Innholdsfortegnelse for 12-nov-15 i Horse & Hound

THE debate about the benefits of air vests rumbles on, following a recent study showing that they decrease the risk of severe chest injury by a small amount. British Eventing (BE) recently published the findings of research it funded at the Transport Research Laboratory into the effectiveness of air vests in protecting riders from crush injuries. A series of controlled tests were carried out, in which an equine cadaver was dropped on to a crash test dummy wearing a BETA 2009 Level 3 body and shoulder protector, and an air jacket. The cadaver was dropped from a height of 1.2m and chest deflection was measured. The results showed that the air jacket reduced the compression on the dummy’s chest, and that the predicted risk of severe chest injury fell from…

INTERNATIONAL animal charity SPANA is to establish veterinary services in Botswana. The charity aims to improve the health and welfare of more than 24,000 working donkeys, which are relied upon by families living in poverty. SPANA Botswana will run a mobile veterinary clinic that will initially visit 10 villages around the town of Maun, travelling more than 150 miles each week. The population of donkeys in Maun is so large that the town is known locally as Donkey Town. As well as veterinary treatment, SPANA will be providing animal welfare training and education to the local community.…

DOES the equine veterinary industry do enough to accommodate family life? No, answered the majority of vets attending a debate at the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) congress in September, writes Amy Mathieson. Of the voters, 92% answered yes to the question, “Does equine practice need to change to become more compatible with family life?” Until recently, men dominated the profession, but this is changing with 76% of new graduate intakes now women. As more females join equine practices they bring different personal expectations; many vets want a better work-life balance. “Choosing to be an equine vet shouldn’t go hand-in-hand with giving up the rest of your life,” said veterinary coach Carolyne Crowe. “Allowing flexibility within job roles should result in more engagement, productivity and thus economic benefit for the…

A TRAPPED HORSE An unfortunate gelding in Lincolnshire was freed by firefighters on 29 October after becoming stuck in his stable door. MARCO BOTTI The trainer faces disciplinary action for breaching a rule of failing to inform authorities when a horse has been gelded. Three-year-old Sammy’s Warrior was listed as a colt but after being bought to breed from, it was found he was a gelding. A ‘CHEATING HUSBAND’ A woman in New York, who divorced her reportedly cheating husband, sent him a package of horse poo, costing $20 (£13.25). A FACEBOOK SHARER An Australian woman was set to pocket $825 (£382) when Prince Of Penzance won the Melbourne Cup. She posted a selfie with her winning ticket, but one of her “friends” used the code and cashed in first.…

GO TO THE OPEN The Open at Cheltenham racecourse takes place from 13-15 November. As well as top National Hunt racing — including the Paddy Power Gold Cup — the venue’s Countryside Day will feature AP McCoy trying dressage. cheltenham.thejockeyclub.co.uk EXHIBITION Sladmore Contemporary Gallery in London is hosting an exhibition by wildlife sculptor Mark Coreth from 10 November until 24 December. His domestic-scale bronze of Frankel will be on display. www.sladmorecontemporary.com CHAMPIONSHIPS The National Amateur and Veteran Showjumping Championships are being held at Aintree Equestrian Centre from 18-22 November. aintreeequestriancentre.co.uk CHARITY RACING Wetherby racecourse is hosting the CIU Charity Raceday on 14 November. www.wetherbyracing.co.uk TEAM FINALS The Team Quest National Finals are at Bury Farm Equestrian Centre, Bucks, on 14-15 November. www.britishdressage.co.uk EVENTING Keep up to date with the final…

I read the recent article “Should dogs be banned at competitions?” (feature, 29 October) with interest as I take my dogs everywhere with me, on a short lead, kept close to my side. The attitude of some dog owners does surprise me at times, from not picking up after them to a simple disregard for not only their own dog’s safety, but also that of competitors. I have had to grab dogs running amok among the horseboxes, fashion a lead from my horse’s lead rope and traipse up and down the lorries trying to find the owners. I have even heard people complaining that their dog isn’t used to being on a lead as it roams their land at home so it should be allowed loose at shows. My two…

