Innholdsfortegnelse for 13-Jul-2017 i Horse & Hound

‘Most significantly, 222 horses and 38 riders have been killed. This problem is not in decline’ MP DEREK THOMAS A HOUSE of Commons debate on horse and rider road safety was a “real step forward”, according to British Horse Society (BHS) safety director Alan Hiscox. The debate last Tuesday (4 July) was called by St Ives MP Derek Thomas, whose constituent Debbie Smith’s petition on the issue had been signed by more than 100,000 people. “Horse riders make up a significant group of vulnerable road users, but despite there being 2.7 million across the UK, they often find themselves the forgotten demographic — an afterthought in the minds of drivers and unacceptably low down many politicians’ priority lists,” Mr Thomas said, adding that since the BHS’s horse accidents website…

COOLEY RORKES DRIFT Irish eventer Jonty Evans is launching a crowd-funding campaign with the aim of raising several hundred thousand pounds to secure the horse with whom he finished ninth at Rio. “I don’t think his owner Fiona Elliott has any choice but to consider the offers we’ve had, but it would be gut-wrenching to lose him,” said Jonty. KASPAROV Showjumper Philip Spivey’s talented gelding Kasparov has died after suffering “a massive heart attack” in his stable on 2 July. The eight-year-old, who Philip owned with Tracy Forrest, won his first one-star grand prix in May and recently stepped up to three-star level. A TOUCH OF FROST Lucy Henson and Ro Jennings’ four-star event horse has been put down aged 25 following a serious bout of laminitis. The gelding by…

Former jockey Hayley Turner won a comeback race on 3 July on the Michael Bell-trained Flying Sparkle. The race was a warm-up for one in Sweden the next day, in which she came ninth. Rhian Gibson has been appointed Pony Club chief executive. She has spent five years as CEO of Welsh Gymnastics, during which time she increased membership from 7,600 to more than 25,000. Jockey’s valet Roy “Flogger” Fowler received a lifetime in racing award for his dedication to the industry since he started in 1964, earning eight shillings and ninepence a week. Former three-star rider Katy Williams (nee Hurst) returned to eventing after a 2014 fall left her with life-threatening injuries. Katy is riding seven-year-old Koko and “very excited about her future”. A charity race for stable staff…

PARA REINING TEAM IN THE MEDALS THE first British team to compete at the World Para Reining Championships have won a silver medal. Lee Pearson, Ricky Balshaw and Fiona Durston made up the team in Ermelo, Netherlands, on 6 July. The riders had qualified on their first attempt at the Garden of England Spring Show (26-30 May). Ricky, who rode Yelena My Way, was returning to equestrian sport a year after he retired from dressage. “It felt really good to be back in the saddle and with a flag on my chest,” he said. All three also finished in the top 10 as individuals. RACING BOOSTS LOCAL ECONOMY A REPORT on the impact of the racing industry on Newmarket’s economy found its contribution has grown by 16.3%, almost £34m, in…

COIFFURES A recent H&H article on a positive dope test caused by the horse owner’s spray for thinning hair caused mirth. “I thought: ‘Who rides horses and uses hairspray? Lol,’” wrote one reader, leading another to answer: “Dressage riders?” Now, now… BUYERS British Showjumping’s new record keeping is bearing fruit. A horse’s ad said it had jumped 1.30m with no problems, so an interested reader had a quick check. Its record confirmed the horse had jumped a 1.30m, but the “Elim-Ref” suggests the round wasn’t quite perfect... HORSE & HOUND From Trump to H&H... the president’s fake Time cover led comedy show Mock the Week to create similar covers featuring host Dara O’Briain. An H&H cover featured some interesting Photoshopping, not to mention the pun “foaling around”. Er, no.…

