Innholdsfortegnelse for 16-Feb-2017 i Horse & Hound

FALLS in Irish national two-star competitions fell by 66% last year after the introduction of a new safety rating that prevents horses from competing if they are deemed too high a risk, writes Pippa Roome. The rating is the brainchild of EquiRatings, the eventing data analytics company set up by Irish championship rider Sam Watson and his business partner Diarmuid Byrne. Diarmuid presented the system at the International Eventing Forum on Monday, 6 February. The EquiRatings Quality Index (ERQI) is a rating attached to each horse, from zero to one. Higher ratings mean the horse has a greater chance of jumping clear across country. A horse receives a rating for each level of competition. The ratings are calculated using jumping penalties on previous runs, with a horse’s score improving each…

FERRARI The winner of two national team chase championships with owner William Fox Grant was put down aged 16 after a bout of colic. He was the only horse to complete every running of the Golden Button, finishing second and best veteran in 2015. PERSIMMON The horse Kitty King rode to team silver at the 2015 eventing European Championships looks set to start the 2017 season with a different rider. Persimmon is entered for Isleham and Tweseldown with Tom McEwen. COLLEGE BARN SUPERSTAR The Turner family’s home-bred part-bred Arab has died aged 34. The chestnut gelding won the first-ever Cherif championship in 1990 and took numerous in-hand and ridden titles at the National Arab Horse Society show. EASTON ANGEL One of last season’s best sprinting fillies set a new price…

FRENCH racing authority France Galop's decision to give all female jockeys a 2kg (4.4lb) allowance has been met with mixed reaction. The rule will come into force in France on 1 March and apply to most races, but excludes women-only and top-level racing — such as Group and Listed races. Jean-Pierre Colombu, vice president of the authority, said the allowance was created as an incentive for owners and trainers to support female riders. Jockey Bridget Andrews is among those in favour of the move, and Paul Nicholls said it is not something to be offended by if it helps further jockeys’ careers, while riders Hayley Turner and Josephine Gordon, who described the plan as “sexist”, are among those against it. A British Horseracing Authority (BHA) spokesman said it has no…

RODRIGO PASSOA The Brazilian showjumper has added two new horses to his string - gelding Chaco 34 (Chacco Blue) and stallion SL Implacavel (Vindoctro). MEREDITH MICHAELSBEERBAUM The German rider broke two ribs in a fall at the World Cup in Palm Beach on 5 February. She was riding Comanche, who was not injured. LILO BLUM Ms Blum marked her 90th birthday on 28 January. She ran a riding school in Hyde Park for 45 years, as well as a stables in Richmond, and was a successful racehorse owner. RORY BEVIN Leicestershire-based Rory has received the January Howdens jockey of the month award. The 21-year-old rider said he was “honoured”. SARAH JENKINS H&H content director Sarah and her husband Scott welcomed their baby boy Finley Simon Landers, a younger brother to…

THE international dressage at Royal Windsor (10-14 May) has been upgraded from CDI3* to CDI4* status. Riders will battle it out for increased prizes in a grand prix and freestyle, on 11 and 12 May respectively. The showjumping has also been upgraded, from CSI4* to CSI5*. The new Rolex grand prix, on 14 May, offers £258,000 in prize money. A new CEI* 80km endurance ride will also be held, alongside a CEI2* 120km and a 40km national ride, while the international driving grand prix carries qualification for the World Cup final. In showing, the ridden purebred Arab class returns, and a supreme ridden champion will be crowned for the first time.…

CHARITIES are working to highlight the challenges equines face in South Asia's brick kilns. The International Labour Organisation, Brooke and the Donkey Sanctuary are tackling the damaging conditions for the animals involved in the industry, and the “harmful and often illegal practices” affecting the human workforce. A report, Brick by Brick: Unveiling the full picture of South Asia’s brick kiln industry and building the blocks for change, was launched in Nepal last month. South Asia’s traditional brick-making industry employs between 4.4m and 5.2m people, plus more than 500,000 working animals. Donkeys, mules and horses are used to transport bricks. “Despite being a key link in the brick-making value chain, they are mostly invisible in existing initiatives and policy,” said a Brooke spokesman. “In the brick kilns animals don’t have access…

