Innholdsfortegnelse for 19-Jan-2017 i Horse & Hound

RULES effective from 1 January and agreed by all member bodies of The Showing Council mean some hats popular with showing competitors are no longer permitted in affiliated classes. As announced more than 18 months ago, safety standard BS/EN 1384 has been withdrawn from the list of “acceptable” headgear and the only standards now permitted are: PAS 015; VG1; ASTM F1163 04a onwards; SNELL E2001 and AS/ NZS 3838 2003 onwards. One hat affected is the popular Charles Owen “Fiona”, which is currently not in production. The rules have been incorporated by all major societies — including The Showing Register, which is not a member of the council — and apply to all under-18s, adults who are jumping, competitors in intermediate and Horse of the Year Show mountain and moorland…

WILLIAM FOX-PITT The British rider is to compete at the Wellington Eventing Showcase (3-4 February). William will be riding Steady Eddie at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN The rider has supported equine charity Brooke’s hang a bauble appeal. Charlotte, a Brooke ambassador, boosted the total by £500 in a day by sharing her support online. DAVID SYKES Mr Sykes is the new British Horseracing Authority director of equine health and welfare, having worked for the Emirates Racing Authority. BARRY JOHNSON The World Horse Welfare chairman has retired after five years, having been a trustee since 2007. He was given a certificate by the Princess Royal, the charity‘s president. RAINER SCHICKETANZ The breeder of Chris Stone’s Chilli Morning has been honoured by a German breeders’ association. He was…

AN extra race for stable staff is being held during the 2017 Racing Staff Week (1-8 July), which celebrates “the role of racing’s workforce”. Following the popularity of last year’s charity race for stable staff, this year’s races will be held at Lingfield on 1 July and Doncaster on 7 July. Trainers will nominate staff to take part “in recognition of their hard work and commitment”. Lingfield director Andrew Perkins said the course was “delighted” to support the week. The initiative, developed by charity Racing Welfare, in collaboration with the industry, will also generate awareness and funds for the charity.…

GLORIA ANNE ROSEMARY SKRINE Mrs Skrine died peacefully at home in Co. Wexford aged 88 on 16 November. She was born into a hunting family in Hertfordshire, which moved to Ireland. She married Commander Charlie Skrine, master of the Wexford Foxhounds, in 1960, but he died in 1966, leaving her with two young children. That year she became secretary of the Island Foxhounds, a position she held for 48 years. “The Irish horse world and foxhunting have lost one of their most knowledgeable, dedicated and enthusiastic supporters,” said friend Betty Powell. COLIN SQUANCE The “great friend and supporter” of point-to-pointing, Mr Squance died on 21 December following a long illness. He was involved in the south-east area for more than 30 years, including as elected area chairman, assisted by his…

‘They have treated us like royalty’ John ‘Shark’ Hanlon BRITISH point-to-pointing marked a number of firsts at Barbury International Racing Club’s inaugural fixture on 14 January, writes Lucy Elder. Organisers invited Irish owners and trainers to bring qualified horses, licensed trainers were allowed to enter and the meeting was also the first time a bumper had been held at a UK point-to-point (report, p88). The fixture drew big crowds and huge entries — more than 1,400 tickets had been distributed beforehand, and there were 166 entries with 92 runners. Such was the popularity of the bumper, it was split into two divisions, with 10 and 12 runners, from 32 original entries. Jockeys and trainers were full of praise for the idea, and the buzz was enhanced by big sponsorship, substantial…

I was interested to read your list of the 50 greatest horsemen of all time (12 January). However, I would have added one of the very greatest: Dorian Williams, a BBC commentator for 28 years and the “voice of showjumping”. He wrote the Wendy pony books, which must have encouraged countless little girls to ride and join the Pony Club, as well as many other non-fiction books on equestrianism and showjumping, and penned H&H’s popular “Loriner” column. He was chairman of the British Horse Society (BHS) and was largely responsible for setting up the National Equestrian Centre at Stoneleigh. For many years he was master of the Whaddon Chase Hunt, and I was lucky enough as a child to hunt under his mastership, with Albert Buckle as huntsman — what…

