Not At Present and Gaelic Surprise crowned champions at The Jockey Club RoR National Championships
The Jockey Club RoR National Championships, Great Britain’s largest equestrian competition dedicated solely to former racehorses, returned to Aintree International Equestrian Centre from Tuesday 19 – Sunday 24 August, showcasing the versatility, adaptability, and talent of former racehorses across six thrilling days of competition.
This year’s Championships attracted a record-breaking 341 former racehorses, with 517 dressage entries alone. Across disciplines including dressage, arena eventing, showjumping, and showing, among those competing were notable names such as Desert Encounter, Scarlet Dragon, Al Boum Photo, Kimberlite Candy, Manobo, Robinsfirth, and Guitar Pete.
The grand finale came during the Saturday evening performance, where the coveted title of Tattersalls RoR Ridden Showing Supreme Champion was awarded to Molly Sherring and Not At Present. The ten-year-old, formerly trained by Ben Pauling Racing, bred by Grand National-winning jockey, Davy Russell and previously owned by Rachel and John Brodie, who purchased him at the horses in training sale in Ireland, then known as the Goffs Land Rover Sale.
Not At Present raced on 18 occasions under National Hunt rules, with wins at Worcester, Bangor, Kempton, and Fontwell on Boxing Day. However, after sustaining a tendon injury, his owners carefully rehabilitated him before he returned to racing, but it soon became clear that he had fallen out of love with the sport. With his natural presence in the arena, he began a new chapter in retraining, which ultimately led to his special partnership with his current owner and rider, Molly Sherring. Since retiring from the track in July 2024, he has gone on to enjoy a highly successful second career in showing.
Molly Sherring said: “Not At Present known as Neil the baby at home, has made my wildest dreams come true. Just reaching the RoR National Championships at Aintree in his first season showing was incredible, but to go on and win two finals — the Tattersalls RoR Novice and Amateur Ridden — is simply unbelievable. Then, to top it off, winning the overall Supreme Showing Champion title was beyond anything I could have imagined.”
The event also hosted the RoR National Dressage Championships, which saw the crowning of this year’s RoR Elite Performance Award for Dressage. The title went to Gaelic Surprise, a 13-year-old mare partnered by Patricia Haskins.
Formerly trained by Chris Down, Gaelic Surprise raced nine times under National Hunt rules, placing twice, with her final start in November 2019. Clearly, she had been saving her star quality for her second career in dressage arena.
Patricia Haskins said: “I originally purchased Gaelic Surprise to sell, but decided to keep her. She has been one of the hardest horses I’ve ever had to work with, but once she understands something and enjoys it, she’ll give you the absolute world. She loves being between the dressage boards. The RoR National Championships is a fabulous event – we’ve thoroughly enjoyed this weekend. It’s the party of the year if you have a former racehorse!”
During Saturday evening’s performance, the Championships hosted the Always a Star Parade, supported by National Racehorse Week, celebrating those horses competing at the Championships who had earned significant prize money during their racing careers. Fittingly, the final day of the Championships also marked the opening of National Racehorse Week – a nationwide celebration of the racehorse that gives the public the chance to see first-hand the exceptional love, care, and attention that goes into their daily lives.
The Welfare Stewarding Team (WST), supported by Agria and now in partnership with RoR, were present throughout the Championships in co-branded tabards, offering friendly, expert advice on all aspects of horse welfare. Their role was purely supportive and educational, encouraging competitors to stop for a chat, ask questions, and make the most of their expertise to ensure both horse and rider enjoyed the best possible experience. In recognition of exceptional care and horsemanship, the team also presented 20 Good Horsemanship Awards during the event.
David Catlow, Managing Director of RoR, added: “This year’s Championships were truly special, with an incredible atmosphere throughout. To see so many former racehorses together – from those who were superstars on the track to those who only ever made it as far as training – all looking so well and thriving across such a wide variety of disciplines, perfectly demonstrates both the versatility of these horses and the dedication of their owners”.
“On behalf of RoR and all the competitors, I’d like to extend a huge thank you to our supporters, especially The Jockey Club for their generous headline sponsorship, Tattersalls for their support for the RoR showing series, and the many individual sponsors who make this event possible.”
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Notes for editors
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Retraining of Racehorses
Established in 2000, Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) is committed to safeguarding the welfare of all former racehorses through various preventative measures, including:
- Setting industry standards for retraining former racehorses.
- Providing training and education to owners to build lifelong partnerships with their retired racehorses.
- Promoting the versatility of these horses in various equestrian activities and facilitating their participation in competitions.
- Maintaining a robust tracking system for former racehorses through RoR membership.
RoR also extends support to former racehorses in times of need through its welfare work.
Find out more about our work, please visit www.ror.org.uk