High names pay tribute to one of many best horsemen – and gents

The equestrian neighborhood has paid tribute to Allister Hood, “one of many best horsemen, showmen and gents”, who was admired by all who knew him.

The Norfolk-based producer and head of the prolific Hood Present Crew, died peacefully at house surrounded by his household, on 14 October aged 69, following a protracted sickness.

Allister grew up in Yorkshire, and his early days have been spent as a member of the Middleton Hunt department of the Pony Membership Prince Philip Cup crew. When he was 15 he joined the good Ruth McMullen, earlier than working for producer Paul Rackham. It was by means of Paul that Allister met his spouse Anne, and the couple went on to welcome their kids Louenna, Ollie, Harry, and Ben.

Allister gained his first Horse of the Yr Present (HOYS) championship in 1975 with Langton Orchid, and the Hoods went on to supply greater than 75 HOYS winners. Allister’s first Royal Worldwide Horse Present (RIHS) supreme was in 1981 with the hack Brown Buzzard, an accolade Allister would go on to win an exceptional eight extra instances. In 2017 Allister achieved a uncommon double at Hickstead, securing a supreme one-two with driving horse Diamonds Are Ceaselessly and cob Our Cashel Blue respectively.

He rode many nice horses over time, however Our Cashel Blue, owned by Woman Caroline Tyrrell till her loss of life, was one Allister described as a “spotlight”. Allister and Blue took the HOYS cob champion and supreme titles in 2016, and cob champion in 2017. In 2018 Blue was recognized with most cancers, and Allister suffered a coronary heart assault, however the pair made a exceptional return to the ring in 2019 to say the HOYS cob title once more.

In 2021 Allister and Blue gained their second Winston Churchill trophy collectively at RIHS, and it was introduced that the outing was to be the pair’s swansong. In an emotional retirement ceremony Blue’s saddle was eliminated, and a wreath was positioned round his neck – whereas Allister eliminated his purple showman’s jacket. That yr Allister acquired the H&H lifetime achievement award, and was named HOYS equestrian of the yr.

Realising his desires

“From a small boy Dad dreamed of competing at HOYS, he would inform us how he would use his bedside lamp because the highlight along with his toy horses. He realised his dream numerous instances, and we all know that the final one was as particular as his first,” the Hood household instructed H&H.

“We have now been overwhelmed by the quantity of messages of assist we’ve got had and want to thank everybody for his or her sort phrases. Dad needs to be happy with the impression he has had on the horse neighborhood, and along with his fellow rivals.”

Lengthy-term pal and former showman Man Landau has many completely satisfied recollections of Allister.

“I might speak about Allister for a really very long time. Most months we’d chat and reminisce concerning the outdated horses and folks,” Man instructed H&H.

“He was the final word showman, and a top-class horseman, in each sense of the phrase. Horses all went how he wished them to go, whether or not they have been hacks, cobs, driving horses and even the odd Arab.

“He had an excellent sense of doing the appropriate factor and behaving in the appropriate approach. He gained like a gentleman and he misplaced with large grace, whether or not he felt it was proper or not, he behaved in precisely the identical approach.”

Man added that Allister “was not solely a top-class horseman, he lived his life with the identical qualities”.

“He was a really first rate man, and he had an exquisite household that he thought the world of. He was tremendously happy with his kids,” he mentioned.

“I shall miss him, he was a correct gentleman, of the very best calibre. I’d like to assume Allister would name me a pal, that will be one thing I’d be tremendously happy with.”

A real gentleman

Eventer Pippa Funnell remained associates with Allister, whom she met by means of Ruth McMullen.

“I used to be so very saddened to listen to concerning the tragic information of Allister. I’ve by no means actually been concerned within the exhibiting world however I at all times adopted Allister’s profession, as like me, he learnt his commerce from one of many best, Ruth McMullen,” Pippa instructed H&H.

“His achievements within the ring over many, a few years have been fairly exceptional. I’ll bear in mind him so fondly as he at all times discovered time for a catch-up and it was typically when he was at his busiest at a significant present like Windsor, HOYS or Hickstead. The frequent issue between us was Ruth, we each shared the identical affection for her and recognised that she was completely instrumental in each of our careers.

“My coronary heart goes out to his household who I do know he was so very happy with and I’m certain he will probably be wanting over them and following the Hood Present Crew with that very same delight. Allister you can be enormously missed by many. One of many very best showmen, horsemen and a real gentleman.”

RIHS exhibiting director David Ingle described Allister as “probably the most wonderful man”.

“We’re not going to see the likes of Allister once more, he was a really particular particular person and at all times keen to assist. He was in all probability the most effective showmen there’s ever been. There’s been some nice exhibiting individuals, however in a championship Allister was at all times the one to beat,” David instructed H&H.

“He actually knew his stuff, and he was a very sort human being. He would at all times ring me after the RIHS to say whether or not it was a very good present or had any issues. He was superb at supporting you, and he believed in wanting ahead, not again.”

David mentioned Allister had an innate skill on a horse.

“He wasn’t a contemporary showman, he was a standard showman, and a horseman before everything. He was very into his racing and he had lots to do with making ready lots of superb racehorses over time. Displaying is what everyone knows him for, however he was simply the final word horseman,” he mentioned.

“He might do something with something, and he had so many good horses over time. He had an infinite pure reward to really feel what was happening beneath him, however he was additionally very intelligent at figuring out the best way to current issues in the easiest approach. No person actually rode the worldwide enviornment at Hickstead like Allister did. It’s like he knew each single inch of it, and he would by no means make a mistake.

“It was at all times a pleasure to see him. He liked seeing younger individuals and serving to them. He was fairly a particular man, and an enormous loss to us as a neighborhood.”

All the time completely satisfied to assist

Allister produced a lot of horses for Sophie Henderson, spouse of racehorse coach Nicky, and she or he and Nicky turned lifelong associates of the Hoods.

“Allister was such a pal and an individual who I held within the best of respect. He was one of many best horsemen of all time and the nicest man you can want to meet. He had time for everybody and was at all times completely satisfied to assist and information individuals,” Sophie instructed H&H.

“We have now so many completely satisfied recollections of instances with him as a competitor and a choose. Our remaining partnership was with Jack The Big, a high class racehorse, initially educated by Barry Hills and Nicky Henderson. Allister took us with Jack down an excellent journey successful championships from Burghley, Hickstead to HOYS… what enjoyable it at all times was. He got here and gave an excellent show right here to all our homeowners at some point. All our ideas are along with his fantastic household, of whom he was so rightly proud.”

A Grandstand Media spokesperson mentioned Allister will probably be “enormously missed by all of us at HOYS”, and described him as a “grasp within the ring, famend for his skilled method and his knowledge”.

A Hickstead spokesperson mentioned Allister “really was the most effective, not simply as a horseman however as an individual”.

“He loved so many exceptional moments right here at Hickstead, together with an unimaginable 9 Winston Churchill titles – a document that’s certain to face for a while. He produced numerous high present horses, and it was at all times a pleasure to look at him compete,” he mentioned.

“We have been honoured that he selected Hickstead for his official retirement ceremony in 2021, shortly after successful his ninth supreme horse title. A lot of Allister’s fellow present producers gathered that day within the worldwide enviornment to present him a guard of honour – it was a becoming tribute to a person who did a lot for the exhibiting neighborhood.”

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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 highway security campaigns. She has additionally interviewed high 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 Citadel Worldwide Horse Trials nearer to house. She was additionally a key a part of the distant reporting crew for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.