My secret weapon is... My sister Becky (above). And a Sprenger Max-Control snaffle. My best tip for warming up… For me, it’s to keep riding like I do at home — same focus, same logic, same belief in myself and the horse. My best tip for saving time around the yard… Well looked after, well-motivated staff. My money saving secret… I wish I had one. My favourite pub/ restaurant… The Taste of India in Penistone — it’s close, friendly and they welcome small people. Looking back and laughing at my horsey blunders… As a teenager, going wrong in a test four times even though I was having it called. I have an ability to blank out sound when I’m focusing on something else (as my husband often reminds me!). The…

Keep off the sugar • WHEN a horse is thought to be a picky eater - in that he is suspicious of anything new and will pick out certain parts of the feed, leaving the rest uneaten in the bucket - then the first port of call is to rule out any medical cause. Contributing factors could include dental issues, stomach ulcers or stress, so some detective work may be necessary. • Horses have evolved to take every opportunity to eat extra calories in preparation for times when food may not be as readily available. So, if a horse is hungry, and veterinary investigations have failed to uncover any medical causes, then he should eat what he is offered. • Domesticated horses do live a very different lifestyle to that…

ONE equestrian item we’ve been glad to see the back of is the old-fashioned rug. “Traditional styles were made of heavy-duty, cotton-canvas fabric, treated with a wax coating and used with a thick cotton blanket or wool lining to add warmth,” says Alice Waddington, design and product developer at Masta. “The outer fabric would need constant treating with wax, and the fit of the rugs was quite basic, meaning they often rubbed the horses.” Although these rugs were as tough as old boots and could be continuously patched up, they were hard to keep clean and became extremely heavy and awkward when wet, taking forever to dry. Modern rugs have been designed with a much better understanding of the horse’s needs, not restricting movement as well as being more user-friendly…

WHILE in Britain the main concern around over-rugging is with the rise in equine obesity, in Australia the big issue is overheating. Some experts have argued that while rugs were principally designed to enable horses to withstand the elements in cold countries, they are used in warmer countries primarily to keep coats short and sleek. There are reams of articles Down Under on the dangers of heat stress and electrolyte imbalance due to horses being rugged night and day during the mild Australian winter. For example, in Queensland temperatures regularly reach the mid 20s during the daytime, sandwiched by crisp nights and early mornings. When the horse gets too hot, he sweats to cool himself, but the evaporative cooling effects of sweat can’t work if the horse is wearing a…

STEPH CROXFORD and her high-stepping hackney/Dutch warmblood Mr Hyde pulled off what the rider deemed to be their best grand prix performance to date to head Saturday night’s class. The 12-year-old gelding’s balance and expression in the piaffe and passage were off the scale, as was his uphill, energetic canter. His canter pirouettes were also to die for — sitting, balanced and with his croup so low, his tail was almost touching the floor. Their only mistake was when Mr Hyde leapt out of the final change in the zig-zag — proof of his enthusiasm for the job. With trainer Richard Davison, Steph has been working on being braver in the ring and letting Mr Hyde “take the neck out more”, which not only relaxes him, but helps him open…

‘He seemed a bit fat, so he’s been on an “Atkins diet” and has got his figure back!’Louise Saywell on Peiter VI LOUISE SAYWELL and Peiter VI made it two grand prix wins in two tries during the current premier show season. They had to be at their best too, as David Cole pulled no punches with an up-to-height course that allowed only six into the jump-off. They aren’t exactly “old riders” but Louise Saywell and Joe Clayton, who both had two rides through to the jump-off, then had to uphold the honour of the seniors against the talented teenage challenge from Jodie Hall-McAteer and Jack Whitaker. Jack set the standard with a great round on Stakkato De Fee, cousin Joe kept things in the family by sneaking into the…

