Innholdsfortegnelse for 05-nov-15 i Horse & Hound

IS the equestrian industry facing a crisis when it comes to finding stable staff and grooms? It would seem that finding someone willing to put in the hard graft — with often unsociable hours and unpleasant weather conditions — is becoming increasingly difficult. However, is low pay and lack of time off putting off a new generation of stable staff? Two years ago H&H ran a report, “It’s never been harder to find a reliable groom”. And now in 2015 H&H hasfoundthe situation isn’t improving. “We regularly deal with complaints and enquiries from both employees and employers, and unfortunately we haven’t seen a decrease in the number of cases we are offering support to,” said Lucy Katan of the British Grooms Association (BGA). “If anything we have seen an increase,…

DRESSAGE riders who take the wrong course could be suffer much harsher penalties under a potential new rule, writes Alice Collins. It is one of two new regulations that will be mooted at the FEI’s general assembly in Puerto Rico (10-13 November). The first concerns the penalty for an error of course, with the proposals recommending a 3% reduction from the final score for the first error, and elimination for the second. Under current rules, two marks are deducted from each judge for the first error and four for the second, with the third triggering elimination. The FEI’s Frank Kemperman explained that the proposed rule change “brought dressage more in line with jumping, where a single error of course means elimination”. American rider Catherine Haddad, Dr Wilfried Bechtolsheimer and judge…

THE current national prix st georges champion Tantoni Sir Soccrates (pictured, right) has been removed from his rider Alice Oppenheimer’s yard, writes Alice Collins. Alice, a grand prix rider, was visiting India with The Brooke ambassador Charlotte Dujardin on a week-long equine charity trip. When she returned on 31 October, “Soccs” was no longer there. “When I got back, he’d gone,” she said. “I knew his owner Georgie [Pole-Carew] was ill, so we had told them that we would understand if they needed to sell him, but I’m gutted not to have been able to say goodbye. “I’ll really miss him; I had an incredible bond with that horse,” she added. The eight-year-old’s owners, Georgina and Peregrine Pole-Carew, said the timing was “an unfortunate coincidence” with “no malice” and added…

Racing A feature-length film about 20-time champion jockey AP McCoy is set to be released on 23 November. Being AP follows the jockey though his final season, from racing at Cheltenham and Aintree, to struggling with injury and the build-up to his retirement. The film also features a mix of archive footage and behind-the-scenes access to the team around AP, including his wife Chanelle, trainers, fellow jockeys and owner JP McManus. Cheltenham racecourse is hosting a screening of the film on its release date, followed by a live-stream question and answer session with Clare Balding.…

THE RSPCA has almost doubled the amount of specialist equine inspectors that it employs, writes Amy Mathieson. The charity has taken on an extra nine inspectors, adding to the 10 it already had. The RSPCA’s team of specialist equine officers has been expanded as the charity continues to tackle ongoing rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming of equines. “The equine inspectors are normal inspectors with a speciality in equines, so this is a way of building on their specialist knowledge,” an RSPCA spokesman told H&H. “The RSPCA and other welfare organisations have been quite open for some time now about the fact that we are facing an equine crisis, with more neglected and abused horses than ever before. “It is therefore becoming more and more important that we have frontline officers with…

PINWORM is a re-emerging disease and all horses are at increased risk of infection — that was the message conveyed by Edd Knowles when speaking at the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA)’s congressinSeptember, writes Aimi Clark. Previous veterinary thinking was that Oxyuris equi — more commonly known as pinworm — affected only a limited age range of young horses, it caused mild clinical signs and was easy to control with a routine worming programme. However, recent reports suggest this is not the case. “Anthelmintic [wormer] resistance is emerging,” said Mr Knowles. “Many reports involve mature adult horses that have received apparently appropriate recent anthelmintic treatment.” Adult pinworms are white and up to 15cm in length, and primarily live in a horse’s right dorsal colon. Female pinworms lay yellow eggs around…

CRAYONS, paints and computer design programmes at the ready... Schoolchildren are being invited to design a jump for the inaugural Liverpool International Horse Show, which will run from 1-3 January. The aim is to celebrate famous Liverpool landmarks, as the London 2012 showjumps celebrated London, with Olympic riders soaring over Tower Bridge, Abbey Road and an iconic red bus (pictured, below) in Greenwich. The competition was launched last month by rider Geoff Billington and closes on 16 November. “Liverpool has some great landmarks and world famous history, and I hope we see some of the city’s heritage in the designs,” said Geoff. AM •  To enter visit: www.www.liverpoolhorseshow.comliverpoolhorseshow.com…

BEING involved in the National Hunt special has been an interesting experience. I hope you all enjoy it and that you might pick up some tips for the season ahead. The 2015/16 campaign is gathering pace and at Ditcheat we’ve had the best strike rate in October that we’ve ever had. We have about 30 new horses in training and it’s a really exciting time. We also have the established raiders including Silviniaco Conti, who we’ll be aiming at the King George — if he wins it will be his third and my 10th, which I’d love to do. I’m also really excited about H&H’scover star this week, Saphir Du Rheu; you can learn more about him on p50. This is the first season in 20 years without AP McCoy.…

