Innholdsfortegnelse for August 20, 2015 i Horse & Hound

SCANDAL, intrigue, excitement galore and controversy: anyone who ever dared say dressage is boring can eat their words after the spiciest of European Championships at Aachen. The Dutch snuck up and stole team gold from under everyone’s noses; Totilas was withdrawn after struggling with an obvious injury; Edward Gal’s horse was eliminated for blood; and Charlotte Dujardin only retained her freestyle crown by 0.2% ahead of Kristina Bröring-Sprehe. What dynamite. The Aachen spectators were a tough crowd and I hope the boos over the announcement of Charlotte’s winning 89% won’t diminish her competitive confidence and drive. It’s a strange place to be, mentally, to win gold but feel emotionally dented. After all, Valegro has been at the very top of the dressage tree for five years now and has —…

A FOAL found dying on the side of the road has been crowned the RSPCA’s rescue horse of the year. Piebald colt Gizmo was abandoned in Halstead, Essex, earlier this year (17 February). He was unable to stand, and his mother was nowhere in sight. But against all odds, Gizmo, who has been adopted by Catley Cross Veterinary Clinic, won both his youngstock RSPCA class and the championship at Equifest on 15 August. “We didn’t think he would win his class, let alone the championship,” said Carolyn Wyse, veterinary surgeon at Catley Cross. “It was so emotional, we’re all on a high.”…

TWESELDOWN is under new management and has been given a “makeover”, writes Amy Mathieson. Former four-star eventer Rachael Faulkner, who competed for Canada at the 1992 Olympics took over the lease of the site in January, but it wasn’t completed until this month (7 August). “Tweseldown has huge history,” she told H&H. “It has a special place in my heart and has such equestrian heritage — the 1948 Olympics were held there.” The first race meeting was held at the site in 1866. The racecourse closed in 2012 due to financial pressure, but the horse trials continued. “Brynley Powell had the lease for 12 years and sold it to me earlier this year,” Ms Faulkner said. “But due to a protected bird species on the land, progress was quite slow.”…

AN eventer was knocked unconscious after a branch fell in front of her while she was riding across country at Smiths Lawn Horse Trials in Windsor Great Park, Berks on 10 August. Southerly Roberts was riding her own nine-year-old mare, Fizz IV, in the novice cross-country when the branch fell. She told H&Hthe lastthing she remembers was the branch falling, before waking up in an ambulance. Southerly was taken to hospital with head injuries and a broken rib. She was discharged and is recovering at home.…

TWELVE ladies will be donning habits this October for a side-saddle race with a twist — it will be the first one to be held on a British racecourse. The charity race will be over 1m2f on the Flat and the riders will be kitted out in habit, silks and crash hats. The race has been organised by Philippa Holland, who is behind the Dianas of the Chase Cup (pictured, right), a side-saddle race over jumps across hunting country. “It’s the first time a side-saddle race has taken place at the races, and we have approval from the British Horseracing Authority (BHA),” she told H&H. “We wanted to do something a little bit different to raise the profile of the sport as well as having the chance to gallop at…

I very much enjoyed the stories of ex-polo ponies in your last issue (Not just a one-trick pony, 6 August), and would like to share the exploits of my own New Zealand “Hopalong Cassidy”. Bred on the Thompson family farm among a herd of wildstock horses, he was passed over at the annual round-up as he was too small, at barely 15hh. But at the age of seven he was spotted strolling up to the six-foot cattle yard fence and hopping over. He soon became Hawkes Bay huntsman Hughie Thompson’s hunter in winter and polo pony, showjumper and rodeo pick-up pony in the summer. I purchased him as a 10-year-old on a visit to New Zealand in 1963, and he travelled to England by ship. He enjoyed a top-class showjumping…

POINTS. Alex Hua Tian is obsessed with points. Why? Because points mean qualification, and qualification means the Olympics. If you’re not familiar with Alex, here’s the story in a nutshell. Born in London to a Chinese father and British mother, he spent his early years in Hong Kong before returning to the UK for school. Alex was propelled into the spotlight when he was privately funded to ride at his home Olympics in 2008. A year out of Eton gave him 10 years’ worth of experience in the space of one, buying been-there-and-done-it horses and steaming up the ladder to qualify them for the Games. There was no fairytale ending — he ate turf on the cross-country course in Hong Kong — but he had become the youngest event rider…

“I clearly remember in Zwolle in January 2011 when I saw this horse competing at small tour. I hadn’t seen him before, and he didn’t win, but it struck me that this was a very interesting horse for the future. I saw him for the second time a few months later at Vidauban. I gave Valegro his first ten for extended trot and I remember saying to the show manager, ‘If you are issuing a press release, it would be wise to say that we have probably seen the gold medal winner of the future.’ Just a year later, as I came out of my judging box at the London Olympics, I received a text from the show manager at Vidauban. It simply said, ‘You were right.’ To have been…