NOW we’re into the New Year, all eyes look towards Cheltenham. It’s still a bit in the distance but it’s more obviously on the horizon. We have a good team heading in that direction, too, which we’re looking forward to. We’ll have runners at Doncaster rather than Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham on 28 January though. I think the expected ground at Cheltenham at that time of year is very hard work and there’s very competitive racing. I have nothing earmarked for it, however if something suited we’d go, but it’s a hard track at the best of times, so we’re happier to wait for March. Ups and downs OUR New Year’s period showed the highs and lows of racing. The highlight was certainly Superb Story winning at Musselburgh on…

HUNTING and point-to-pointing have always gone hand-in-hand, and it was a sad day when it was announced that pointers no longer need to hunt to qualify for racing. I have fond but shaky memories of the days when you had to hunt eight times and stay out until second horses before you were signed off by the master. My first pointer was Money From America, a 12-year-old schoolmaster who “hunts like a demon”, or so I was told. He arrived fresh from Ireland on the Saturday, and I took him hunting two days later. He took one look at the hounds with eyes on stalks, spun on his hocks and bolted half a mile back to the box. We persevered and he hunted three times a week until he was…

THE FEI will not reopen bidding to host the 2022 World Equestrian Games, despite Kentucky Horse Park’s withdrawing its bid. On Friday (13 January), Lexington Park’s commission expressed concerns over the “potential conflict” holding the games could create with the venue’s long-term goals. Samorin in Slovakia, which hosted the 2016 endurance World Championships, is the only remaining bidder and the FEI has confirmed the process will not be reopened. “We have a very solid bid from Samorin and are looking forward to working through the remaining process, including full assessment of the venue prior to allocation of the Games in November,” said a spokesman. Tandy Patrick, chair of the Kentucky Horse Park commission, said members did not think it would be “economically feasible” for the park to host the 2022…

CHILLI MORNING The 2015 Badminton winner and highest-placed British event horse at Rio 2016 has left William Fox-Pitt’s yard “for a happy retirement”. The 17-year-old stallion is to stand at West Kington Stud, Wilts. DON COSSACK The 2016 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner has been retired aged 10. Trainer Gordon Elliott said Don Cossack, who was injured on the gallops last April, had suffered a setback but “owes us nothing” and will enjoy his retirement at Gigginstown. RAMIRO DE BELLE VUE The 16-year-old has died, having suffered colic after an eye operation. The Belgian-bred son of Mozart Des Hayettes won the derby at Eindhoven and a class at the London Global Champions Tour in 2014, with Jessica Mendoza. HARROWAY MR HARLEQUIN Lucinda Sims’ prolific coloured stallion has died aged 25. “Quin”…

WHEN buying (or selling) a horse, it is important to be clear about who you are entering into a contract with. You may consider the important factors are the horse itself, or its price, but the identity of the parties to the sale will mean legal rights may (or may not) be implied into the sale. Certain statutory rights apply only to a contract between a consumer and a trader, such as the rights that goods sold must be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. If you agree to sell a horse on behalf of somebody it is important to be clear about your role to buyer and seller, before the sale is agreed. For this reason, many agents make clear in their advertisements that they are marketing the…

MENTAL health in veterinary medicine will be in the spotlight at the inaugural Mind Matters initiative research symposium on Friday (20 January). The event, titled “understanding and supporting veterinary mental health”, takes place at the University of Edinburgh. As well as talks and a workshop, there will be a free to join webinar focusing on managing work stress, resilience and an introduction to mindfulness. H&H has reported on mental health challenges in the profession (news, 26 February 2015) and on moves to support vets and improve their work-life balance.…

TELEVISION Trainer Emma Massingale and her Highland ponies, Hector and Hewie, featured on the BBC’s The One Show on 11 January. Emma travelled across the Scottish Highlands with the ponies while successfully backing Hector en route. LORINERY The finalists for the British Equestrian Trade Association’s lorinery (bit) display competition are Aivly Country Store, Risley Saddlery, Speedgate Enterprises and Lillicos Country Store. The winner will be announced on 22 January. POTTERY The National Horseracing Museum is to receive an ancient Greek prize amphora, which is one of the oldest horseracing trophies in the world. NEW RIDERS Accessibility Mark, a scheme to encourage people to ride, has joined forces with Disabled Access Day to raise awareness of the opportunities on offer. Businesses will hold Disabled Access Days on 10-12 March.…