WE prepare our young horses for competing by simulating a show at home every week. Once they’re jumping happily over a warm-up fence we’ll move on to a whole course. To encourage straightness, I lean poles on the warm-up fence in an inverted V shape. So many horses develop the habit of drifting left or right before a fence, especially if they’re in deep and need extra take-off room. The V guides the horse to the centre of the jump and teaches him to hold a straight line. Using standard poles for the Vs can make the fence look too solid and make the horse back off, so I use 1x1in wooden laths and leave a foot-wide gap at the top to make the fence more inviting. I also use…

6am Izzy arrives at the yard before her three full-time staff to check everything is in order. She will help muck out if she has time. 8.30am Breakfast in the tack room with her staff once her children have left for school and the mucking out is finished. Izzy discusses the plan for the day with her team, led by head groom Anna Mildner. 9am Izzy starts riding. She aims to ride eight to 10 horses a day. There is no horse walker and Izzy is a stickler for hacking and fitness work, so the staff help with this. 1pm Lunchtime 2pm Izzy finishes off the riding while the team set about afternoon jobs on the yard. 5.30pm The yard is finished and Izzy has tea and biscuits with her…

1 Don’t ride too far away from the poles before you turn to them, says Chris, because young horses can’t carry a short canter for long. “They are using their muscles in a different way, so they will get tired and sore quickly.” 2 Enjoyment is key to a horse learning. “If they come out one day and find working easy, they will think it’s the best thing. That’s why riders should be clever about slowly making the challenge harder,” says Chris. “I will jump my four- and five-year-olds one day and then repeat the exercise the following day because they learn through repetition. My experienced horses don’t repeat exercises, though, because they don’t need to.” 3 Hire a course but don’t pre-plan your route, instead find lines as you…

RICHARD has ridden plenty of winners for me over the years and it would be richly deserved if he won the championship. If he stays injury-free he’ll be hard to beat. He’s one of racing’s good guys and it will be a hugely popular win if he does it. Sam Twiston-Davies and Aidan Coleman both have plenty of years ahead of them yet, now’s Richard’s time. It would be good for him, and also for the sport if he takes it, and I’m pleased to hear he intends to keep on riding for a few years yet.…

PRE-TRAINING is an important aspect of the racing business and one I believe is growing. It’s interesting to focus on it in this National Hunt special as the season gets properly under way, as I don’t think everyone realises what goes on behind the scenes and the preparation of horses they watch every week. At Ditcheat we use Jack Barber, who H&H speaks to here, Chloe Roddick, Emma Barber and Dave and Caroline Stadden for pre-training. We send horses there that perhaps need to take things a bit more quietly, youngsters that need preparation or leggy horses that need extra work. Horses often go if they are recovering from injury and need an in-between space. They do a varying amount of work depending on what the horse needs — be…

1 A first Group One winner for Harry Dunlop, as Robin Of Navan came home clear in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud in Paris. 2 A graded-race, cross-card double for trainer Charlie Longsdon, with Richard Johnson-ridden Kilcooley, a wide-margin winner from Rock On Ruby of the Grade Two West Yorkshire Hurdle, and Pendra, who put forward his Hennessy Gold Cup credentials under Barry Geraghty in the Grade Three Sodexo Gold Cup at Ascot. 3 Trebles for riders Noel Fehily at Wetherby (Charmix, Southfield Royale and Blue Buttons) and Aidan Coleman at Ascot (Masterplan, Cold March, Nabucco). 8 Winners for Gigginstown House Stud in three days at Down Royal, Cork and Naas: Cogryhill, Identity Thief, Tombstone, Don Cossack, Death Duty, Devils Bride, Just Cause, Lord Scoundrel. 2,000 Career winners for 45-year-old Joe…

ANNA ROSS had the upsetting misfortune to be eliminated when the steward found blood on his glove after the bit check. Anna rode Die Callas in the grand prix and was thrilled with her score of 70%, which would have put them in second. “Unfortunately the mare is very sensitive and always difficult in the bit inspection after the test,” Anna said. “In spite of the steward’s best efforts, Cassie must have caught her mouth and a speck of blood was found on the glove. “The outcome was unavoidable under the present rules, but it does highlight the problem,” she continued. “It was very upsetting for both me and the owners. “We have photos and videos to show the mare had no blood or pink froth on her mouth during…

NOW is the time to identify those 2016 goals. Although in the past I’ve criticised the UK Coaching Certificate scheme, one of its merits was to give me a clear goal-setting strategy. It’s all about plan A and plan B. You can move between the two if there’s a set-back; but there’s no room for a plan C. Goals should be ambitious and brave, but realistic, with stepping-stones provided. Many of my pupils are fed up with me asking “what are your 2016 goals?”, when what they really want is help with next week’s test. But while the long-term aim may seem daunting, working towards it improves interim results. Take the goal of riding a perfect 20m circle. Repeated in walk, trot or canter, it becomes boring with no improvement.…