1 Her first HOYS success came on the Gilbert-Scotts’ Cusop Pirouette, pony of the year in 1966. 2 Jayne evented up to advanced level in her teens. She sold her best horses — Jolly Dee and Double Dee — in 1980, the year she married Anthony Webber, and used the cash to furnish their first house. The couple divorced in the early 1990s. 3 Jayne and Anthony — a former National Hunt jockey — ran a yard near Lambourn and broke in around 150 yearlings a year. 4 Jayne “fell” into point-to-pointing while working for Pat Duncan following her divorce. She trained 43 winners. 5 In 1998 Jayne relocated to South Africa for 18 months, training Flat horses and judging at local shows.…

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ANIMAL HEALTH TRUST Frosty Morn, £3.50 plus £3.50 p&p Greeting: “With Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year” 01638 555620 www.ahtshop.co.uk HEROS Last Horse Home, £7.50 inc p&p Greeting: “Seasons Greetings” 01488 638820 www.heroscharity.org HUNT STAFF BENEFIT SOCIETY For they’ve done like Kings, £6 plus £2.50 p&p Greeting: “Happy Christmas” 01285 653001 www.hs-bs.co.uk RACEHORSE SANCTUARY The Painter’s Groom Bayfield, with Migrant and Julia, £9.50 inc p&p Greeting: “Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year” 07712 346604 www.racehorsesanctuary.org BOB CHAMPION CANCER TRUST Warren Hill, £8 inc p&p Greeting: “Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year” 020 7924 3553 www.bobchampion.org.uk COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE Gratitude for the Tedworth Hounds, £6.99 inc p&p Greeting: “With Best Wishes for Christmas and the New…

SIXTY ONE The percentage of British Eventing fixtures where at least one dressage score of less than 20 (80%) was recorded 2,499 The number of British Eventing sections run this year £6,750 Total prize fund in the CIC2* and CIC* at Floors Castle in May 22 The number of months Nicky Roncoroni’s four-star horse Trig Point spent on the sidelines with health problems before returning to competition at Barbury in July ONE The number of riders in the top 10 at Burgham (1) CIC3* who had not ridden at a senior championship at that time — the winner (and third-placed) Gemma Tattersall was the one, although she made her senior championship debut later in the year at Blair 280 Volunteers at Frickley Park (1) in July 20 Age of Abigail…

GRACE WALLACE’S Blue Chip Karma Performance winner Zonia has gone from strength to strength this season despite being told she would never jump again. Fifteen-year-old Grace had been riding the Dutch-bred mare for just over a year when she damaged a flexor tendon in August 2014. “We gave her some time off in the field and after a while we decided to re-scan her, thinking maybe she could do a bit of dressage,” said Grace’s mum Victoria. “The vet said we wouldn’t believe it, but it had 100% healed. “We were very slow bringing her back into work but now she’s jumping better than ever. She’s a tough cookie.” “It was our first time trying to qualify as we’ve just stepped up to Foxhunter height,” said Grace, who headed a…

DEINHARD B The multiple European gold medal-winning German dressage pony has died at the age of 16 following a bout of colic. Recently the palomino stallion was ridden by Semmieke Rothenberger and the pair took triple gold at the 2014 pony Europeans. RED CADEAUX Trainer Ed Dunlop’s nine-year-old was retired after sustaining a serious injury in the Melbourne Cup. The popular globe-trotting gelding underwent surgery on a fractured fetlock. He is said to be recovering well and will retire in Australia. FORREST NYMPH A 14.2hh New Forest pony made light work of the CCI2* at Fair Hill Horse Trials in the US (15-18 October). “Farrah” finished 16th with US rider Sinead Halpin — the pony’s highest placing to date in a two-star. COSMOPOLITAN II William Fox-Pitt’s first Olympic horse has…

TWENTY-ONE yellow warning cards were handed out in a single weekend at the start of the UAE endurance season, as the crackdown on rule-breaking is stepped up. Numerous violations were spotted on the live-stream from the first major CEI/CEN at Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi on 22 October, in addition to many sanctioned on the day by the ground jury. There was a completion rate of just 18% in the CEI 100km (20 of 108 starters), no reduction in average speeds, instances of extra-long reins used as whips, and riders retiring just before vet-gates to avoid the penalty points and mandatory rest periods that follow disqualification for metabolics. The UAE was suspended by the FEI in March, reinstated only after signing a legal agreement. The FEI declined to comment how long…

