Allister Hood, the legendary and much-loved showman, has died aged 69.
“Our wonderful Dad handed away peacefully at house final night time (14 October) with all of us there,” stated Allister’s household.
“He was merely one of the best”.
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 key displaying championships throughout his illustrious profession.
His first Horse of the Yr Present (HOYS) victory got here in 1975, and the Hoods went on to supply 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 instances. He achieved a uncommon double at Hickstead in 2017 when he secured a supreme one-two with Diamonds Are Eternally 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 purple showman’s jacket.
That yr Allister acquired the Horse & Hound lifetime achievement award. When requested “would you alter 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 displaying neighborhood”.
The H&H group sends condolences to Allister’s spouse Anne, kids 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 situation of the journal.
