Innholdsfortegnelse for 14-Dec-2017 i Horse & Hound

THE FEI’s decision not to make the use of frangible cross-country fences compulsory has divided opinion. The governing body confirmed it would not be introducing the rule on 7 December, despite recommendations from its risk management steering group. “While rotational horse falls have decreased dramatically, there is evidence — as highlighted in the Barnett report [which examined data from cross-country horse falls at FEI events from 2010 to 2014] — that the number of horse falls in general is higher at fences fitted with frangible technology,” an FEI spokesman explained. “Although clearly it could be the question rather than the frangible technology that is causing these falls, more information and data is needed to understand this horse fall rate. “We need to have a better understanding of this evidence, and…

Jockey Willy Twiston-Davies has brought his race-riding career to a close. The 23-year-old said he was looking forward to his future in bloodstock and had “so many people to thank”. US showjumper Karl Cook proposed to The Big Bang Theory actress and fellow showjumper Kaley Cuoco and she said yes. Karl, 27, said it was the best night of his life. ITV Racing’s Luke Harvey won the Peter O’Sullevan Trophy for the broadcaster of the year at the Horserace Writers and Photographers Association Awards (4 December). Christine Middlemiss is the new chief veterinary officer for Defra. She will take over from Nigel Gibbens, who is stepping down at the end of February 2018 following 10 years in the post. US showjumper Kent Farrington remains on top of the world rankings,…

SINGLE HAT TAG RULE FOR 2018 BRITISH EVENTING (BE), British Riding Clubs and the Pony Club have unified their helmet standards so that a single hat tag will be accepted across all three organisations’ 2018 events. The new aqua coloured tag will show that riders are wearing a hat that conforms to the required safety regulations. Riders will have to present their hats for inspection and tagging prior to taking part in their first competition of the season. The 2018 hat rules include a small change to the AS/ NZS 3838 standard for the Pony Club and BE, both of which will now only accept this standard dated from 2006 onwards. CALLING ALL SHOW SECRETARIES H&H’s mammoth summer show guide, celebrating the competition season, will hit the news stands on…

DRIVING Baby-faced showjumping superstar Bertram Allen’s victory in the Stockholm grand prix won him his seventh new car at that venue in the past three years, and the 10th of his career so far. How will he possibly decide which car to drive when? MOD CONS A rider recently endured a somewhat chilly night in the lorry at a show. “Mum wouldn’t turn the air-con off — I was freezing,” she was overheard to pout the following morning. #FirstWorldProblems… FORMER STAFF And lastly, feel for former H&H staffer Alice Collins, who used to spend Mondays getting up at quarter to Far Too Early, followed by 11 hours “el desko” on deadline — and now is forced to ride, drink coffee, eat and sunbathe somewhere rather warmer than here in the…

MAX LING MRCVS graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2015. He spent a year on internship in Tipperary before joining Alnorthumbria Vets in Northumberland. “Most owners are really good when they see a new face,” says Max. “Each vet took me under their wing for their own speciality, so I was soon out practising different skills such as dentistry and lameness diagnosis. As I found my feet, a senior vet was booked out as back-up — not necessarily there with me, but always ready to call on for advice. “In my first summer, I dealt with a fair few field injuries that were close to joint structures. I sent photos to my back-up and we had phone discussions to run things through. It’s not a weakness to ring another…

IT’S got to be one of the hardest decisions to leave the comfort of a successful job and go it alone, especially when your boss (and first cousin once removed) is Michael Whitaker and you’ve had five-star facilities for the past 10 years. But for 27-year-old Joe Clayton, it “just felt like the right time” and this autumn, he and his girlfriend, fellow rider Georgina Stirling, packed up their belongings — and a few nice horses — and headed back up north to his childhood home in Huddersfield, Yorkshire. “A couple of people had started asking me to ride their horses, plus Michael’s son Jack had just left school to join the yard,” says Joe in his soft Yorkshire accent. “I’d learnt a hell of a lot and it was…

