Innholdsfortegnelse for 15-Sep-2016 i Horse & Hound

AVEBURY Andrew Nicholson’s record-breaking four-star ride has been put down aged 16. The popular grey - the only horse to have won Burghley three times - had an untreatable malignant tumour in his jaw. He had been retired since April. MACCHIATO The former four-star horse owned by Jane Kier and ridden by William Fox-Pitt has been put down, aged 18. The thoroughbred won the British intermediate championships, Bramham and Blair CCI3*s and Luhmühlen CCI4*. NINO DES BUISSONETS Steve Guerdat’s ride will not take part in another championship. The London 2012 Olympic individual showjumping gold medal-winner, who finished fourth in Rio, will still compete “as long as he wants to jump”, said his rider. ZINIUS Norway’s Victoria Gulliksen has taken over the ride on the 12-year-old, who was produced to five-star…

EIGHT British Showjumping (BS) winter championship finals are to be held as part of the first London Spring International Horse Show next Easter (14-17 April). Two existing finals, the winter amateur and grade C classes, will move to the ExCel exhibition centre. Six new championships will also be on offer: winter bronze, silver and gold league finals, as well as children-on-horses, 1.35m and under-25 classes. The CSI3* show will also feature international dressage, on 12 and 13 April, and showjumping including a grand prix and a puissance (pictured). Show organiser and dressage rider Daniel Watson said: “It was always our aim to produce a show that would provide great entertainment and sport, and inspire spectators and competitors; by introducing these championships we believe we will be able to do that.”…

RESEARCH exploring the long-term effects of concussion has been expanded to record data from up to four times as many individuals as originally planned, writes Rachael Turner. The International Concussion and Head Injury Research Foundation (ICHIRF) study was launched last September and looks into whether repeated head trauma leads to neurological problems later in life (news, 28 January). The research is inclusive of all sports in which concussion is a recognised risk, including horseracing and other equestrian disciplines. The ICHIRF has recently relocated to new premises in London to allow more individuals to be screened for the research each year. “The original plan was to screen 250 people over three years, but it’s now possible to screen 200 in a year,” ICHIRF medical director and lead researcher Dr Michael Turner…

ENTREPRENEURIAL companies and individuals are developing high-tech methods of keeping horses and riders safer on the roads, writes Eleanor Jones. Interactive crossing systems and smartphone apps are being used in inventive ways to warn drivers of horses’ presence. In Kilmarnock, Scotland, solar-powered flashing warning signs (pictured) have “definitely improved” safety for riders at Bargower Riding School, near the A76. Gordon Stitt of Coeval, which created the system, wants to further the technology. “We’re looking into various things,” he told H&H. “There’s an app which riders could have on their phones and when they approach the sign activation button it would know they’re there and activate it remotely.” Mr Stitt said the app is being developed for people with impaired vision, to use at pedestrian crossings, and that other apps —…

AN ANCIENT SCULPTURE A horse sculpture dating back two centuries has shot to fame due to its amusing facial expression. People have said the equine looks like the character Donkey from Shrek . TESS THE SHIRE The 16-year-old mare became stuck in her stable on 27 August. Firefighters used slings and specialised equipment to drag her from her stable, then helped her to her feet. Tess is “recovering well”. JELLY LEGS Former footballer Michael Owen was surprised how difficult his first “riding lesson” was aboard a racehorse simulator. “Even though it was only for a few minutes it left my legs feeling like jelly,” said Michael, who owns numerous racehorses. BROKEN STIRRUPS New Zealand eventer Dan Jocelyn suffered a bloody nose when his stirrup broke before the Burghley cross-country. He…

PARALYMPICS Follow British riders as they compete at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games (7-18 September). www.horseandhound.co.uk/ rio-2016-paralympics-dressage OPEN WEEKEND The annual Newmarket Open Weekend will be held on 17-18 September. newmarketopenweekend.co.uk PARADE See horses and riders parade to St John’s Church, Hyde Park, in London for the Horsemen’s Sunday service on 18 September. Horses, riders and carriages will leave Radnor Place at 11am and the service begins at noon. www.rossnyestables.co.uk FITNESS Try an introduction to rider-specific pilates on 15 September, held above Clare’s Saddlery in Rowlands Gill, Tyne and Wear. www.equoevents.co.uk DRESSAGE Go to the National Dressage Championships at Stoneleigh, Warks, on 15-18 September. As well as four days of competition, Kyra Kyrklund will be hosting masterclasses. www.bdchampionships.com RACING Visit Ayr racecourse in Scotland for the Ayr Gold Cup Festival on…

I welcome wholeheartedly your journal s decision to promote Nick Skelton as BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Regardless of some commentators’ derogatory remarks about age and comparisons with It’s a Knockout , Nick has worked relentlessly for the past 40 years to promote his sport, aided by his unique ability to school horses to great success. Nick still holds the British showjumping high jump record of 2.32m, set at Olympia in 1978 with Lastic, and has won countless international trophies, including three golds, three silver and three bronze European Championship medals, individually and with the British team. Not to mention winning the Hickstead Derby three times and the King George Gold Cup four times, plus many Nations Cup appearances and, of course, his seven Olympic Games. He is regarded…