THE Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre (TRC) is changing its name to The British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre from 1 January as part of the charity’s 25th anniversary plans. Founded in 1991, the charity is the first in Britain dedicated to finding a useful life for horses after racing the eventing, showing, or hacking. The TRC operates a “loan” system for its horses; if a loaner can no longer keep a horse he is returned to the centre for re-homing.…

MALE and female point-to-point jockeys will go head-to-head in a new competition this season to be crowned the AGA grand prix leading rider, writes Aimi Clark. Every jockey who competes in a meeting with an AGA-sponsored race will be allocated a joker card. Points will be awarded to the first three riders in every race on the card. Whoever has the most points out of the mens’ champion and the womens’ champion at the end will win an AGA. Reigning female champion Gina Ellis (nee Andrews, pictured, left) said the chance to battle with the boys adds an exciting new dimension to the season. “I’m excited about the new season and I’m aiming to win the [womens’] title for the third time,” she confirmed. AGA’s David Simpson said: “This is…

RORY MACDONALD THE former chief executive of the British Racing School (BRS) has died at the age of 66. Mr Macdonald held the position for 22 years between 1992-2014. Following his retirement he continued to support others by taking up charitable roles within the industry, including as a trustee for Retraining of Racehorses (RoR). He died on 2 November. IRIS DIAMOND MS DIAMOND was among the founders of the East Cheshire branch of the Pony Club (ECPC) in 1959 and later the East Cheshire Combined Training Group. She helped the ECPC for 35 years and was presented with awards from the Pony Club and British Horse Society. She died on 24 October aged 101. WILLIAM GRONOWDAVIS A master of the Portman since 2008, Mr Gronow-Davis died at home in Dorset…

AS every horsey girl knows, it’s important to include that special person in your life on your special day. And there’s a new photographer who can help you do just that, taking pictures of bride, groom… and horse. The Equestrian Bride offers a specialist service for horse-mad brides who want to include their four-legged friend in the celebrations. The location is up to you — popular spots include romantic woodlands, beaches and meadows. Sue Westwood-Ruttledge, founder of The Equestrian Bride, said: “It’s all about capturing the special bond between bride and horse, combined with the excitement of her wedding.” •  H&H recommends wearing a riding hat to a suitable safety standard while on a horse.…

DEBATES about the future of eventing continue. This week we report on the preferred Olympic format to come out of the European Equestrian Federation (EEF) eventing working group (p6), as well as Julian Seaman’s view that eventing simply isn’t a team sport (p85). Julian makes interesting points, but I find eventing team competitions fascinating and would hate to see them disappear. Meanwhile the EEF working group has proposed the team contest becomes a CIC, with dressage all in one day, then showjumping, then cross-country. The top competitors would progress to a final-day horse inspection and another showjumping round for individual medals. For me, this is the best proposal so far. Crucially, it allows the same horses and riders to contest both team and individual competitions and it’s not impossibly complicated.…

IT is common practice for vets to grade the degree of lameness exhibited by a horse to give an estimation of its severity. The original grade can then be documented, allowing semi-objective monitoring of improvement following treatment. Your vet may have described your horse’s lameness as “low-grade”, or perhaps it has been assigned a fractional score. Knowing how to put these scores into context can help an owner understand the sometimes complex process of reaching a veterinary diagnosis. Limiting factors IT is important to recognise that any scheme attempting to grade lameness will have its shortcomings. People vary in their ability to detect lameness, and grading it will always be a subjective assessment. Additionally, whether a particular grading scale runs from zero to five, eight or 10, there are no…

THERE are three basics every showjumping horse needs: the ability to make balanced turns to the left and right, to listen and go off the leg, and to stop or wait when asked. I go through these fundamentals every day, using repetition and consistent aids to make them perfect. In schooling sessions I use a lot of sitting trot to work on turns, building suppleness both ways. On a corner I raise my inside hand and lower the outside one a little to encourage the horse to follow the rein around. You won’t be able to make those quick jump-off times if your horse is used to drifting left or right. I then use a simple exercise in canter, picking a marker point and stopping right by it. The horse…