MAX’S fitness routine varies between summer and winter. The winter months are punctuated with playing abroad, including snow polo in St Moritz. “In winter, even when I’m travelling, I spend a lot of time training hard in the gym,” says Max. “I do a lot of strength work, focusing on my core, using my own bodyweight. I have to take care not to get heavy — some of my horses are pretty small. “In summer, when I’m playing several days per week, I concentrate more on maintaining fitness, and flexibility. I probably put on more weight in the summer — because I’m playing less in the winter, I’m more careful about what I eat.”…

AACHEN had it all — drama, controversy, smooth organisation and surprise results. In contrast to last year’s World Equestrian Games, the German dressage Mecca lived up to its reputation and delivered an experience that left national teams, spectators and officials wanting for nothing. The FEI’s new concept of starting the teams in world ranking order created an exciting climax for those medals. There’s no question that the Netherlands deserved to take home team gold. While key riders from other nations underperformed to various degrees, each Dutch rider stepped up to the plate. Team GBR fought hard to claim another silver and maintain our consistent championship tally. An otherwise superb show was marred only by the Totilas fiasco. While some observers reacted by focusing on the variation in how the judges…

BOTH Fiona Bigwood and Anna Kasprzak withdrew their horses shortly before the freestyle, leaving only 13 starters. Atterupgaards Orthilia (Tillie) had a reaction on her back. “She got so wet yesterday that I think it’s caused a reaction under the saddle,” said Fiona. “When you touch the area today she’s putting her ears back and kicking out, so it’s obviously causing her pain. “She certainly wouldn’t be ridden when she’s uncomfortable, especially as she’s given me everything and tried so hard. I’m gutted but it’s all about the horse.” There will be plenty more opportunities for this young mare, for whom Rio is the next major aim. Anna Kasprzak was the other high-profile scalp, withdrawing as she could no longer cope with the chest pain from her kick injury (see…

‘He looked like an RSPCA case’ PRELIM section B winner Debbie Sneddon jokingly talks of the “white witch” that she consulted when she was on the brink of having Zenith IX put down over two years ago. Debbie has owned her Gribaldi gelding, now 11, since he was three. “He was so thin and weak, he looked like an RSPCA case,” said Debbie. “He had suffered most of his life, on and off, with an undiagnosed internal problem. He’d also go up to two-tenths lame because, to minimise his discomfort, instead of bringing his hindlegs under, he threw his weight on one of his front feet. “Tam Saunders, who does hair analysis, prescribed a detox diet. It was a snowy February, but she said to turn him out with just…

TIME off and a change of disciplines has helped Holly’s Rainbow back to competition. At Rockrose EC, Laura Hutton rode the Linton Lavado 12-year-old to head a novice restricted qualifier with 67.58%. Laura bought Holly’s Rainbow as a recently backed four-year-old from world number one showjumper Scott Brash, with a plan to compete in showjumping and eventing. But having taken part in one British Eventing (BE) competition, their plans were scuppered three years ago when the mare was diagnosed with navicular. “It’s taken time to manage it and I had a baby eight months ago so we’ve only recently got going again,” said Laura, a farm secretary for Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). “She’s an easy mare to ride, although can be opinionated in lessons. I keep her at livery with…

...in the UK FRENCH rider Thomas Carlile was born in Toulouse to English parents and although he has carved a well-deserved reputation for himself in France as a top-class jockey and producer of young horses, this was his first win on UK soil. He regards the seven-year-old Upsilon as “a future four-star winner”. The anglo-Arab stallion by the Holsteiner Canturo was bred by Patrick Sisqueille, who also bred the former six- and seven-year old world champion Tenareze, whom Thomas sold to Harry Meade at the end of 2014. “He has more of a touch of genius than Tenareze, who was a real work horse and student — Upsilon has more attitude,” Thomas said. “I brought him as he’s a horse I hold in such high esteem and I wanted him…

The US team ALTHOUGH they were some 66 marks behind, to be on the podium in third was a breakthrough for the USA, whose last Olympic or world team medal was 11 years ago. Does this mark a turning of the tide as coach David O’Connor’s programme takes effect? The result was poignant because legendary US rider Karen Stives died of lung cancer on cross-country day, aged 64. She donated $1m (£640,000) to the Karen E Stives Endowment Fund for High Performance Eventing last year and the two best-placed Americans, Phillip Dutton (12th on Fernhill Cubalawn, pictured) and Lauren Kieffer (15th on Veronica), were in Aachen courtesy of fund grants. Karen and Ginny Elliot were the first females to win individual Olympic eventing medals, in 1984 in Los Angeles.…

...at intermediate THURSDAY was a day to celebrate for Libby Seed — not only did she claim the honours in the under-21 section, the Devizes-based young eventer also found out on the same day she had gained a place at Exeter University to study medical science. A member of the 2013 gold medal-winning pony European team (on Mr Vick), Libby enjoyed her first intermediate win aboard her ride of two years, What A Catch II (pictured), with whom she was reserve for this year’s junior Europeans. Libby took over the ride on the 15-year-old gelding from Danielle Dunn. “He’s been so consistent and has taken me up to two-star in two years,” she said. “Showjumping is his weakness but he’s beautiful on the flat — he really deserves this win.…