My earliest equestrian memory… Aged about five, I met Grand National winner Red Rum (inset) at a show in Cork, Ireland. I even had my picture taken with him. My secret weapon... I knot my reins in two places — at the end so that I can slip them and still be in control, and also halfway down. It’s a useful trick to control strong horses. My best warm-up tip… I have a chat with my pals in the warm-up, especially those up for a bit of banter. It helps me to stay relaxed, even though I don’t tend to get stressed about anything. My first pony… A naughty 11.2hh grey called Hino who had a habit of putting his head down, causing me to fly straight over his ears.…

SERIOUS injury is thankfully rare in horses. Minor scratches and small nicks are more commonplace and relatively straightforward to deal with, so it can be easy to become a little complacent if you haven’t been faced with a nasty injury for a while. A study recently conducted at the University of Liverpool surveyed horse owners in the north-west of the UK about traumatic injuries in horses. Results were surprising: 40% of owners reported that one or more of their horses had sustained a significant injury in the previous 12 months, almost half of which were in the form of a single wound (45%). In a survey of vets in New Zealand, 58% of those who responded reported that clients treated wounds on their horses without consulting a vet. Worryingly, wounds…

BOB ELLIS BOB is known for his creative showjumping tracks at the London 2012 Olympics, but he has shown flair and dedication in a 40-year career. His regular assignments include Hickstead, Bolesworth, the Horse of the Year Show and Olympia, but his CV also contains championship and world-class events. Bob’s designs have developed with the sport, with innovative use of materials and technical elements. He puts in the effort to meet the needs of competitors, spectators and organisers at every event, and his tracks guarantee good sport. Bob makes riders stop to think — he’s willing to test horse and rider while keeping safety paramount. And he willingly shares his knowledge as a mentor. NICK SKELTON SCRIPTWRITERS couldn’t have composed a more fitting final chapter to Nick Skelton’s phenomenal story.…

ANDREW NICHOLSON’S BARBURY TRIUMPH THE MOMENT: the 55-year-old took the third leg of the Event Rider Masters with Libby Sellar’s Nereo at Barbury in June — the fifth time in a row he has taken the main class at the Wiltshire horse trials. WOW FACTOR: the victory was less than a year after he suffered a serious neck injury in a fall at the Festival of British Eventing, which could have left him paralysed. “My surgeon told me that the injury I sustained would have caused paralysis at the time of injury in 98% of cases,” Andrew said after he was released from hospital. “I was extremely fortunate.” CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN DEFENDING HER OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL THE MOMENT: the 31-year-old delighted the Rio crowds when she stormed to victory with the…

JANE CEPOK, 68 THE STATS: Jane has volunteered in the equestrian world for over 50 years including with the Strathearn branch of the Pony Club, Central Scotland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials, and Riding for the Disabled Association Auchterarder Group. She has been a district commissioner (DC), instructor, event secretary and jump judge coordinator. 2016 HIGHLIGHT? Coordinating 115 jump judges and radio operators at Blair Horse Trials for two days of cross-country, with my daughter Katy. TOP TIP FOR VOLUNTEERS? Take on tasks that you can do and enjoy seeing the resulting benefits. WHAT THE FANS SAY… “Jane has given up her time to support our equestrian sports, helping people enjoy riding in any sphere, both as an organiser and support at events.” Katy Cepok JOY PEATMAN, 64 THE…

BLENHEIM 2016 was a cosmopolitan event with different nationalities taking the three classes, on a mare, gelding and a stallion. Riders in their 50s shared top placings with those in their 20s and all of them hope their horses are destined for even greater things — last year’s CCI3* victor went to Rio and the runner-up has just won Burghley. Germany’s Bettina Hoy, 53, landed her first CCI3* “for a bloody long time” on the Westfalian Seigneur Medicott. They led from pillar to post, winning by more than 10 points, her friend and trainer Chris Bartle willing her over each fence at the ringside. “He’s a beautiful mover and a beautiful horse,” she said of Gerd-Hermann Horst’s 10-year-old. “But he lacks experience and strength through having two seasons off.” Bettina…

Cable drama JESSICA MCKIE was brought down on the flat after the CIC3* third fence when Ask The Boss got a cable caught between his foot and his shoe. Thus her Blenheim ended - along with the CIC live feed. Early birds TO accommodate the ERM alongside two other huge classes, Saturday’s cross-country started unusually early at 9am and was complete by 2pm - catching some visitors unawares. Fold-up factsheets THE traditional £5 programme was replaced by fold-up factsheets (£1 in advance, £2 on the day) showing the course map, running order, results and more, printed daily. Visitor reaction was positive. Crakes or flakes? VERBAL slip of the weekend? Probably commentator Spencer Sturmey calling Beanie Sturgis’s The Corn Crake “The Corn Flake”. But as he later let Zara Tindall shave…