THE Hawtins Stud’s World’s Finest has won the 2017 Horse & Hound outstanding mare award. The stud’s owner, Judith Davis, collected the trophy at the British Breeders’ Awards Dinner in London on 14 January, and described the honour as “immeasurable”. “You have to have quality mares to make good horses, and to have this recognition for ‘Wolfie’ is so humbling,” Judith told H&H. The mare, by Weltmeyer, is a performance-tested Hanoverian, whom Judith bought as a six-year-old in Germany. She has won the Hanoverian mare family award at the annual British Hanoverian show twice. “Wolfie’s given us so much through her offspring,” said Judith. “She passes on her strongest traits; a brilliant hindleg, beautiful neck and front — and enormous ears.” Seven of the mare’s descendants qualified for the 2016…

‘In Sweden horse sport is not seen as elitist; it’s the second biggest sport after soccer’ SHOWJUMPERS can be elusive interviewees, but there’s no missing Peder Fredricson as I arrive at Olympia. He looms out of a 15ft billboard with Daniel Craig-like ruggedness, swathed head-to-toe in H&M. The flesh-and-blood Peder is even better; less brooding than poster Peder, but smiley, funny, punctual and effortlessly eloquent (he speaks German besides Swedish and English, having trained in Germany for two years, one of them with Franke Sloothaak). He is, on so many levels, very different to your typical British showjumper. But then he started life as an eventer, coming 14th at the Barcelona Olympics aged just 20. You may know him best as the man who won silver to Nick Skelton’s gold…

LET’S face it, working with horses isn’t easy. Long hours and working in all weathers, day and night, can take its toll, but there are things you can do to make everyday tasks more manageable. “We use 250-watt infrared heat lamps in the horses’ stables in winter to help them dry off and warm up before exercise, and during the foaling season, we fit the boxes with Philips CCTV cameras so that we can keep an eye on the mares without disturbing them,” says dressage rider Alice Oppenheimer. “I’m also a big fan of my Stihl leaf blower, which makes sweeping the yard much quicker and easier.” Event rider Daisy Berkeley is a keen advocate of the Activo-Med magnetic rug, which she uses on her horses to “help warm them…

WHEN someone mentions “kissing spines”, “degeneration in the facet joints” and “shivers in both hindlegs” when describing a horse, the phrase “field ornament” comes to mind, but not so for Sarah Sawyer’s Contendro gelding Chico Too. Despite having all three aforementioned conditions, the 13-year-old is defying the odds and, under Charlie Sawyer, he took both medium silver sections with plus-70% and Sunday’s medium freestyle to music with 76.67% - the show’s top score. “He just keeps getting better and better,” explained Charlie, who trains with Carl Hester. “He is on a continuous rehab routine, which involves lots of jumping, pole work, Pessoa work, canter work, and hill work. We have to keep him working over his back and bending. What we’re doing seems to be working so we’re sticking with…

WHEN Taylor Denness’ mare suffered horrific injuries to her back legs after being kicked by another horse, she thought it was the end. But 18 stitches in each hindleg later, and seven-year-old mare Ruby Tuesday is back competing and winning in dressage. They topped both prelims at Allens Hill, Worcs (6-7 January). “We bought her to event, and had only owned her a month before her accident,” explained Taylor of the Irish draught/thoroughbred mare. “The kick nearly broke both her back legs and almost severed the tendon sheaf on one, so we are very lucky that she is still with us. “I had to clean her wounds and inject her with antibiotics daily, and she needed a month on box rest and two in a confined paddock before starting work…