‘We pulled it out of the bag’ JOURNALIST Alice Cooke almost pulled the plug on her trip to the FoxWood Maclean Chilham Castle (2), but a few stern words from her instructor, Lynsey Ryan, persuaded her otherwise. “I had no one to come with me and I’d been having so many disasters that I almost didn’t bother,” admitted the Sussex-based rider, whose home-bred eight-year-old mare Absolute Justice (Gigi) was the result of a stud fee to the stallion Weston Justice, which was given to Alice as a 21st birthday present. “I decided that the only way I could afford a nice youngster was to make one myself,” she explained. But Gigi has tested Alice’s patience to the limit. “To say she’s been tricky is an understatement,” she laughed. “She can…

KNOWING what to feed an ex-racehorse on its arrival at a new home can be a daunting prospect. “When you bring an ex-racehorse home you’re taking it into a completely different environment to the one that it’s used to,” says Lizzie Drury, Saracen’s senior nutritionist. “It’s not just a change of scenery but a change in diet and routine as well. “You need to take things slowly when it comes to feeding and forage is the first thing to think about,” Lizzie explains. “You want to provide it on an ad lib basis, which is likely to be different to what it had in its racing life, and some ex-racehorses may find it overwhelming. “If they don’t seem to be eating it you can try to stimulate their appetite by…

Dream team TEAM MADRID’S partnership of Sweden’s Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (Unita ASK) with Dutchman Harrie Smolders (Aiyetoro) proved the dream combination in the first airing of a new team competition. The competition — the Global Champions League — will take place every Friday during the 2016 season, since gaining approval from the Belgian Competition Authority following a dispute with the FEI (news, 6 August). Teams were named after the 15 legs on the GCT and riders were drawn at random for this event. The show also celebrated the unveiling of the spectacular new state-of-the-art Tops International Arena, designed and owned by GCT supremo and Olympic medallist Jan.…

AN Exmoor gelding crowned Grandstand’s new show by becoming the first of his breed to post a 133cm native working hunter pony (WHP) qualifier win and claim a Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) ticket. Since the HOYS class heights were revised in 2013, many Exmoors have struggled in this division, but Jacqueline Wharton’s Gaoth made light of the fences and produced a Grand Ring gallop to rival any hunter. He then cemented his supremacy by standing champion of the marathon section, which concluded only as the evening light was fading. Even more remarkably, jockey Elizabeth Etchells had sat on the gutsy 13-year-old only once before this show, and this was the pair’s first-ever attempt at a course. The enthusiastic all-rounder — a pony racer, Pony Club eventing challenge contender,…

WHERE: FEI European Dressage Championships, Aachen WHEN: Thursday, 13 August WHO: Matthias Rath and Totilas WHY: the German rider is disappointed after Totilas’s team test THE much-anticipated showdown between Valegro and Totilas (news, 13 August), wasn’t to be, after Germany’s star horse was pulled from the European Championships ahead of the individual tests. The 15-year-old stallion was part of the German bronze medal-winning team last week (13 August) but there were concerns over his soundness during the competition. It was later found that the horse had an inflamed bone in his left hind hoof and would be out for up to five months. As H&Hwent to press on Monday (17 August) it looked increasingly likely that the horse would be retired from competition. • For full report see p40. Charlotte…

MARIUS CLAUDIUS The showjumping stallion has died aged 21. Owned by Di and Pennie Cornish, he was ridden in top level teams and to international success by Robert Smith. The horse also won the H&HFoxhunter championship in 2000. IMOTHEP Hyperion Stud’s 12-year-old stallion, ridden by Ireland’s Darragh Kenny at last summer’s World Equestrian Games in Normandy, will now be ridden by Taizo Sugitani of Japan. He also takes the ride on Chin Quidam VDL, Cohiba VDL and Dakota VDL. PARKFIELD FREDDIE The prolific working hunting pony has died. Latterly owned by Sarah and James Oakden, and campaigned by their daughter Emily, the pony enjoyed past success with Shona Weir. He died from colic, but had been competing until recently. NINO DES BUISSONNETS The Olympic 2012 winner and his partner Steve…

ANDREW NICHOLSON is “making good progress” following a serious fall at the Festival of British Eventing earlier this month (news, 13 August). The New Zealand rider fell with Cillnabradden Evo in the CIC3* at Gatcombe Park. The rider underwent neck surgery and is now “walking unaided”. A spokesman for the family could not confirm how long his recovery was expected to be, but his horses have been withdrawn from Burghley. She added: “Andrew would like thank everyone for their support, which has been much appreciated.”…

GREAT BRITAIN’S youth teams have followed on from success at the pony Europeans earlier this month (news, 13 August) to win a host of European medals, writes Lucy Elder. Young British riders have added three bronzes and two silvers to the tally. Showjumping BRITAIN’S children-on-horses team brought home a silver medal from the FEI European Championships for young riders, juniors and children in Austria (10-16 August). The team included Hallie Lunn on Brookwood Supersonic, Oliver Fletcher on Little Business, Lottie Tutt on Babylon and India Bussey on Westwinds Ego. The British junior team followed this with bronze on 20 penalties (14 August). Germany rolled just two poles to win European junior gold, while Ireland secured silver on a score of 12 faults. Harry Charles on Vivaldi Du Dom (pictured, right),…