RIDERS are appealing for police to take hat camera footage of dangerous driving more seriously, writes Rachael Turner. Essex owner Lynne Manley felt let down by her local force following two recent near misses. In the first, she was leading her horse along a main road that connects to a bridleway when a car approached. “They got closer and closer to my horse,” Lynne told H&H. “I shouted at them to back off and then the car overtook us, forcing oncoming traffic to slow right down and nearly go into the trees alongside the road. “[The driver] was so close to me I thought she was going to hit me. Police said nothing could be done as there wasn’t enough [evidence] but the registration could be seen on my hat…

IN response to the letter “Face the change” (9 February) I feel I should speak for all the local grassroots riding schools. We teach beginner riders, mums and dads, returning riders and grumpy teenagers weekly. We stand in our arenas in the freezing cold and the boiling hot, day and night and weekends with wonderful riding school horses, encouraging everyone to enjoy our sport and love horses. I feel we are the people who keep our sport alive and have been doing so for many years, without shouting it from the rooftops. And we have to cope with increasing insurance costs, health and safety litigation and rising business rates. I thank the Emile Faurie Foundation which has supported my inner city riding school for 10 years, encouraging every child who…

Biggest mistake I’ve learnt from… I was riding Bit Of A Barney at Badminton one year and we jumped into the Colt Pond a little crooked. Barney managed to jump out the wrong way over the long route in. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I jumped back in and got eliminated, but they didn’t pull me up until I’d done all the big scary jumps. I now make sure my horse stays on the right lines. Competing at… Burghley (pictured, above) is the ultimate challenge and we get treated really well as riders. We are made to feel very welcome by the stable management team and all the organisers, and the event itself is laid out beautifully, too. Most memorable win… Winning Blair Castle CCI3* on Partly Pickled…

THE latest research involved 750 horses at national or international competitions in England, Ireland and Belgium, measuring noseband tightness immediately before or after competition using the ISES noseband gauge. Only 7% of nosebands were loose enough to accommodate the recommended two fingers at the frontal nasal plane. More than half were tightened to a level allowing the insertion of half a finger or less. The vast majority - 44% - were so tight that even the tip of the gauge could not be inserted. Event horses wore the tightest nosebands, closely followed by dressage horses. Lowest levels of tightness were found among performance hunters. Tightness did not differ significantly between young and older eventers.…

NOT only did Tahley Reeve-Smith learn the wrong test, she also accidentally padlocked her horse in his stable minutes before they were due to compete. But she still dominated three regional championship classes. Riding her powerhouse gelding Sharola Show Star, she headed elementary 59 gold, the elementary freestyle and the medium freestyle — all with plus-70% scores. She was also third in medium 76 gold. The home-bred seven-year-old is a formidable sight — at 18hh he makes his presence known — but his cadence, expression and balance are his standout qualities. “I really enjoyed both elementaries: they felt as if they were in slow motion as they were so controlled,” mused Tahley. “He was so supple. I could still do with more power, but I’m able to keep him connected.”…

HIGH scores were the order of the day at Myerscough Arena, Lancs (4-5 February), writes Jo Prestwich . Elementary freestyle winner Vicky Haston posted 80% with her own Thomas Low Wood, whom she has had for just over two years. “I’d had a bad fall off another horse and Thomas has given me the confidence to get going again,” said Vicky who used to train with Ulrik Molgaard. “Ulrik used to come up quite regularly but he’s stopped now and it’s way too far to go down to him so I watch my lesson videos and relearn what he taught me.” Winner of the novice freestyle with 79.44%, Clare Walmsley found her Welsh section D gelding O Fon Pererin in a rather roundabout way. “I took my mother Alison to…

