Innholdsfortegnelse for 21-Dec-2017 i Horse & Hound

‘What doesn’t help is the stigma, fear and blame’ PROFESSOR JOSH SLATER EQUINE health care providers have nothing to fear from visiting yards under quarantine for strangles if simple biosecurity steps are followed, experts say. H&H was contacted by a yard owner who found some equine dental technicians and farriers were reluctant to visit after the yard recently “went public” with the news that it had a confirmed strangles case. She said while she “does not expect business as usual”, there is a duty of care to clients’ horses. “One sounded genuinely afraid,” she said, adding others have had individuals phoning them to say “don’t come here”. Other recent cases include a strangles scare at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire earlier this month and an outbreak at Bodmin Moorland Pony…

FORMER British Eventing performance manager Yogi Breisner and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were among the winners at the British Horse Society (BHS) annual awards. Mr Breisner was given the president’s award for his work supporting the BHS education department in its new qualification system. The GMP took the Tarquin Trophy for its work on road safety for horses and riders; Canewdon’s Equestrians Group also won a safety award for its campaign on rider safety. Three welfare awards were also presented at the ceremony, on 24 November, to the British Equine Veterinary Association’s (BEVA) volunteering arm the BEVA Trust, to farrier Dean Bland and, posthumously, to BHS welfare volunteer Angela Mawle. The BHS also honoured volunteers, trainers, riding clubs and fundraisers. BHS president Martin Clunes said: “One of the best things…

BEWARE CHALK PIT The 13-year-old former racehorse who won 11 times in the show ring took home the 2017 Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) horse of the year title at the annual RoR awards in Newmarket on 11 December. CLENUR Ireland’s Cian O’Connor has taken on Marco Kutscher’s former ride. The 11-year-old gelding by Carinue was placed fifth in the Zurich World Cup leg. Cian said he looks forward to developing a “solid partnership” with him. SIRE DE GRUGY The 2014 Champion Chase winner has been retired from the track aged 11. In his seven-year career, Sire won 17 races, including two Tingle Creeks. He is to stay at the yard of trainer Gary Moore and hack with the children of his jockey, Gary’s son Jamie. Comment, p72…

French showjumper Kevin Staut has been elected as president of the International Jumping Riders Club. Kevin follows Christina Liebherr, who has been the club’s president twice. An 82-year-old trainer, Milton Bradley, bagged a 1,121-1 treble at Lingfield on 12 December, with Indian Affair, Compton Prince and Temple Road. “It just shows that age is only a number,” he said. Trainer Richard Mitford-Slade celebrated his first runner under Rules with a win — at 100-1. A fortnight after he got his permit, Mr Mitford-Slade’s Samuel Jackson won a novice hurdle. Jockey Hayley Turner has been suspended for three months for betting while a licensed jockey. Hayley, who is part of ITV Racing’s presenting team, returned to racing after retiring two years ago. Eventer Emily Mustow has won the 2017 Hannah Francis…

DOPE TESTING AT ALL MEASUREMENTS RANDOM dope testing will be carried out at more Joint Measurement Board (JMB) measurements from January. Animals presented for annual or full certificates will be selected for testing at random, as is already the case with remeasurements and for gold certificates. “This procedure should go a long way to ensure animals presented for measurements are free from prohibited substances, in a healthy condition and mirroring the rules of competition,” said a JMB statement. The JMB will bear the costs of testing. • Visit: thejmbonline.co.uk BODY CAGES TO BE ALLOWED AT EVENTS RIDERS will be allowed to wear Exo BodyCages at British Eventing (BE) competitions after changes to body protector rules come into force next year. From 1 January, only body protectors carrying the BETA level…