TWO more Middle Eastern endurance riders have been suspended for two years each, after their horses tested positive having allegedly consumed Fustex — a supplement against which the FEI has repeatedly warned, writes Pippa Cuckson. Horses competed by Mohammed Shafi Al Rumaithi (Royal Des Fontaines, UAE) and Ali Yousef Al Kubaisi (In Situ, Qatar) both tested positive to propoxyphene, a narcotic pain reliever. Royal Des Fontaines’ owner Jumaa Mohamed Khamees Alromaithi was banned for two years after admitting buying Fustex. Fustex is made by the Argentinian manufacturer Chinfield S.A. The FEI first cautioned that Fustex may contain banned substances in 2012. It issued another warning last month after Sheikh Hazza Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi successfully appealed against the length of his 27-month suspension in another Fustexrelated case (news, 23…

GODOLPHIN SCHOOL The Wiltshire school enjoyed its first senior school victory at the Hurstpierpoint College National Schools and Pony Club Jumping Championships at Hickstead. A SOUTH AFRICAN RIDER Byeronie Epstein won this year’s Mongol Derby, finishing the 1,000km race in seven days. Elise Poitrinal from France came second, just 30 seconds behind Byeronie. A WEST LONDON STABLES Wormwood Scrubs Pony Centre is holding an anniversary party on 26 September. The Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) centre featured on BBC1’s Challenge Anneka 21 years ago, when the team helped build an indoor school. RIDERS IN SOUTH HERTFORDSHIRE The Patchetts Green Bridleways Trust and other groups have welcomed the opening of a new bridleway in Potters Bar.…

Watch showjumping Scope Festival runs from 23-30 August at Staffordshire County Showground. www.scopefestival.org Place your bets Head to Yorkshire Ebor Festival at York racecourse from 19-22 August. www.yorkracecourse.co.uk Dressage divas British Dressage’s under-25 championships are at Sheepgate Equestrian Centre, Lincs, from 24-29 August. www.sheepgate.co.uk Pony Club Championships The championships at Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire, will run from 21-25 August. www.pcuk.org…

My favourite restaurant… The Lazy Cow in Salisbury. It was an incredible steak house which was first introduced to me by my good mate Gubby Leech. Leaving both behind was a big loss when we moved back to Ireland. Watching... Peppa Pig and Balamory. The kids tend to hog the remote these days... Looking back… I galloped straight into a tree at my first four-star in Pau. I had just met Sparkles [his now wife] and had clearly lost focus. Listening to... I mainly listen to myself singing James Blunt or Meat Loaf. We had a few seasons without a radio so I had to improvise. The best event after-party... Boekelo has good parties, although I can’t remember much about them… My first pony... I have to say that I’ve…

ACCORDING to the UK’s Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO), most fatalities and injuries occur in grazing animals when they shelter under a tree or are grouped against a metal fence or water trough that is struck by lightning. Effects may be from one or a combination of electric current routes, including: • Direct strike, or contact voltage from touching a tree, fence or another animal that is struck. • When a current jumps from a tree, for example, to the animal as a better conducting pathway. • Ground surface current from a nearby strike — current from the strike point travels outwards and can go up one leg and down another. Horses may also experience electric shock if they are inside a building (if it is not electrically grounded)…

Harbour Pilot C We bought “Pye” in March last year for the World Equestrian Games (WEG) and he’s 16 now. He’s the ultimate professional. He’s a big horse, so he really struggled in the deep going at WEG, but he has about as reliable a temperament as you can get. He’s not concerned about being pampered — he loves competing and that’s all he’s interested in, really. He’s an absolute rock-solid legend. The qualification period I love it. I love the strategy behind it, the planning and the preparation. For me, the process is the really interesting part. Missing London 2012 In the last week of the qualification period, I went to Montelibretti CCI3* and finished 11th out of 40 with ESB Irish Fiddle, by 1.8 penalties. You only get…

TYLER CASSELLS, 26 Riding club (all European CIC2* riders have to be members of a riding club): East Cheshire Combined Training Group Set up: full-time event rider, based in Somerford, Cheshire. Trained by former four-star event rider John Marsden and grand prix dressage rider and former four-star eventer Beverley Brightman. Horse: Grandslam (Binks), a 10-year-old warmblood gelding by Sandro B, owned by John Marsden, Mr and Mrs Greaves and Joe Chambers. Tyler took over the reins from John three years ago. Since then, Binks has taken Tyler to his first CIC3* competitions, jumping clear cross-country at Blenheim and Bramham. Their best result was a second in the advanced class at Wellington Horse Trials in 2014. Tyler says: “He has a bit of arrogance about him and is a steam train…

Badinda Altena and Don Luis TWO combinations from France caught the eye in this test for their brilliant, charismatic performances. Showman Pierre Volla rode the equal youngest horse at the championships, the nine-year-old Badinda Altena (below left), by the Krack C son Tolando, to a new personal best of 70.357%, having never before even touched 69%. The pair are in their first year of grand prix and Pierre praised his “exceptional mare”. “She listened to me but with lots and lots of energy,” said the 34-year-old, who whipped up more cheers from the crowd after his test. His trainer Dominique Brieussel added: “The mare looks very cute and her character gives her all this flair. There is still work because it is only her fifth grand prix, and it keeps…