VIV LAW enjoyed a brace of novice wins at Tillyoch EC, Aberdeenshire (4-5 February), with Balhagarty Kestral, reports Melanie Scott. The liver chestnut 12-year-old Welsh section D gelding, by Llansantffraed Owen Coch, was bred locally in Aberdeenshire and Viv purchased him as a just-backed four-year-old. “I was looking for an all-rounder. He has a good brain and enjoys his work,” said Viv, who is looking forward to a first visit to the Area Festival championships after receiving a novice bronze wildcard. “It was a lovely surprise to find out I’d got a wildcard. I’m a late starter to dressage but it’s lots of fun and I never have a dull moment with Kestral.” They also have novice silver freestyle qualification for the regionals and had a good practice at Tillyoch,…

A New Year’s resolution to take up affiliated dressage has led to a successful change of career for Alison Ball and her former showjumper Curti, writes Helen Scott. The pair won the prelim and novice qualifiers at Yorkshire Riding Centre, North Yorks (5 February) on their third outing. Alison, who runs a livery yard, bought Curti out of a field when his showjumping career ended to produce him as a project. “Then, at New Year, I sadly had to say goodbye to my main horse, so I resolved to see what Curti could do. We’ve taken it slowly as we had strangles in the yard when I first got him and he couldn’t go out, and we did some unaffiliated competitions first,” said Alison, who trains with Ashley Ward. “I’ve…

KEYSTONE DIEGO scored a stunning personal best of 81% in the novice qualifier at Quob, Hants (1 February), ridden by Georgia Davis, writes Helen Triggs. The pair beat one of the region’s top-scoring combinations, Dannie Morgan and Headmore Davina, by 2%. The Dimaggio six-year-old was bought by Georgia as a foal. “He’s 18.1hh so has taken a long time to mature. He’s done a lot of hacking and not much schooling,” explained Georgia. “Awesome is the only word to describe him today, despite it being the hardest novice test he’s tackled.” Diego will contest the novice freestyle at the regionals. Vicky Powley had her two regionals hopefuls out at Berkshire College, Berks (4 February), winning the novice qualifier on Serena White’s Galant V (Gus) and the elementary golds on Stuart…

‘The mission was just to qualify but she made up lots of ground with her long stride’Camille Crow on Oaken Fay PAUL SIMS celebrated a winning double, with his best result coming in the Blue Chip Dynamic B&C qualifier, in which Pamela Winson’s Papillon Motinerie (Monty) produced the winning round. With a spooky (South View cube) first fence, a water tray at number three and a combination to follow, Sue Barratt’s course seemed to pose plenty of early questions. However, it was the later isolated fences that accounted for most faults, and 11 combinations encountered no problems at all. Drawn at the half-way stage in the jump-off, Paul steered inside lines all the way and made a brilliant spin-back to a very airy upright to finish ahead of Paul Bevan…

BRITISH SHOWJUMPING (BS) has a new-look logo designed “to provide the sport with a fresh, modern look in line with the many other Olympic and national sports while retaining a strong feeling of patriotism”. Also, thanks to sponsorship from NAF, the British Nations Cup teams, and the children-on-horses, junior and young rider teams, will come under the Team NAF banner. This is the first time that a title sponsorship has brought together the youth and senior teams. “We are thrilled,” said a NAF spokesman. “Showjumpers at all levels feed our supplements, making this partnership ideal.” The Nations Cup teams expect to compete in 10 or more events this year. The youth teams aim for the European Championships (August).…