L-PLATES RAISE A SMILE Sir — Connie Wendes suggests nationally recognised L-plates for horses (letters, 29 June). When I was introducing my project horse George (aka World Horse Welfare Elvis) to traffic on our local lanes, I decided to make sure drivers understood why I was being so cautious, so I used standard L-plates as shown (left). It made the point very successfully and raised some smiles in situations when I might otherwise have been sworn at. Polly Thomas Hadlow, Kent CONFLICT OF INTEREST? Sir — I write to commend Pammy Hutton on her column in Horse & Hound (22 June) regarding the appointment of Caroline Griffiths as World Class dressage performance manager. As Pammy has rightly said, Caroline has done an exemplary job in her previous posts, but this…

LAST summer, Rebecca Longhurst’s three-year-old thoroughbred gelding Malibu was found tangled in his field fencing. “We had to cut him out and pull the wire away from his hock bone, which was showing through the skin,” says Rebecca. “It looked as if he’d tripped and fallen, flipping over. The fence post impaled his groin and ended up at his hip bone — you could put your whole arm up there. “He was just lying there, lifeless,” she recalls. “When the vet arrived, we finally got Malibu up, but he couldn’t put any weight on his near-hind. The vet hosed his hindlegs and groin to get a better look, before he was rushed to hospital.” His horrific wounds were flushed out and bandaged, and X-rays also revealed that Malibu had fractured…

UPSILON wasn’t the only young French stallion to make jaws drop in the ERM class. Tresor Mail (pictured) finished fourth under Sidney Dufresne with the only cross-country round inside the time. A year older than Upsilon at 10, the black son of Jaguar Mail is also in contention for Europeans selection. “He was awesome to ride,” said Sidney. “He learnt to go fast last year — before that I’d never pushed him as I believed he was a very good horse. Now he knows his job and he’s a machine.” Sidney saw Tresor Mail as a six-year-old at Jean Teulère’s yard — and didn’t like him. “But I tried him a year later and took a gamble on him,” he said. Tom Carlile bought Upsilon, who is by the Holsteiner…

JANE VALENTINE celebrated a first win at Eland Lodge (2), where she topped a BE80(T) with her own eight-year-old gelding, Dollar Oats (Oatis, pictured). “I’ve been eventing for about 10 years, but had a break to have two children,” explained Jane, who admits that it took a while to regain her confidence over solid obstacles. “I have Tyler Cassells to thank — he’s the one who got me enjoying cross-country again.” Jane also works three days a week as an accountant. “It’s a tight squeeze fitting it all in,” she said. “I’ve been reading everyone else’s inspiring stories [on this page] for years and always hoped one day I’d be able to feature.” CHANCE PURCHASE COMES GOOD THE best partners are often found in unlikely places, as teaching assistant Carrie…

Hartpury Festival of Dressage CDI classes, Glos SPENCER WILTON and his Rio team silver medallist, Jen Goodman’s Super Nova II, achieved a personal best of 78.82% to win Friday’s grand prix before going on to top the special. Their first test was a joy to watch; confident, expressive and secure. There were a couple of small mistakes, including one in the two-time changes, which implies an even better score is possible now the sensitive De Niro gelding’s confidence in the arena has grown. “I’m fascinated that, at the age of 14, he still seems to be improving and that there is more to come,” said a delighted Spencer. Richard Davison came closest, though he was 5% adrift. Spencer’s grand prix special win was a far closer-run affair, with a couple…

ROBERTA DIXON was thrilled to win the prelim silver Area Festival class at the Cabin EC with Buckley Hazy Cove. “I had a horrible fall in 2014 and needed my shoulder plated and I couldn’t drive for nine months. I started riding again on an old cob and my friend Sandra Low-Mitchell said she’d find me a nice, quiet horse to enjoy and give me confidence,” explained Roberta. They found a newly backed four-year-old, by the Connemara stallion Leag out of a Big Sink Hope mare, who proved to be just that. Now six years old, he is giving Roberta a huge amount of fun, and they represent East Neuk Natives in Team Quest. “He’s a great confidence-giving horse,” said Roberta, who recently gained her BHSII qualification and works as…

