Innholdsfortegnelse for 08-Apr-2021 i Horse & Hound

THE subject of this week’s “Legend of the sport” is a horse that a series like this is made for. No equine has greater celebrity status in Britain than the three-time Grand National winner and twice runner-up, Red Rum (p60). Julian Muscat’s beautiful account of the gelding’s story brings to life an era with which so many feel a strong connection. It was perfect theatre – the outspoken character of Ginger McCain, former cabby and secondhand car dealer, the horse with the dodgy track record and issues with his feet that meant training on Southport beach and cooling down in the water were part of his preparations. His story was one of triumph over adversity, the rise of the underdog, he became seen as a working-class hero. No wonder McCain…

MORE new rules affecting the movement of horses between Britain and the EU come into force on 21 April. The EU Animal Health Law brings possible further hoops to jump through, on top of post Brexit challenges. Much of the Brexit-related paperwork is designed to comply with the new law, but H&H is seeking clarity on what exactly the legislation will mean for those moving horses or equine products, such as semen or embryos, between the EU and Britain. The overall aim of the umbrella legislation is to prevent and control animal diseases that can be transmitted to other animals or humans, and to strengthen health and safety standards. The European Taskforce for Brexit and EU Animal Health Law, a collaboration of the European sport horse and thoroughbred racing and…

JUMPING CHAMPS AT STONELEIGH THE British Showjumping (BS) national championships will return to Stoneleigh this summer. After Bolesworth hosted the 2020 event, it will run at the NAEC from 3 to 10 August. The show will feature numerous national finals and titles, Horse of the Year show tickets and the crowning of the 2021 national champion. BS CEO Iain Graham said: “It’s great to be in a position where we have some sport up and running already and are once again able to plan ahead for championship shows.” NOMINATE STARS FOR BHS AWARDS NOMINATIONS for the British Horse Society (BHS) Awards will open on 1 May. The annual awards aim to reward and recognise the work of BHS volunteers, supporters and partners. “We are passionate about celebrating the impact we…

▴ EYE CANDY The rather gorgeous actor/director Channing Tatum shared a video of himself riding, in preparation for a film. Not as into the horsey world as some, maybe he was surprised by the number of people giving him ever-so-helpful riding tips in the comments. Welcome to equestrian social media… ▴ APRIL FOOLS Congrats to those who saw through our devilish April fool last week. We hoped the names of our “experts” – Dr Phool and daughter April, Mr Nowall and the lovely Kaye Borede-Warriah might have helped give the game away… ▴ MORE APRIL FOOLS On that note, top prank marks to Baileys Horse Feeds, which announced a new “Matchy Matchy Mix”, the ingredients of which use an “iron-chelation process” to dye manes, tails and legs from the inside.…

polly.bryan@futurenet.com @pollyrose21 COMPETITIONS have restarted and riders all over the land have been nervously trying on their jackets. Lockdown sent people in two opposing directions: some have become fitness fanatics and others turned to the fridge for solace. I enjoyed reading the H&H dressage special issue last week (1 April), including the feature on outside perceptions of the sport. I would argue, though, that dressage does not have a perception problem because it looks effortless to the general public, as was discussed in the feature. Ballet dancers also look effortless, so perhaps we need to tap into that – the focus for dressage should be on the magical, invisible communication and harmony between horse and rider. The very best riders allow their horses to shine via their discreet signals using…

“THE Grand National is the greatest race and it’s a thrill, an honour and a privilege to be able to ride in it,” enthuses Tom Scudamore, who is booked to ride this year’s favourite, Cloth Cap, for his 19th attempt in the race. “Even to have done it so many times as I have, you never take it for granted.” Aintree is famous for its fairy tales – from Bob Champion and Aldaniti to Red Rum and Foinavon – and Tom hails from a family whose name is intertwined with the race’s history. He is the third generation of Scudamores to have ridden in the National. His grandfather Michael Scudamore lined up 16 times, winning it in 1959 on Oxo, while his father Peter Scudamore was eight-time champion jockey but…