EVERY cloud has a silver lining, as freelance rider Megan White recently found out. She was due to take her mare Blossom to Codham Park, Essex (18 October) to contest the Dodson & Horrell national amateur second round, but sadly she lost her to colic. “We were on holiday in Ibiza when it happened — she had a lipoma [fatty tumour in the abdominal cavity] which triggered colic, and she passed away,” said Megan. “I ended up taking my other mare Young Loula instead. She has been stuck in a four-fault zone recently, but she pulled her socks up and won the 95cm class for me. It certainly put a smile back on my face.” The pair also won at Blue Barn, Kent, the weekend before. The 15hh Irish sport…

A Welsh section C stood supreme at the 28th annual show for the third time in a decade. Catalogue entries totalled 190 between 16 classes, with 34 entries forward in the Welsh mountain pony classes, thus making it the strongest section. Iola Lloyd-Hughes’ home-bred section C colt Rhydsarn Enzo, from near Aberystwyth, looked perfect, with four equal white socks, and took his section championship en route to Welsh and overall supreme. Supreme judge, Welsh Pony and Cob Society president Dai Harris of Pennal stud, said: “He’s a true pony of cob type. Of all animals present, he kept his show-mode throughout and was shown to his full potential.” “Everything about him was correct,” added section C judge Wayne Groucott. “I felt he put more into it compared to the reserve…

The showing season has only just ended and already I’m hearing riders say that they have withdrawal symptoms. Think positive, because success in 2016 starts now. I’m a firm believer that for some horses — and people — a change is as good as a rest. I love this time of year, which is all about starting youngsters’ education and ironing out schooling problems with older horses before they go into winter mode. They say you should never go to sleep without settling a quarrel, so if you plan to give a horse a break, smooth out any rough edges before you do so. It means you finish on a good note, in a relaxed environment. I often take younger horses to dressage and jumping shows, with an eye on…

THE failure of the present government to pass the sensible amendments to the current hunting legislation is lamentable [see letters, page 14]. Once again, common sense has become a casualty of Westminster politics. Our position is pretty wretched, with repeal looking highly unlikely in the short term. Ten years have passed since the Hunting Act; it is difficult to see it being any more likely with the passage time. However there is a glimmer of hope in the unlikely guise of the new (old) Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn. “Can it be?” I hear you cry, “that the anti-monarchist, anti-capitalist, anti-Nato and anti-defence of the realm Jezza is not only a fan of Hamas and the Russkies, but also a field sports supporter?” Well… no. I think it’s highly unlikely. Can’t…

WE could always do with one or two more staff, but I think everyone is in the same situation. It’s tough, working with horses is a specialist job and everyone wants to be travelling head lad; work riders are hard to come by. The day starts at 7am, so it’s not too early, with a break for lunch and then back in from 3-5.30pm. They have every other weekend off too. We keep it quite traditional at Ditcheat. Everyone has four or five horses that they look after, so we hope it is a good experience and that people want to stay. What is tougher is finding those with strong riding skills, as good riders are not always forthcoming. The younger people tend to move on faster as they want…

A former cross-country course-designer aims to run an independent international cross-country safety conference, writes Pippa Roome. David Morton — who was a designer and builder in the UK from 1975-1985, but who now lives in Ireland — is organising the conference at Tattersalls, Ireland, on 25 February 2016. He hopes to raise € 25,000 (£18,000) by 16 November via crowdfunding to complete the project and aims to have 200 people attend. “The objective is to increase the safety of horse and rider across country,” said David. “Nobody can resolve the issue in one day, but if we can do a little bit, it will help. “There are issues with frangible devices being correctly installed and used in the right place, and we want to ensure best practice among course-designers and…

SOPHIE CHRISTIANSEN Sophie received a prestigious Woman of the Future award on 27 October. The 27-year-old triple Paralympic gold medallist won the sport category, recognising women under-35 who are influential in their sector. CAPTAIN MICHAEL KELLY The former Irish Army Equitation School rider, turned international showjumper, has taken up a new position at Irish Olympic bronze medallist Cian O’Connor’s Karlswood Stables in Co. Meath. AP MCCOY Twenty-time champion jockey AP McCoy, who retired in April, is joining the Channel 4 Racing team, helping present from top meetings this year. He’ll be starting at The Open at Cheltenham (14 November) and will cover both jumps and Flat meetings. ANDREW GERMAN The huntsman won the Countryside Alliance charity race at Aintree on 25 October. Representing the Cheshire Forest hunt, Andrew was one…

A Gloucestershire vet has been reprimanded by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), writes Caroline Bankes. Adele Lewis, who runs the Cotswold Equine Clinic in Lechlade, carried out a pre-purchase examination of a pony called Luke for prospective purchaser Mrs Grieve on 13 February 2014. The pony was owned by a long-established client of Ms Lewis. Upon examination Ms Lewis certified that, in her opinion, Luke’s veterinary history did not increase the risk of purchase. But when Mrs Grieve attempted to insure Luke after she bought him, she found that a claim had been made in September 2013. Ms Lewis said she had not acted dishonestly in relation to vendor declarations made on the certificate of veterinary examination regarding previous lameness and intra-articular medication. The RCVS committee felt it…