‘I don’t know if we’ve ever had a pecking order. I’m just so proud to have these horses’Colin Tizzard on his three Gold Cup contenders IT would have been hard for Nicky Henderson to envisage that a genuine replacement for Sprinter Sacre would ever arrive, let alone for one to perhaps have been sharing the same paddock last Saturday. The exceptional two-miler was confined to ceremonial duties at Newbury ahead of the Betfair Exchange (Game Spirit) Chase but looked eager to have a more competitive involvement, even after three months of gently winding down his regime at Henderson’s Seven Barrows stable ahead of retirement. Say it quietly, but the performance of Altior had more than a shade of Sprinter Sacre about it. The only time the dual Champion Chase winner…

BRITAIN’S riding schools could be at risk of closure following this year’s increase in business rates, writes Eleanor Jones . With equestrian businesses set to be hit with hikes of up to 350% from 1 April (news, 8 December and 12 January), some have told H&H this could be the last straw. Jan Blumire, of Chelsfield Equestrian Centre in Orpington, Kent, has started a petition to “save our riding schools”. “A lot of people I’ve spoken to have said it will put them out of business,” Mrs Blumire told H&H . “Our rateable value has gone from £19,500 to £29,500 so we’ll be paying an extra £400-500 per month. We hope we’ll weather the storm, but we don’t know.” The increase has come about as the government has undertaken a…

RIDERS have welcomed calls for officials to be allowed to use their discretion on the FEI’s blood rules, writes Eleanor Jones . The International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) is proposing altered rules, under which sanctions would also be “appropriate to the violation”. This would mean taking into account whether the violation was voluntary or involuntary, as well as any aggravating or extenuating factors, and whether or not it was a first offence. The current blood rules state automatic elimination if a horse’s flank is bleeding. A new protocol for dealing with cases was introduced by the FEI in July 2016. But the IJRC says the “application of a norm should be preceded by a thorough and accurate consideration of the implied consequences”. “Punishing those who fail to respect the welfare…

WORLD HORSE WELFARE is to be Burghley Horse Trials’ charity of the year for 2017. World Horse Welfare chief executive Roly Owers said it was “an honour” to be picked by the four-star, the first time it has selected a charity partner. He added: “We cannot wait to start working on our partnership with the event and, on behalf of everyone at World Horse Welfare, I would like to express our sincere thanks to [event director] Liz Inman and her team for choosing us.”…

VERSATILITY Is there anything Michael Jung can’t do? Obviously winning every title going in one discipline isn’t enough, as the Supreme Magnificence of eventing showed off his showjumping — at a five-star show, where he scored a win and a second. Watch out Andy Murray if he decides to try tennis. BRUCE THE CLYDESDALE As British Horse Society president Martin Clunes was being interviewed on his farm, about the Changing Lives Through Horses project, Bruce got in on the act, essentially mugging his owner. “We know horses are great healers,” mused Martin, as Bruce tried to bite him on the arm. HAPPY CAMPERS A horsebox in Oxford is up for rent for the bargain price of £495 per month. That’s to live somewhere that boasts an electric blanket – but…

IN the summer last year, a friend persuaded me to try a parkrun — the free 5km runs that are held in public spaces around the world. I became an irregular visitor to Wimbledon Common parkrun and have now run there eight times. A few weeks ago, I was staying away, so decided to try Frimley Lodge parkrun. I found it strangely disorientating — although I knew the run was 5km and that there were two laps, I didn’t know the route and couldn’t gauge how far it was until the halfway point. The experience made me think about the trust our horses put in us every time we head out across country or even on a hack. They don’t know the distance or what obstacles they will face and…

THE Cleveland Bay is one of five native breeds on the RBST’s “critical” watchlist, the level considered most at risk. Lorraine Chapman, of the Cleveland Bay Horse Society (CBHS), says: “The long-term future of the breed is uncertain.” How the society helps “The society provides support to its pure-bred breeding members,” adds Lorraine. “This includes pure mare travelling grants for artificial insemination or live cover with pure stallions, pure live foal premiums, parentage verification via DNA required for pure-bred registration, and stallion maintenance grants.” What needs to be done “We need to breed more fillies, which means we need to cover more mares each year. Joining the CBHS helps to fund and promote the breed, and for those with a young Cleveland Bay mare, seriously consider allowing her to breed…