“THE first day ‘Buddy’ arrived, I put him out in the field and thought, ‘This horse needs to learn some manners,’ because he was just running away with me. But now I know him inside out and that’s just him – he needs to get to know you first. Once he has his ‘team’ behind him, he’ll happily do whatever you ask of him, he just wants to be your best friend. He’s a funny character – he likes what he likes and he’s very clear about telling you what he doesn’t like! “Bertram works him first, then he’s always excited to go out in the field – he loves to hang out with his friends and have a buck and a play around. But his main love is bananas,…

• SHARPTOR TRICOLORE Six-year-old bay Shetland stallion Sire: Sharptor Laser Red Dam: Sharptor Trinity Julian says: “Tricolore is being produced by Jessica Talbot under saddle this year. He has the movement of his mother and is a very exciting prospect.” • BLACKERTOR MAGNETO Seven-year-old black Shetland stallion Sire: Clivocast Napolean Dam: Bayview Maggie May David says: “He had great success in 2018 and his foals from last year are making impressive yearlings. He is the one we have high hopes for.” • BLACKERTOR MERCURY Three-year-old bay Dartmoor colt Sire: Shilstone Rocks Rain Man Dam: Newoak Myth David says: “He was champion foal at the breed show in 2018 and we hope he’ll follow in his sire’s footsteps.” • SHARPTOR DIVINE Nine-year-old black Shetland mare Sire: Sharptor Predator Dam: Danethorpe Delia…

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald CSI4* Winter Equestrian Festival week 12, Palm Beach International Equestrian Centre, Florida, USA THE Americans fought back during the final week of the festival, with home riders taking two out of three big classes, rounded off with a victory for Adam Prudent (Baloutinue) in the $214,000 (£154,000) Wellington Agricultural Services CSI4* grand prix. Five combinations jumped double clears round German course-designer Olaf Petersen Jr’s 1.60m track, with the first three riders all setting a fresh lead. But Adam’s attacking round on Plain Bay Farm’s 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding was insurmountable, remaining 1.26sec in front of Canadian Jim Ifko and Un Diamant Des Forets. It was a first four-star grand prix victory for this son of Balou Du Rouet, who only stepped up to four- and five-star level this season,…

catherine.austen@futurenet.com @cfausten123 MY parents’ horror was palpable. Their hunting-mad nine-year old son was hopping with excitement at the ringside. A school pack of beagles was parading and what’s more, they were hunted by the boys. I couldn’t believe they had kept this secret. Beagles, studies, boys, hunting – what could possibly go wrong? Within a year I had been packed off to choir school, far removed from any venatic distraction to my studies: that was to come later in my academic career. For generations, “young gentlemen” (and now some ladies) have followed the well-worn path of masterships from school beagles to college beagles before taking a pack of foxhounds. Pressures of balancing academic studies with co-curricular activities and shifting admission criteria, not to mention economic considerations, have re-aligned this route-map,…

Share your news story Call 01252 555021 Email eleanor.jones@futurenet.com @jones_eleanor_ CONCERNS have been raised around registering horses with foreign studbooks since Brexit after a German studbook was refused permission to operate in the UK. Last week the Oldenburg Pferde told British breeders it had been denied permission from Defra to register British horses. This follows a new requirement since Brexit that means EU studbooks must apply to Defra for an extension of breeding territory into the UK in order to register horses with foreign studbooks. World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) vicepresident Eva-Maria Broomer, who is also a head evaluator for the UK Anglo European Studbook (AES) told H&H the ability to register British horses with EU studbooks had been previously possible because the UK was a member of the…

FINIAN’S RAINBOW The Nicky Henderson-trained Grade One winner, whose victories included the 2012 Queen Mother Champion Chase, has died aged 18 following colic. He retired in 2015 and was given to work rider Conor Murphy. H&M CHILLI WILLI Belgian showjumper Nicola Philippaerts’ top ride has been put down aged 13 after he broke a foreleg at the Winter Equestrian Festival. He won CSI5* grands prix and competed at the 2018 World Equestrian Games. PRESENT MAN The dual Badgers Ales Silver Trophy winner, owned by Mark and Tessa Woodhouse and trained by Paul Nicholls, has retired aged 11. He won nine times, finishing in the top three 15 times, and won £173,409 prize money.…