THE Dutch rider Diederik van Silfhout’s test on Arlando (left) drove a wedge between the judges, with one (the USA’s Anne Gribbons) awarding 70.98% and the Dutch judge Eduard de Wolff van Westerrode over 83%. In a rule instigated in January 2015, if a judge is 6% over the others’ average, that score is corrected by the judges’ supervisory panel (JSP) to the next highest. The FEI dressage director Trond Asmyr explained: “The JSP changed the mark from 83% to 77%, which resulted in a 0.9% final mark reduction for the rider.” The judge whose mark was way out will be officiating in Rio next year, too. In total, the JSP adjusted 35 marks in the special.…

THE Spanish team rider Morgan Barbançon Mestre left the arena with a tear-streaked face after competing her wonderful 18-year-old stallion Painted Black (right) for the final time. The Gribaldi x Ferro 18-year-old is still at peak fitness, and produced a flowing and energetic kür. He has been a faithful grand prix schoolmaster for Morgan since 2010, after being competed for three years at the level by Dutch rider Anky van Grunsven. Morgan, 23, wrote about Painted Black: “Today was our last ride in competition, I can’t thank you enough for all that you have brought me, Olympics, Europeans, World Games, World Cup final. You made my career, you made the rider that I am, and you taught me how to fight and to stay calm. You have been the best…

LAURA TOMLINSON — one of many riders commenting on finding deep going when they went into the arenas — took the expressive Lord Leatherdale x Jazz mare Dolcevendy to a 71.58% victory in the open advanced medium, despite some wobbles. Jane McGarel-Groves, at C, commented: “Laura rides every movement precisely. The changes weren’t established but she makes the most of what the horse is able to cope with. The mare is young and very big moving but she allowed her the opportunity to find her own balance. “For example, Laura really went for the extended canter. She got a good mark for that, even though there was a slight loss of balance coming back, then she rode a proper transition. “Many riders started coming back after X, then spent too…

ELLY HARDESTY’S 11-year-old Connemara/thoroughbred mare Dinarthall Grace is on good form. She took her second elementary win at Geldeston Hall, Norfolk (6 August). However, it hasn’t all been plain sailing. “Two years ago she underwent surgery for kissing spines,” explained Elly. “She had a dorsal interspinous ligament desmotomy at Chapelfield Veterinary Partnership Equine Clinic in Norfolk. “She was the first patient at the clinic to trial this relatively new procedure, performed by Dr Chris Lehrbach MRCVS,” added Elly, who works as head equine veterinary nurse at the clinic. “Before this she was suffering from back pain and displaying naughty behaviour under saddle. She wasn’t happy to be ridden and prior to her operation she was struggling to do a novice test. “But she is a special little horse who tries…

‘We found our confidence again — it was the best feeling ever’ JULIE BRADSHAW proved that perseverance pays off when she put a crashing fall at Belsay in 2013 firmly behind her to finish a close second in BE90 section J at Skipton (2). Julie’s 12-year-old gelding, Blackberry Roux — “a 40th birthday present to myself” — lost momentum at a large ascending oxer on the novice course, hit the back rail and fell backwards. “I thought we’d got away with it until I saw a huge cut on his left knee and blood spurting horizontally from the wound,” explained Julie, who took off her stock and wrapped it around her horse’s leg until the vet arrived on the scene. Roux was sidelined for four months. “The following season I…

DANISH horses dominated the championships, securing three of the six medals on offer and making history in the five year-old-section where embryo transfer (ET) full-sisters stood in gold and silver positions. The championship went to the consistent and expressive Fiontini, under Spanish national Severo Jurado Lopez who rides for Helgstrand Dressage. The silver was awarded to his boss, Andreas Helgstrand, riding the chestnut mare Fiontina. The outstanding mares are by the Fassbinder (see bloodlines, p79) out of Rapitala. Fassbinder is by Blue Hors Romanov, whose line goes back to Rohdiamant and Rubinstein. Bred by Hanne Lund and Henrik Hansen, Fiontini is still owned by the breeders, whereas Andreas Helgstrand owns a half share in Fiontina. Fiontini was the clear favourite of both the judges and the enthusiastic audience in the…

FIONTINI & FIONTINA DWB mares born 2010 Breeder: Hanne Lund and Henrik Hansen Owner: Fiontini — Breeder Fiontina — Breeder and Helgstrand Dressage Rider: Fiontini — Severo Jurado Lopez Fiontina — Andreas Helgstrand THE two mares Fiontini and Fiontina, full sisters bred by embryo transfer, were the names on everyone’s lips when they took the gold and silver medals in the World five-year-old championship in Verden last week. Both are by Fassbinder, a licensed Danish warmblood by Fürst Heinrich — the same sire as Woodlander Farouche — who was owned by the breeders of the sisters. Fassbinder was bred at the Atterupgaards stud (as was Fiona Bigwood’s European team ride Orthilia) and is out of Atterupgaards Dicte, who was by Caprimond, the Trakehner stallion of the year in 1998. Dicte…