Low-mileage De La Veiga wins £500 SATURDAY evening’s advanced medium freestyle may have only had 10 entries but the quality was high and the results were close, with Kate Smith and De La Veiga winning the top prize of £500. Wellington was an early pioneer of music freestyle competition and their advanced medium gala evening has been running for 18 years. This was generous prize money so hopefully more competitors will take advantage of it next year. “Joey” is a big chestnut nine-year-old gelding by Dimaggio out of a Weltmeyer mare and was bred by Sarah Oppenheimer. Kate rode him as a five-year-old for his then owner, Tim Sillevis. “He’s had a couple of owners since and had an accident to his hock, so when I bought him six months…

JANE LITTLEJOHN’S dancing background paid off at Keysoe, Beds (30 August), where she scored over 78% in the medium freestyle and over 75% in her advanced medium freestyle debut on her eight-year-old Urban Knight, by United, writes Selene Scarsi. “‘Herbie’ has been off with an injury for three months so this was his first outing in a while. He felt amazing and when the music started he knew what he had to do — he seems to get dancing,” said Jane, a qualified tap-dancing teacher who has danced since she was four. “My dancing background helps; I try to ride the test to the phrasing of the music. I can listen to the music without riding to it and know exactly which part of the routine I’m on. I treat…

Earnshaws Gossip Girl ELIZABETH MORTIMER’S loose-moving Earnshaws Gossip Girl (pictured) caught the eye when heading the Tarnbrook Team Pink Breeders’ Challenge supreme after winning her two-year-old class and standing reserve in that section. The athletic filly, by Airborn, is the last homebred out of Elizabeth’s successful foundation mare Dream Portfolio, and is home-produced at the family’s livery yard in Lancashire. “We are very proud of her and look forward to her ridden career before breeding from her,” said Elizabeth. “She’s also gained a first premium at the BEF futurity and was the highest scoring eventing yearling last year.”…

QUITE often all it takes is the slightest excuse and then it’s amazing how quickly new plans can be formed. An email forwarded on late at night from a colleague reporting on the Olympic equestrian events in Rio entitled “Willberry goes staghunting” was all that was needed for the first hunting visit of the season for H&H to be put into the diary — over two months earlier than usual when opening meets for the foxhound packs take place. With autumn hunting on the horizon but not in full swing, an opportunity to visit the famous Devon and Somerset Staghounds (D&S) and raise money for the Willberry Wonder Pony charity at the same time was all too good to resist. The charity raises funds to support research into bone cancer…

Trainer Laura Mongan BORN AND BRED: Epsom STARTED RIDING: at the age of three FIRST JOB IN RACING: left the Pony Club aged 15 to join local trainer Brooke Sanders FIRST WINNER AS AMATEUR JOCKEY: when she was 16 RACING BACKGROUND: she worked for Nick Littmoden, Sir Mark Prescott and Harvey Cyzer, but the plan was always to return to Epsom to train one day FIRST LICENCE HELD: 2004 CURRENT BASE: Condover Stables in Epsom PREVIOUS BIGGEST WINNER: First Avenue in the Imperial Cup at Sandown in 2013…

‘There was no choice but to go in and attack the cones. It was close the whole way’Sara Clough on the testing cones course SARA HOWE snatched a late victory in a revitalised pony fours class to claim her sixth teams title in eight years. After finishing runner-up in the first two phases to Roger Campbell — debuting his Jaqueline Walter-owned team this season — Sara clawed back an advantage with the sole cones clear. Roger, who is based with his team’s owners in Minden, Germany, had 4.42 penalties in hand overnight, but saw the title slip away as he uncharacteristically clipped three balls with the Welsh section As and B. “It’s been excellent having him in the class,” said Sara, who headed an unusually high turnout this year. “It’s…

AN investigation has been launched into the death of Russian rider Nikita Sotskov, the fourth eventing fatality in six months, writes Rachael Turner . The 21-year-old (pictured) died as the result of a rotational fall at Ratomka Horse Trials on Saturday (10 September). Nikita and his horse, Larry Carlton, fell at the second-last cross-country fence, a wooden “square spread”, in the CIC3* in Minsk, Belarus. The FEI said medics were on the scene immediately after the accident, “but sadly the rider could not be saved”. He had sustained a fracture to his cervical spine, according to the Russian Equestrian Federation (REF). A vet examined gelding Larry Carlton and treated a minor leg injury to his near hind. The circumstances of the accident will be “fully reviewed”, an FEI spokesman said.…