King’s Forest, Suffolk LOUISE RICH won the CEI3* 160km on her 14-year-old home-bred Oakleazefarm Czamak (“Skinny”), having claimed the top class earlier in the year. With only three starters, Bristol-based equine veterinary nurse Louise rode most of the way with David Yeoman, who she pipped to the post in April in the CEI2* 120km class. This time, David crossed the line first, but his horse Trop Vite Azureen was disappointingly spun for minor lameness, leaving Louise the only successful completer, crossing the line at 14.63kph. This was Skinny’s first attempt at the distance, so Louise was riding sensibly. “I brought Skinny on slowly, like all our horses,” she said. “We do dressage over the winter so they all canter in a good outline, which is more economical, and endurance in…

NCPA Staffordshire Country Festival, Catton Park JUDGES Janet Bushell and Rob Buckley threw away the form book as they awarded champion and reserve to the two second-placed competitors in the strongly contested Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifying show hunter pony classes. “We heard the silence around the ring as the result was announced,” said Janet. “However, we had told our finalists that we would judge the championship as a separate class, which is at it should be. Two of our class winners didn’t gallop and one switched legs, while our seconds went beautifully.” Champion was Talia Aristidou, 13, riding Cadlanvalley Camelot, by Russetwood Elation, who had finished second in the 133cm class behind 10-year-old Sophie Stiles on Samantha Jakes’ Bevois Crusader. Sophie, a Shetland pony Grand National jockey,…

CLARIFICATION REQUIRED RING steward Katherine Marks has echoed the thoughts of Rebecca Penny in her recent H&H column (29 June issue) about set shows being inadequately explained to competitors by judges through their stewards. “I strongly agree that set shows should be explained to the whole class by the judge, not the steward, and pinning details in the collecting ring is a fantastic idea,” said Katherine. “This would make the process more efficient. I have stewarded for a judge who set a complex show and even after he had explained it, competitors were confused and I ended up walking the show out for them.” MAINTAINING ETIQUETTE HOWEVER, Katherine points out that most stewards are giving up their time free of charge. “I have noticed that respect and etiquette have gone…

A PROLIFIC winning Dartmoor celebrated his 21st birthday recently — and is now back in the show ring. Ekens Fifer, who was bred in Sweden and originally travelled over with a consignment of car parts, began his career with Mandy Burchell-Small, who took him in part-payment for a show pony. “At the time, I wasn’t best pleased to be paid with a Dartmoor,” she recalls. “But he turned out to be really good news.” Fifer won the Lobster Pot final — his first big title — at Ponies (UK) as a four-year-old, and over the next 10 years safely carried connections and members of the Brar, Ward, Spencer, Harvey and finally Smalley family, who still have him now. Among his accolades are wins at the Royal International, supreme Heritage titles…

Sandown Park, Surrey IN 120 runnings of the Coral-Eclipse, there have been few closer finishes than that fought out by Ulysses and Barney Roy last Saturday. It is the first middle-distance clash of the generations and with a nose separating the pair — after their thrilling finish — honours look pretty much even between the four-year-olds and the current Classic generation. If you were to deduce anything from Saturday, it’s that this year’s Classic milers are better than their mile-and-a-half counterparts, although that would not entirely be the fault of Derby runner-up Cliffs Of Moher — who was a well-beaten fourth in the Coral-Eclipse. Ballydoyle’s use of pacemakers is generally smart. Lancaster Bomber smoothed the way for his stablemate Churchill to win the Guineas, while the frontrunning Harry Angel was…

• Check any intended additional use of your transport does not invalidate your insurance. “Horsebox insurers have underwritten the policies on the basis that your vehicle is being used to transport horses and the relatively low premiums charged represent this,” says Guy Prest of KBIS. “The standard cover — Social, Domestic and Pleasure — allows you to drive your horsebox privately for your own personal use. Class 1 Own Business cover is designed to facilitate the use of your horsebox with your own business, while Hire and Reward use is required for the transportation of goods not owned by you in return for financial payment. “If you intend to change the way you use your horsebox (particularly if this involves use in connection with a business), speak to your insurer/broker…

