Innholdsfortegnelse for October 29, 2015 i Horse & Hound

ENSIGN The horse Pippa Funnell rode at the 2005 Europeans has been put down, aged 20. After Ensign retired, Pippa and her mother Jenny gave the ex-racehorse to Pippa’s former head girl Hannah “Sparkles” Watson, who evented him at grassroots level. VELINI The nine-year-old gelding, previously ridden by both Michael Whitaker and his stable jockey Joe Clayton, has been sold to Ukrainian showjumper Alexander Onischenko. The son of Cheers Cassini was owned and bred by Simon Davies. TESSA The 35-year-old four-time mounted games world champion has died peacefully at home. Produced and partnered by Melanie Scott for more than 20 years, Tessa represented Scotland and Britain at junior and open team level. FINIAN’S RAINBOW The 2012 Champion Chase winner has found a new career in the hunting field. The 12-year-old,…

AS the season changes vets are urging horse owners to be on alert for signs of the often-fatal condition seasonal pasture myopathy (SPM), formerly known as atypical myopathy, writes Amy Mathieson. A horse in the East Midlands has already died in recent weeks of the condition, which is related to the sycamore tree (pictured). The illness weakens the muscles and can present with sudden stiffness, muscle tremors, collapse and colic-like signs. The fatality rate is around 70% and it is most frequently seen in autumn and spring. Victims are usually kept in sparse pastures, where seeds on the ground are eaten when there is little grazing. Mark Bowen, president of the British Equine Veterinary Association, said: “In the past two years our understanding of this awful condition in horses has…

TWENTY-time champion jockey AP McCoy is to spearhead an academy to help jockeys at the start of their careers. The scheme is run by the Injured Jockeys Fund and will begin in January. It is designed for conditional jockeys who ride out their claim [reach a certain amount of winners while riding with a reduced weight]. This is a “critical time” for them, says the charity, as riders are vulnerable to a decrease in the number of rides and uncertain levels of income. It will include career advice from AP (pictured, above), support from jockey coaches, and advice on fitness, mental performance and nutrition.…

OWNERS could be struggling to see when a horse is overweight, a study has found, writes Lucy Elder. A recent survey indictaed that 89% of owners that took part could not spot all the overweight equines in 12 pictures. The survey was circulated through UK-based equine forums. A total of 546 people responded — 98% were women. The ratio of amateurs to professionals who replied was 81% to 19%. Just 11% correctly identified all the overweight animals from the photos. “We know that for owners to instigate a weight loss regime, they have to be able to recognise whether their horse is overweight,” said study author Philippa Morrison, a PhD student at the University of Liverpool. Whether a rider was professional or not did not affect their ability to see…

WEST YORKSHIRE POLICE The force lost a long-serving police horse when chestnut gelding Fimber died on 15 October in a field accident. The 14-year-old joined the force in 2004 and served for 11 years. A SPOOKED HORSE Piebald mare Phoebe became trapped in a gate in Shadoxhurst, Kent, after being spooked by a dog-walker on 19 October. The 15hh horse was cut free by firefighters in less than 20 minutes. ELVIS AND ALFIE The “hapless” coloured cobs fell into a swimming pool after escaping from their field in Dorset on 11 October. Thankfully the pair were pulled to safety by firefighters and are recovering well. H&H’SPOLO REPORTER Aurora Eastwood took her son Felix and his pony out to watch the hunt pass on 17 October. When the hounds approached, the…

GO TO THE SALES The Monart Sale takes place in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, on 4-5 November. The event horse sale only features horses selected by a panel of four-star eventers. www.themonartsale.com VETERAN CHAMPIONSHIPS British Dressage and the Veteran Horse Society team up to run the Veteran Horse and Rider Championships at Vale View EC, Leics (31 October – 1 November). www.veteran-horse-society.co.uk WATCH DRESSAGE Top para dressage riders will be competing in the CPEDI3* at Bury Farm, Bucks (27-30 October). www.buryfarmestates.co.uk CONFERENCE The British Equestrian Trade Association annual conference will be held on 2 November at Whittlebury Hall Hotel and Spa, near Towcester. www.beta-uk.org FLAT FINALE Catch Newmarket’s final Flat racing fixture of the season at the Rowley Mile on 30-31 October. newmarket.thejockeyclub.co.uk PLACE YOUR BETS The Charlie Hall Meeting is…