1 Why was Harvey Smith’s winning ride in the 1977 puissance at HOYS particularly memorable? a . Harvey’s Graf put in a Pony Club-style stop when the fence reached 7ft4in, leaving Harvey hanging around his neck as the horse bolted around the arena. b . The rebellious Yorkshireman spun round in his saddle and exited the arena riding backwards to cheers from the crowd. c . Harvey made an impulsive dash up to the judges’ box to try to persuade them to have another jump-off to decide the winner between him and Graham Fletcher, rather than them having to share the title. 2 Who was riding the pint-sized Stroller when he won the 1967 Hickstead Derby? a . Pat Smythe b . Marion Coakes c . Anneli Drummond-Hay 3 How…

SITTING at the top of a hill at Trabroun in Berwickshire, the Lauderdale kennels command picture-perfect views of the Lauderdale low country all the way to the Lammermuir Hills. This part of southern Scotland is characterised by rolling hills, large enclosures and a mixture of grass and arable. Lauderdale master and huntsman Claire Bellamy arrived here from her native Dartmoor last season, with her partner Adrian Ross, and the place has been a blur of activity ever since. There is a distinct spring in Claire’s step as we patrol the kennel buildings, which reveal multiple examples of Adrian’s DIY skills and their combined hard work. They are rightly proud of what they have achieved in a short space of time. As of this season, there is a new horse walker,…

‘He had a bit of a sparkle so I took a gamble’ SARAH URCH ON BARRY WHITE II Badgworth Arena, Somerset | Stretcholt Farm, Somerset “I heard a group of horses were going to be put down as they had lost their grazing and so I went to have a look,” said Sarah Urch, from Clevedon. “He had a bit of a sparkle about him and so I decided to take a gamble.” Sarah, 38, who works as a Waitrose night manager, headed both the prelim 13 and the novice 27 at Badgworth Arena on the eight-year-old Barry White II. “I try to have a lesson with Becci Hadley every two weeks, which is always very helpful,” added Sarah. Florence Human, 16, won the elementary 50 and novice 30…

CSI5*-W LA CORUÑA, SPAIN THE World Cup qualifier at the CSI5*-W Casas Novas Winter Show in La Coruña went to Edwina Tops-Alexander of Australia riding California. Denis Lynch and All Star 5 were the best of the Irish, finishing just off the podium in fourth, with the sole British representative Robert Whitaker picking up another great result on Catwalk IV in sixth. “California has been jumping great, but here and there we kept having stupid faults and I was getting a bit mad!” said Edwina, who competes at Olympia this week. “It is her second victory in a grand prix — we are a good match and we are doing good things.” The Longines grand prix was won by Egyptian rider Sameh El Dahan on the Irish-bred mare Suma’s Zorro,…

Aintree, Merseyside ONLY a brave man backs a 7-4 shot in a 16-runner field over Aintree’s Grand National fences. However, Blaklion, the favourite in Saturday’s Randox Health Becher Chase, never put a foot wrong as the eight-year-old came home nine lengths clear of The Last Samuri. The Becher Chase and 188Bet Grand Sefton are both meant to be practice for the Grand National but it appeared the other way round — Blaklion had finished fourth in this year’s National while Gas Line Boy, winner of the Grand Sefton, was one place behind him in fifth. Despite sleet, snow and water sitting on the ground, all the runners jumped well in the Becher up until the 10th, where Lord Windermere and As De Mee — the only horses to finish without…

THE results of an independent investigation into allegations of elitism, self-interest, bullying and corruption at the highest level of British equestrianism have been delayed until spring 2018. Sport Resolutions, the specialists in independent, not-for-profit, dispute resolution services for sport in the United Kingdom that is overseeing the investigation, confirmed the new timeline on 1 December, the date when it had originally hoped to present its findings. A BEF spokesman told H&H: “It was very important to the investigators to speak to all those who wished to contribute so that the review could be as thorough as possible. We expect the report to be published spring 2018.” The review came about following claims made by former BEF chief executive Clare Salmon when she resigned (13 July 2017). In a statement released…