HEALTH and safety concerns have led to the cancellation of the London Riding Horse Parade, which has been taking place in Hyde Park since 1938. It was cancelled last year due to vehicle access restrictions on Rotten Row imposed by the Royal Parks. At the time, organisers said they would do “all they can” to run the parade in 2015. They discussed other parking options and possible routes competitors could take, but were unable to find a suitable alternative. Organiser Claire McCaffery-Clarke, from the British Horse Society told H&H it is looking “extremely unlikely” that the parade will happen ever again. A Royal Parks spokesman said they had worked closely with the organisers to find an alternative location, but at the time were unable to find one.…

EQUINE WELFARE A £5,000 donation was made to the Sir Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust at Nottingham racecourse. The Trust, set up by the late BBC racing commentator in 1997, has since raised more than £4million for equine welfare charities. HAPPY ENDINGS Cob Rafiki was riddled with worms when the Blue Cross rescued him from squalid conditions in January. The strawberry roan has since returned to full health and was recently re-homed by a Cambridge horse-lover. HARPER BECKHAM The four-year-old is already enjoying time in the saddle. Her mother Victoria posted a picture on Instagram of Harper riding a grey pony in Los Angeles. A SPECIAL VISITOR An elderly cancer patient was granted a special wish — a final visit from his horse Early Morn. Frank Keat, 80, was greeted by…

A major reshuffle of the British Riding Clubs (BRC) organisational structure has taken place, writes Lucy Elder. However, the British Horse Society (BHS) is keen to reassure BRC members that the changes will not directly affect them. The national executive committee, which used to make the decisions in the organisation, has been disbanded. This committee was made up of elected area representatives from across the UK. It has been replaced by the “BRC advisory committee”, meaning that the BHS, to which the BRC is affiliated, will now have the final say on decisions. This new advisory group will comprise delegates from British Eventing (BE), British Showjumping (BS) and British Dressage (BD), the head of BRC, the BRC competitions manager, plus six volunteer roles to be filled by BRC area representatives.…

ALDON IN GREAT STYLE Sir — I felt that I had to write having come back from Aldon horse trials (report, 29 October) where my sister was competing in the BE100 three-day event. How lucky we are to have a venue such as Aldon to finish the British Eventing year. The hosts, organisers and volunteers must be commended for running such a fantastic event — with so many sections running effortlessly alongside one another. The work, time and effort needed to run a long-format competition is tremendous, and Aldon did it in incredible style. There was an electric atmosphere in the 10- minute box before the cross-country, which was quite an achievement on a soggy Saturday morning. This mood remained with an exciting reverse-order showjumping phase. I would encourage any…

Listening to in the lorry… Anything I can sing along to, particularly Abba and Shania Twain. Ultimate Ibiza tunes are also good for keeping me awake on long journeys. My money-saving secret… Avoid shopping. I’m terrible. I particularly love shoes, handbags and anything that’s furry and cosy. Most memorable date… Well, it was a strange date. I don’t ever remember Tom (McEwen; pictured, left) asking me out and after he thought we’d been together for about a month I asked him what was going on. He looked a bit confused at that point. Guilty pleasures… Watching something cheesy on TV such as Love Island , with the fire on and a glass of wine. My sponsors Corney & Barrow are very helpful when it comes to the wine part. My…

KBIS Starburst: eight-year-old gelding by Cougar, owned by KBIS. Winner of Wellington advanced, second Strzegom CICO3* and sixth Tattersalls CIC3*. Izzy says: “A lovely youngster with a very promising future” Briarlands Birdsong: nine-year-old gelding by Spendent, owned by Bridget Lyne. Seventh at Boekelo CCI3* and eighth Ballindenisk CCI2*. Izzy says: “He’s very talented but he has a long way to go mentally. He has a great natural gallop, which is something I look for in every horse” Be Touchable: nine-year-old gelding by Untouchable, owned by Sophie Dodds. First in his first advanced at Little Downham and winner of the CCI2* at Ballindenisk. Izzy says: “I only took over the ride on him from his owner in August, but he’s very exciting” Call Me Maggie May: eight-year-old mare by Hamar, owned…

IT takes a whole team of talent to produce a horse to the point of international glory. Amid the popping corks and partying at the medal ceremony, however, it’s sometimes easy to forget where it all began. Behind many of these success stories stand the often-unsung heroes — those instrumental in breeding and bringing up young horses and laying the all-important foundations for the future. Whether it’s the person who first saw potential in a green and gangly five-year-old, or the rider who nurtured that raw talent through the lower levels, we should all applaud the part they played in preparing these horses for the world stage. Hello Sanctos The one that got away “I was devastated the day that he walked out of my stable,” recalls US showjumper Peter…