Louis Smith dazzled in sequins as a Strictly Come Dancing champion, but the gymnast quit his sport after winning silver at the 2012 Olympics. With his eyes on Rio, he won European pommel horse gold in April in his first reappearance for Team GB. After a catalogue of crunching leg injuries and a gruelling rehab programme, US Olympic alpine skier Lindsey Vonn broke the all-time record this January for women’s World Cup wins. British heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill took world championship gold in Beijing in August, just nine months after resuming training following the birth of her son, Reggie. The 2012 Olympic gold medallist began her fitness campaign on an exercise bike in her garage. At the same championships, Jamaican sprint superstar Usain Bolt overcame a summer troubled by a pelvic…

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THE third leg of the 2015 World Dressage Masters was held in the impressive arena at Equestrian Centre Azelhof, which is better known for hosting top showjumping competitions. Dutch A team rider Hans Peter Minderhoud partnered the 11-year-old KWPN stallion Zanardi in his big tour debut to take the grand prix with 72.54%. The pair saw off a strong challenge from the last pair, Belgium’s Jeroen Devroe and Eres DL, who finished a close second on 72.38%. Hans Peter and Zanardi then went on to stand second in the freestyle behind Dutch pair Tommie Visser and Variohippique’s Vingino, who earned a 75.2% win. Jeroen and Eres posted a personal best of 71.02% to win the grand prix special. British Olympian Richard Davison rode the impressive but inexperienced home-bred Lingh gelding…

LAST month I travelled to Le Mans in France with Die Callas for the grand prix. I was very pleased with our test, which scored 70.6%, good enough for second. Unfortunately afterwards, “Cassie”, who is nervous of people, ran backwards and threw up her head when the steward put her hand into her mouth to check the bit. In doing so, she bit her tongue, which meant that when the steward finally managed to look there was blood and I was eliminated. I believe this rule needs revising. Using this logic, a horse could jump to the side coming out of the arena and cut itself and be eliminated afterwards, too. In other sports, video playback, photographic evidence and human witnesses are consulted before contentious decisions are made. As we…

JAY HALIM landed the 1.40m and feature winter grand prix to pocket a £2,000 pay packet with Helen Rees’ Bart VI. The combination had fired a warning shot in the earlier 1.40m with a convincing victory, and returned on the final day to take the grand prix with a fast, committed round in the finaldraw. “He had been off form, but he’s on the climb now,” said Jay, who credits the win to a new saddle. “I’ve helped develop the design of this saddle with Albion, and they came out three days before the show to fit it for Bart. This is our first show, and we’ve had a 100% success rate.” They beat Helen Tredwell’s Larksong by just 0.09 of a second, with Joe Clayton third on a new…

RETURNING from Vilamoura on a roll, Holly Gillott and Quality Old Joker collected a win in the Blue Chip Dynamic B&C Championship qualifier. “He was second over there in a 1.45m world rankings class, so it’s a step down for him,” said Holly. “Being away makes me quicker, it helps when you’ve been riding against the best in the world.” This busy midweek show saw a decent turnout, with large and competitive jump-off fields. “It was a quick class. Quality Old Joker’s 17.3hh, so he’s not an ideal ladies’ horse, but he’s very light on his feet. He has a really long stride, but he can shorten well,” said Holly. “I probably won it between fences one and two, where there were 10 strides on a dog leg, and he…

HALF my lifetime ago I aired the idea in a magazine that horse sports, apart from polo, are not really team sports. Since the system hasn’t changed in 30 years, perhaps not many people agreed with my thesis then! I thought, however, it was worth another look in the light of the debate about what eventing format might be adopted to keep both that sport and the other equestrian disciplines in the Olympics. I dug the old piece out when the new debate opened up, and thank Horse & Hound for suggesting I put my old, slightly revised, views up for current discussion. Much has changed in 30 years, but some of my original points still stand up. In eventing, the loss of the roads and tracks and steeplechase —…

IT is a measure of the exacting nature of the Cheltenham Gold Cup that some of its winners never win another race. That is almost the norm for Grand National winners, as much as anything because the handicapper has his say. However, if only to prove that their big day was not a one-off, it is good to see Gold Cup horses keep winning. So it was thrilling to see not just one but two former Gold Cup winners, both ridden by Nico de Boinville, in the winner’s enclosure over the weekend. Coneygree may have beaten only two rivals in the Bet188 Future Stars Chase at Sandown on Sunday but it was the style of his victory that caught the eye. While Bobs Worth’s win in the Betfred Hurdle at…