YOGI BREISNER A presentation was made at Blenheim to celebrate Yogi’s 18 years as World Class eventing performance manger. Since then, British riders have won 16 team and 13 individual medals at major championships. Yogi was given a Longines watch. CHRISTIAN AHLMANN The German showjumper has retained the top spot of the world rankings. The US’s Kent Farrington now stands in second position, while France’s Simon Delestre drops down one spot to rank three. JAY HALIM Showjumper Jay told H&H he plans to take a break from top-level competition following the loss of the ride on his top horse Bart. Jay is also selling a number of his horses. He will now be focusing on producing his young horses. DES PAYNE The former captain in the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment…

RETIRED jockey Hayley Turner has been involved in the ICHIRF research. Hayley took part in the day-long screening process in June, which costs the ICHIRF £5,000 per person and involves an MRI scan and blood tests as well as a physical examination. She told H&H she found the research “really interesting” and encouraged other riders to take part. “The more we can do to help the future generation the better, because it is a guessing game at the moment,” Hayley said. “We need to move forward with the times and it’s great that we now have the facilities, money and support to be able to dig deeper. I don’t think concussion is something that should ever discourage women from racing, but it’s nice to know the risks before they do…

BRIAN CHARLEY MR CHARLEY passed away at home aged 70 on 21 August. A popular personality in the equestrian world, Mr Charley was known for his mischievous sense of humour and love of people. He rode on winning Prince Philip Cup teams, as a National Hunt jockey, eventer, showjumper and master of the North Warwickshire. Many came to know him when he worked with his brother, the late Geoff Charley, on the Townfields Saddlers stand at shows. SYLVIA PEPLER A stalwart of the Wylye Valley branch of the Pony Club, Mrs Pepler died earlier this month. Born in 1935, she became involved with the Pony Club in 1972 when she went along as a parent to help with the washing-up one summer and soon found herself the “face of food”…

BOTOX? It’s so last season, darling. The latest injectable anti-ageing treatment is a protein made from horses’ tendons. The wrinkle-busting, skin-plumping, new kid on the block was launched in the UK last week. Botox has long been controversial, as it involves injecting toxins into the face to block signals from the nerves to the muscles, but the manufacturers of Nithya say the tendon treatment works by stimulating collagen-producing cells – without any side effects. The effects can last for up to a year, compared with Botox’s three to six months. And for anyone who may be squeamish about the thought of using a tendon-based treatment (not to mention the £250 price tag), bear in mind there are also beauty products available made from nightingale faeces and bull semen. Tendons are…

NATIONAL DRESSAGE CHAMPIONSHIPS REPORT All the action from young horses to big tour VET How to deal with a choking horse EVENTING Gatcombe, Allerton and Eventing Life, plus Tom McEwen’s training tips SHOWJUMPING Royal Berks, plus horse hero with pony star Pringle SHOWING BSHA National Championships and Hunter Show DRIVING Victoria Foods Carriage Driving Extravaganza COLUMNISTS Mark Phillips, William Funnell and Stuart Hollings…

A multitude of wound products are on the market, such as blue or purple sprays, iodine spray and wound powder, and lotions and potions including tea tree oil and turmeric. These products should never be used on open wounds. Never put anything on a wound that you would not put in your eye. Chemicals can easily damage the delicate tissues that are normally protected by skin, so the application of these substances can delay healing. Wound powder is seen as a foreign body by the horse’s system, which then has to get rid of this invasion. Blue and purple sprays stain the wound and get everywhere, making it extremely difficult for a vet to see the tissue and to assess the healing process.…

Circles of the mind • I tend to do a lot of 20m circles with the horses in schooling and give with my hands a good deal, sort of throwing the reins at the horse so that it learns to find its own way. • When doing the circle work I teach horses to bend from the leg. They learn to find their natural carriage. On the nose • I like to use a drop noseband. It teaches the horse to mouth properly and not to lean on the bit, and it encourages them not to open their mouth against the bit. • If the horse is going well in something like that, you’re only “dressing” it in a double bridle. It should be schooled well enough to sit in…

CHILLI MORNING THE stallion retires to stud with a brilliant British team record. He and William Fox-Pitt have been the best Team GBR pair in all three of the horse’s championship appearances, taking individual bronze at the 2013 Europeans and the 2014 World Equestrian Games (and team silver), and finishing 12th in the Rio Olympics this year. Chilli is the only stallion to have won Badminton. William says that riding Chilli in Rio was a major motivator in his rehab after his serious head injury and the horse was forgiving when he was riding with double vision: “Chilli didn’t mind me missing on him. There were always two jumps and I didn’t know until I was one stride away which one to jump.” This title would be a fitting way…

ZANIE KING, 40 GROOM FOR LAURA COLLETT FOR NEARLY SIX YEARS 2016 HIGHLIGHT? Laura being longlisted for the Rio Olympics on two horses. It was a very proud moment and makes me determined to work harder for success in the future. WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A GROOM? I evented up to intermediate level but there came a time when I was more worried about how neat the plaits were rather than focusing on the dressage warm-up, so that’s when I decided to change direction. TOP GROOMING TIP? Always be a perfectionist. Never stop learning or pushing yourself to improve. ADVICE FOR BUDDING GROOMS? Be a team player, work hard and love your horses. WORDS FROM THE BOSS… “Zanie is brilliant. She basically runs my life and I would…