As an interested spectator at a number of the county shows this season, I became increasingly disappointed at what today is deemed to be a cob. With a few notable exceptions, what passes for a cob seems to have moved a long way from my perception of what a proper cob should be. Many are lacking bone, are of little substance (never equate substance with fat) and, most importantly, not as well-mannered as I would expect from an animal that should be capable of carrying safely an elderly or nervous rider. What is most disappointing is that these animals seem to be preferred in the ring over the immaculately mannered, short-legged type that would carry me hunting all day in comfort and safety. The cob is a type, the solid…

Show day success • I usually start show days with a bowl of cereal such as granola, or a boiled egg, and I stay hydrated by drinking Lucozade. • I run through my test in my head, but instead of visualising my test from just one spot in the arena, I actually ride the test around the arena so I know exactly what’s happening at each marker. Keeping in shape • I run frequently and have just started kickboxing twice a week with Laura Tomlinson, with whom I’m based. It’s fun and you’re working the stabilising muscles such as the glutes, which is good for riding. Warming up • I do plenty of shoulder-in, travers and renvers to warm my horse up and prepare for the more advanced movements. It…

• Never stop learning: Tina likes to take farrier and vet debriefs herself: ÒI want to see exactly whatÕs going on and what I need to do to improve it.Ó • Don’t worry about winning to begin with: Tina is grateful for her ownersÕ patience on this score: ÒI refuse to gallop and risk injuries when the horse might be off the mark, so I can save them for the moment when they might be able to win some money.Ó • Find the good: ÒI havenÕt had expensive horses Ñ though I have had famous and knowledgeable parents Ñ and IÕve had to learn to get the best out of my horses. If you can get them on side, itÕs possible to make an average horse, in eventing, into a…

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ASTIER NICOLAS joined an elite band of riders to defeat Michael Jung when he claimed his first CCI4* victory, while first-timer Emily King demonstrated steely nerves to finish best of the British in fourth. Emily and two-phase leader Michael Jung stood between Astier and victory when he cantered into the main arena to showjump Piaf De B’Neville on Sunday, but when they both hit a fence the Frenchman edged ahead. There are few words to describe the shock and then elation emblazoned across his face. “It’s a great surprise. I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment,” was all Astier could muster in the seconds after giving the host nation their second home win in this CCI4*, eight years after Nicolas Touzaint’s feat. Piaf De B’Neville was withdrawn after…

THE marine engineer from Warwick bagged himself a ticket to next year’s Mitsubishi Motors Cup when he scored a win in the second of two BE100 regional finals at Broadway (2) with his own mare, Pott Luck. “It was a big surprise and a lovely way to finish the season,” said John, whose job — which involves laying cables at the bottom of oceans — takes him all over the world. “I’m based in Essex at the moment, but Pott Luck is kept at Moreton Morrell College in Warwickshire, so I’ve only been managing to ride her three or four times a week recently.” John, who came to the sport relatively late in life, was more acquainted with four wheels than coloured poles until he started eventing four years ago.…

A last-minute PSG entry at Beacons EC , Carmarthenshire (17 October), resulted in an impressive winning comeback for both Victoria Jenner and her new ride Ratio. “I broke my sixth vertebrae falling from a young horse in 2013,” said Victoria, who was left unable to move on the indoor arena floor at the time. “I was in hospital for three weeks after it was pinned and plated, and then couldn’t do anything for some time.” Eight months later Victoria returned to the saddle, first riding a mechanical horse at the Jenner family’s Dinefwr riding centre and then taking it steady on the “old and faithful” horse she’s had since she was a teenager. “At first I felt like a beginner again,” she said. “There was so much movement at canter…

THE launch of the under-25 championships next year is very exciting. At the nationals, we saw plenty of riders in that bracket whose futures look very bright, and this will provide a stepping-stone to senior levels. I would like to see even more done to help this transition for our young riders. I was interested to watch the pony, junior and young rider classes at the Vale View High Profile show (report, 22 October). There were lots of quality horses, but I couldn’t help feeling that many riders lacked structure in their warm-ups, and failed to display enough of what I call good, old-fashioned test riding in the arena. Each movement should have a clear beginning, middle and end — riders must learn to set up their horses correctly, and…