WILLIAM ‘BILL’ STEINKRAUS US Olympic gold medal-winning showjumper Mr Steinkraus died on 29 November aged 92. He rode at five Olympic Games and won the US’s first individual Olympic gold in the sport at the 1968 Games in Mexico City. He also won two silver and one bronze team medal during his impressive career. “Bill Steinkraus has left a lasting impression on US showjumping and equestrian sport, not solely because of his accomplishments inside the ring, but also for giving back to the sport he loved,” said US Equestrian’s Murray Kessler. “He will forever be admired for his impeccable riding ability and talent in the show ring, as well as the commitment he gave to the sport for over five decades.” PETER WALWYN THE former Flat champion trainer died on…

CHRISTMAS One salutes the PR who sent three press releases to H&H Towers about how to treat one’s horse or pony this Valentine’s Day. To which our response was 1) Horses don’t do Valentine’s Day and 2) Let’s get Christmas over with first, hmm? HACKING On a Christmassy theme, it’s all very well decorating your house, and garden, but did you really have to install a life-size polar bear on each side of your drive, both looking like they’re about to pounce? We rode home by the long route… ELECTRIC FENCE Why is it that as soon as one picks up the first post to start moving the fence, the calm, sunny day becomes a force 15 gale/thunderstorm/ earthquake? And why does the spike on every post go at a…

BY the time you read this, Olympia will be in full swing. This year, it falls early compared to Christmas, but for me it’s always meant the start of the festive season. When I was a little girl, Gran used to give Mum and I a trip to the show for Christmas. The three of us would head to London for the big day out and sit in the stands marking our running order and eating our sandwiches — usually smoked salmon, as it was a treat. This was during the days when the tradestands were all crammed in the circular corridor around the seating and I don’t think I’d ever seen quite so many people packed into quite such a tiny space. The show even has a unique smell…

EVENTING ROS CANTER AFTER a couple of near-miss results at four-star when an annoying 20 penalties has kept her off the podium, the 31-year-old rider pulled off an eye-catching fifth place at Badminton in the spring on Allstar B, the best British result. The diminutive rider and her giant partner were then selected for their first senior championship, the Europeans in Poland. There they went beyond all expectations when they added just 1.6 time-faults across country to a personal best dressage to finish fifth individually and help Britain to team gold. Ros also proved she’s no one-horse wonder with two top 10 four-star placings on Zenshera. BALLAGHMOR CLASS AT the start of this year, “Thomas” was an under-the-radar member of Oliver Townend’s string, having performed averagely at his only CCI3*.…

BARBARA THOMSON, 75 THE pioneering equestrian photographer took photos at almost every Olympics and World Equestrian Games in the past 30 years. As well as many international championships, she covered countless shows and events across New Zealand. She also owned racehorses and eventers, including a share in Blyth Tait’s second-placed 1994 Badminton ride Delta III. Barbara went on to own horses for eventer Heelan Tompkins, including her 2008 Olympic ride Sugoi. DUKE OF BEAUFORT, 89 THE 11th Duke of Beaufort, born David Somerset, inherited the title from his cousin the 10th duke in 1984 and played a significant part in the worlds of eventing and hunting. In 1959, he finished second at Badminton riding Countryman III, finding time to compete and train around his career in the art world. He…

THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: NUMBER CRUNCHING 1. 2009 2. 3 3. 3 4. 590 5. 1 6. 2001 7. 3 8. 0 9. 0 10. 0 HAWK EYES 1. A 2. C 3. C FROM THE ARCHIVES 1. C 2. B 3. B 60 SECOND CHALLENGE 1. Thistledown Van Der Vaart 2. Ballaghmor Class 3. Big Orange 4. Cooley Rorkes Drift 5. Athene Lindebjerg 6. Arctic Soul 7. Diamonds Are Forever 8. Special Tiara 9. Supernova II THE UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH 1. False 2. False 3. True 4. True 5. False 6. True 7. True 8. True 9. False 10. True WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? 1. B 2. B 3. B 4. A 5. C 6. C A COMMON THEME 1. All were eliminated on the cross-country at Badminton 2. All of them…