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald MOST people in equestrianism have been to hospital at some point and witnessed the caring professionalism of NHS staff. And never have they been appreciated more than during the Covid outbreak. However, I believe that an opportunity was sorely missed when the nation applauded them on consecutive Thursdays last year. Imagine if a phone app had been available so that everyone could give from 50p to £5 to the staff of their local hospitals. It would have raised multi-millions. If you think I’ve missed the point and am being unduly mercenary, consider this… When restaurants are fully opened and you’ve enjoyed a good meal with your friends, at the end of the evening you invite your waitress over. You tell her you don’t believe in tipping, but to…

“Someone said that the Grand National was a fairy story, but I think it was a miracle” All great horses, like Red Rum or Desert Orchid, know they’re good and play to the crowds. Aldaniti was exceptional – he loved people, loved being made a fuss of. We all loved him, he was very special; he had something. When he broke down at Sandown, Bob Champion had been to the Royal Marsden Hospital and been told he had cancer, which had spread. He said, “The horse is finished, I’m finished, that’s it” – and Aldaniti’s owners, the Embiricos, said, “No, we’ll take him straight home and get him right for the National.” His leg was a mess, it was like an S-bend. Our vet Mike Ashton said he didn’t think…

RIDING establishments are an integral and much-loved part of British equestrianism. Many of us started our equestrian “journey” at the local riding school, and these establishments play a vital role in ensuring that riding remains accessible to all. Even at the best of times, however, managing a riding establishment involves immense hard work with minimal financial return. Covid-19 has added to this somewhat precarious existence. As restrictions are lifted, establishments that have survived are preparing for a busy summer. How do these businesses routinely manage the health and welfare of their animals? STRICT STANDARDS A RIDING establishment (RE) is any business that hires out horses for riding or instruction in riding, or both. In addition to riding schools, REs include operations such as trekking centres and polo schools, and those…

COULD POTTERS CORNER MAKE IT A REALITY? THE Christian Williams-trained Potters Corner won last year’s “Virtual Grand National” which was run in place of the real thing in aid of NHS charities. “He’s in good form and did a lovely piece of work last week,” says Williams. “His season has been geared towards the Grand National, so fingers crossed.” BIDDING TO MAKE HISTORY AMONG the female jockeys bidding to become the first to win the Randox Grand National in its 182-year history is Bryony Frost, who gets the leg up on Yala Enki. “I’ve just got to get him out there galloping and at the end of the day a race like that is all about luck,” she says. HENDERSON IS OUT TO MAKE AMENDS LEADING trainer Nicky Henderson (pictured)…

MYSPIRES SPIRIT OF SUMMER THE four-year-old non-native mare by Sempers Spirit out of Equina B will be making her debut in ridden classes with owner Sophie Rawlings. Produced by Craig Elenor and Sara Parrott, “Summer” was supreme at the CHAPS summer show in 2020, her only outing of the year. “She was backed over winter and she’s taken to the job really well,” says Sophie. FENCERS GYPSY KING MEGAN BAKER was gifted the yearling colt by her husband before he was even born. “Tyson” is by traditional coloured Hope King, out of Welsh section C Abercippyn Lady In Red and Megan has shown both ponies in the past. “We showed Tyson’s half-sister to much success in-hand, so we hope to do the same with him, when we can find someone…

pippa.roome@futurenet.com @pipparoomeorkyle Aston-le-Walls Elite, Northants IZZY TAYLOR and Monkeying Around franked the form that put them at the head of Burnham Market’s four-star long last autumn with a win in advanced section A. “He felt fantastic – he’s a better, stronger horse than he was last year,” said Izzy of the 10-year-old, who belongs to his rider and Mark Sartori. “He just feels more grown up and is improving all the time. He’s still relatively young and every time we go out, it’s more exciting for when he runs at a big one.” Everyone is finding making plans difficult this year when Covid-19, Brexit and the equine herpes virus are laying waste to so many dreams. But Izzy has Luhmühlen tentatively in mind for Monkeying Around’s five-star debut. Izzy led…