‘We need a hound that can work the wet marshes, the downs and large blocks of forestry’Huntsman Stephen Burton ON our increasingly overcrowded island, it is difficult to think that places such as Kent have any real wilderness left. This was a view confirmed as I followed East Kent with West Street hunt chairman Mally Spens to the meet, diving under first the M20 and then the high-speed train link. However, to my utter surprise, we were soon in a patch of rural farmland as unspoilt and undeveloped as any you could hope to find in the West Country or the North. Only the occasional oasthouse gave a clue as to which corner of England we were in. The meet venue was of a similar vein, horseboxes squeezing into nooks…

GEORGINA OWEN’S 11-year-old gelding Keep Cruising is making a mark in both dressage and eventing. Under Casey McKenna, the gelding by Bahrain Cruise qualified for the British Dressage winter championships when winning elementary freestyle silver and coming second in the straight class. Keep Cruising is also qualified for the national intermediate eventing championships at Gatcombe in August, after winning an intermediate at Little Downham with Casey’s partner Ben McClumpha, last year. “I bought him as a four-year-old and he’s now won two intermediates and completed his first advanced,” said Georgina. “But dressage has always been his strongest phase so we registered him and managed to qualify him for elementary and medium regionals in a month.” Georgina explained that dressage helps the gelding’s performance nerves: “We wanted him to compete in…

‘Stump up, riders — or I'll be knocking on your door!’ ALTHOUGH sad the London International Show didn’t come off this year (news, 2 February), I agree with British Dressage (BD) chief executive Jason Brautigam that it was always going to be challenging, and that Dan Watson’s vision to bring dressage to a wider audience at ExCel was innovative and ambitious. I’m glad to see BD working with Dan and the organising committee to see if the show could be viable in the future. Spectators are the lifeblood of shows so if you were hoping to visit, don’t forget that the BD winter championships are on at Hartpury that week (12-16 April), with two evening gala performances. So come and support this fabulous fixture. It is heartening that international dressage…

‘I wanted to raise as much money as I could to help her have treatment’11-year-old Charlie Atkinson on donating his prize money to the Keeping Kate appeal THE sole treble clear earned Ellie Burrell-Squibb her 128cm place at the Royal International on her first weekend of contesting the winter qualifiers. David Cole’s second-day tracks were tougher than the first, with 10-year-old Ellie, riding nine-year-old My Little Liesel, the only one to leave all the fences standing. In a strong outing for the Squibb dynasty, Henry Squibb — another grandchild of long-term pony Foxhunter sponsor Les Squibb — collected second place with the already qualified Major Jack II. The remaining ticket went to Brooke Tusler with Elliot I Am. Ellie was one of several new combinations in the ribbons, having been…

THE JumpingClash Challenge, a revolutionary new format in novelty showjumping, is being introduced to a five-star schedule for the first time at the CSI in Antwerp on 19-22 April. The competition, in which riders go head-to-head in a knockout style format, premiered during Madrid Horse Week in November. “We wanted to bring showjumping in a new and different way,” said Antwerp’s president Johan Dejager, who has taken the show to a new venue for 2017. The competition takes place over three days and riders can change horses each day as they progress towards a head-to-head final. The class was introduced as a bid “to bring show to our sport, to make it attractive for TV channels, build a larger audience and increase the return of the sponsors”, described by organisers…

Tobefair IF there had not been a film already made about a humbly bred animal owned by a group of friends from a pub in Wales that became a superstar, a Tobefair script would already be in the works. The gelding (pictured, orange and black colours) has not yet reached the heights of Dream Alliance, who spawned the 2015 documentary Dark Horse , but he has already managed the remarkable feat of winning seven handicaps in a row. His latest, in the three-mile hurdle at Newbury, should ensure his qualification for the Festival and was achieved in particularly gritty fashion as he was surrounded by all-comers but kept responding to Trevor Whelan. Michael Cole was essentially given Tobefair to look after as a foal. “I put him in training but…