TEACHING Good old Jonjo O’Neill. His was a bid of £825 for one lot in the Racehorse Owners’ Association awards silent auction. The prize was a week’s work experience with Nicky Henderson. One wonders who would be working for whom… MUSIC TASTE Gold Cup hero Sizing John is in good form, ahead of the 2018 Festival, hitting the right notes — as apparently he enjoys a tune after a canter. Katy Perry’s Roar is among his favourites, reportedly, so one hopes his form is better than his taste in music… POP STARS Lady Gaga, who featured here going for a ride wearing nowt but a patterned cloak, has been horsing around again, sharing a video of her “new babies”. It shows the songstress chasing two small equines around in an…

OLYMPIA delivers on so many fronts, doesn’t it? It provides top sport, fantastic entertainment and unbeatable shopping, all with a healthy dose of Christmas spirit. The dressage in particular provided plenty to be excited about, with Britain’s Emile Faurie finishing just a whisker behind the winner, Sweden’s Patrik Kittel. It was brave of Emile, bringing a horse he has competed internationally just once before into the buzzy atmosphere of Olympia, but he and Elena Knyaginicheva’s stallion Delatio thoroughly impressed, and Emile became just the fourth British rider ever to score over 80% at Olympia. The other three members of that elite group, Carl Hester, Charlotte Dujardin and Laura Tomlinson, were absent this year, but Britain’s strength in depth is encouraging. Delatio looks every inch a future team horse, and after…

‘Right angles will encourage the horse to use its shoulder’ AIM I DO this all the time with my horses, particularly the young ones — it’s one of the first exercises I work through. It stops them using the boards around the school for balance and prevents them from leaning on them. If you work on a circle all the time, the horse can fall in through the inside shoulder. Placing poles in the middle of the straight lines will help you to concentrate on keeping the horse straight because you are aiming for the centre of the pole. When you turn the corner on the square you must treat it as a right angle, bringing the horse’s shoulders round. This will encourage the horse to use its shoulder and…

OPINION THIS year’s Olympia was a mixed bag for the Brits. I imagine there will be a few who were a little disappointed, but certainly not Emile Faurie. I was in Germany in September when he did his first show on Delatio and, although you could see he had potential, he was green. Since then, the horse has improved dramatically and, by performing in the Olympia environment, he has shown us not just how talented he is, but also how good his temperament is. He looks like a real team prospect for next year if he continues to improve. I take my hat off to Emile. It’s exciting for the sport in this country, and also for Emile to be making a bit of a comeback after not having had…

I HAVE discussed the challenges of hunting in the 21st century in the south-east many times, but just in case our opponents are reading, can I make it clear once and for all and for the avoidance of doubt. Since the ban in 2004 we at the Old Surrey Burstow and West Kent (OSB&WK) have been hunting within the law by simulating a day’s hunting as it used to be. We do this by laying a fox-based scent (you can’t make it up) for our hounds to find and follow. We lay the trails in ditches and hedgerows and in woodland and across open grassland, and we cross land we have been invited to cross. We’re a club more than 100 years old and we enjoy huge support around Surrey,…

Addington Manor, Bucks Rebecca Hughes took both elementaries with plus-72% riding Allison Croft’s Tantoni Dallaglio, a six-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Danone II x Rubin Royal. “I’ve been riding him only a couple of weeks, but he was brilliant — I had a really good ride,” said Rebecca. “Allison also rides him, so I help her as well as ride him.” It took Rebecca over an hour to get to Addington, which is only round the corner from her yard. “There were roadworks and all the roads were closed,” she said. “I was in the 18-tonne lorry, and nearly got stuck trying to turn it around. It meant we only had a short time to warm up, but he was brilliant.” Rebecca also won at medium with Classic Flamboyant, a seven-year-old…

Northcote Stud, Lancs | Field House EC, Staffs Rose-Marie won the novice 38 with newcomer Sir Carl plus a medium and another medium bronze section with Rubinstein Million (Rubinstein x Weltmeyer), while Ruth claimed the elementary 59 with the home-bred Sambrero Million (Sam). The latter is a second generation home-bred by Splash Million out of a Nagano mare who was never backed. “She was very skinny and hadn’t had the best start in life when we bought her but she’s bred some lovely foals,” said Ruth. “We’re more into showjumping so mostly they’ve gone jumping but some horses, like Sam, suit the dressage more.” Sir Carl, owned by Jean Bilsby, came to the Kenyons with more of a dressage career in mind and this was his second outing. “The good…