LEWIS KNAGGS, 25 FARRIERY CAREER: four and a half years. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A FARRIER? I loved metalwork and had always been around horses — and loved them too. 2016 HIGHLIGHT? Winning the hunter and shire shoeing classes at the Kent County Show and being named Kent’s best farrier and show champion. I was so pleased. You work hard and hope it pays off in the long run. A MOMENT THAT MADE YOU SMILE… Shoeing two miniature driving stallions on one of the hottest days of the year — such hard work! TOP TIP FOR A BUDDING FARRIER? Work hard and put the time in; the more you put in, the more you get out. You reap the rewards. WHAT THE CLIENT SAYS… “Lewis has shod my…

IN addition to the 10 awards for which we accepted nominations, Horse & Hound has created an 11th award, for which we have selected the worthy recipient without our readers’ input, but knowing of their support. The winner of the Horse & Hound Inspiration of the Year Award is Hannah Francis. Teenage event rider Hannah inspired thousands of riders over the past year via her blog written from the viewpoint of Willberry, a soft toy pony. Having been diagnosed with bone cancer in May 2015, Hannah — never complaining, ever motivated — continued to ride, even performing the CCI2* dressage test as guinea pig at Tattersalls in June, while she continued chemotherapy. Top riders, including William Fox-Pitt, sent messages of encouragement throughout Hannah’s illness. The support the horse world has…

Simon Vatcher FULL-TIME farrier Simon (pictured) logged his second Blenheim CCI completion with his wife’s Camblin Hill - and won the farriery prize for the second year running. Simon’s wife Victoria runs a livery yard and is a joint master of the Berkeley, for whom Simon sometimes field masters. He competes just one horse and in some eight events annually. “My wife does the fitness work while I’m out shoeing until seven or eight at night, and I might only ride once a week,” explains Simon. “It’s my hobby, and my dressage is getting better though I don’t really know what I’m doing. My dream would be to get to Badminton, but my wife says if I manage that then I have to give up.”…

Linda Hoad “THERE were some good, quality horses here at prelim and novice level with nice paces, but as the work gets more technical the basics can tend to disappear,” says judge Linda Hoad. “Roundness, suppleness and consistency of contact always have to be there. “There isn’t the depth of classes at the higher levels here - you sometimes only see one horse so it’s difficult to generalise - but at the lower levels there are lots of nice, free, forward-going horses. Higher up some combinations can get a bit stuck in their way of going; the fundamental principles have to be there no matter what.”…

AFTER a tense three days of qualification, Louise Saywell and James Smith won their way into the international classes at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). The two tickets are won on a points basis and qualification culminates in a grand prix class. After getting both Feigtling and Patrol V into the jump-off, the pressure was off Louise, who was already on her way to the NEC. But no one was quite sure who the second qualifier would be, as both James Smith (Tyson Uno) and Mennell Watson (Whisper In The Wind) finished on the same number of points. A rule check revealed that James would qualify due to finishing one place higher than Mennell in the grand prix. Although the grand prix was all about HOYS places, there was…

THE announcement that Britain will now get to compete in the Nations Cup final in Barcelona (22-25 September) has created an interesting scenario. After the winners of the Asia-Australia and Middle East regions confirmed they would not be heading to Spain, both Britain and Belgium — who were relegated from division one after Hickstead — now have wildcards (news, 8 September). But what the FEI has been unable to confirm is if Britain stands a chance of competing in the top tier next year if they win. Usually the winners of the Nations Cup final automatically qualify for division one. But as we’ve been declared officially out, will that be the case or should we be allowed to bounce back without missing a year? When the FEI were challenged this…

A farrier husband and cushioned shoes THERE are advantages to having a farrier for a husband, as Lammy Beach’s slightly unusual shoeing shows. After deciding that as the gelding had narrow heels, he would benefit from a bar shoe, Holly Smith’s husband Graham tried him in these rubber-lined circular aluminium shoes (pictured). “They give them extra cushioning when they land and he started going brilliantly in them, so we kept using them,” said Holly. “He’s never overreached and pulled one off, so they work for him.”…

CASES of riders allegedly being too heavy for their ponies are a current hot potato. There may be an issue, but it would be very hard to tell if a rider’s weight had a direct impact on the animal and — short of having scales at every show — it would be very difficult to police. Riding experience and skill need to be taken into consideration. I have some very light children who would ride far heavier than my older jockeys. The older riders might be heavier, but have light and established seats and good hands, making the overall impact on the animal negligible. William Fox-Pitt is a great example. He is very tall and some might think that in theory, he could be too heavy for smaller horses. However,…