Warwickshire & North Cotswold Far Longdon, Warwickshire AT the end of this season, Charmian Green retires from the Warwickshire mastership after nearly four decades of service, and Nigel Peel moves from the North Cotswold to the Thurlow after 30 years as huntsman and joint-master with his wife Sophia. A mounted field of 109, with many more on foot, met at Charlie and Jo Rigby’s at Far Longdon, which is in a pocket of country shared between the two packs, to acknowledge the contribution Charmian, Nigel and Sophia have made to their hunts and to the sport. Chairman and former master Sam Butler acted as field-master on what was a busy day and gave the field plenty of entertainment. The final hunt of the day took them to Great Wolford in…

Keysoe High Profile and Small Tour Championships, Beds SONNAR MURRAY-BROWN and the 10-year-old Latimer gelding Erlentanz distinguished themselves with an elegant and mature performance to score 70.32% and triumph in just their fifth grand prix. This is a remarkable achievement as both horse and rider are new to the level but this elegant gelding oozes talent and presence. At the moment, he still needs the confidence and strength to accomplish a consistent piaffe in the arena but the rest of the work is light and fluid. Sonnar, who is trained by Carl Hester, sits very quietly and his aids are infinitesimal, making the test a joy to watch. Sonnar has owned the purebred Trakhener since he was six. He was stepped up to grand prix from inter I in July…

Allens Hill, Worcs | Vale View EC, Leics FERN HORDERN’S six-year-old Baluchis was “a bag of bones” when she bought him as a four-year-old from Ireland, but two years later, he has blossomed into a super little horse. The showjumping-bred gelding by Baloon (by Balou Du Rouet) also events to BE100 level. “That was his first affiliated elementary, so to get that score was brilliant, especially as he had a spook which resulted in a four for his collected canter,” said Fern, who trains with Colina Pickles. “He does a brilliant medium trot and canter at home which I usually struggle to get in the ring, but he pulled them off brilliantly today. “We’ll aim for novice regional qualification and then concentrate on elementary.” Victoria Jones and Suzy Dawe’s eight-year-old…

Burrows Court Farm, Glos | Pencoed College, Bridgend IT has been a long journey for Anna Parfitt, who bought Dutch-bred Annie Jelli six years ago. “Annie had been used for breeding in Holland and was then taken on by another owner who found her very strong,” said Anna, who rode her to a 70.8% prelim 15 qualifier victory at Burrows Court Farm. “Although she was nine, she had been backed late and was like a baby out hacking. “She was all front end and it took three years to establish her canter,” Anna continued. “Our trainer, Lottie Mitchell, invented some amazing exercises. She would put a cross-pole in the corner of the school so I could ask for the canter transition as Annie jumped over it, to engage her back…

Brightwells Elite December Sale, Addington Manor, Bucks SHOWJUMPING horses came out on top again at the final elite sport horse sale of the year, where 45 horses were presented and just over half sold with an average price of £16,971. The auction’s top price was the striking three-year-old Hanoverian gelding Chatoon S, by Jamie Gornall’s international showjumper Christian 25 out of Sensation (Satisfaction I x Duntroon), who herself jumped at 1.30m level. Chatoon S showed unbelievable scope and technique, and was sold for £37,000 to a buyer who prefers to remain anonymous, who purchased him for an Irish international showjumper. The second highest price, £33,000, was achieved for Kensington W, a two-year-old KWPN colt by Zavall x Tangelo VD Zuuthoeve x Feiner Graf. He was secured by New Priory Stud,…

WHY is the Global Champions Tour (GCT) so successful? It’s because it’s had one shrewd businessman at the helm. Even though Jan Tops has now brought in a partner, Frank McCourt — another very shrewd businessman — at worst their decisions are answerable to a panel of two. They have a huge advantage over the rest of showjumping — no committees. They can make fast and commercial decisions, purely in their best interests. They’ve expanded round the world and the prize money has also continued to go up. The FEI would struggle to match Jan in his vision but then the FEI would have to go through a lot of committees. The results of the processes the FEI has to take on board were particularly obvious in their recent decision…