Charlotte Bevan A last-minute decision to enter reaped an unexpected bonus for a North Wales-based showjumping family. Charlotte Bevan, 10, and her JC pony Meike B, produced a confident performance — rounded off with a blistering gallop — to win their first 133cm WHP class and claim a first-ever HOYS ticket. “We were showjumping here anyway and thought it would be fun to enter the workers too,” said Charlotte’s mother, Sara Jones. “We joined the BSPS on Monday specifically to do this class but never dreamed we’d end up winning — they’ve only ever done two worker classes before this!”…

Father and son IT is not often that two sisters qualify father-and-son ponies in a supreme championship, but that is exactly what happened to the Beverley-based Airey family. Having taken the Katy Fearn Ring of Colour ridden title on the first evening with Brookfarm Mr Chips, Phoebe Airey, 13, went on to stand reserve home-produced champion with the mannerly 11-year-old. The pair then went head-to-head with Phoebe’s 10-year-old sister Willow in the Harrison Civil Engineering Ridden Supreme. Willow partnered Mr Chips’ sire, the 16-year-old South Hill Farm Chipmunk, and both horses were called forward into the final eight. Mr Chips finished third. “We’ve owned Chipmunk for about seven years now, and when we heard that his son was for sale, we snapped him up,” said the girls’ mother, Jill. “This…

CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN and Valegro proved once again why they are world number ones, taking double gold at the FEI European Dressage Championships (12-16 August) in Aachen. Charlotte successfully defended her European freestyle and special titles, but it wasn’t as effortless as past victories. In the freestyle on Sunday (16 August) just 0.25% split Charlotte and Germany’s Kristina Bröring-Sprehe and Desperados FRH. It initially looked like it would be even closer, with just 0.1% separating the two riders, before Charlotte’s score was revised up slightly to 89.054% — to the boos of the home crowd. Earlier in the week (13 August) the British team had further cause to celebrate, with Charlotte, Carl Hester, Fiona Bigwood and Michael Eilberg taking silver, behind the Netherlands. • For full report see p40. BRITS JUST…

THE German squad contesting the FEI European Eventing Championships (Blair Castle, 10-13 September) has been named. The pairs are: Sandra Auffarth on Opgun Louvo, Michael Jung on FischerTakinou or Halunke FBW, Bettina Hoy on Designer 10, Ingrid Klimke on FRH Escada JS or Horseware Hale Bob, Dirk Schrade on Hop And Skip and Peter Thomsen on Horseware’s Barny. All the combinations took part in the Nations Cup at Aachen (13-14 August), where the country won the team competition. Britain was initially listed in third place, but a close call decision that Holly Woodhead had jumped outside a flag meant they were eliminated. • See report p68.…

POPULAR equestrian venue Carlton Cross-Country in Bedfordshire is to close its doors in October. The venue hosted affiliated British Eventing (BE) competitions from BE80(T) up to novice. It also put on unaffiliated cross-country and hunter trial events. Nicholas and Sara Tusting have organised events there for 25 years. They said it was with “mixed feelings” that they had decided to make 2015 their last season, and they hoped riders would join them for “one last gallop”.…

A TRAVELLING HORSE A mare had a lucky escape from a horsebox after it became stuck under a Buckinghamshire bridge (9 August). Firefighters cut apart the box to extract the horse, who escaped uninjured. ANDREW HEFFERNAN The Dutch Olympic eventer’s car was stolen from his home near Somerford, Cheshire, on 30 July. The burgundy 4x4 has his name and his sponsor — TWG Northwich — written on it. RICHARD DAVISON The British dressage star was left disgruntled at the FEI European Dressage Championships in Aachen after his bicycle was stolen from the team’s hotel. A FALLEN MARE A grey horse and her rider fell down an eight-foot ditch while hacking (8 August) in Carrington, Greater Manchester. Firefighters worked for three hours to pull the mare to safety.…

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Sir — I just wanted to say how inspiring your feature “Para Dressage: Making it Work” (13th August) was. As a medical student I often see patients with these debilitating illnesses, but it was remarkable learning about how they adapt and overcome any problems to continue to ride, work and compete at such a high level. It is truly remarkable to gain insight into the commitment and teamwork involved, and a constant reminder in my career that there is more to a person than an “illness”. Best of luck to everyone woking so hard in the run-up to Rio. Hennie Helliwell Dorchester, Dorset SHARING SPACE Sir — On Friday, 7 August I entered a dressage competition. Never having been the most confident rider in the warm-up arena,…

Don’t over-jump at home • If your horse is going well and already doing a few shows, don’t overdo the jumping at home. A couple of sessions a week will do, using a few different fillers if he tends to be spooky. • Use straightforward singles and some doubles with three- and four-stride distances to keep him looking for the next fence. Build confidence in the warm-up • Many riders jump too big and wide in the warm-up, so the horse is a bit dazed by the time he enters the arena. Use warm-up fences to build confidence, not to destroy it. • Work upwards from a cross-pole and finish sooner rather than later if all is going well. Keeping straight • Try to teach the horse to remain straight,…