THE National Hunt season is really getting going now and we’ve already been lucky enough to see some of the top horses out. Most courses have soft ground at the moment, so many of the better horses have been coming out the past fortnight without having to risk fast ground. Coneygree was very impressive at Sandown. He’s a horse I’ve ridden before — winning the Denman Chase — and it was great to see him come back with such an easy win by 25 lengths. He jumped and travelled well and looked in great form. I think he’ll be one of the best chasers we see all season and he’ll be hard to beat in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Don Cossack also looked exciting at Down Royal — he’s big…

Showjumping, clear-round Dressage, combined training Showing Eventing, Jumpcross, hunter trials Other ALNWICK FORD EQUESTRIAN NORTHUMBERLAND, NE65 8EQ Alnwick Ford Equestrian holds more than 150 affiliated and unaffiliated showjumping, dressage, cross-country and demonstration events a year. Facilities include a 28x90m indoor arena, a 30x60m outdoor arena, more than 80 jumps, a cross-country course, conference facilities, and a café. NOVEMBER Sun 15, unaffil dressage series Wed 18, British Showjumping Tue 24, unaffil dressage Sat 28, British Showjumping DECEMBER Tue 1, test riding unaffil dressage Sun 6, British Showjumping Tue 8, showjumping clinic Sun 13, arena eventing Thu 17, unaffil dressage JANUARY 2016 Sun 3, unaffil dressage series Tue 5, test riding unaffil dressage FEBRUARY 2016 Sun 7, unaffil dressage series Sat 20, eventing clinic Sun 21, eventing clinic Sun 28, arena eventing…

STEVE GUERDAT The Swiss showjumper has been named as the best rider of the year by L’Année Hippique.The members of the International Jumping Riders’ Club and the readers of Horse Internationalvoted for the awards. TRISH RYAN The Irish event rider bought the top lot at last week’s Monart Sale in Co. Wexford. Trish paid E42,000 (£30,000) for an unnamed four-year-old bay mare by OBOS Quality out of the Glidawn Diamond mare GTI Diamond, sold by Kieran Kennedy. RICHARD HUGHES The champion Flat jockey turned trainer has moved his string from Hampshire to Weathercock House Stables in Lambourn. Richard saddled his first winner, Duchess Of Marmite, at Kempton on 4 November. JUDY REYNOLDS Irish dressage rider Judy has set a new international grand prix freestyle record for her nation. Paired with…

TALENTED individuals who work behind the scenes in racing can now be put forward for the 2016 Godolphin stud and stable staff awards. Nominations are open until 2 December for owners, trainers, managers and colleagues to show their appreciation for hard-working members of staff. The awards offer more than £120,000 in prize money. “The stud and stable staff make up the fabric of the sport and these awards are a wonderful opportunity to honour and reward their hard work and dedication that plays such a vital role in our industry,” said Hugh Anderson, managing director of Godolphin and Darley (UK). • To make a nomination visit: www.britishhorseracing.com/stablestaff…

H&H’sannual,TheEquestrianYear 2015is now on sale in WH Smith, Sainsbury’s and other major retailers. Editor Alice Collins said: “It brings togetherHorse&Hound’sbestreports from all the year’s high-profile shows. It’s huge and glossy with beautiful never-before-seen images; the perfect keepsake of the equestrian year and makes the ideal Christmas present.” The annual includes coverage from events including Horse of the Year Show, Windsor and the European Championships as well as racing action and comments from high-profile riders.…

A LONDON STABLES Wimbledon Village Stables has raised more than £20k for good causes through sponsored rides — some in fancy dress. POINT-TO-POINT FANS A popular fixture that lost its course has found a new home at Askham Bryan College. The West of Yore Hunt lost the venue after the land it had been using was earmarked for housing. DOGS IN CYPRUS Equestrian stars have been helping a dog charity in Cyprus. Carl Hester donated a yard visit and Carol Bardo gifted a rug won by The Humdinger. Horseware UK also gave a limited edition rug. LORNA HOGG The Scottish endurance rider has covered 5,000km on horseback this year. Lorna reached the milestone with 19-year-old De Marco on 25 October.…