WORK is continuing to boost populations of wild Przewalski horses in Mongolia. In the 1970s, the breed had been driven to the brink of extinction, surviving only in captivity. Since then, various projects have been carried out to reintroduce the horses to the wild, including the Return of the Wild Horse Project, which is run by Prague Zoo in conjunction with the Czech army. Four mares were transported from European zoos to the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area nature reserve, bringing the total number of horses transported under the Return of the Wild Horses project to 27. “This year’s transportation took place in the shortest time so far: from the start of the aircraft’s engine in Prague’s Kbely Airport until the release of the horses in the Gobi, it…

WHILE King Charles I’s stirrups did not make their reserve — a snip at £40,000 — at Christie’s last Thursday (news, 6 July), this week H&H brings you details of an even more unusual lot. A piece of the skin of legendary 18th-century racehorse Eclipse is due to go under the hammer at Graham Budd’s annual horseracing auction at Sotheby’s, London, on 13 November. The lot was announced ahead of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown Park (8 July) — a race in which all the runners were descendants of the stallion, who was undefeated in his racing career . The portion of chestnut hide is inscribed “Skin of Eclipse” and comes in a frame with an original letter of authenticity. The present owner inherited the memento from his grandfather, who was…

Sir — While out competing at a recent county show, it was apparent that a lot of the competitors were wearing beagler hats without chin straps. While I appreciate they do “finish the look”, it was clearly stated within the rules “that whilst mounted, all riders must wear a riding helmet that conforms to the current recognised standard and must be secured with a chin strap at all times”. Two of the competitors then went on to be at the top of the placings. I do not condone the fact that their steeds were the better animals on the day, but I do think rules should come into the equation. Had a three-year-old been in the line-up, they would have been disqualified upon the basis that they were not adhering…

IZZY TAYLOR finished first and third in the £2,000-to-the-winner Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) class on two horses belonging to Alex Phillips — Zippi Jazzman and Star Of Memory. Zippi Jazzman, a 12-year-old by Dixieland Band, ran 11 times on the Flat for Ralph Beckett and won once — a five-furlong maiden at Wolverhampton. Alex bought him for £500 at Ascot sales, and keeps him at home with her. Tina Cook led after the first two phases with Watergate, but was eliminated across country.…

TWELVE months ago, Kerry Arnold-Herrick’s Eland Lodge (2) BE90 winner, Brownscombe Francesca (Fran), sustained a tendon injury that put paid to the rest of her 2016 season. But following months of rest and a successful rehabilitation programme, she has bounced back to form “better than ever”. “I didn’t imagine she’d event again, to be honest,” admitted Kerry, who followed vet Sue Dyson’s instructions to the letter. “It was a stressful time. Box rest didn’t work for her, so we fenced her off a tiny pen in the paddock, which I moved every two days to give her fresh grass.” Fran began her ridden rehabilitation four months ago. “I followed Sue’s advice and gradually built up the amount of work I did with her,” Kerry explained. “The early weeks were very…

Hartpury Premier League, Glos SARA GALLOP nipped round the Gloucester ring road from her base at Summerhouse to take first and third in the Premier League grand prix on Thursday. Riding Summerhouse Zelham, she scored 68.44% to take the class from Emile Faurie and Bohemo Tinto, while Summerhouse Bandreo managed 66.08%. The weather was oppressively hot, and Sara admitted she was concerned about how it might affect Zelham, a Sir Sinclair x Belisar 13-year-old whom she bought as a three-year-old from the Netherlands. “I didn’t want to overwork or underwork him, so I took my time and gave him lots of breaks,” she said. “He is super-extravagant in the piaffe and passage — so much that it can look abnormal; I have to sit quietly and just try to find…