“IT was a super opportunity to be invited to judge the Badminton Young Horse Championship in 2006. “I remember thinking that Valegro looked really athletic, although he was small, and he looked steady and easygoing for such a young horse. He was four years old and was ridden by a slight girl, Lucy Cartwright, while Carl rode Uthopia in the five-year-old group, which he won, although I placed Valegro first in the championship. He was not the extreme ‘flashy’ type, but really steady in his gaits and in his rhythm. “I really liked this particular young horse competition, but many are won by horses you never see at grand prix level. They may be big movers, but they are not quick enough in their action to be able to lengthen…

‘Breathing is difficult’ DENMARK’S Anna Kasprzak, usually a safe high-scorer for her country, was kicked at the trot-up by Donnperignon (below) and damaged her sternum. “These are not the easiest days for me,” said Anna, whose family owns the Ecco shoe empire. “He kicked me in the chest and I had to go to hospital. There’s nothing broken but I’m in a lot of pain. “My breathing is difficult and painful and in the test I needed a little more air than I could get in. “But I’m lucky: if he’d hit me further down or up, I wouldn’t have been riding here at all.”…

THERE was a whole different competition going on further down the medals table, with the nations finishing in fourth, fifth and sixth securing all-important Rio team places. Leading that charge in fourth were the Spanish team, spearheaded by Beatriz Ferrer-Salat, who was last to go for her country. Her test on Delgado, a 14-year-old De Niro x Weltmeyer gelding, was smooth and assured, but there was a major break to canter in the final extended trot, which Beatriz — a European, World Championships and Olympic medallist — had to work hard to recover from. Her 77.186% put her fifth individually, and the highest placed rider not part of a podium team. There were celebrations in the Swedish and French camps too, as they secured Rio slots. Sweden’s best results came…

KÜR MEDALS Charlotte Dujardin on Valegro (GBR) Kristina Bröring -Sprehe on Desperados FRH (GER) Beatriz Ferrer-Salat on Delgado (ESP) IT’S not often that the result confirming a gold medal receives booing. So it was in Aachen, as Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro retained their freestyle title — but only just. The team test blunders “Blueberry” made in the flying changes reared their ugly head again, and the pair trashed their first two attempts — the initial line so comprehensively it was hard to tell whether Charlotte intended them to be one-times or two. There was one remaining chance to make up for it on a free line, and she rode a wonderful set of punchy twos on a curve. But would it be enough to beat Germany’s Kristina Bröring-Sprehe on home…

KEYSTONE DYNAMITE may have fired young horse ace Sadie Smith out of the saddle four times within two months last summer, but he took the advanced medium restricted title here with his owner-rider. The seven-year-old Dimaggio gelding showed his mega potential as he won the class on nearly 72%. Sadie said her problems began when she took “Mambo” to Hartpury for the novice winter championships in 2013. “Due to a virus going round, I didn’t stable him, so couldn’t do an arena walk,” explained Sadie. “That indoor arena scared the life out of him. “Bringing him back into work in 2014 after some time off became a nightmare. He’d lost all his confidence. Someone rode too close to him in a warm-up and I hurt myself quite badly when I…

Lynwood scores a treble LYNWOOD STUD stole the show at Swallowfield EC (9 August), when three of its progeny won a class each. Susan Bullock took elementary 59 with nine-year-old Lynwood Crofter by Lynwood Braint; Sabrina Pagliarini won prelim 17 riding Lynwood Honour, a five-year-old by Lynwood Crane; and stud proprietor Amy Pugh headed novice 39 on Lynwood Constitution (right), the stud’s six-year-old Medoc stallion out of a home-bred mare. The West Midlands stud, established in 1947, breeds Welsh part-breds who can “turn their hooves to anything”. “My mum, Lesley, was brought up around Welsh ponies. They are so sound and trainable that she wanted to keep the Welsh blood in the programme,” Amy said. “We have progeny competing successfully in everything from dressage and eventing to showing.” Amy is…

WILLIAM FOX-PITT and Catherine Witt’s Bay My Hero fired a warning shot across the bows of potential challengers ahead of next month’s European Championships by winning the NAF Superflex CIC3*. The pair added just 0.8 of a cross-country time-fault to their dressage to complete on 37.9, ahead of Sarah Bullimore and Reve Du Rouet on 40.4 and William’s former stable jockey Ibby Macpherson on 43.1. The combination of approximately two million litres of water being applied to the cross-country track in the run-up to the event, plus a deluge of rain on Friday, resulted in the best going seen at the event for years. This was a contributing factor to William’s uncharacteristic speedy round. “I don’t usually run the horses fast unless I have to,” said William, “but as the…

PIGGY FRENCH was on flying form during intermediate day, picking up a double of triumphs including an open win aboard exciting prospect Belco HRS. It was only the third time the talented nine-year-old had competed with Piggy and the pair finished on their dressage score of 24.3 in section G, relegating Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class to second. Owned by equestrian product manufacturer Racesafe, the gelding by Hold Up Premier was produced and competed by Tom How — whose family owns Racesafe — and won three successive times at the young horse championships as a five-, six- and seven-year-old. “Tom was a working pupil of mine and had Belco with us as a seven year-old, but he recently decided to get a ‘proper’ job, and so I was asked to…