SIX police horses are recovering at the Metropolitan Police’s mounted unit after being injured during a protest in central London last week (5 November), writes Amy Mathieson. The Metropolitan Police deployed what it described as a “significant police operation” with 2,000 officers to deal with the Million Mask March, an anti-austerity campaign. The most seriously hurt horse was Embassy, who sustained injuries to his side, rear fetlock and front leg while working near Buckingham Palace. The mounted police officer riding him suffered a broken wrist when he fell after Embassy was spooked by fireworks. Quartz sustained a wound, believed to be caused by glass, to his hindleg. Qwerty was injured on his hindquarters. Heather had a cut on her hind fetlock, while Illustrious suffered an eye injury, believed to be…

FEET FIRST Sir — I have read with great interest the expert comments on your series of Horse Heroes. Each week, with baited breath, I wait for a comment on its feet — and sure enough, this week (5 November), there is one. We learn that the great Adventure De Kannan has odd front ones, which “vets don’t like to see”. He clearly has a clever farrier and the very best of care in order to perform so brilliantly at the level he does. I absolutely can’t be alone in thinking that the feet are one of the first considerations when you look at any horse. There is no point in having the perfect eye, rib cage, outlook, hindquarters and (yes) ears if the feet are not there to carry…

My secret weapon is… My head girl Rachel Stephens. She puts up with me, organises me, takes care of my horses and makes me laugh. Warm-up tip… Have a plan, know what you want to do and give yourself plenty of breaks. Don’t panic. Time saving tip… Put things back! Money saving secret… When I find out, I’ll tell you. Favourite place for a meal out… The Old Passage in Arlingham, Glos. It’s a magnificent fish restaurant, about two miles away from where I’m based as the crow flies but takes about an hour as we have to go around the River Severn. I love the deep-fried crispy oysters and Mâcon Loché white wine. My favourite city… Copenhagen. I have many fond memories of my time in Denmark, where I…

IF good things come in small packages, Jayne Ross is a prime example. This petite 5ft5in lady with an all-encompassing smile has enjoyed one of her best seasons in the show ring to date, and she is her customary merry self on a gloomy afternoon in November in the cottage she occupies at Carol Bardo’s Moor Farm in Berkshire. One of four Siamese cats, Lavender, curls up on her lap as Jayne recalls the highlights of 2015. There are plenty, as some 20 horses from her yard graced the show ring this term. One of Dianne Stennett’s mares, Hello Dolly, kick-started the season with an unassailable ladies campaign at Royal Windsor. Then the other, Time 2 Reflect, went through the card to stand hunter champion at the Royal International (RIHS),…

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VALEGRO: CHAMPION HORSE By Carl Hester Third Millennium Publishing, £20 ISBN: 9781908990532 THIS beautiful book tells the story of the superstar from his first steps to his team debut, the euphoric Olympic victory and all that followed. We hear from several of those whose lives “Blueberry” has touched, from his breeders, Maartje and Joop Hanse, to “super-groom” Alan Davies, to the many judges he has wowed. The story is as gripping as Valegro’s performances, with beautiful, rarely seen photos. Above all, the reader gains a sense of the extraordinary partnership between Valegro, Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester. The photos showing Carl watching the pair at their first championships from behind a pillar, sobbing like a proud father, are one particularly moving episode. Polly Bryan KATIE JERRAM’S MODERN HORSE MANAGEMENT By…

HOW DID YOU GET INTO PRESENTING? I always wanted to work in sport, but my mum and dad wanted me to become a lawyer. I started working for a PR company and while I was away my boss wrote a letter to At The Races telling them that if they were looking for new people who were different they should talk to me. I went for a screen test and was actually offered a job by Jim Ramsey [now a producer for Channel 4 Racing] in 2002. I started with Channel 4 in 2003 and was then headhunted by the BBC three months later [Rishi returned to Channel 4 Racing in 2013]. BEST ADVICE? IF you make a mistake it’s not the end of the world — it’s only television…