THE British Equestrian Federation (BEF) and Endurance GB are forming a new approach to “excellence in welfare and good horsemanship” for the rides at Euston Park, Suffolk, this summer. The move follows global concern about welfare in Middle Eastern endurance, and members’ backlash over EGB’s cooperation with Euston, promoted by the Maktoum family whose stables are at the centre of the scandals. The Euston calendar was revived last summer after a three-year lull. It awarded prize money to a bespoke “best condition” criteria which saw no reduction in high speeds. The BEF has stopped short of saying it will adopt the “Boudhieb protocols” successfully trialled in Abu Dhabi, significantly reducing equine attrition, but it noted their success. “We believe there is scope for these to be adopted more broadly in…

Donald Trump has refused to admit his controversial travel ban could affect Los Angeles’ bid to host the 2024 Olympics. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ trump-travel-ban The British Grooms’ Association has called for staff to join forces if they want to improve work conditions and standards. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ grooms-join-forces Police and the owner of a horse shot dead in his field have appealed for anyone with information to come forward. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ horse-shot-field Another show centre could be lost to developers, as plans have been submitted to build homes at Norton Heath, Essex. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ norton-heath-plans The government has dismissed calls for a separate register of animal abusers, saying the information is held by police. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ animal-abusers-register A pony found abandoned with horrific wounds and named after a Disney princess has her “fairytale ending” in a new home. • www.horseandhound.co.uk/ elsa-new-home A video of…

DO: block or delete the person who is trolling; they then can’t contact you and you can’t see what they write. Don’t worry about hurting their feelings; your own well-being is more important. DON’T: respond. It can be hard to avoid being drawn into an argument, but refraining will prevent further unpleasant communication. NEVER: post anything online that you wouldn’t say in person. If you are worried about online abuse becoming more serious: DO: keep a record of any posts or messages you receive as evidence DO: report it to site moderators DO: talk to a friend or a family member DO: contact police if you feel threatened or in danger. • Visit: www.support.racingwelfare.co.uk…

A research project is exploring the power of horses to reduce the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute are conducting the study, which aims to examine the feasibility of equine-assisted therapies (EAT) for military veterans with PTSD. “EAT present a unique treatment modality that might effectively treat PTSD, particularly for individuals who have difficulty with other treatment modalities,” said the researchers. “In EAT, a psychotherapist and equine specialist work together to help the patients negotiate interactions with a horse using structured interventions or activities.”…

THE CROWN JEWELS A picture shared by Dan Skelton online in November resurfaced, when showjumping hero Geoff Billington had his say. On the snap of “Harry’s spectacular last-fence sit”, which did look a little uncomfortable, Mr B wrote: “GB Spectacular!!! Antibascule, Don’t let go of the reins Pal! And watch yr Crown Jewels when you come down!” Couldn’t have put it better ourselves. ANTIS A hoax bomb scare at the Holcombe Hunt ball on 4 February did not have what may have been the desired effect. Guests were evacuated to ensure their safety but, according to the Countryside Alliance, “the party continued in the car park!” Note to any sabs: the hunt ball will always go on. THE BARBER Poor old William Fox-Pitt took some flack for the length of…

A GREAT HUNTSMAN Sir — Your list of 50 greatest horsemen (12 January) will not be complete without the addition of the name of one of the Quorn hunt’s greatest huntsman, Michael Farrin, being added to it. I well remember many years ago, while following the hunt on my bicycle in the Friday country, watching him pop a simple corner hedge and ditch and canter off after the hounds. It seemed to me that this fence was not a difficult obstacle to negotiate, and it wasn’t until the rest of the field tried to follow him that it became obvious that it was not an easy option at all. Chaos reigned as riders cleared it but their horses didn’t (and for a few the opposite), horses refusing — or having…