BECAUSE we don’t have a championship as such this year, the New Zealand team targeted Aachen as a team event at which we wanted to do well, and we had a pretty strong squad there. Aachen is always an amazing show — even the showjumpers say that it is one of the best in terms of organisation, hospitality and facilities. Every time I go there more facilities seem to have been added, and there was a new covered warm-up arena this time. The eventing dressage and showjumping had been moved — because of the dressage and showjumping European Championships taking place at the same time — to a grass arena, which is normally the driving arena. The New Zealanders all felt that we had underperformed in the dressage. I had…

FREELANCE instructor Karon Carson recorded her biggest win to date when she was crowned BE90 Scottish champion at Hendersyde Park with her 10-year-old Finding Nico (pictured, left). Karon, who suffers from ongoing back pain as a result of a degenerative condition, has to follow a strict regime to stay fit enough to event. “I go to the gym three times a week, and work hard on my core strength and muscles ” she said. , “I used to do a lot of backing and riding youngsters, but I’ve had to stop that now and concentrate on teaching.” Tiffany Mactaggart took top honours in the BE100open Scottish Championship with Highly Delighted, a smart six-year-old by Verdi, while James Sommerville and Fellside Fancy Free headed the intermediate novice equivalent.…

• At the Danish Warmblood Young Horse Championships in March both ET mares made a huge impression on test rider Charlotte Dujardin, who awarded them 10s for their incredible rideabilty and wished there were even higher marks available to award. • This year Verden hosted a pilot project for a World Young Pony Championships for 5- and 6-year old dressage ponies. • After 16 years in Verden the championships move to Ermelo, the Netherlands, next year and the young horse championships will be expanded from five- and six-year-old divisions to include a seven-year-old championship.…

CLARK GLASGOW outrode a strong field to win the British Showjumping Business Partnership international stairway final and become the new national champion. Clark, 23, recently graduated from Cambridge University and is back there next month to study at the medical school. However, he will have time off in October, as his victory here on his fabulous 10-year-old Fleur De L’Aube also qualified him for the international classes at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). “I can’t believe this because I’m just an amateur rider,” he said. “This was Fleur’s biggest-ever test, but the more I asked her the harder she tried. It’s a joint effort though. I couldn’t do this without my family and a fabulous team behind me.” The modest Clark was selling himself short, as he jumped…

Fantaland leads by example THIS show was a family occasion for new national ladies’ champion Carron Nicol. Carron began on Tuesday with a 1.30m qualifier win on her home-bred stallion Fantaland, whose three-year-old son Goldeneye was second in the loose jumping championship that evening. She was back on the final day with another of Fantaland’s sons, Moonraker, to become Tim Stockdale and Ernest Dillon’s choice as four-year-old style and performance champion. “I’m a very, very proud owner-breeder-rider,” she said.…

A good friend of mine from the Netherlands came and competed with me for three weeks, and we went to Addington’s summer classic for the newcomers and Foxhunter second rounds. I had to explain what a regional final was — the system is a mystery for foreigners. We wonder why we produce so few grand prix horses in Britain when, compared to the rest of the world, our competition structure is archaic. We jump amateurs against professionals in these classes, and young horses against older horses. It doesn’t suit anybody. At Addington, there were 120 entries in the newcomers second round; the top 23 horses who were placed were between six and 10 years old. In the Foxhunter second round, they were aged between seven and 11. People would be…

Social media in play THIS new show was sadly fraught with teething problems — not least having to change the location of the rings at short notice due to ground conditions. Wherever possible, though, Grandstand staff were quickly on the case. In the absence of a call-up facility, one particularly inspired idea was to use social media instead. Changes to the schedule and the lack of set timings meant that competitors had no idea when they needed to be at the rings, so the show’s Facebook page and Twitter feeds were brought into play, posting regular 10 and 20-minute warnings for the classes. “We know we got some things wrong but whatever we could put right immediately, we did,” said Grandstand managing director Helena Pettit. “We have taken on board…

Lucrative junior bursary up for grabs NEW this year was a junior masterclass competition with Julie Templeton, which offered a top bursary of £200 to be used for equestrian training. “We decided not to specify trainers as we believe that training in any recognised discipline will benefit pony and rider,” said CHAPS chair Caroline Hamilton, who introduced the concept to replace the “CHAPS Factor” competition than ran in previous years. The inaugural winner of the competition was Blackpool-based Carys Outram riding Parkdene May Song (below).…

SITTING by the ring, watching one young rider after another misinterpret a steward’s instructions on performing a set show, got me thinking. When a set show is required, why can’t it be posted at the collecting ring or available in the show secretary’s office beforehand? In showjumping, the jump-off course is pinned up in the collecting ring. Showing could follow suit and make life easier and simpler for everyone. Look what happens in our sport: a judge pulls in an initial line-up and the first rider is immediately under pressure. So many times, the first one to go makes a mistake and other competitors — who have been watching rather than listening — follow suit. Being able to study and learn a set show beforehand would allow riders to prepare…