Sandown Park, Surrey A PROPER Grade One performer has been at the top of Paul Nicholls’ Christmas wish-list for a couple of years now — the lack of one cost him last year’s trainers’ title. However, after Politologue’s win in Saturday’s Betfair Tingle Creek Chase, Nicholls is entitled to think his short drought is over. In contrast to the odds-on favourite Fox Norton, who made a mistake at the first and was on the back foot from then on, the John Hales-owned grey travelled like a dream under Harry Cobden (ROTY, p34) as Ar Mad set a searching gallop up front. Having failed to find his rhythm — possibly because it was all happening a bit too fast for him over two miles — Fox Norton did well to get…

BEHIND the public face of racing on the track is the bloodstock industry, the factory floor if you like, where raw material is fashioned and the dreams begin. And although it is the racecourse that generally supplies the sport’s drama and emotion, occasionally events in the sale ring become more than merely a series of down-to-earth trading transactions. And one extraordinary session in the Tattersalls arena in Newmarket recently provided hours of sheer theatre. From the head’s point of view, the equine auction house will have been delighted with the day’s turnover of more than 45million guineas, and the two-week December Sales total of more than 105million guineas. However, it was the heart that was affected most by proceedings as the top-class sprinter Marsha was sold for a European record-price…

ONE of the highest-rated horses to run at Alnwick in recent years, Cultram Abbey (John Dawson), outclassed his four rivals in the conditions race. The 10-year-old, owned and trained by Nicky Richards, cruised through the three-mile contest and took it up two out, barely moving out of second gear to beat Court Painter (Kit Alexander) by 10 lengths. This was a 90th career pointing winner for John. “I hadn’t ridden the horse before but Nicky told me he’s like a Rolls-Royce and his words came true,” said John.…

Cornwall Hunt Club, Wadebridge, Cornwall RUNNERS and spectators alike battled with snow, rain and a biting wind on a day when Acadian provided Lee Drowne and his partner Heidi Lewis with their first training win in the open maiden (division two). Ridden by Lee, Acadian easily pulled away from the field after taking it up at the third last. “We knew he’d stay all day,” said Boscastle-based Lee. “The more rain the better; he loves it like this.” The open maiden was split three ways and the first division (part one) went to Broadclyst (Tom Chanin) by 12 lengths. “He’s a big baby who shows nothing at home but take him anywhere and he comes alive,” said Tom. Part two was a much closer affair, It Has To Be (Ed…

Showjumping, clear-round Dressage, combined training Showing Eventing, Jump cross, hunter trials Other ADDS FARM TRAINING FACILITY East Sussex, TN6 1TH Adds Farm is situated adjacent to the spectacular Ashdown Forest and holds a variety of lessons, camps and talks. All levels welcome. Sat 20, Hugo Payne polework and gridwork clinic Tue 30, Bobby Hayler dressage clinic ALICE DARBY Various locations Alice Darby is a fully qualified and insured veterinary physiotherapist and equestrian coach covering Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire. Alice has a fun and inclusive approach. The clinic is suitable for anyone wanting to understand and improve their horse’s way of going. Thu 11, Alice Darby Equine Gym polework clinic (Somerton) ALNWICK FORD EQUESTRIAN Northumberland, NE65 8EQ Alnwick Ford Equestrian holds more than 150 affiliated and unaffiliated showjumping, dressage, cross-country and…

I met the late Michael Farrin, who was hunstman of the Quorn from 1968 to 1998, for the first time when I was on trial for the second whipper-in position at the Quorn. Being with one of the most famous huntsman was daunting enough, but while we were travelling to the meet, Michael told me the Prince of Wales would be out that day. I hadn’t done much jumping then, and I will never forget trying to follow Michael across High Leicestershire. He was a flawless rider and brilliant huntsman, but he wasn’t the best at talking things through — he just expected you to watch, listen and learn. I remember him schooling me over a fence in front of the field with the words, “Watch me and do what…