WHEN Kerri Hourihan went to an auction at Brendon Stud three years ago, she came home with a last-minute purchase that turned into a very good buy indeed. “We bid on an older horse and didn’t get it, so we went for a two-year-old chestnut filly instead,” explained Kerri. This was Miss Darco II, a full-sister to Phillip Miller’s top ride Unbelievable Lady, who was virtually unbeatable in four-year-old classes last season and is going equally well this year. She has just started Foxhunter classes and never touched a pole at this show. “She also has the sweetest temperament,” said Kerri. “My horses have to be safe because I have a three-year-old daughter and she can do anything with Miss Darco.”…

THE Parker family’s Shetland lead-rein campaigner Prince Of Willoughby gave rider Grace Radford, eight, and her mother Victoria a first-ever RIHS qualifier victory en route to the section mini championship. This was only the fifth time that Grace had sat on the 10-year-old — who is produced by Sue Craven — but she exuded confidence throughout to head a strong class. Victoria is perhaps better known as assistant entertainments officer for the BSPS summer championships.…

ALTHOUGH set shows could inhibit creativity, they can also save valuable time and allow judges to compare like with like. Problems arise when freestyle alternatives run over their two-minute slot, putting pressure on a busy timetable — a steward’s nightmare. But performance judge Janet Hoyle, who did not request a set show, said: “Mountain and moorlands (M&M) are a breed not a type, and I believe they should be given the opportunity to show off their paces to their best advantage, time permitting. A set individual display may restrict certain breeds in their way of going, especially when the show is complicated and fiddly.” Conformation judge Nicola Shuttleworth (née Furness), who won the 1979 Olympia final on her home-bred and home-produced Dartmoor Senruf Grebe, added: “As M&M judges we are…

FOX Grant Thrusters won the open qualifier for the Skinner’s Pet Foods national championships at the Cotswold Team Chase over a track that challenged the best teams in the business. Set in the stunning Foxcote parkland, the Cotswold course is unique in featuring the area’s dry stone walls, plus substantial timber obstacles alongside the hedges, drops and water. It was the timber that caught Fox Grant Thrusters’ Phil Nichols out at fence five, leaving his team-mates to gallop on without him, knowing they needed to stay in close order to negotiate the dressing fence successfully. But Heather Moodie, Catherine Atkinson and Charlotte Seymour-Williams are some of the boldest, speediest ladies in the sport and they kept tightly bunched through the twists, wasting no time as they were all easily in…

CHRISTOPHER BARTLE “I’m not absolutely against them but I would try everything else first before resorting to them. I have recommended them in the past and they have helped in a safety sense with young or difficult horses, but I’d try and avoid them as much as possible. They don’t teach horses about contact as the reins control it.” CAROLINE BREEN “The Swiss have the right idea in banning them. The majority of the public will see top riders using them and think ‘that’s how they all do it’ and ‘I’m going to try that tomorrow at home’. There is a lack of understanding of why and how the draw rein should be used. tI think people forget they are an aid, not a quick fix.” GRAHAM FLETCHER “They are…

ASTIER NICOLAS UK-based French eventer Astier scored his first four-star win at Pau (21-25 October) riding Piaf De B’Neville. The host nation has not had a home rider take the title since Nicolas Touzaint in 2007. For full report see p40. ROBERT WHITAKER The British showjumper is back in the saddle after abandoning competition at Horse of the Year Show (7-11 October). The 32-year-old told H&Hthat he had been suffering from high blood pressure, but is now back riding. CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN Charlotte has travelled to India for five days (26-31 October) to see the work of equine charity The Brooke. Fellow rider Alice Oppenheimer, who is a global ambassador for the charity, is accompanying her. JOSEPH O’BRIEN The Flat jockey is to cut down on race-riding to concentrate on training…

IF going round Badminton or tackling the Hickstead Derby aren’t next on your agenda, there is another way to make your mark in Horse & Hound — the H&H reader issue. This is your chance to share your stories and photographs from 2015. The best submissions will be printed in the 17 December issue of H&H and free digital subscriptions will be up for grabs for our favourite entries. We are also asking you to vote for your “horse of the year”, who will star on the 17 December cover. The deadline is 1 November. • For more information visit: www.horseandhound.co.uk/ readerissue2015…