Retires from hunt service A testimonial fund for Donald Summersgill, who retires at the end of the season, is being jointly organised by the D&S Hunt Club chairman Mrs Brenda Coates, Coppleham Cottage, Winsford, Somerset TA24 7AF and Mrs Pat Bawden, Halsgrove Cottage, Withypool, Somerset TA24 7RX, email: staghounds@exmoor.org.uk . Donations are welcomed and can be sent by cheque to either of the above, or paid directly into the D&S Presentation Fund account - Natwest bank, sort code: 52 30 42, account number: 38 04 64 58.…

Mullins conquers Flat game and O’Brien’s back in the saddle • WILLIE MULLINS saddled his first Classic winner when the Melbourne Cup-bound Wicklow Brave, ridden by Frankie Dettori, pulled off a shock to beat Order Of St George half a length in the Palmerston House Estate Irish St Leger at The Curragh. • TRAINER Joseph O’Brien and younger brother, jockey Donnacha, both secured their first Group One when Intricately beat their father Aidan’s Hydrangea on the nod in the Moyglare Stud Stakes. Aidan was not too upset - he and his wife Anne-Marie bred Intricately. • AT 23, Joseph O’Brien, the youngest rider in the field, also won the Clipper Logistics Leger Legends Stakes at Doncaster on Wednesday (7 September), beating Peter Buchanan and George Duffield. • CHURCHILL’S runaway win…

Youngsters on form YOUNG drivers demonstrated their form in the senior ranks, with 16-year-old Jack Ralph claiming the novice pony championship with Mallard’s Wood Spice. It was his second national title this year, having also claimed the junior indoor laurels in April. Megan Wheeldon, 15, a member of next week’s FEI youth driving championship squad (22-25 September), secured the intermediate pony with Penraven Prince. Meanwhile, junior team chef d’equipe Mary Jane Campbell - mother of pony team driver Roger and his backsteppers Clare and Frank - set a good example as she headed the novice horse with Z. The 12-year-old gelding previously won the open horse title with Frank in 2014.…

‘He was a shy, sensitive horse who adored company— both human and equine’ SLEEP LATE occupies a huge place in my heart. We enjoyed so many “firsts” together, such as our first Olympics and our first Badminton. My father, Reiner, suggested that we look for a horse with more blood than the others in my stables. We spotted Sleep Late (Blue), who had been bred in England and was by Kuwait Beach, as a six-year-old when he was training at Warendorf in Germany with his owner/rider Annette Wyrwoll. The moment I saw him I felt that he was special, and that proved to be true. As a seven-year-old he won the World Young Horse Championships at Le Lion d’Angers, while only two years later we headed for the Sydney Olympics.…

BRITISH riders had started a strong campaign at the Rio 2016 Paralympics as H&H went to press on Monday (12 September). Team trailblazer Sophie Wells scored 74.4% with her own Valerius (“Reece”) in the team test — just short of her personal best of 74.59% — leaving her in second place, 0.15pen behind America’s Michele George. “Reece went in and listened and did what he had to do,” said Sophie. “He felt a bit nervous going in — he’s never been to a Paralympics before. But he came back to me and concentrated and we had no mistakes, which is important for day one. “I’ve had Reece for 10 years and I keep thinking how much we’ve grown,” said Sophie. “I was 16 when I got him and it’s awesome…

VETS risk “degrading their profession” if they carry out unnecessary lab tests, professionals have warned colleagues, writes Eleanor Jones . Dicky Hepburn and Ben Sykes proposed the motion “this house believes lab tests are overused and abused”, in a good-natured debate at the British Equestrian Veterinary Association (BEVA) congress in Birmingham (7-10 September). Mr Sykes, an honorary lecturer at the Liverpool equine hospital, said: “If it doesn’t add value, for the client or patient, don’t do it. The more expensive we are, the less likely people are to seek our attention. “If you’ve got a horse with low-grade colic, there’s no point belly-tapping it. “People do it because it’s part of a main database but for a bog-standard colic, the benefit’s virtually nothing. “We’re not saying tests aren’t useful but…

Amerigo is taking the breaking of Sam Griffiths’ stirrup at Burghley “extremely seriously”. It said the incident was a one-off and is suspending sales of this stirrup until the reason for the break is found. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ sam-griffiths-broken-stirrup “Buckets of Pimm’s” and Henry Cecil were among the inspirations for Jilly Cooper’s saucy new novel. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ jilly-cooper-mount Trainer Bina Ford is organising a showjumping event to “celebrate the life” of inspirational teenager Hannah Francis. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ hannah-francis-memorial-show A farmer was fined £260 for leaving a lice-ridden, emaciated horse with colic to suffer for four days. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ paul-alton-neglect Three Greater Manchester police horses have won animal hero awards for their bravery. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ police-horse-hero-awards Clare Balding’s new novel, The Racehorse Who Wouldn’t Gallop, features a horse-mad heroine. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ clare-balding-childrens-book Event rider Ben Hobday tried his hand at riding side-saddle to the…