RETIRING TO STUD WITCH (pictured, above), 14, ridden to great success by Emily Ward, has retired to stud. Among their glittering list of achievements, Emily, then 13, partnered Michael Whitaker and Nick Ward’s game mare to become the youngest ever winners of the under-23 championship at Olympia in 2012. The Dutch-bred mare already has two embryos in surrogate mares — by Casall and Diamant De Semilly. FAREWELL TO… MEGAN JAMES’ showjumper Findas Keepas (Kiwi) has has died. He jumped the Hickstead speed Derby, Nations Cups and junior European Championships, having come to the family via an advert in Horse & Hound. “The things he jumped for me were pretty special,” said Megan. “What a hero. Thank you to those amazing owners who bought him for me and made so many…

MEMBERS of the GB European Championships para dressage team were among those given British Equestrian Federation medals of honour at Olympia. Julie Payne, Suzanna Hext and Erin Orford were given the honour on 15 December, for their individual medal-winning performances and contribution to the team gold in Gothenburg this summer. Sophie Wells, their teammate, won the medal in 2010. Also honoured, in the presentation in the Olympia main arena, were Peter Whitehead, for his medical support to British championship teams for the last 15 years, and Alex Colquhoun, for his role as chairman of selectors to British Eventing’s young rider programme. Burghley Horse Trials event director Elizabeth Inman was given the medal for her dedication to the event, and Giles Roswell for his commitment to eventing, as chef d’equipe in…

DRAMATIC PAUSE The four-year-old gelding, who is partly owned by British dressage star Carl Hester, claimed his first win at Chepstow on 9 December. “It’s everyone’s dream to have a Saturday winner,” said Carl, who has “always followed racing”. LUIDAM The top showjumping stallion has died aged 24. Billy Twomey rode “Tiger” at the 2003 European Championships and the 2006 World Equestrian Games. His offspring include Kent Farrington’s five-star ride Blue Angel. CUE CARD The National Hunt star will not be aimed at a second King George VI victory, trainer Colin Tizzard has revealed. The 11-year-old will miss the Boxing Day race and will run three more times before retiring.…

A NEW protocol for assessing horses after accidents during transportation could increase chances of recovery. McTimoney practitioner Dr Emma Punt believes vets and therapists should rethink post-trauma care, ensuring horses are reassessed in the two to six weeks following an accident. UK statistics show that 52% of horses involved in transport incidents suffer injuries, with 30% of these left with chronic issues. Presenting her concept to the British Animal Rescue and Trauma Care Association (BARTA) conference in California recently, Dr Punt said: “I see increasing numbers of horses with musculoskeletal issues caused by transport accidents. This inspired me to look at how vets and chiropractors could work together to offer enhanced rehabilitation.” Dr Punt is also research lead for BARTA, which advises and trains emergency personnel in dealing with rescue…

WHAT do you do when there’s limited warm-up space and lots of riders want to use it at once? At some shows, this could be a recipe for disaster, but not at Olympia, and not when said riders are Charlotte Dujardin and the Metropolitan Police mounted branch. The former was warming up Hawtins Delicato in preparation for her masterclass on 13 December when the latter came into the warm-up and, as a video taken by a British Dressage representative shows, Charlotte and Delicato helped the mounted section out, leading them in some beautiful canter work. It’s perhaps fair to say that amazing though the police horses and riders are, their flying changes were not quite as good as those demonstrated by the combination in front — but then we’ve never…