‘Selection headaches can only be a good thing’ THERE has been a great deal of work behind the scenes to expand the number of FEI rankings classes in the UK — and it was good to see Graham Fletcher bringing the issue to the fore (comment, 12 January). The addition of rankings classes to our county shows would be a golden opportunity to make them really mean something again. I would like to take the idea further and push for two rankings classes at every three-day county show. If it needs to be subsidised by World Class or other funding, then it would be money well spent. Adding two rankings classes to the schedule would increase the quantity and quality of entries and give the show stability. The chance to…

SARAH “RIPPER” RIPPON gave a new owner the best introduction to pointing she could have hoped for with her win aboard Vincitore in the mixed open at Barbury Racecourse. New to the point-to-pointing world, this was the first-ever runner for owner Saskia Baharuddin. “I was just looking for a hunter,” said a delighted Saskia. “Ripper found one that could hunt and point-to-point, so we kind of share him. She races him and I hunt him on week days.” The pair were travelling midway in the field until almost the final bend, when Sarah saw a gap and seized the opportunity to push through it, winning by a length. “Everyone came away from the inside so I kicked and took two brilliant jumps over the last two fences. We made up…

SIGNIFICANT changes to some classes and qualification requirements have been announced by Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) organisers, writes Tricia Johnson . From this season, qualifiers for the Coloured Horse and Pony Society (CHAPS) HOYS final will also be open to members of The Showing Register (TSR) and the Traditional Gypsy Cob Association (TGCA), but although mares and geldings registered with these societies are now eligible, only stallions graded with CHAPS may compete. Judges for this year will still be appointed solely from the CHAPS panel. A CHAPS spokesman said confirmation of the changes arrived after the society’s 2017 membership year had begun, but measures have been put in place to recompense those who had already renewed. “We are offering reimbursement of the £20 HOYS competition number fee, or…

Eventing fans can now get their hands on tickets for this year’s Badminton Horse Trials, which boasts £100,000 prize money and new course-designer Eric Winter. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ badminton-tickets Nick Skelton has been shortlisted for the 2017 Laureus World Sport Awards, and Carl Hester for the Channel Islands sports personality of the year award. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ skelton-hester-awards An outbreak of equine herpes virus has been confirmed in Buckinghamshire, two months after four horses with the condition were put down on the border of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ equine-herpes-bucks The British Equestrian Federation is conducting a survey of equestrians’ views as it determines the future direction of the sport in the UK. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ bef-survey The 77-year-old owner of 32-year-old mare Queenie (pictured) who is in her 27th season of hunting, says there are no plans to retire her…

A masters student is asking for owners and riders to contribute to a study she has launched on forage feeding of sports and leisure horses. Maria Wilhelmsson, who is studying equine science at the University of Edinburgh, is looking for information on feeding routines and knowledge and views on feed and forage. The aim is to understand the conditions in which horses are kept and fed. She will also undertake a study at a showjumping yard in Switzerland, at which the main focus will be to compare starch and sugar-rich feedstuffs with a more fibre-rich forage-based diet. Ms Wilhelmsson hopes to publish her findings across Europe. • Visit: https://edinburgh.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/forage-survey…

‘She was very frightened; she thought he was trying to pull her off’ Catherine Ryder RIDERS have been given advice on staying safe while hacking following two incidents, writes Rachael Turner . Amelia Ryder, 13, was riding her skewbald Troy a few minutes from her yard in Bury, Lancs, at around 3pm on 22 December when a man approached. “He stood in front of Troy and said he wanted to speak to her,” Amelia’s mother Catherine told H&H . “She said she couldn’t and he grabbed Troy’s reins harshly, which made him bolt. Amelia was very frightened and thought he was trying to pull her off.” Troy galloped back to the yard, where Amelia was able to get help. Since the incident, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has increased mounted patrols.…