Hunters EC, Glos | Burrows Court Farm, Glos Timolin, a six-year-old breeding stallion, is by the Dutch dressage legend and out of international small tour dressage mare Samira. “He was bred by Jane and Aram Gregory, but sadly Jane died before he was born,” said Lizzie, who owns him with her parents Jennie and Anthony Loriston-Clarke, and Hilary Davey. “We bought him as a late three-year-old.” With offspring already winning young horse classes and a handful of eventing BE90 successes with Aimee Stunt under his belt, Timolin is proving a versatile and trainable character. “He’s a great horse to work with — very intelligent and bold,” said Lizzie. “Our aim is prix st georges [PSG] next year.” A partnership new to affiliated dressage this year achieved their highest score yet…

Aintree Arena, Merseyside | Field House, Staffs LEWENE has had the 15-year-old for 10 years, initially on loan to show before buying him outright. “I’ve had a great time showing him and he’s won at county level taking me all over the country, but dressage is a new challenge. We’re really enjoying it,” said Lewene. “I thought it would be fun to have a go at music so Equivisions put a great test together for me using line-dancing music and it really suits his personality.” Sorento (Pentrefelin Jake x Parkways Flyer) has one offspring on the ground, Pentrefelin Serena, who won at the Scottish regionals in 2014. “I’d love one by him but it’s a difficult decision to make as I don’t have the facilities and he’s very settled as…

Tall Trees Arena, Cornwall | Kings Sedgemoor EC, Somerset | Stretcholt Farm, Somerset “At every level she has surprised us,” said Rachel Pople, who has produced the 15.2hh nine-year-old with help from Adam Kemp and Julie Legg. “We get the marks as she’s accurate, neat and rhythmic, and doesn’t make big mistakes. She did her first PSG two days after doing a pleasure ride.” Louise Jones, 53, has changed her riding style since starting lessons with Nejc Turinek, who is based in Devon after training at Lipica, the National Lipizzaner Stud of Slovenia. “Nejc has revamped my riding totally. My scores have gone through the roof,” said Louise, who won both elementary silver sections at Tall Trees on her 16-year-old Uthopia VII. “I used money that my mother left in…

Sparsholt College, Hants She won a novice gold freestyle on Wayfarer, the inter I with Sabatini and a straight medium and the freestyle with Helen and Mat Carroll’s mare Obsessions’ Quickstep. It was the Quaterback x Del Piero seven-year-old’s first medium freestyle. The Carrolls are so pleased with her progress they By HELEN TRIGGS have bought her mother and hope for another Quaterback foal. “She is so exciting,” enthused Charlotte. “She’s very talented.” Charlotte has recently been gifted Sabatini by Ian McRobbie. Sabatini was her ride at last year’s junior European Championships but Charlotte is now focusing on training. “It’s an amazing opportunity — our ultimate goal is grand prix,” she said. It was Woodhams Dexter’s first big show and he won both his novice gold sections. The British-bred Dimaggio…

Keysoe CSI2*, Beds AT the end of the grand prix here, James Smith described the past fortnight as “the best two weeks my life”. He wasn’t kidding. After winning the International Stairway class at the Royal Highland show, James travelled to Cheshire and rode Balibu to grand prix victory at South View’s British Masters. He then drove eight hours to Keysoe from his home in Kirkcudbright and went home with another world ranking grand prix win, this time on Twix De La Roque. This was no easy task, as Kelvin Bywater’s course would have tested the world’s best. There were plenty of technical lines, with a five- or six- stride run from a big oxer to a vertical-water tray double proving difficult. The final line was also problematic and some…

CSI5*/4*/3*/1* KNOKKE HIPPIQUE, BELGIUM THE Union flag was well represented at this popular show. John Whitaker took the runner-up spot in Saturday’s CSI5* two-phase riding the 15-year-old stallion Argento. The €300,000 (£265,500) Rolex grand prix went to home rider Gudrun Patteet (Sea Coast Pebbles Z) with jump-off pathfinder William Whitaker best of the Brits in sixth with Utamaro D’Ecaussines. Jessica Mendoza triumphed in the CSI3* speed class on day one with Wan Architect, also taking a runner-up spot on the Sunday. Flo Norris secured a treble British win on Darling HDH in the CSI* 1.10m classes. CSI5* LONGINES GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR OF CASCAIS, ESTORIL, PORTUGAL THE British-bred mare Lizziemary, formerly owned by Kim Barzilay and ridden by Emma-Jo Slater then Irishman Billy Twomey, helped Israel’s Danielle Goldstein win her first…