RIDERS in the south east have welcomed the opening of a new equestrian centre. Beechwood Equestrian Centre in Chelmsford, Essex, will host affiliated competitions as well as providing facility hire for groups and individuals. The equestrian venue will give the region a much-needed boost. The area recently lost Patchetts Equestrian Centre in Hertfordshire, which closed on 3 August. Norton Heath Equestrian Centre in Essex also lost its BD affiliation this year (news, 16 April).…

CAROLINE CREIGHTON TRAINER and event rider Caroline Creighton (pictured, above) died of cancer on 14 October. She was 56. She was based with eventer Lucy Wiegersma in Devon for many years and helped shape the careers of top event riders, including Austin O’Connor. Caroline taught all levels of rider and coached for the Pony Club and riding clubs. ALEXANDER PRESHO THE driving pony breeder died suddenly on 8 October at the age of 42. He bred the 2013 Horse of the Year Show harness champion Brookeborough Duke Alexander and the 2012 champion, Brookeborough Stepping Star. He leaves behind his wife, Louise, and sons James and Mark. LADY ANNE HEMPHILL THE former fieldmaster of the Co. Galway hunt and founder of the Tulira Connemara Pony Stud died on 7 July aged…

FANS of My Little Pony can now take their appreciation of the popular cartoon to the next level. The My Little Pony Café recently opened in Japan, and news of the pony paradise is spreading. Visitors are transported into Equestria — the magical land of the ponies — from the moment they arrive. A life-sized model of Twilight Sparkle stands at the entrance, and dozens of model ponies decorate the interior of the café. Pony-themed dishes are served decorated with the characters (pictured, below) and a brightly coloured mural features My Little Pony favourites Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. However, those keen to eat in this sparkling pony palace need to act quickly, as the café is open only until 29 November. RH…

ASTIER NICOLAS’ Pau CCI4* win was a brilliant end to the main European eventing season. The charming young Frenchman has had good results before, but no one would have tipped him as the winner over Michael Jung with two strong horses and Tim Price — I believe the now 12-year-old Wesko could be consistently the best eventer in the world over the next five years. With Astier, European bronze medallist Thibaut Vallette and Thomas Carlile, France could field a strong team at the Olympics next year. Perhaps most excitingly for fans in this country, these three all speak English — Astier is British-based, Thomas has British parents and while Thibaut was shy about his English at Blair, it is more than passable. We have the possibility of far more insightful…

P AU is always a fun event with which to finish the season. The weather is usually nice, it is relaxed and welcoming, the site is compact and user-friendly — the one downside is it’ s a long way from Wiltshire. There are great warm-up areas and a huge main arena, but our horses aren’t used to that dead sand which has no bounce to it. The French horses seem to cope better with it than ours, but they are more accustomed to it. There were no real surprises in the dressage — Michael Jung was in first and second. Emily King did a very good test and, but for one mistake, could have actually been in the lead. I was a bit disappointed with my own test on NZB…

THE inaugural CIC2* was well-received by the riders and organiser Tessa Mackenzie-Green was equally pleased with its initial running. ÒI was delighted with the entries Ñ it was considered necessary for there to be a CIC2* in the south at this time of year and we were lucky to be given it. It seems riders want more of this format at this level,Ó said Tessa. The class is part of the new Future Talent Two-Star League, launched this year to recognise young horses heading up the international ranks. Points are accrued throughout the season and the winner receives a £5,000 bursary. It is for British-ridden horses aged nine and under, who have not competed at three- or four-star level, and was won this year by Fred and Penny BarkerÕs Strike…

TWO mares and two stallions completed this year’s NaStA performance test. Dressage judge Martyne Galland, event riders Nick Gauntlett and Ian Wills, and vet Jane Nixon assessed the horses over the demanding two-day test. Godington Stud’s Trakehner mare Godington Orinoco, presented by Ruth Barnard, gained the highest score and was awarded elite status. The mare by the stud’s advanced eventer Hannibal out of a mare by the elite sire King Arthur, gained high marks for both jumping and flatwork. The three other entries all received grade one. Of the other three, the 14.2hh Arab competition and breeding stallion Mukhtar Ibn Eternity gained the highest marks for ridden jumping. Bred by Phoenix Arabians, the 11-year-old by twice world champion Eternity Ibn Navarrone is owned by his rider Sasha Melia from Oxfordshire.…