AP McCoy “TO be at the top of any sport for 20 years is incredible, and I can’t see it happening in any other sport. My approach hasn’t changed this year — I always start each season trying to be champion jockey. “AP’s made every other jockey for 20 years ride as competitively as they can; his determination is second to none and he’s been a massive boost for the sport.” Getting the best out of a horse “THOROUGHBREDS are all tuned to the same idea really. On the whole they are willing partners. It’s your job to try not to confuse them. “The horse needs to be balanced and going forward. You can’t make a horse jump, he has to want to.” The elusive Grand National “IT’S the race…

FORMER point-to-point jockey Jack Barber has been training pointers for the past three seasons and pre-training for Paul Nicholls for two years. “I currently have six of Paul’s horses in for pre-training. Some have come from the sales and will go pointing with myself, before going to Paul to run under Rules. Boa Island, for example, won both times out pointing last season and has now gone into training,” says 24-year-old Jack, who takes guidance from both Paul — for whom he worked for four years — and his grandfather, former leading point-to-point trainer Richard Barber. “Horses are not robots and they will tell you how much work they need. Some are just not ready to go under Rules yet, and need more educating through point-to-pointing. Sometimes they will do…

AS DE MEE: 5yo bay gelding, Kapgarde (FR) x Koeur De Mee (FR) (Video Rock (FR)) OWNER: The Stewart Family & Judi Dench TRAINER: Paul Nicholls THE gelding progressed through last season to win three novice hurdles including the EBF Final at Sandown, but in Paul Nicholls’ mind that was a bonus; he has always regarded the horse as a chaser. As De Mee is another who could do well over fences this season, and warmed up when second on his chasing debut at Chepstow. AUX PTITS SOINS: 5yo grey gelding, Saint Des Saints (FR) x Reflexion Faite (FR) (Turgeon (USA)) OWNER: John Hales TRAINER: Paul Nicholls AUX PTITS SOINS was one of the stories of last year’s Cheltenham Festival. He arrived from France in September 2014, whereupon he was…

THE 17-year-old was a whisker away from securing a treble at Aldon (2), despite multiple last-minute substitutions with his four rides. His least expected win came in the BE100open three-day event, where he partnered the seven-year-old Faerweld (pictured below) to victory on a score of 30.6. “The mare wasn’t meant to be running in that class, but Max’s intended ride suffered an allergic reaction, so his sister, Niamh, loaned him Faerweld,” explained Trish Angel, whose daughter, Erin, owns Montreal Skyline, with whom Max finished second in a novice section, and Harry Kiro, who topped BE100 section Q. Max also piloted Dream Of Glory into 10th place in the BE100open, the seven-year-old gelding having taken the place vacated by Faerweld.…

CARRIE PAYNE squeezed in an open medium win with Camillo Van De Ponderosa (Milo) just three days before undergoing planned spinal surgery. “I so wanted to qualify both horses to give myself an aim,” said Carrie, who ticked that box with her other horse, Jefferson, at Bicton Arena, but missed out on winning with Milo by 0.4%. “I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis [arthritis in the vertebrae] in May, when my consultant told me I have the spine of an 80-year-old. When surgery was planned, the talk was of wheelchairs and colostomy bags, so I’m chuffed they’ve both qualified.” With her riding activity curtailed this summer, Carrie lent Milo to Australian para rider Caitlin Radford for the Hartpury CPEDI3*. Caitlin took another step on the road to the Rio Paralympics…

ROBERT WHITAKER’S decision to spend a weekend in Hampshire paid off handsomely when he went home to Kent with three wins, including a £1,000 prize in the grand prix. Robert’s main reason for travelling here was to give his horses an outing before jumping at Liege in Belgium next weekend, as he had been out of commission due to the health scare he suffered at the recent Horse of the Year Show. He’s certainly back in style. He began with a Foxhunter win on the six-year-old Expresso III, a horse produced by his wife Kate, and then swapped on to his top ride Catwalk IV for Saturday evening’s grand prix. Resident designer Matt Hoskins built a great track. It was up-to-height and asked for forward, committed riding, but eight of…

AFTER moving straight from 128cm to 148cm ponies last year, Lucy Hahn experienced a slow start with Emma O’Dwyer’s former ride Edna (right). However, after frustratingly suffering a number of early eliminations, everything has now clicked into place and Lucy produced a breathtaking turn to win the Scope debut 1.15m championship. “Edna has so much experience,” said Lucy, who qualified the mare for the Blue Chip Sparkle final the week before South View. “I couldn’t get to grips with her at first, but I can’t teach her anything so I have learnt to leave her to it. Eleni Murphy helped me practise our turns here and everything paid off in the ring.”…

TRACEY ELCOCK enjoyed her first affiliated win when taking the Dodson & Horrell 85cm amateur second round at Moorhouse EC, South Yorks (25 October). She was riding her 12-year-old Connemara mare Crackadawn, whom she has owned for six years. “We affiliated this year and have only been out five times,” said Tracey, who works at Queen Margaret’s riding school. The fact that the pair are competing at all is impressive after the mare was attacked a year and a half ago. “We think someone tried to steal her because I found her one morning in her stable with a blindfold on that was so tight it made her face swell up,” Tracey explained. “It had cracked the cornea of her eye, which never healed, and she is now blind in…