MATTHEW WRIGHT The event rider and his partner Victoria Peace welcomed the birth of their daughter, Niamh Scarlett, on 31 August. “We are both absolutely over the moon,” said Matthew. INVISIBLE HORSES World Horse Welfare’s “Invisible Horse” sculptures, which were displayed at Badminton, will be sold at auction on 4 November. Each piece stands at around 7hh and tells the story of a horse helped by the charity. THE DONKEY SANCTUARY The charity’s supporters have celebrated Rio 2016 by naming the organisation’s newest foal Olympia. The name was chosen through a social media contest, asking supporters to share their suggestions. BAKING Great British Bake Off star Ugne Bubnaityte judged Brooke’s carrot cake competition at Burghley. Michelle Knott was crowned champion for her Olympics-inspired cake.…

A foal’s death has prompted renewed calls for the public to reconsider setting off fireworks near horses. Pat Ormond, owner of College View Stud, Warks, lost his colt on 28 August. The four-month-old had been frightened by a nearby fireworks display. College View Chrome suffered fractured vertebrae and had to be put down. “We’re devastated,” Mr Ormond told H&H . “He was exceptional; we were so proud of him. “The worry now is that we have five in-foal mares and we have to re-scan to see if the foals are OK. I’ve been putting it off as I don’t think I can take any more.” Mr Ormond urged people not to set off fireworks near horses. There have been 93 reports to the British Horse Society (BHS) of horse accidents…

AN ADMIRABLE EFFORT Sir — I am a member of British Dressage (BD) and am proud to belong to a professional body that provides a competition path and training for future stars. The sport’s growing popularity means that changes have been needed, and last year BD unveiled a new structure. There were some misgivings among the membership, but I studied the new rules, found my place in the structure and carried on. BD has been great at taking on board member feedback. The rule changes have been tweaked and the need to “equalise the imbalance that exists in the silver section” has been recognised. I applaud BD’s attempts to consult with the membership. However, this has led to the updates made on 10 August being updated on 30 August, and…

IT was fantastic to receive quite so many nominations from readers in all categories for our inaugural Horse & Hound awards, though the calibre of these made it extremely difficult in some instances to narrow down each category to four or five in the shortlists (features, p31). Reading some of the vets’ and farriers’ stories is reminiscent of James Herriot’s It Shouldn’t Happen To A Vet — an (albeit amusing) reminder of the lengths these professionals go to in order to provide much appreciated care for our equines. Being dragged by donkeys and defecated on by cows is all in a day’s work. With so much to celebrate this year in terms of British success, it is little wonder these 2016 nominations were heavy on support for our Olympians —…

ACCIDENTS happen and horses can suddenly fall ill, so it’s important to have a well-stocked first-aid kit to hand. Ready-made kits may not contain all that is needed, but it’s easy to put together your own. Ideally, everything should be kept in a large, watertight plastic container, clearly labelled and stored in an easily accessible place so that everyone knows where to find it. An equine emergency is not the time to discover that supplies are depleted or out of date, so replace items as you use them and give the kit a regular overhaul. It is also useful to have a second kit that can be taken away to competitions. Many vet practices will supply ready stocked first aid kits, so ask your vet. 1 Notepad and pen For…

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CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN, 31 SPORT: Dressage BASE: Gloucestershire THE STATS: Charlotte and Valegro have an unrivalled record — team and individual gold at London 2012; 2014 world individual gold and team silver; 2015 European individual gold and team silver and 2015 World Cup champion. The pair also hold the current world records for grand prix, special and kür. 2016 HIGHLIGHT? Charlotte added a second individual Olympic gold at Rio 2016 and helped the Brits to team silver. YOU MAY NOT KNOW… Charlotte has two gold postboxes to her name, in Newent, Glos, and in her birth town of Enfield. WHAT THE FANS SAY… “Charlotte has inspired dressage riders young and old. Her partnership with Valegro has changed the face of dressage — judges are rewarding relaxed, happy horses with subtle riders.”…

SARAH MCLEAN, 40 SPORT: dressage JOB: director of a dog daycare centre. 2016 HIGHLIGHT? Coming second in the Shearwater six-year-old class on my Friesian Freja. I got her as a three-year-old and backed and produced her myself. I was worried about being able to hold my own so there was a real sense of achievement. TOP TIP FOR JUGGLING WORK AND COMPETING? Don’t beat yourself up; set realistic goals, training and competing programmes. BIGGEST MISTAKE YOU HAVE LEARNT FROM? Never dwell on a bad test, but learn from it. Just draw a line under it and move on. AIM FOR 2017? Qualifying for the regional championships at elementary, and to do some medium tests. LAURA UPTON, 40 SPORT: showjumping JOB: running an insurance broker business. 2016 HIGHLIGHT? Qualifying for Horse…