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald Newton Abbot Racecourse, Devon WHAT appeared to be a quiet, innocuous weekend in the build-up to this week’s Randox Grand National meeting turned out to be anything but when Richard Johnson announced his retirement at low-key Newton Abbott on Saturday. Johnson has ridden more than 3,800 winners, the second most of all time behind AP McCoy. He has the full set of Cheltenham’s holy trinity (Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle and Champion Chase) and, after being runner-up to McCoy 16 times in the title, was champion four times. However, out of contention in this year’s title and not wanting to steal anyone else’s thunder at Aintree, he decided to call it a day after riding Brother Tedd for Philip Hobbs, for whom he has been stable jockey for over…

“He looked after me, without question. We looked after each other, to be honest” “THERE’S an Irish expression – ‘he’d eat stones’,” says South Wold master and huntsman Mark Ollard. “It means he’d eat anything, and probably the reason that Wednesday has lasted so long as a hunt horse is that he has always been such a good-doer and therefore recovered well from hunting.” When Mark was hunting the Scarteen, he remembers all his other horses being off games and Wednesday doing 18 full days on the trot. “He was on eight scoops of oats a day and never left a scrap of it,” he says. Wednesday, now 17, was bred by Kate Jarvey, an embryo transfer by Carrabawn View out of a thoroughbred mare called Lingwood Pride. In 2008,…

The Pat Smullen Memorial Handicap will run at the Craven meeting on 13 April in honour of the late jockey. It has been sponsored in his name by his friend, former jockey Ted Durcan. Dressage rider Michael Eilberg and his wife Maya, a fellow dressage rider, welcomed a baby daughter on 26 March. The couple said the new baby, Amalia Annie, has “two very proud parents”. Legendary trainer Mick Easterby celebrated his 90th birthday on 30 March. Mick sent out his first winner in 1961 and has clocked up a total of 2,411 victories during his career to date. US Olympic showjumper Margie Engle has been inducted into the US Showjumping Hall of Fame. She will be honoured during a ceremony at the Devon Horse Show, Pennsylvania, in May. Leading…

GRAND NATIONAL hero Bob Champion is marking 40 years since he won the race and beat cancer with an anniversary walk. Bob will leave Aintree on 11 April, 40 years after he won on Aldiniti, on a 191-mile trek, representing the 191 days from his cancer diagnosis to the all-clear. Money raised will go to the Bob Champion Cancer Trust. He will make 40 stops, including Tom Dascombe, Dan Skelton and Jonjo O’Neill’s yards, and Barkfold Manor, where Aldaniti lived in retirement and is buried. Bob will walk a circuit or along the gallops at each stop. The route ends at Findon, where Aldaniti was trained. “My story 40 years ago gave hope to people fighting cancer,” he said. “I’ve dedicated my life to the cause and hope people will…

QUITE a few years ago, my fairly new-to-horses husband and I were competing in a British Horse Society hunter trial series. We needed to find stabling for our two horses and were advised to contact David Broome’s (Legends, 25 March) Mount Ballan event centre, which we duly did. When we arrived, we found that there were no events on so were given the pick of the stables, of which there were well over a hundred. David himself was there as we pulled up and I jumped out of the cab, excitedly beckoning my husband to follow and telling him he must shake hands with this man, as he is one of the most famous showjumpers ever. That evening, we walked from the centre to get to a local pub for…

alexandra.robinson@futurenet.com @alexrob_journo_ LOCKDOWN, furlough and social distancing are three terms we would have never imagined becoming part of our normal, day-to-day vocabulary, and no one could have dreamt that getting our lives back to normality would depend on each of us receiving a vaccination. Fortunately, I fall into a certain age bracket so I have received my first dose of the Covid vaccine. Being needle phobic I was apprehensive about it, but it was painless. Looking back over the past year, it’s strange how everyone has just adapted to the changes we’ve had to make and we have accepted the “new normal” way of life. However, like everyone else in the industry, our yard has also had to adapt. We’ve never had to speak to our insurance company so often…