TWO young sisters, Madison and Hannah Maguire, stole the show at Northcote Stud (18 October) when winning a class apiece. Madison, 11, won the 80cm open riding Barley, while older sister Hannah, 13, took the first and second spots in the 90cm open, riding Russian Velvet and Coosheen Lady Tara respectively. The sisters have been affiliated for only 18 months and ride “bargain basement” ponies that they have brought on themselves. “Barley started both of them off in British Showjumping,” said the girls’ mother Sara of the 18-year-old pony. “She was bought three years ago from the field for £1,000, but she’s turned into a superstar. Hannah was Trailblazer under-12 Champion in 2014 with her, she took Madison to the Scope Festival this year where they came fourth in the…

WE usually see Simon Bigley showing the Llanarth Welsh cobs, but owing to judging commitments in Australia his sister Catryn stepped in. Catryn usually shows section Bs, which are calmer compared to lively Welsh cobs. The chestnut Welsh cob filly Llanarth Gwyneth, by their own HOYS Cuddy qualifier Llanarth Fiery Jack, stood second to the eventual Welsh cob champion Cascob Little Bess. The question is — will Catryn pass the reins back to Simon? Catryn commented: “I really enjoyed it, actually, as I don’t normally get a look in with the cobs.”…

BORING Gorings scooped their first open title in five years — and with it a coveted ticket to the Skinner’s Pet Foods national championships — when they triumphed at the Essex and Suffolk Team Chase at Semer. Host James Buckle, who is also MFH of the Essex and Suffolk, had prepared a new-look track that challenged the best, and incorporated most of the hedges at his lovely grassland farm. The open teams were required to negotiate no less than three road crossings (see box, right). Led by Fred French on Larry, Boring Gorings set off at a good gallop but swung wide at the first switchback of hedges to ensure they got their lines. Charlotte Alexander, Ricky Johnson and Allen Brown gave chase behind their leader, who had to sit…

‘ No one fancied him — even if they thought the horse was OK, they knew the idiot on top couldn’t ride! ’ HAPPY WARRIOR (on the right) was the horse who really started me off in racing. My parents gave him to me for my 21st birthday, and I was working in the City at the time. He was the first horse I ever won on, at Kempton in 1972, before I went to Fred Winter as assistant trainer. That day he was sent off as a 33-1 shot, which was unheard of for a horse trained by Fred. No one fancied him — even if they thought the horse was OK, they knew the idiot on top couldn’t ride! He tanked off with me for the first two…

FBW CHICO The horse who Chinese eventer Alex Hua Tian rode at the 2008 Olympics has been put down aged 19 after problems with arthritic fetlocks. The grey by Carolus I was bought in December 2007 and has been retired since 2010 at Alex’s yard. A WESTFALIAN COLT A Rocky Lee x Rouletto colt, bred by Yasemin Yanik in Essen, Germany, has been bought by Danish rider Andreas Helgstrand and Hanni Toosbuy Kasprzak for a record price at a Verden auction of € 1.2million (£860,000). GIVE ME REMUS The elite showjumping stallion by Grannus has been put down aged 23, suffering liver failure. Billy Twomey, Michael Whitaker and Ben Maher enjoyed international successes with “Rem”. He had been retired to stud since 2007. EUPHORIA Stephen Davey’s show hunter broodmare has…

THE FEI has fast-tracked its decision to tackle national federations in the Middle East after a video involving the amputation of the lower limb of a third endurance horse emerged, writes Pippa Cuckson. Last week H&H revealed twoother cases, in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, where amputation appears to be an alternative to euthanising injured horses, which has cultural and religious issues in Arabic countries (news, 29 October). In the latest video, a grey is seen standing on three legs, without its near fore below the knee. The limb has been removed in a desert, under non-clinical conditions. At the end, the removed limb is shown to camera. On the same post there is a still image of the horse after breaking its leg, being supported in a hoist at the…

CHELTENHAM fans gave the new Princess Royal grandstand the thumbs up at the racecourse’s first meeting of the season (23-24 October). The grandstand will be officially opened by Princess Anne on 13 November at 11.30am. The five-and-a-half-storey grandstand is the final part of a £45m redevelopment at the Gloucestershire track. Over the past 19 months, a number of different areas of the course have been redeveloped, including the weighing room, with the new stand the centrepiece of the project.…

WILLIAM FOX-PITT is now out of intensive care, following a serious cross-country fall at Le Lion d’Angers in France last month. “William’s condition has improved enough for him to be moved out of the intensive care unit. He remains in hospital in France,” said a British Eventing spokesman on Friday (30 October). There was nochange as H&Hwentto press on Monday (2 November). The Olympic eventer has been in hospital in France since 17 October when he fell with Reinstated at fence 20. The horse was unhurt. William suffered a head trauma in the accident.…