FASHION A model was spotted on the catwalk in Velcro fastened boots that resembled horses’ travel boots. A picture of the boots caused hilarity among equestrians on social media. A TRAPPED HORSE Firefighters came to the aid of a horse in Carlisle after his leg became stuck in farming machinery on 10 January. A hydraulic spreader was used to prise open the metal roller to free the horse. HAY Two men have been jailed after a cannabis factory was found hidden behind tonnes of hay inside a barn in Staffordshire. BOOKMAKERS Betfred owner Fred Done has spoken out about the increasing pressure on gaming machines, which he says could have disastrous repercussions for racing. Mr Done said action to limit stakes on the machines, following pressure from politicians and media,…

HERE’S TO PAT SMYTHE Sir — I would have included Pat Smythe in your recent list of greatest horsemen (12 January). Over a 16-year period, between 1947 and 1963, she won almost every top competition in Europe and the USA, starting at a time when women were banned from riding in most big competitions. When finally the rules were changed, in 1956 she was the first woman to ride in the Olympics showjumping event, winning team bronze. She was British national ladies’ champion eight times, ladies’ European champion four times and sportswoman of the year three times. Clare Hall Cirencester, Glos PASSPORT TO SUCCESS Sir — We were pleased to see Carole Mortimer highlighting horse passports (“A single PIO sounds death knell for studbooks”, comment, 8 December) as linking a…

AS if it wasn’t becoming challenging enough to ride out in the UK, it is alarming to hear of two attacks on riders in recent weeks (news, p10). For a 13-year-old rider to be approached by a man “wanting to talk to her” is extremely disturbing and for an older rider to have a bike thrown at his horse, causing him to fall, is as dreadful as it is bizarre. These incidents are both unique and uncommon, but they raise concerns for those who ride out alone and particularly parents, who would already be less inclined to allow children to do so. With more cars and bikes to contend with on British roads — which riders are forced on to given the shrinking availability of accessible off-road riding in many…

FOUR-STAR event rider Sharon Hunt says she “always knows the temperature outside”, as this tells her which rug to use. “I’m very particular about selecting rugs according to the temperature,” she says. “I have rugs for every occasion. It drives me mad when you see horses whose rugs haven’t been changed from day to night, hot to cold weather — they’d be better off without a rug.” However, Sharon does believe in putting appropriate rugs on all of her horses during winter, from the yearlings upwards, especially as several of hers live out 24/7. “I want them to be warm, dry and happy, or they may lose condition,” says Sharon, who has used a range of Bucas, Weatherbeeta and Horseware. “We do late-night checks, as otherwise I wake up worrying…

THERE are lots of families in the VWH country who have been steeped in hunting for several generations. Nick Phillips, master like his father and grandfather before him, married Francie Lambert, whose father Stephen hunted the Taunton Vale, the Warwickshire and the Heythrop, and whose sister Nessie Chanter is a current Heythrop master. Their two boys, Freddie and Jake, are odds-on to continue the hunting gene. Christine Mason was a master for around a decade, as was her late husband Alex. Their son Pete, who farms and trains point-to-pointers with his wife Niff, is clerk of the point-to-point course at Siddington. Nick says: “Christine will hunt until she dies. She runs the tumble club and returns loose horses to people with an envelope for their membership!” The Backhouse family are…

WHAT: Joss Hanbury’s testimonial meet of the Quorn WHERE: Markham House, Thorpe Satchville, Leics WHEN: 21 December THE Hanbury name has been synonymous with hunting in Leicestershire for well over a century. Evan Hanbury became a Cottesmore master in 1900; his grandson James took on the role at the Belvoir in 1947, and James’s son Joss first joined the Cottesmore mastership in 1981. Joss was a joint-master of both the Cottesmore and the Quorn for some years before concentrating solely on the Quorn, where he has been a vital part of the mastership for a total of 25 seasons. Widely acknowledged as one of the finest field masters of his or any other generation, many of those who have experienced the thrill of hunting across the best of High Leicestershire…