“ANY good?” Always the first question from Dad. It’s a ritual. Cutting straight to the chase, he wanted to know what business was like up front. “The huntsman hardly touched the hounds,” I replied. “Scent wasn’t brilliant, but there were lots of children desperate to ride up front with him.” “Best place to learn how to hunt hounds,” he said. “Sounds like he’ll go on alright.” That was Dad’s verdict and down the phone went. Our short exchange might sum up the day, but it does little justice to the hard work and planning that went into the meet. And it gives no indication of the respect Dartmoor commands which, in turn, yields relentless sport and challenges. The first hurdle was the weather. The fog was thick as we arrived…

THERE is much to applaud about the progress in British breeding, yet there is one area that tells me that we still don’t quite get it. That is the lack of breeding details that should — in a perfect world — be routinely attached to a horse’s name in reports, programmes and on results sheets. This was brought home recently on receipt of a press release from one of the big shows. The release quoted the winner as saying: “This is the one every breeder wants to win”, yet was without reference to the breeder, let alone the breeding of the champion horse (both British). Not only is it disappointing for the breeder not to get a mention, but there are many who would have been interested to know who…

THE rankings system in the UK needs to change. If you aspire to compete at the top international shows, you’re forced to go abroad and it’s killing standards. Our national classes are getting smaller and the gap between the top 10 British riders and everyone else is getting larger. Classes at national shows are getting faster and faster and it isn’t educating horses to do Nations Cups and grands prix. Ten years ago — when we had a joint rankings list that included both national and international results — I had a year of mostly competing younger horses on the county circuit and at national shows. I still accrued enough points to stay in the top 10. Now, show centres won’t put on 1.50m classes because they don’t get the…

SCHOOLGIRL Rachel Vicary has big plans for producing horses once she has left school, and is already showing her talent for the job. Riding the 16-year-old pony Spirits Way (Coco), she won the 95cm Dodson & Horrell national amateur second round at Badgworth Arena, Bristol (25 October). Rachel has owned the mare for four years and jumped her in Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifiers before moving out of juniors. “Coco is such a cool pony and I’ve won loads on her including a Blue Chip class,” said Rachel, who attends Queen Elizabeth’s school in Crediton. “We were placed at the Scope Festival and nearly won Pony of the Year in 2013, but had an unlucky pole in the final round and came fifth. She’s everyone’s favourite on the…

• THE founders of eventing analytics company EquiRatings have won the best start-up prize in the regional round of Ireland’s best young entrepreneur 2015 competition. Irish championship rider Sam Watson and his friend Diarmuid Byrne have already scooped two prizes in the county round of the contest and will now progress to the national finals at Google’s European headquarters in Dublin in December. • ANGUS SMALES and his partner Harriet Herbert have a new son. Archie (below) was born on 13 October and weighed in at 7lb 8oz. • THIS year’s International Eventing Forum is on Monday, 1 February at Hartpury College and the theme is “back to the future”. The focus will be on the qualities, thoughts and principles of riders, trainers and event organisers that do not need…

ON Saturday, Hayley Turner, the most successful female Flat jockey of all time in Europe, with three Group One wins, bowed out with her last rides in Britain at Doncaster. But on the other side of the world, another male bastion fell when Michelle Payne, a no-nonsense Australian jockey, realised her dream. She became the first female to ride the winner in the 155-year history of the Emirates Melbourne Cup. She rode a perfectly judged race on the 100-1 shot Prince Of Penzance (pictured below) to land the “race that stops the nation”, a feat that would be, certainly in terms of publicity, on a par with a lady jockey winning the Grand National here. “I’m so glad to win the Melbourne Cup and hopefully more female jockeys from now…

JULIE KRONE: won her first race in 1981. She went on to become one of only eight jockeys to make the front cover of Sports Illustrated. Became the first lady to win a US Classic in the 1993 Belmont Stakes and a Breeders’ Cup race on Halfbridled in 2003. ROSIE NAPRAVNIK: won the Kentucky Oaks twice in 2012 and 2014, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in 2012 and retired on the spot after winning the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Untapable in 2014, announcing that she was pregnant. She has not ruled out a comeback one day. HAYLEY TURNER: joint champion apprentice 11 years ago, won the July Cup, Nunthorpe and Beverley D at Arlington in America. Surprised the racing world in August by announcing her retirement. EMMA-JAYNE WILSON: Canada’s all-time winning-most…