GERMANY is now looking at rules regarding draw reins following Switzerland’s national federation taking a stand and banning the training aids at shows at national level, writes Amy Mathieson. Draw reins are allowed under Swiss showjumping rules during the warm-up prior to the first fence and in prize-givings. But from 1 January 2016 they will not be allowed at national shows, in an attempt to improve the profile of horse sport (news, 29 October). The Swiss Equestrian Federation said draw reins paint a negative image for non-riders. The German Equestrian Federation told H&H the “use of draw reins at riding shows in Germany is under discussion”. Currently the country’s rules are the same as the Swiss. Draw reins are already banned everywhere except prize-givings under Dutch rules. The British Equestrian…

AYR RACECOURSE Arsonists set fire to a fence at the Scottish racecourse causing £10,000 worth of damage. A police investigation is now underway. ADDINGTON MANOR The popular show centre has quashed rumours that it is to close. Addington’s director Tim Price told H&Hthere is “no truth” in the gossip. A HORSE IN HALIFAX Firefighters have rescued a horse who was trapped in running water for two days. The horse was stuck in 4ft-deep fast-flowing water in a culvert in Rishworth, until it was freed on 28 October. It took two-and-a-half hours to rescue the horse. A PUNCHED ‘HORSE’ A fibreglass horse named Herby was damaged in an attack outside a Newcastle restaurant (25 October). Police are searching for three men.…

SHOWJUMPING Addington Manor Equestrian Centre, Bucks, is hosting a premier show from 4-7 November. www.addingtonmanor.co.uk GO TO A GALLERY Equestrian artist Katie O’Sullivan — wife of racehorse trainer Jamie Osborne — has an exhibition of her work at the Osborne Studio Gallery, London, from 10 November to 4 December. www.osg.uk.com ENJOY THE SALES The Goresbridge Go For Gold event horse sale will be held on 9-11 November and its supreme showjumpers sale is on 10 November in Co. Wexford, Ireland. www.irishhorse.com CHALLENGE Jockeys and showjumpers will go head-to-head in a jumping competition at Aintree Equestrian Centre following the racing on 7 November. aintree.thejockeyclub.co.uk MASTERCLASS Chris Bartle and Paul Tapner are hosting cross-country masterclasses titled “better cross-country riding” on 11, 12 and 18 November at various locations. www.britisheventing.com CHAMPIONSHIPS The British…

I was sorry not to see Memoirs of a Foxhunting Man by Siegfried Sassoon in your suggested reading (Hunting special, 22 October). I had never hunted as a child but when I read this book aged 20, I was determined that one day I would. I am now 57, and this season I was persuaded by my daughter to try my hand at some hunt rides and pre-season meets, put on by the Holcombe Hunt. I am pleased to report that I am now a confirmed hunting addict. The success of my introduction to hunting has largely been due to the warm welcome afforded by the Holcombe. Now my little mare and I are tackling fences that I would not have dreamt of jumping a few weeks ago. So I…

The Nations Cup series “Having seen Barcelona [the final in September] I’m not sure the series needs to be ‘protected’ [from other shows such as the Global Champions Tour, which lures in riders with large prize funds]. “It is strong enough to stand on its own and has become more global.” The World Equestrian Games “WEG is a fantastic event. We are reviewing its format as it is important to be able to get a package and find out how many horses and riders future organisers can accommodate. We still need to develop it but we were pleased with the amount of media and public attention following WEG last year.” Learning from other sports “We are monitoring all the time what other sports do. It is very easy to follow…

SHE’S the current world number 23, with 15 top-10 placings at international level to her name in 2015 alone. She’s also the mother of two children: six-year-old Lily and five-year-old Fred. Izzy Taylor, 32, might have a lot on her plate, but she is hungry for more. She has been away at three-day events for the past five consecutive weeks and the yard washing machine is in overdrive at her 25-box base near Banbury in Oxfordshire, which she shares with her mother. And when we visit, she is preparing to set off to Osberton. Izzy kicked off this tour at the senior European Eventing Championships at Blair, where she rode as an individual with KBIS Briarlands Matilda. Well-known for her prowess across country, Izzy was one of just three riders…

THE remarkable resilience of horses, and the skill of the people who guide them through any troubles, was perfectly illustrated by Cue Card’s return from the wilderness at Wetherby on Saturday. The bay gelding’s heartwarming victory in the Charlie Hall Chase was his first since he took the Betfair Chase at Haydock nearly two years ago — he has since suffered physical vicissitudes that might have floored a less determined competitor. A stress fracture to his pelvis ruled him out of action for most of last year, and then wind problems were diagnosed earlier this year after he put in dull efforts at Aintree and Punchestown. Rest and surgery did their thing and on Saturday, discomfort-free and able to breathe properly, it was clear his mojo was back. With Paddy…

SOPHIE WELLS, Sophie Christiansen and Lee Pearson won all their classes as British riders virtually swept the board. Only the Netherlands’ Demi Vermeulen broke the British stranglehold by winning the individual grade II test. Twelve nations were represented at this competition, which was an addition to the calendar to enable riders to achieve their Olympic rankings. It was one of the biggest events of the season with 68 competitors. The Netherlands, France and Ireland fielded strong teams and there were a number of emerging dressage nations, such as Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Sophie Christiansen and the elegant Gribaldi mare, Athene Lindebjerg, owned by Di Redfern, have won every international they have entered. Athene is still only eight years old but as Sophie says, “she has a mature head on…