DOUBLE DUTCH III The Kobbe family’s prolific-winning intermediate show hunter has died aged 26. In 2007, “Basil” became the first of his type to stand British Show Pony Society summer supreme, and was fourth at Horse of the Year Show. MARSHA The dual Group One winner became the highest-priced horse ever sold at a European auction after selling for six million guineas (£6.3m) to Coolmore’s MV Magnier at Tattersalls on 5 December. LAZARDO Natasha Baker’s former ride has died aged 23 following a severe bout of colic. The Holstein gelding “Ludo” was long-listed for the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. DERWENT RAINBOW BANDIT The Goldengrove Pony Stud’s show pony stallion, by Kilvington Scoundrel, has died aged 18. Until 2015, Bandit stood at the Rhos Stud, where he sired HOYS and Royal International…

ANYONE who has ever shaken a snowglobe will have imagined what it is like to be inside that magical snowy world. Well, Emma Massingale and her team of Connemaras found out exactly how it felt while filming Horseware’s latest Christmas advert. The festive video features a host of stars, including Valegro wearing a red nose, Carl Hester, Cian O’Connor and the one and only Father Christmas. The viewer is taken inside a snowglobe, where four-year-old boy Blue Dietrich and Connemaras Comet and Nahla are decorating a tree and building snowmen. This part was filmed inside a huge, inflatable snowglobe at Emma’s yard. Emma told H&H the ponies were brilliant and “loved” playing in the artificial snow. “They say never work with children or animals and I was doing both,” laughed…

Sir — After receiving some online abuse while helping to publicise the British Horse Society’s new “Ride Safe Award” for road safety, it struck me that many hackers are missing the point. No one is advocating you take your hands off the reins to thank drivers if it is not safe to do so. No one is suggesting we abandon control to “love the drivers who slow down” as I’m often quoted as saying. What I want to see, as both a driver and a road rider, is that every rider smiles and shouts “thank you” to those drivers who make the effort to slow down as they pass. If you fail in this simple task, you are making life more dangerous for all riders and, quite frankly, you shouldn’t…

‘Each stride should be of even size and falling where the rider wants’ AIM I START to introduce the canter pirouette when the horse is established in the canter half-pass, which is usually at the age of six or rising seven. The aim of this exercise is to teach the horse to take small strides, each one controlled by the rider. Eventually, you are aiming for six to eight strides for the full pirouette, with each stride of even size and falling where the rider wants it. This exercise helps the rider focus on maintaining the quality of the canter. Walking and re-establishing the positioning keeps the horse active. Because there is a cone as a fixed point of reference, this is an exercise the rider can use when riding…

THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017: NUMBER CRUNCHING 1 Prior to Strzegom, Poland, when was the last time the British eventing team won European Championship team gold? 2 How many gold medals did Germany’s Isabell Werth win in Gothenburg? 3 How many horses were eliminated under the blood rules at the Dressage Europeans? 4 How many horses took part in the whole Gothenburg championships? 5 How many British riders competed in the European Showjumping Championships? 6 Prior to this year, when did the Irish showjumping team last win gold at the European Championships? 7 How many of the British para dressage team were making a major championship debut in Gothenburg? 8 How many men were in the British para dressage team? 9 How many individual medals did the able-bodied British dressage riders…

PEGASUS GIFT CARD From the equine lover to someone looking to update their look, Pegasus Jewellery offers unique equestrian designs of exceptional quality at affordable prices. From £10 pegasusjewellery.net HORSE PHOTOGRAPHER UK GIFT VOUCHER This includes a two-hour photoshoot with Horse Photography UK, three outfit changes, full editing and five low-res images of your choice. £95 naylors.com LAND ROVER EXPERIENCE Vouchers include anything from a half- or full-day driving experience on Land Rover’s formidable tracks to the complete experience with a factory tour. From £29 www.solihull. landroverexperience.co.uk LOOSE REINS GIFT VOUCHER This ranch in Dorset specialises in Western riding. The vouchers can be tailored to suit, whether you want a Western lesson or a stay in their beautiful cabins. From £45…