‘I had to apologise to the judges’ ADVANCED medium restricted winners Evelyn Little and Bindro T left not just a visual impression, but also an audible one. “My saddle and my lovely Celeris boots sadly do not get along,” said Evelyn. “I squeak so loudly that you can hear me coming a mile off. I tried rubbing arena surface on the inside of the boots to form a barrier between saddle and boots, but we still sounded like I was wearing an entire family of mice, every single stride.” The rider is having some new boots made with nubuck on the inside. “I had to apologise to the judges: it must have been like water torture.” Her Obelisk x Negro nine-year-old wasn’t bothered, though. “He’s probably deaf from my constant…

THE 20-year-old has been chosen to follow in the footsteps of Charlotte Dujardin. She impressed Mount St John’s Emma Blundell after a catch ride in a young horse class, and was offered the job as the stud’s dressage apprentice. The stud, which has an elite breeding programme, keeps the fillies and produces the best for competition. “I come from a showing background but I was doing Pony Club exams and shadowing at the stud when I was offered the ride on Best Of All in a four-year-old class,” said Lucinda. “I was offered the job last November, but then had glandular fever so was off for three months. “As soon as I came back I was sent for training with Emile Faurie and Charlotte Dujardin, had a summer of riding…

JOHN WHITAKER has been at his brilliant best all season and the 60-year-old maestro thrilled a sellout gala night crowd at this popular venue when he and Echo Of Light jumped the sole double clear to take the £3,000 first prize in the masters’ grand prix. Course-designer Paul Connor had a tough job. The field comprised horses from seasoned campaigners as well as those having their first try at this level, and he had to entertain the spectators — and get a credible result. He managed it perfectly through a track that asked for both boldness and care and included a line of a short double of huge verticals followed four strides later by a similar double of planks. This kept the audience on the edge of their seats and…

WHEN Amy Thomson and Welsh section D Saith Black Pepper are warming up at jumping shows, other competitors are quick to write them off, but it doesn’t take long to prove them wrong. The pair are enjoying a run of success and took the British novice at West Wilts (15 October). The six-year-old gelding belongs to Amy’s neighbours Lynda Miles and Helen Williams. “They are a mother and daughter partnership, and the daughter Helen hasn’t long had a baby, so the plan is to keep Black Pepper for her daughter Charlotte when she is old enough,” explained Amy. “I’m competing him for them but Lynda, who is in her 60s, enjoys hacking him around the fields.” Amy, who also breeds pedigree cows and runs AJT Equestrian, has been riding the…

FARLINGTON School student Ella Bubb, 13, won the 90cm open and followed it up with a win in the Discovery at Coombelands , West Sussex (18 October), at only her second attempt at British Showjumping. She was riding her mother Louise Bubb’s 13-year-old Irish sport horse gelding Coolattin Tiberios Rainbow, by Sky Boy. Alongside showjumping, Ella also events and competes for her school in the National Schools Equestrian Association (NSEA) showjumping competitions. “We’ve had him since he was a three-year-old,” said Ella. “My mum evented him up to novice level and showjumped him before I started riding him last year.” Ella, who trains with Judi Piper-Dadswell, has big plans for next year. “I want to event next year and qualify for the Mitsubishi Motors Cup [formerly the Badminton Grassroots Championship],…

THE highlight of the 2015 showing season for me has been the duel for supremacy in the maxi-cobs between Hallmark IX and Starry Night, culminating in a battle royal at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). Not since the days of Holly Of Spring have I been aware of enthusiasts making a specific trip to a show or ringside to witness the outcome, which can only be good for showing. Both cobs are 11 years old and professionally produced to their living best, although different in type and ride. Prior to HOYS, Simon Reynolds and Hallmark beat Robert Walker’s charge, Starry Night, on their first and last meetings at Derbyshire Festival and the British Show Horse Association Championships. In the meantime Starry Night won at the Great Yorkshire and…