Royal Norfolk, Norwich A STUPENDOUS Shetland and new classes made this year’s show one to remember, even when a month’s worth of rain fell in 24 hours and left lorries up to their axles in mud. Last year, David Hodge’s and Julian Walters’ nine-year-old mare, Sharptor Trinity, became the first Shetland in 30 years to compete in the Cuddy final. Here, she drew cheers from a packed grandstand when David Ingle chose her to contest the title again at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). “She’s a great example of the breed, moves straight as a die and has a stunning foal at foot,” said David. “Although I was judging the mare, this is a breeding championship and so I took that into consideration. “I loved her as soon as…

WEALDSTONE PRINCE was fortunate to be at this show after an unscheduled visit to the muck heap resulted in a badly cut foreleg. However, diligent nursing from owner Vickey Eggleston paid dividends and the 10-year-old Welsh section D gelding duly won his exceeding 143cm working hunter class, booking a return visit to HOYS and adding the section championship to his tally. “He felt a bit wild in the collecting ring but then jumped the most fantastic round,” said jockey Michaela Bowling, who meets up with “Barbie” — so named because of his blond mane and tail — at shows They stood third at HOYS last year, where they won the prize for the highest-placed section D, and finished fifth at Hickstead. Michaela also took the Cuddy HOYS working hunter ticket…

SIR MICHAEL STOUTE’S SIX ECLIPSE WINS: 1993: Opera House 1994: Ezzoud 1997: Pilsudski 2001: Medicean 2007: Notnowcato 2017: Ulysses ALEC TAYLOR THE late trainer, whose record of six Eclipse winners Sir Michael Stoute now shares, was known as the “Wizard of Manton”. He took over from his father, “Old Alec” — a tough trainer who reputedly gave his yearlings a two-mile gallop before Christmas. His son, however, regarded racehorses as babies until they were three and was much more patient. So much so that very few of his big-race wins came in two-year-old races. He was leading trainer 12 times — seven times in succession between 1917 and 1923. He retired in 1927 and died in 1943.…

LOWER limb tendon and ligament injuries are “surprisingly common” in leisure horses and not just high-level competition animals, a recent study has found. More than 60% of 1,100 participants said they had experienced a tendon or ligament injury to at least one horse in the previous year. The most common was damage to the suspensory ligament and/or its branches. The results showed an injury peak at the age of 10 and almost half of the injured horses were regularly hacking out alongside competition work, or were kept solely for leisure purposes. Among the competition equines, dressage horses were most likely to be affected by these injuries (47%) followed by showjumpers (28%), eventers (25%) and show horses (12%). Ultrasound was most frequently used to diagnose the injury, with nerve blocks used…

SUMMER One was surprised by an email advertising an “end of season” sale, with discounts on fly rugs, at the beginning of July. The summer’s short enough without ending a week after the longest day — although discounts are always appreciated… POLITICS Cat Smith, the only Labour MP at a debate on horse and rider road safety, did her best to make it political by quoting Labour’s manifesto and pointing fingers. In reply, minister Jesse Norman purred: “It’s testimony to her colleagues’ belief in her skills that none of them has seen fit to attend themselves,” to Tory sniggers all round. COLOURS A J-reg truck for sale for £10,000 is not all it seems. Pictures show nifty cream seats, tinted windows and walnut aplenty. And the colour? “BMW magic violet”,…