PSG winner Sharon Lindop suffered a confidence crisis just a week before the competition, but turned the corner thanks to positive thinking. “The pressure to get the qualification, coupled with this being the last qualifier and just our sixth attempt at this level probably added to my tension,” admitted Sharon. “I lost my confidence during the week and let that proverbial chimp take total control,” said Sharon. “Sometimes I have the feeling that Sandhaven can do more with someone else or that I’m letting him down. It’s hard to be big enough to ride through that, and to remember that I trained him to this level. “Fortunately with a bit of self-reflection I am able to reboot myself. I have list of ‘why I can do this’ bullet points that…

LARA GRIFFITH celebrated a comfortable double victory at the beautiful Le Mans, riding Rubin Al Asad to grand prix and grand prix special wins. The promising duo are making a name for themselves among the growing pool of British international dressage combinations, and achieved their first international grand prix win and a personal best score of 73.66% in the special. “He was a bit shy in the grand prix — the arena was big and I had to persuade him to show himself off,” said Lara of the 13-year-old Rubin Royal x Wanderbursch gelding. “The special suits him better because his passage has come on enormously and this, the transitions and the extended trots earned him high marks and allowed him to push for a bit more power and pizzaz.”…

AT Quainton Stud, Bucks (21 October), 17-year-old Maddie Posner scored a double at advanced medium riding Aimee Witkin’s 18-year-old Danish mare Kiara II, writes Stephanie Bateman. Maddie has been riding the grand prix schoolmaster for a year to gain experience after moving up from ponies. “We’ve qualified for the advanced medium restricted regionals, and we compete at junior FEI level,” said Maddie, who trains with Judy Firmston-Williams and Dan Sherriff. “I was accepted onto the Hertfordshire Talented Athlete Programme in August along with 12 other athletes from different sports, and we get media training, a gym pass, physio and attend lectures at the University of Hertfordshire.” At the same venue, Caldecote Farm Livery proprietor and trainer Mandy Day topped both elementaries, one with plus-70%, riding Ruth Shasier’s six-year-old gelding Eaton…

RIDING DC The Piler (Candy), Sebastian produced one of the best rounds of the show to head a blanket finish in the Fledglings small pony classic. He starting riding Pat Squibb’s agile grey mare in the summer and they were quickly off the mark, picking up decent places at Netley Hall, Weston Lawns and Aintree. The pair was placed every day at the Scope Festival and posted their first winter 128cm double clear here (below). “I’m very grateful to the Squibb family for letting me have her,” said Sebastian. “Candy is sheer luxury to ride and she was amazing over both rounds today. The course asked for more speed than turning, but she corners well and we turned quickly into the second fence and took a stride out to the…

WHEN Hannah Wright’s mare Rachael 55 continued to put on weight, she decided to call out the vet to investigate. What he told her came as rather a shock. “She was pregnant and due to foal at any time,” said the graphic communications student. “We worked out that our neighbour’s stallion had jumped into her field and covered her. It came at a really bad time because I’d had her a year and we were just starting to get to know one another.” The mare gave birth in the field just two weeks later. “We still have the foal, who is now four and has just been broken in,” said Hannah. “She is a chestnut and very much like her mother, but she is going to be a cracking one.”…

By the time you read this, I will have been among the many others at Ronnie Massarella’s funeral on Tuesday [3 Nov], paying respects to one of the greatest men to grace the sport of showjumping. Everyone has their own memories of him. For me, it was being on his British teams at three Olympic Games and countless Nations Cups. It’s impossible to overstate just how popular and loved this charismatic man was, in every corner of the globe. It was unbelievable. As chef d’equipe, Ronnie’s never-say-die attitude won Nations Cups and championships when they looked to be lost. He was a fighter to the last, yet a man who always found a church to attend mass before a big team competition began. Ronnie’s management was superb. I think he…

RESERVE supreme champion Llanarth Confetti is by the 21-year-old Breeton Dai who, although Dutch-bred himself, has British ancestors. “When my husband Len saw Breeton Dai as a two-year-old at a grading show in Holland he picked him out,” said Confetti’s breeder and owner Ann Bigley. “He is the only section B in Holland graded into the elite register by the government, and his progress has been interesting. “Breeton Dai was brought over from Holland from his owner Marcel Jansen as an outcross to our Da Vinci females, and his owner has allowed us to have him another year.” The mother of Confetti, Llanarth Chelsea, is a full sister to Llanarth Da Vinci.…

The latest addition to the open track THE appropriately named Double Trouble, a tight road crossing with a decent-sized drop hedge out, was a new addition to the open track this year — its proportions having grown “too strong” for the intermediate. Ridden at open speeds, the drop was spectacular. “It didn’t look much, but it was impressive to ride,” said Fred French. “And it gave a great line to the next hedge.” Some horses, however, were not so keen. Several jammed on the anchors and, having done so once, were then reluctant to reconsider.…