CHELTENHAM’S first meeting of the National Hunt season is the autumn equivalent of the first swallows of spring; for the jumping fan it heralds the unofficial start of their time, which will culminate in a return to Prestbury Park’s green pastures in March for the Festival. Meanwhile the stars of the Flat season, the latest of which is Racing Post Trophy winner Marcel, are tucked up in their winter quarters. It was, therefore, apt on the weekend when the baton passed over to the jumpers that John Ferguson took the top honours under Cleeve Hill. As Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock adviser and a jump trainer of 50 horses, most of which are his boss’ ex-Flat horses, Ferguson has a foot in both codes. While his horses may eventually get a bit…

FOX Grant Thrusters won the open section of the Coombe Farm Wines team chasing league while stablemates Art Hotel Racers took the intermediate equivalent. It was a fitting victory for the squads which support all the events and also encourage younger riders to run in the bogey time classes under their banner, but it was hard fought. Relentless came desperately close in the open and Eternal Optimists in the intermediate, with both results going to the wire. Team captain William Grant said: “It’s been a tricky season with several of our top horses injured, but it has been a great squad effort with a total of 15 riders helping to win the titles for the second year running. I’d particularly like to thank everyone who helps us at events and…

CONCERNS have been raised over the judging system at this year’s Horse of the Year Show (HOYS, 7-11 October), write Lucy Elder and Rachael Hook. A number of people voiced worries regarding the quality of ridden judging in the ladies’ side-saddle championship to H&H (report, 15 October). A spokesman for HOYS organisers Grandstand Media told H&H it has an annual meeting with all officials and judges and will be taking feedback into account. He denied the reason for the meeting was because of concerns over judging. The ridden judge, Pippa Moon, reportedly struggled to have a comfortable ride on some horses in the class. “I thought it was a very quality class to be asked to judge,” she said when H&H asked her about the incident following the show. “Some…

THE Global Champions League (GCL), run by the Global Champions Tour (GCT) is to go ahead next year after a court ruling — but the FEI is not giving up its appeal. On 23 October the Court of Appeal in Brussels upheld the decision of the Belgian Competition Authority (BCA), enabling the 2016 launch of the league that organisers claim will “revolutionise” showjumping. In June, the GCL filed a complaint with the BCA alleging the FEI had breached EU competition law by using its rules to prevent riders and horses from competing in events not approved by the FEI by imposing a so-called “exclusivity clause”. In July the BCA said the GCL could go ahead in 2016, but this was challenged by the FEI. Now the Court of Appeal has…

A hunt employee has won his appeal against a conviction brought with evidence from the League Against Cruel Sports (LACS). Lee Martin, countryman for the Middleton hunt, had been found guilty of interfering with a badger sett by Scarborough Magistrates on 10 February, but strenuously denied the case against him. He won the appeal at York Crown Court last week (15 October). Middleton joint master and huntsman Tom Holt was also cleared of a Hunting Act offence in February, having also been accused following covert surveillance by the group. “This has been a huge waste of time and tax payers’ money by LACS,” said the Countryside Alliance’s Tim Bonner. “The CPS needs to consider carefully whether they should bring prosecutions on the evidence of paid animal rights activists.”…

H&His seeking people to help us report on the fast-paced, adrenalin-fuelled point-to-pointing season, which starts in November. You don’t have to be an experienced journalist, but you must be involved in the sport, or eager to become so. Pleaseemail Horse & Hound’spointto-point editor at aimi.clark@timeinc.com by Friday 6 November, stating why you would make a good reporter, where you are based and the fixtures you could attend in 2015/16.…

JILLY COOPER FANS The original raunchy cover of Riderswill return when the next edition is published. There was uproar among fans when the picture was toned down for the book’s 30th anniversary re-release, with the male hand on the rider’s hip rather than her bottom. AN ENGAGEMENT Norwegian showjumper Ida Johansen had a big surprise at Kingsland Oslo Horse Show on 18 October. Her partner, Trond Robert Bratlie, popped the question during the prize-giving. She said yes. PAUL NICHOLLS The nine-time champion National Hunt trainer, who will be guest editing next week’s H&Hmagazine, celebrated his 2,500th winner on 20 October. Abidjan won the novices’ hurdle at Exeter. A BRAVE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC David Wilson, who saved a police horse from a savage dog attack in Greenwich Park last year,…