SHOW DIRECTORY • OVER 8,000 EVENTS LISTED — ALL THE DATES TO PLAN YOUR SEASON • HOW TO FIND THE PERFECT COACH • YOUNG RIDERS TO WATCH THIS YEAR EVENTING Meet Olympic star Rebecca Howard HUNTING All about the Tanatside, plus Pendle Forest and Craven’s Michael Bannister DRESSAGE At home with Rio reserve Lara Griffith and regional reports SHOWJUMPING Spencer Roe’s training tips, plus Morris and South View reports SHOWING Robert Oliver’s inspiration and all the news in Showing Life COLUMNISTS Peter Charles, Stuart Hollings and Clarissa Stickland…

“WHEN the Royal Forest of Exmoor was sold in the early 1800s, my great-great-great-grandfather Nicholas Milton bought some of the original pony stock,” says Rex Milton. “He continued breeding Exmoors on Withypool from 1818 onwards. There was considerable demand for these incredibly tough and agile ponies for shepherding, and also as pit ponies in the Welsh mines. “With the demise of mining in the early 1900s and a change in fashion with shepherding ponies, the ponies went into decline. The biggest hit came in World War II when American garrisons were stationed on Exmoor. Meat was in short supply and they barbecued a lot of the ponies. “Less than 40-odd breeding stock remained on the moor after the war,” adds Rex. “At that point my great-uncle Fred started some selective…

ROWAN BRYSON and Lazulith have put a plus-68% winning first advanced medium on record — having retired from a test some months previously, reports Celia Cadwallader. Rowan, who was competing at Oldencraig, Surrey (3 February), explained: “When ‘Larry’ started doing changes he produced a big leap in front but was unable to come through from behind.” Usually a freelance rider, Rowan took a winter job with Andrew Gould to benefit from his help with the Laudabilis x Fürst Piccolo 10-year-old. She added: “We’ve worked hard getting Larry quicker behind in canter with lots of gear changes, and have also started half-steps and piaffe. “Larry was ready for home after his first test. His changes were late behind in the advanced medium 98, but I was pleased with him because he…

‘He’s not overly fancy but he does the basics very well’ Vicki Hancox on nine-year-old Uluru VICKI HANCOX and nine-year-old gelding Uluru III are riding the crest of a wave having won their last four novice tests with plus-70%, writes Stephanie Bateman. Their latest wins came at Allens Hill, Worcs (3-4 February), where they scored plus-75% in both novices, winning by an 11% margin in the first. Vicki bought the gelding, who is out of a Cruising mare, in May 2015. “He hadn’t done anything and was scared of his own shadow,” said Vicki, who also events. “He’s evented up to intermediate level, and this was only his second British Dressage [BD] show.” The gelding had been off since the end of last season due to a virus, but…

‘US riders want to be tested on technicality’ I’VE spent part of the winter designing courses in the US, in particular Florida and West Palm Beach. I’ve noticed some key differences and certain trends in many of the competitions in the States. The time allowed for the majority of classes is incredibly tight — in some cases it is almost impossible for riders to cross the finishing line without incurring faults. The sport in America has always been about forward riding, but riders tell me they would much rather be tested on a number of technical lines than a series of rollbacks to wide oxers and a battle against the clock. There is little doubt that the quality and standard of horse and rider at all levels is extremely high,…

IRISH showjumper Bertram Allen, 21, won The Irish Field Senior Showjumper of the Year at the publication’s equestrian awards in Co. Kildare on 6 February. This was the third consecutive year that Ireland’s top-ranked showjumper collected the prize. Having jetted in from the CSI5* in Bordeaux for the ceremony, he then flew out to Hong Kong for his next show (see report p61). Michael Pender, 16, received the junior award. “This is a lovely award to win, and to do it three years in a row and see the other names on it is special,” said Bertram. Meanwhile Nick Skelton added the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) sponsored rider of the year trophy to his collection. His groom Mark Beever accepted the award on Nick’s behalf at the BETA Business…