A ROW broke out in the H&H office this week, when the dressage editor claimed it was impressive that Charlotte Dujardin had ridden 14 tests at Hartpury, over five days. To an event rider, riding an average of three tests a day isn’t much — most professionals frequently compete five horses a day, so five dressage tests, five showjumping rounds and five cross-country performances. The reality, of course, is that riding a high-level dressage test is quite different to even an intermediate eventing test and it’s all about being fit for purpose. I can run 10km in under an hour, but I was puffing after jumping four fences in an arena last weekend, because I’m not riding fit. An event rider who attempted a grand prix would probably finish pretty…

‘Once the hindleg becomes powerful, the horse will feel lighter and more responsive’ AIM AS I’m quite old fashioned I’m not really a fan of over-schooling my horses in an arena. I do, however, like to see show horses that are up off their forehand — working lightly and softly in self-carriage. A horse’s head should be like a rag on the end of a stick, so to achieve this I keep my schooling exercises simple with sweeping turns and in short bursts. Much of my work is done out hacking to try to get my horses to be light in the hand and responsive to the leg, while working in self-carriage with smooth, effortless transitions. I like to achieve the right mix of balance and impulsion by alternating between…

St James’s Place Barbury, Wilts TWO great talents of the eventing world, at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of experience, were showcased at Barbury. One is probably the most exciting young horse in Europe — Frenchman Tom Carlile’s stallion Upsilon, who led from start to finish in the Event Rider Masters (ERM) class. The other is a more familiar face — William Fox-Pitt, who modestly described his win in CIC3* section B on new ride Clifton Signature as “the shock of Barbury 2017”. It had been 12 years since William last won the CIC3* at Barbury — at its first running in 2005 with Ballincoola. Clifton Signature is another stocky liver chestnut with a white blaze, whom owners Frances Stead and Russell Hall sent to William to compete…

LAST year the Event Rider Masters (ERM) class at Barbury was very much an experiment, with everyone feeling their way. This year Barbury was organised by the ERM team and received the full ERM treatment and it was an impressive and entertaining display. Word on the street has been that the future of Barbury was hanging in the balance depending on the financial success of this year’s event. Sponsor St James’s Place and new owner Christopher Woodhouse seemed to enjoy the weekend, so fingers crossed for the future. Barbury ran north of 300 novices and amazingly around 250 CIC2* horses. We’ve had a hot, dry summer, but the Barbury turf is amazing. More fool those riders that withdrew before they saw the print the lower-level horses were making and before…

• OFFCHURCH BURY BE105 sec E. — 1, Cosmic Charm (L Robinson) 25,0,0=25; 2, Benvenuto Hattricks Hotsocks (C Pearson) 26.5,0,0=26.5; 3, Completely Mint (S Beadle) 31.3,0,0.8=32.1. sec F. — 1, Corville De Haar (K Chambers) 29.3,0,0.8=30.1; 2, Blue Saffron (L Bell) 31.3,0,0=31.3; 3, Spiders Secret Weapon (K Emms) 32,0,0=32. BE100open. — 1, Cassa Blanca (E Barrett) 25,0,0=25; 2, Nutkin (I Watson) 26.3,0,0=26.3; 3, Outfoxed (S Benatti) 19.5,4,3.6=27.1. BE100 sec A. — 1, Fialotta (L Svennerstål) 25.8,0,0=25.8; 2, Splendix (J Thompson) 26,0,0.4=26.4; 3, Percivals Rebel (R Jessett) 29,0,0=29. sec B. — 1, Ruthstown Ricky (C Martin) 26.5,0,0=26.5; 2, Springwell Ben (L Bradley) 27,0,0=27; 3, Tremayle (O Townend) 27,0,0.8=27.8. sec C. — 1, Fabulous Grafelass (N Brook) 26,0,0=26; 2, Toberpatrick Pride (L Care) 27.8,0,0=27.8; 3, Cardinar Surprise (L Shelley) 29,0,0=29. BE90open. —…