THERE are new plans to create a 250-stable training facility after John Holmes, the equestrian entrepreneur declared bankrupt after the collapse of Great Leighs racecourse, bought back the neighbouring 200-acre farm. Moulsham Hall Farm was seized by Mr Holmes’ lender when the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) put the racecourse into administration in January 2009. However, he has reacquired Moulsham Hall in a £3.1m deal that, according to Land Registry records, was finalised in August. Mr Holmes bought Essex County Showground in 1996. He later joined the board of the then British Show Jumping Association, took over running Essex County Show and staged several CSIs before redeveloping the site as the floodlit Great Leighs racecourse. When Mr Holmes originally bought Moulsham in 2006, part of it was used to build…

INSTRUCTORS: BUCK UP! Sir — I very much agree with your article on building for the future (news, 15 October). I don’t own my own horse and have been disappointed with the level of instructors and horses at riding schools. I remember going back after a gap in riding. I filled out the paperwork stating that I am 5ft, have been riding for more than 20 years, and jumped cross-country. I was handed a 12.2hh fat rather disinterested pony and was asked by the instructor to have a walk and trot round so he could see me riding. After telling me that it was the best he had seen the pony move, he said that he had only started riding two years ago and just qualified as an instructor. It…

My most memorable win… I still feel emotional thinking about London 2012. After my freestyle, my brother and two cousins stripped off and they had “we love you Sophie” across their chests — the crowd erupted. Early ponies… My favourite was called Smartie. He was fast, and we even did jumping. My dad had to run alongside and catch me when I fell off. I was about eight — I’ve always been an adrenalin junkie. Biggest mistake… Learning from mistakes is crucial. I learnt from the World Equestrian Games to switch my phone off at competitions — social media is too distracting. Remembering when… I was at a gymkhana when I was about 10. My pony put his head down to eat grass — and I fell off and broke…

ADULT female pinworms (Oxyuris equi) measure up to 15cm long. Look for a greyish-white body and a tapered pin-like tail. When a horse ingests eggs, the pinworm larvae hatch and feed on the lining of his intestines. Once mature, female worms pass through to the horse’s rectum and emerge from his anus to lay their eggs. The application of neem oil under the tail is thought by some owners to kill the eggs. Veterinary opinion is that neem oil, like some other oils and creams, can be an effective barrier to help prevent worm eggs from sticking to and irritating the skin. “Worm eggs are designed to withstand the environment and can be quite difficult to kill,” says Edd. The idea of inserting wormer into the horse’s rectum for maximum…

First seeing Sandman 7 “HE came unseen from Germany as a six-year-old on the recommendation of one of my former students. I didn’t have time to go and see him in the flesh, so I bought him on the strength of a video. “When he stepped off the lorry I was really disappointed because he was so narrow across his chest — we joke that the video must have been taken from side on! But he’s developed into a lovely horse. He’s quite a character and can be opinionated, but he has a fantastic attitude and a very careful jump.” Small strings “I deliberately will not event more than 10 or 12 horses in a season because I like to have time to ride and closely oversee every one myself.…

• Don’t leave your dog in the car. Vehicles quickly become hot and airless. If you need to go where dogs aren’t allowed, look for somewhere you can leave your four-legged friend — whether at a dog post, with a friend or at the dog crèche. • Keep your dog on the lead at all times, and keep hold of it. When you’re enjoying the action, it’s all too easy to forget about your canine friend itching to give chase to the horses who keep galloping past. Some grounds will also be game reserves and home to young birdlife. Loose dogs — even away from the horses — won’t be appreciated. • Make sure the collar fits well, or use a harness. You’d be surprised how easily dogs can slip…

• The List: official record of masterships, staff vacancies and staff looking for jobs for the coming season. Despite word-of-mouth and technology (such as Facebook) making it almost obsolete, the Hunting Office will continue to publish it. • Point-to-points: a sub-committee has been appointed to investigate qualifying criteria and point-to-point subscriptions. Some hunts are losing out financially as neighbouring packs offer tempting subscription deals. Tim sees this as a loss to “hunting plc”. • Hunting and shooting: ongoing research on closer integration between the two sports to ensure a greater level of understanding over the effects of hunting access during the season. Game Conservancy, Wildlife Trust and Northern Gamekeepers’ Organisation are all on board. • Training: apprenticeships and accredited training for all new employees in hunt service. • Media: co-ordinating…