MAJOR changes to the British Eventing (BE) fixtures list for 2018 include: • The Scottish national championships will all be held at Blair (23-26 August). The BE90 and BE100 championships, previously hosted by Hendersyde Park, will run over new courses, while the novice and intermediate championships will be incorporated into the CCI* and CCI2*. The CIC3* at Blair already includes the Scottish open championships. “The BE90 and BE100 courses are in the developmental stages,” said Blair director Alec Lochore. “They will use a lot of the flat ground and then a proper bit of hill at the far end near the haggis fence on the international courses. They’ll have a decent water jump as we’ll send them through Malcolm’s Lochan. I’m very keen it has a proper championship feel.” •…

JUST six months ago, Katy Applin fractured her neck in a fall from a newly backed youngster. “I was out on a forestry ride and was launched over a fence when the horse bronced,” explained Katy. “Luckily I was with a friend, a nurse, who correctly predicted that I’d damaged my C5 and C6 vertebrae from the way I was lying. She told the medics, who cut down the fence and took me to hospital for CT scans.” Katy spent two weeks in hospital and another nine in a fixed neck brace. Although advised against riding so soon, she was back in the saddle in autumn and competing again in November — winning two elementaries last weekend at Pencoed with Amy Thomson’s one-star eventer Lets Twist (above). “He’s bigger than…

I WAS fortunate enough to be asked to be a guinea pig for our British Dressage (BD) national convention this year with my gorgeous five-year-old Headmore Bella Ruby. It was a superb convention with two top German trainers, Michael Klimke and Ulf Möller. I learnt a tremendous amount and thoroughly enjoyed the whole weekend. During the convention, BD held a members’ meeting; I’ve been to a few of these in my time and this was by far the busiest due to recent social media furore. First, I’d like to commend the BD board on their thorough and professional approach — it must have been like walking into the lions’ den. As a member, I felt very reassured that they were able to answer most questions confidently and with solid facts.…

CHI5* Geneva, Palexpo Arena, Switzerland USA rider Kent Farrington proved why he continues to reign as the number one rider in the world with all-out victory in the €1m (£882,000) Rolex grand prix. The Rolex Grand Slam is now a tempting and lucrative target for the 36-year-old. “Scott Brash showed that it can be done and that was really inspiring to watch,” said Kent. Just five riders came through to the jump-off after a tight time-allowed and three trappy combination elements in round one caught out a high-class field of 40 who had qualified for Sunday’s feature class. But it was an elite quintet featuring three of the world’s top 10 who lined up for the race against the clock in this atmospheric indoor arena. Drawn fourth on the aptly…

WINTER has properly arrived and we’ve had a fair bit of snow. We had five to six inches where we’re based in Gloucestershire, and this obviously affects work and racing. A few meetings, including Huntingdon, Kelso and Musselburgh were abandoned. It’s been a real effort to get in and make sure all the horses are hayed, watered, rugged and looked after, and our staff have all been brilliant. Racing isn’t just a sport, it’s a way of life, and the dedication stable staff show is admirable. We all do it for the love of the job. At this time of year, most people are thinking about their Christmas breaks, but for us it’s the busiest time of year. We’re planning who’s working when, not what everyone’s having for Christmas lunch.…

NOT many days go by in the racing world where “luck” is not on the tip of somebody’s tongue. Whether it is the media referring to a lucky winner, a punter referring to a lucky number or an owner referring to a lucky hat, most people buy into the concept. Jockeys are no different and I would name a handful of courses where I have been lucky as a rider and love going. I had a successful campaign last season which was spearheaded by Chosen Lucky. However, my start to this season has not been so lucky when, at the recent Barbury Castle meeting, my day ended with a 48-hour bed and breakfast stay in Swindon Hospital courtesy of the NHS. Not the usual high-speed tumble that is commonly associated…

MILLIE WONNACOTT picked up the ride on Mic’s Delight on Sunday morning and duly went on to head the veteran and novice riders’ race by a convincing 20 lengths in the fastest time of the day. The 13-year-old “Mic” is trained by Jennifer Davenport, who usually race-rides herself, but she is a full-time vet and was on call today. “Given the hot competition, our only chance was to stretch the others and hope they wouldn’t catch us,” said Millie. “Mic jumped his way to the front early on and continued his usual immaculate way of jumping. He’s been a great servant.”…