HOLLY DAVIDSON, 30 VETERINARY CAREER: seven years WHY DID YOU WANT TO BECOME A VET? I’ve loved horses from a young age and always had a very scientific, enquiring mind, and this merged the two. 2016 HIGHLIGHT? Seeing a young thoroughbred gelding recover from a life-threatening immune reaction. MOMENT THAT MADE YOU SMILE: Things getting lost in translation, such as a horse that looked “emancipated” (emaciated), and a call about “seducing a mare”(inducing labour!). TIPS FOR BUDDING VETS? Spend time with horses — you’ll never be able to medicate a joint if you can’t pop a headcollar on. WHAT THE CLIENT SAYS… “Holly saved my horse from dying of colic with her quick action, and went out of her way to make sure I was coping.” Zoe Reeves KATIE ROBINSON,…

WE are so lucky in eventing to compete at such fantastic venues — two weeks ago, we were at one amazing estate, Burghley, then last week we were at another, Blenheim. Blenheim produced three really good competitions and all the cross-country tracks rode well. Oliver Townend was a worthy inaugural Event Rider Masters (ERM) overall winner and the series has panned out successfully — different nations had victories and every leg was exciting right to the finish. Even the overall title came down to the last few riders at Blenheim. ERM showcased the sport in a positive and modern format. Hopefully it will continue to grow next year and beyond. Saturday’s rain at Blenheim spoilt the party for spectators and made the going tough in the ERM dressage — the…

Course changes THE cross-country track had three influential changes, which caught out the less experienced horses and riders. A new upright brush steeply downhill to a barrel skinny at fence five was cleverly sited in the woods. The new water complex was preceded by the log drop, and most negotiated the log in and skinny brush out well. The double of corners had been re-sited to ride on a straight three strides. “They’ve really brought the track up a level, so it’s not quite the first-time intermediate it was,” said Matthew Wright. “It rides well if you respect it and set the horses up properly.”…

IDA DE FOUW and her elegant, uphill gelding Willem Van Oranje put their nerves aside to win the prix st georges (PSG) championship and their ticket to the Area Festival final. “He’s normally chilled at home but can get tense at competitions. I was getting competition nerves too, so I had sessions with sports psychologist Charlie Unwin and am more confident now,” explained Ida, a regional manager for a veterinary business group. Thirteen-year-old Willem (Fidermark x Candy Boy) is in his second season of PSG and recently competed in his first inter I. “It’s all slotting together now. He’s the first horse I’ve brought up to this level so it’s all new to us. I’m enjoying it. I saw there were some very nice horses here, so I threw caution…

IT was a busy weekend for dressage enthusiasts at the end of August, with the High Profile show at Bury Farm, the new midway championships at Hartpury and the Sheepgate under-25s championship on at the same time. Those results did lead me to think about “protection” for my own peer group (senior gold in everything) — I have come to the conclusion that all dressage riders need sectioning. I was delighted with my “rookie ride” Wydny, who picked up second and third placings in the grand prix classes at the high profile show but I’d propose compulsory attendance at Sheepgate for the under-25s next year as a few infiltrated the High Profile show and were too good. Sam Thurman-Baker obviously took a wrong turn on the way to Lincolnshire and…

Winning Good SOPHIE FAWCETT’S spectacular seven-year-old Winning Good (pictured) brought fellow competitors running to watch in both B & C classes he contested. Sophie bought the quality son of Winningmood as an unbroken three-year-old after seeing him loose jumping in the Netherlands, and they are through to this year’s HOYS Foxhunter and Talent Seekers finals. “I think he’s the best horse I’ve ever had. If I ask him a question, he just goes, ‘OK Mum’, and jumps even higher,” she said.…

ANDREW COLLINS and the Birch family’s super-charismatic maxi cob Surewill (Bentley) strode into the ring like winners, owned it for the duration and exited triumphant, having landed a second consecutive Harrison Civil Engineering supreme ridden title. In a drama-filled evening performance, fortunes ebbed and flowed as tension mounted. Having cleverly positioned himself to go last in this final supreme of the show, Andrew then pulled out all the stops with a display which included a majestic walk, powerful trot and immaculate one-handed three-loop canter serpentine — complete with doffed cap. Following a stirring gallop, his Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) cob and coloured contender came quietly back to walk without a hint of resistance. “This horse had the wow factor that every supreme contender should have, and the individual…

RACING’S capacity to surprise as well as excite never ceases to amaze. Looking ahead to last Saturday there was no way that the 240th running of the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster could knock the QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown off the headlines. The St Leger looked like an Aidan O’Brien benefit race. Idaho, his first string, was a worthy odds-on shot, even if favourites have a slightly iffy record in its most recent past. Housesofparliament and Sword Fighter, Idaho’s stablemates, were useful back-up. The Irish Champion Stakes boasted multiple champions, including this year’s Derby and Oaks winners Harzand and Minding, a brace of French Derby winners in New Bay and Almanzor and a Breeders’ Cup victor, Found, among the nine Group One winners of its 13 runners. This…