Allister Hood wins lifetime achievement award

Legendary show producer Allister Hood won the Lifetime Achievement Award at last night’s Horse & Hound Awards.

Allister, who said he wouldn’t change a minute of his long career, retired from the sport in
July this year after winning his ninth British Horse Society Supreme Horse title at the Longines Royal International Horse Show.

“I’ve ridden so many nice horses that I couldn’t just choose one as my favourite, though Our
Cashel Blue has to be a highlight,” said Allister, naming the cob on whom he won his final
Royal International supreme.

“We’ve both returned to the show ring after health scares – Blue was diagnosed with cancer
in 2018 and I had a heart attack – and repeated our successes.”

Allister also shared a memory from Blue’s early days which illustrates the importance of
patience and his skill as a horseman in bringing a tricky young horse to his peak: “I
remember when Blue was a novice, I went into the house after riding him one day and said
to my wife Anne: ‘I think he’s one of the best we’ve ever had, but we might never get him into
the ring’.”

After the 2020 virtual awards, the sponsors and guests were all excited to return to a
glittering in-person celebration, held last night (Wednesday, 1 December) at Cheltenham
racecourse. More than 250 people attended, with celebrities from across the equestrian
world present.

Other winners included Olympic individual showjumping gold medallists Ben Maher and
Explosion W (Bloomfields Horse of the Year and NAF Five Star Magic Moment of the Year),
Tokyo eventing team gold and individual silver medallist Tom McEwen (Uvex Helmets
Professional Rider of the Year) and Ruby Hughes, a rising star in the dressage world who
took the Tommy Hilfiger Equestrian Young Rider of the Year title.

The Horse & Hound Awards 2021 winners:
● Bloomfields Horse of the Year: Explosion W
● Stallion AI Services Pony of the Year: Redwings Phoenix
● Uvex Helmets Professional Rider of the Year: Tom McEwen
● Pikeur Amateur Rider of the Year: Lauren Innes
● NAF Five Star Magic Moment of the Year: Ben Maher winning Olympic gold
● Tommy Hilfiger Equestrian Young Rider of the Year: Ruby Hughes
● NAF Five Star PROFEET Farrier of the Year: Chris Bailey
● Horse Dialog Equestrian Club of the Year: Stoneleigh
● Absorbine Groom of the Year: Tilly Hughes
● Dengie Volunteer of the Year: Adrian Bigg
● Baileys Horse Feeds Vet of the Year: Elizabeth Frew
● Outstanding Contribution: Dickie Waygood
● Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement: Allister Hood