EVENT director Phillip Cheetham and his team put on another great show this year. It is always a rider-friendly event and any inevitable niggles are sorted out by the multi-tasking Phillip without any fuss. That included hand-delivering supergroom Alan Davies a bottle of wine to thank him for bringing so many horses — including Valegro. From my involvement of running a number of dressage events I know at first hand just how much work and graft is needed. We riders can be all too quick to complain about things, or question arrangements, without realising the implications on all the many other aspects involved in running an event. It was therefore great to hear that Charlie and Abi Hutton, together with Maria Eilberg and Anne Dunham, all volunteered to help with…

Parklands Equestrian, South Yorks | Yorkshire Riding Centre, North Yorks A smart young horse made a winning return after a close shave with death following an infection. Lisa Clarkson’s Giannova won both novices at Parklands after a traumatic year in which an infection picked up after the removal of a fractured tooth nearly cost him his life. The six-year-old, who made the nationals as a four- and five-year-old, endured two operations under general anaesthetic, and four standing surgical interventions, as vets battled to save him. “A tooth infection sounds innocuous but he spent three months in hospital, after he got the superbug MRSA and E. Coli. It’s taken him months to get over it, but he’s been able to pick up where we left off,” said Lisa, who trains with…

PARA rider Wayne Lightbown won a medium silver and was placed in the medium freestyles at Sparsholt with a horse he paid a token price for. Real Magic (Herman) was sold to Wayne three years ago and he has turned the gelding around. “He had a lady owner and I think he prefers men!” said Wayne, who runs a busy haulage business. Wayne is a grade V para rider after his two-star eventing career came to a halt 19 years ago through a rotational fall out hacking. The accident left him with no function of his lower right arm and he has to velcro his glove to the rein. “Wayne gets burns on his right hand because he can’t feel the hot lorries at work. We do loads of acupuncture…

I HAVE really enjoyed this year’s show, but there are a couple of things that need looking at. I think it’s fair to say that I’ve been to a few FEI shows in my time and I can’t remember another one that allowed riders three horses in a class. In fact, most other shows let you ride two horses maximum per class and some others restrict you to one. Although more entries this year obviously helped the show from a financial point of view, it did make the days very long. And we were still restricted to riding one horse in the grand prix, so the rule was a bit odd and difficult to understand. I know it shouldn’t be all about the prize money, but there were some top-level…

WE’VE certainly experienced one extreme to the other with the weather recently, with blistering heat and then monsoons. Unfortunately, Royal Norfolk took a battering with the weather but the efforts to continue where admirable. On arrival there were five tractors ready to assist with towing vehicles on. Spirits were high from most competitors and when the lorry park became very difficult in the mud, vehicles were parked on surrounding roads. Every effort was made for the show to continue, so I was saddened to hear of people complaining about having to walk a fair distance to the rings. Surely that is a small price to pay — what else could the show have done? It is your choice whether to compete and the rings held up well; it was only…

RIDE-judge Shelley Perham commented that, despite the HOYS ladies’ side-saddle class having good entries, she feels the standard is on a downward spiral. “There were three horses in the class today that have been trained properly to the side-saddle,” she said. “I think it’s very disappointing that people think they can just put a side-saddle on and go into the ring. It takes a good deal of time, practice and correct training to have your horse going properly sideways. “The horse shouldn’t be falling away from the leg or falling out. As a judge it should give you a lot of confidence, and you should be able to just sit there and think, ‘Wow’. Only three horses gave me that today and it’s such a shame because we’re losing the…

Wales & Border Counties, Powys THIS was the 50th year that the Wales & Border Counties hound show has been held on the Royal Welsh Showground at Builth Wells. It was therefore very heartening to see such strong support for the Welsh ring, with a marked increase in both numbers and quality. Alas, the same could not be said for the English classes. As at Ardingly, numbers were badly depleted with a corresponding lack of quality in some of the classes. Particularly noticeable was the absence of the three- and four-day-a-week packs. It was a good day for the North Cotswold, however, who took home both championships, and the restricted prizes were evenly distributed among the local packs. Judging the doghounds were Robin Vestey, long-serving joint-master of his family pack…