VITTORIA PANIZZON believes she has found herself a future team horse after taking the CIC2* title riding Chequers Play The Game. The pair were last to go across country and Vittoria had to bring the gelding home clear inside the time to top the scoreboard. She did exactly that, executing a well-judged round to finish on their dressage score of 40.2. The 12-year-old, who is owned by Patricia Lambert and her daughter Amy, is a new ride for the Italian rider this season, having previously been ridden by Kiwi Jock Paget. “He has so much ability and always gives 100%, but it has taken me time to understand his head,” said Vittoria. “We have had problems with corners this year but not today — I think we solved it at…

• THE Scotland-based MFS Studfarm has aquired a new breeding mare. By Dancier, Danzmusik is a half-sister to German team dressage horse Desperados FRH. She is in-foal to De Niro and joins the half-sister to Painted Black as well as the full-sister to Vivaldi at the stud. • MOUNT St John’s three-year-old Franziskus mare MSJ Forever finished as the vice-champion dressage horse of Germany for her age at this season’s Lienen national championships. She was nominated by her Westfalian studbook to represent them. Her dam Lady Sunshine also produced the stallions Rock Forever I and II. Frankie will be aimed at young horse classes in the UK in the spring.…

WHAT a step forward it would be if the new technology that was introduced at CHI Geneva (news, 15 October) could help the public to understand the technicalities of modern showjumping. Systems like PlayfulVision’s are especially useful for indoor arenas, where the balance of horse and rider, distances and getting inside the time are all critical. In football, it’s possible to collate the data for every player, looking at how far he’s run and how many times he’s touched the ball. Wouldn’t it be great if that technology were easily available in showjumping — calculating average speed, top speed, the number of strides each rider puts between each fence and analysing inside and outside lines? If it could measure the length of a horse’s stride it could assess the difficulties…

AFTER a five-year break having children, BHSII Caroline Baker is back in the saddle and enjoying showjumping success. Riding four-year-old Spartacus gelding Gerlina (pictured right), whom she purchased only eight weeks ago, she won the British Novice at Brook Farm , Essex (14 October). It was their first show together. “I didn’t go out to win, I just went to cruise round and for some reason he went faster than I thought and ended up winning the class,” said the chief riding instructor at Udimore Farm in Sevenoaks. Caroline juggles competing and teaching alongside caring for her two young children. “It’s been a bit of a hectic year,” she said. “We lost my stepfather unexpectedly in March and, to take our minds off it, my mum and I decided to…

TEAM Stanford enjoyed a red-letter weekend when their superb home-produced Highland stallions Benbreac Of Croila and Tower Clyde swept all before them. This venue has often proved a lucky one for East Yorkshire-based Mel and Gemma Stanford and their “meet-at-show” riders, brother and sister Matt and Rachel Cooper, but this show was voted the best yet. Having gained his 2016 Royal International (RIHS) ticket and stood section champion in the morning, “Breac” delivered again to head his Blue Riband final. He saved the best for last, though, and after performing a repeat of the individual show that earned the team the £1,000 Torne Valley title here at the North of England show in June, the majestic grey strode away with his first overall Heritage supreme award. “I opted to stick…

Ian Renton, regional director of Jockey Club Racecourses, talks about Cheltenham’s new baby, the Princess Royal Stand. How much did it set you back? £45m. But it came in on budget and earlier than projected. What are the main features? It is five-and-a-half storeys with a capacity of about 7,000 people. There are 150 screens and 156 loos on the lower ground floor. Presumably all the bars are named after Cheltenham greats? So far we have the Vestey bar on the ground floor in recognition of Lord Vestey’s 21-year tenure as chairman and the Big Buck’s Champagne bar on the first floor. There’s scope for more. Level two is the owners and trainers’ bar and the Cotswold Club for previous A&R box holders — for those with deep pockets what…

AS soon as I turned 16 I was dying to have my first race ride, and on 27 January 1994 I had my chance — on Rusty Bridge at Larkhill point-to-point. He was trained and bred by my granddad, and latterly trained by my mother, so he was a real family horse. We came fifth and it was a great experience. Three months later I rode my first winner under Rules, and it was him. I really got the racing bug when I was 16 and that’s thanks to Rusty Bridge. He was a typical big, three-mile staying chaser — he was never the fastest but he always looked after me. He wasn’t a pushbutton ride but he’d get you out of trouble; if you asked for a long one…