boomerang Trophy in this year’s class.” 

The Al Shira’aa Derby is one of the most famous classes in British showjumping. It was first held in 1961, and the course has remained virtually the same ever since, featuring iconic obstacles such as the Derby Bank, the Devil’s Dyke and the Open Water. The Hickstead Derby is two times longer than the average showjumping class, with 16 fences and 21 jumping efforts, meaning Derby horses have to have plenty of stamina as well as scope and bravery. The lengthy course means clear rounds are a rarity, and only 71 clears have been produced since the class first took place.

This year’s class takes place on the final Sunday of the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting (18-21 June), with riders having to first qualify in Friday’s Agria Derby Trial. Tickets for the show are on sale now at www.hickstead.co.uk, while ClipMyHorse.TV will be livestreaming the action throughout the event.