WARWICKSHIRE riders have a new showjumping venue on their doorstep with some exciting dates already in the BS calendar. Dallas Burston Polo Club in Southam sits in the BS Area 30 region and boasts a 2.4-acre all-weather arena and top class facilities following a £122m investment. The centre will host Scope qualifiers and classes from British novice through to 1.40m with £500 to the winner. Prizes will also include rugs and surprises for every winner. Head to dbpoloclub.com for more info.…

The Netherlands ANNABEL SHIELDS was a winner in the CSI2* Roosendaal (8-12 Feb) with Carnoneybridge Challenger in Thursday’s 1.40m medium tour speed class and the following day’s small tour 1.20m jump-off class with My Casall. Spain KAYLEIGH WATTS and Winde landed Friday’s 1.40m two-phase, worth € 1,000 (£851) to the winner, at the CSI2* Sunshine Tour, Vejer de la Frontera (8-11 February). Other victors included Ireland’s Alex Duffy (Barnike), Aimee Jones (Lilly 483) and a double for Derek McCoppin (Whiterock Lucky Lady). BRITISH riders were out in force for the CSI2* Costa Del Sol Tour, Mijas (7-12 February). Although the grand prix went France’s way, courtesy of Olivier Robert (Eros), the Union flag flew in second and third for Harry Charles (Vivaldi Du Dom) and William Funnell (Billy McCain) respectively.…

‘Comparisons to Sprinter are premature’ IT is all spot-on at the moment for us. The horses are in good form, they’ve come out the other side of the flu jabs, and we had a winner with Aintree My Dream on Saturday. There are a couple of important weekends ahead of Cheltenham where some of our horses will be having a prep run, and then it’s all eyes ahead and hoping to keep out of trouble until the Festival. Festival pointers ALTIOR was very impressive at the weekend, winning by 13 lengths. However, I think the comparisons to Sprinter Sacre are premature. He still has a lot to prove, including winning the Arkle. It’s always great to have exciting horses, but everyone wants to compare them to past heroes straight away.…

THE thorny issue of whether licensed trainers should be allowed to run in hunter chases always activates a lively debate. It saddens me to see a highly rated horse from a large yard winning a hunter chase where the owner and trainer aren’t even there to collect their prize. To them, it’s just a statistic. This is in contrast to the sheer happiness that a win on the big stage can bring a trainer who does it for the love of the sport. This takes me back to the late Bob Wale, who lived for his hunting and horses. He had a cheap horse called Morning Dawn whom he trained on his farm and hunted with the Pytchley. Bob’s biggest thrill was when his horse won a hunter chase at…

IF you search for a map of Europe on Google, many don’t label Hungary. This land-locked country’s 93.030km ² pales in comparison to the size of Spain or France, but size isn’t everything. There are 10 national parks in Hungary and I spend four days exploring Balaton Uplands, shortlisting four reasons why I’ll be going back. 1. The riding THE best thing about this national park is its unrestricted access and lack of borders and boundaries. No signs dictate where we can and can’t ride, and it’s so vast that we only see another soul when passing through farmyards, the occasional road we cross being very quiet. We spend at least six hours riding each day, and the fitter you are and faster you’re prepared to go, the more you…

‘Lee has inspired hundreds of us — he is the Carl Hester of the paras’ IT’S true to say that Lee Pearson changed my life. I watched him on TV at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics (pictured) and couldn’t believe how able he was on a horse, despite his disabilities. I promptly told my parents that one day I, too, was going to win a Paralympic gold medal. I was lucky enough to meet Lee shortly afterwards at a demo. He brought his medals along, but I only looked at them, having already decided that the first medal I would touch would be my own. Over the years I saw Lee at competitions, when he was getting amazing percentages and my scores were still in the low 60s. He was super-friendly…