Allister Hood, the legendary and much-loved showman, has died aged 69.
“Our wonderful Dad handed away peacefully at residence final night time (14 October) with all of us there,” stated Allister’s household.
“He was merely the most effective”.
Allister’s time within the saddle started with the Middleton Hunt department of the Pony Membership, earlier than he went on to amass numerous accolades in any respect the foremost exhibiting championships throughout his illustrious profession.
His first Horse of the Yr Present (HOYS) victory got here in 1975, and the Hoods went on to provide greater than 75 HOYS winners, together with three supremes. Allister received his first Royal Worldwide Horse Present supreme title in 1981, and went on to win the celebrated championship an extra eight occasions. He achieved a uncommon double at Hickstead in 2017 when he secured a supreme one-two with Diamonds Are Ceaselessly and Our Cashel Blue, respectively.
On the 2021 RIHS Allister and Our Cashel Blue received their second Winston Churchill trophy collectively, earlier than it was introduced that the outing was to be the pairs’ swansong. In an emotional retirement ceremony Blue’s saddle was eliminated, and a wreath was positioned round his neck – whereas Allister eliminated his iconic crimson showman’s jacket.
That 12 months Allister acquired the Horse & Hound lifetime achievement award. When requested “would you modify a second of it?” – Allister responded “Not a minute”.
In tributes to Allister a Sport Horse Breeding GB spokesperson described him as “the consummate skilled”, and a British Present Pony Society spokesperson stated he was “a real gentleman, held within the highest regard by the exhibiting group”.
The H&H group sends condolences to Allister’s spouse Anne, youngsters Louenna, Ollie, Harry and Ben, and granddaughter Alice.
A full tribute to Allister Hood will run in subsequent week’s Horse & Hound journal, on sale from Thursday 24 October.
If you need to share your private tributes and particular reminiscences of Allister, please ship these to hhletters@futurenet.com, together with your identify, and nearest city and county, for consideration for publication on our letters web page in a future concern of the journal.
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H&H senior information author
Since becoming a member of H&H in 2018, Becky has coated a broad vary of equestrian information together with welfare issues, veterinary research, FEI Tribunal hearings and street security campaigns. She has additionally interviewed prime riders together with Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to call just some. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, in addition to the Royal Highland and Blair Fort Worldwide Horse Trials nearer to residence. She was additionally a key a part of the distant reporting group for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