A similar plan for a private yard might include: HEALTH CARE ● A vaccination programme to promote herd immunity. ● Parasite control, based on targeted de-worming. ● Regular farriery and dental assessments. NUTRITION ● Wall charts detailing individual feeding plans. ● Regular recording of bodyweight and condition score. ● Robustly labelled feed containers. BIOSECURITY ● Assessment and screening of new arrivals: appropriate isolation for diseases such as strangles, de-worming and careful herd integration. ● Monitoring of usual residents: regular temperature taking, recording of unusual behaviour such as reduced appetite or droppings, and close inspection on return from competition. ● Suspected disease outbreak: immediate isolation, twice-daily temperature taking, strict hygiene measures and veterinary involvement. YARD MAINTENANCE ● Ongoing cleaning, fencing repair and pasture management. HEALTH AND SAFETY ● Emergency contact numbers…

ONE of the most seismic changes this season is the decision to abandon the marking system for non-Horse of the Year Show pony classes – could this trend catch on? “I’ve never liked marks, and will be interested to see how things go without them,” says Edward. “In the past, classes were huge and animals had to be on the edge to stand out; judges were more forgiving of a blip. Back then, ponies that were ‘flat’ through overwork wouldn’t stand out and wouldn’t win. With marks, most people play safe.” Emma sees another positive side: “I think final walk-rounds will be back in our new era and will be a very positive way to make the competitors fight until the end of the class,” she says. Many judges welcome…

OF 2020’s many ghastly legacies, one has been the brutal reminder of what it takes to be financially stable in Britain. With unemployment rocketing, house prices still bonkers, and the economy thrust into reverse, suddenly no one takes a comfortable home and secure income for granted any more. How does this affect professional riders, whose financial stability often rests on a knife edge at the best of times? Are there plenty still willing to risk everything in the pursuit of Olympic selection, or are today’s young riders increasingly focused on financial stability – building a business and a string of good horses, which are probably open to offers? Balancing the books is a topic I’ve discussed repeatedly over the years with a range of world-class riders and their connections. One…

STABLE form heading to Aintree is always a help, so it is no wonder Christian Williams was delighted with the comfortable victory of Five Star Getaway (pictured) in the Betway Challenger Middle Distance Chase Series Final at Haydock on Saturday. It was a second decent Saturday winner in a row for the South Wales-based trainer after Kitty’s Light won at Kelso the previous weekend. This Saturday Williams runs Potters Corner, the “winner” of last year’s Virtual Grand National, in the real thing. “We try to get Saturday winners,” said Williams. “Kitty’s Light is favourite for the Bet365 Gold Cup and Five Star Getaway has another Saturday up and running. It now goes on to Potters Corner next week. He’s in good form so we’re very excited. This season’s been geared…

NO other story in the annals of racing matches that of a horse bred to win sprint races on the Flat developing into the most formidable Grand National competitor of them all. Red Rum was an anonymous seven-year-old when he was bought by a small-time trainer from Lancashire in 1972. Originally a second-hand car dealer, Ginger McCain gave 6,000gns for a fifth-hand horse he housed in run-down stables behind his used-car showroom in the sleepy suburb of Birkdale. Red Rum was a virtual cripple from the day he arrived, yet Ginger saw hope where others had despaired. In his taxi-driving days, he’d befriended a regular customer in Noel le Mare, whose dream it was to win the Grand National. Time was fast running out for Noel, who was 84 at…

“WHEREABOUTS do you live?” I asked Josh’s owner, Fiona, as we discussed the ins and outs of getting Josh back to her. “Kinross,” she replied, but she may as well have said Timbuktu, such is my knowledge of Scottish geography. “Is that Perthshire?” I asked, squinting hopefully at a map on the kitchen wall. “No, Kinross-shire. We’re just over the Forth Road bridge, north of Edinburgh,” she replied patiently. It turns out Kinross is not far from here and horse travel for welfare reasons has always been permitted – we have no grass, Fiona’s daughter Mary had plenty. I asked Adam if he would like to come, not expecting a “yes” as he likes to keep pony stuff to a minimum. “Will you take a picnic?” he asked. “Yes,” I…