OF all the riders I’ve spoken to about the Olympic changes, there doesn’t seem to be a single professional who wants to see teams reduced to three. My personal feeling is that it’s unbearable, as is the inevitable result of increasing the number of flags: having to encompass so many more minimum scores in Olympic competition (although it’s amazing how those scores seem to be achieved in qualification tests). However, with lots of high-energy sports coming into the Olympics and more knocking at the door, I feel that, sadly, there is nowhere else to go if dressage is to stay in the Olympics. If it doesn’t it would not just be riders affected but also breeders, who want to see their progeny compete at the pinnacle of international sport. On…

FORMER Olympian Rowland Fernyhough knows a good horse when he sees one and he has certainly found one in Helen Tredwell’s ride, Calcourt Fidibus (pictured, right). Helen started this German-bred six-year-old for Rowland at the end of 2015 and has produced him slowly. The Holsteiner son of the For Pleasure stallion For Ever Jump has huge scope, is qualified for this year’s newcomers second rounds and is well on his way to Foxhunter qualification. He made the fences in Sunday’s Foxhunter class look very small indeed. “He jumped clear every day in the five-year-old classes at the Keysoe CSI in November and we then turned him away to grow up a bit,” said Helen. “I can’t believe how much he’s filled out. He doesn’t want to touch a fence and…

• Brendon sale BRENDON STUD, in Pyecombe, Sussex, is holding a sale of its home-bred rising four-year-olds on 31 January. The 14 youngsters will be loose-jumped and prices range from £8,000 to £40,000 plus VAT. Visit www.brendonpyecombe.co.uk or email: shirleyno2@hotmail.com • A Whitaker on the move JOANNE WHITAKER, daughter of the great John Whitaker, has joined Katharina Offel’s yard in the Netherlands. Joanne, 29, will be stable jockey and compete some of the horses belonging to the German rider. • Ireland plans for Tokyo FORMER international showjumper and respected coach Gerry Mullins (pictured, below) takes the helm as chairman of the Horse Sport Ireland high performance showjumping committee. The board has been tasked with planning for Ireland’s qualification and success at Tokyo 2020. • Shore switches to racing SHOWJUMPER James Shore, son of the…

‘He’s one of those horses we love to train — a bit slow as a young horse, but he jumps well’Lucinda Russell on One For Arthur LUCINDA RUSSELL has the Randox Health Grand National on her mind following the victory of One For Arthur in Saturday’s most valuable prize, the Betfred Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick. Run over three miles and five furlongs on soft ground with heavy patches, it was probably the most stamina-sapping contest of the winter so far, but One For Arthur relished every yard of it after being impeded by the fall of Kaki De La Pree at the second and shuffled to the back. Derek Fox, who is filling the boots of the now-retired Peter Buchanan as first jockey to the Scottish trainer, gave him…

‘He’s the best pointer I’ve owned’ John Nellis on One Conemara PHILIP ROWLEY made his first visit to Sheriff Hutton (15 January) one to remember by recording a double courtesy of the Diana Williams-owned Hazel Hill and Grandturgeon, both piloted by Alex Edwards, writes Peter Burgon. The Shropshire trainer had saddled the first hunter chase winner of the season, Barel Of Laughs (Alex Edwards), at Taunton four days earlier. Since changing hands in 2014, former Irish pointer Hazel Hill has been invincible and made it six from six in the first division of the club members’ riders conditions race. Sent on a mile from the finish, the nine-year-old galloped on relentlessly in the home straight to prevail by one-and-a-half lengths from She’s Real (Tom Chatfeild-Roberts). “He needs a true test…

‘Mary is such a grafter and loves her horses and what she does. For an eventing-mad youngster, it was the perfect inspiration’ THE first time I met Mary King, I was about seven and I remember how friendly she was. I was in total awe of her, and quickly became her number one fan. I wrote to her often, sending birthday and Christmas presents, and amazingly, she’d write back. I’ve actually kept all the letters and signed photos that she sent, and she still has a picture I drew in her tack room. At events, I’d spend the whole time following her around, but she was so friendly and always remembered my name, which fuelled my fascination. When I turned 15, I stopped writing to her, and when I started…