Sir — For a whole generation of South Berkshire branch of the Pony Club members, Jack Bucknell (obituary, p10) was invincible. The branch’s fairy godfather, “Uncle Jack” hosted our camp for years and his commitment to making each one magical was awesome. When I, as mere organiser, tentatively suggested a midweek hack to the undisputed camp commandant, Jack went for it and Jack’s Hack was born. He plotted routes, drove them on his quadbike, enlisted hunt servants to pull resting hunters up from summer grazing as escorts and, aboard his trusty Blossom, took his field down rivers, across private estates, barrel raced round big bales on the stubble and invariably ended up with a tantivy over the hunter trial course. A spur of the moment after-supper horn blowing contest resulted…

‘I want riders to give me the same dedication I give them’ “I DON’T do pink and fluffy,” says Ros Morgan, jumping coach to a host of top eventers. It’s not hard to believe. Her gaze is direct and her words, with the cadences of the South Wales valleys, are not minced. But really ambitious riders do not want soft-soaping; they want to improve. On her roster are big hitters such as Paul Tapner, Sam Griffiths, Bill Levett, Jonty Evans and Alex Bragg. More recently she has started working with Kitty King, Jesse Campbell and Dani Evans. In each case, she has improved their results, particularly with certain horses. And she is crystal-clear about why she is so straight-talking: she understands very well the enormous monetary costs of eventing at…

THERE’S always a good feeling at Olympia and the crowds take it to the next level. This year’s jumping has been top class and hats off to Laura Renwick; she tries to win, whatever she’s riding, but her puissance ride was fantastic. We’ve had a different course-builder, Guilherme Jorge, this year, which has made it interesting. His World Cup track was excellent — tough enough, although he probably expected more than four clears — but I always say it’s a very fine line to get it right and it ended up being a great class. Scott Brash did a very good round to put the pressure on Julien Epaillard, but the Frenchman came up with the goods. I had a good week, winning two classes — Leen OL in the…

CDIW London International Horse Show, Olympia IN 2004, Sweden’s Patrik Kittel came to London Olympia for the World Cup qualifier, and finished “dead last”, failing to qualify to contest the freestyle. Some 13 years later, he finally returned, and laid the ghosts to rest in the best possible way, with a euphoric victory aboard Delaunay OLD. “Years ago, I drove home from Olympia in my little truck thinking, what’s the point of riding, of competing, when you’re not even going to be in the freestyle. To come back after all these years and win here has made me really emotional, especially when they played the Swedish national anthem,” said Patrik, who was moved to tears during the presentation ceremony. “It just shows that if you work hard and want something…

LeMieux BSPS Heritage Championship, Olympia, London FOR the second year running, Katy Marriott-Payne trotted through the Olympia spotlight in the LeMieux British Show Pony Society (BSPS) ridden mountain and moorland final. She scored this year after a stellar performance with the super-consistent Welsh section B gelding Cadlanvalley Sandpiper, whom she currently has on loan from owner Kathleen Scott. It was a highly emotional moment, because although this was the seventh consecutive year that “Sammy” had qualified, it was Katy’s first ride on him at the final itself. Last year, she partnered the section A Uphill James Fox to victory. It is also the first time in recent memory that a rider has won Olympia two years running on different ponies, and the first time that Cadlanvalley has landed the major…

OPINION THE standard of the LeMieux BSPS mountain and moorland supreme championship was generally very good. It is hard to produce a native pony to look its best at this time of year — I know this because I’ve done it myself. Factor in a lot of competitors working full-time too and not having facilities at home; it all adds up to making it harder. My co-judges and I were all happy with our best of breed winners and they were of a good type. When you have four judges together, invariably each one has different priorities on both conformation and way of going. I like true-to-type ponies with a bit of star quality; Anthony Perkins penalised anything that was over-bent. It was nice to see there weren’t many overweight…

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN’S adage, “If you want something done, ask a busy person”, is most apt when applied to Sean McClarron, sole master and huntsman of the Derwent since 2011, who, as well as his mastership responsibilities, runs his own insurance brokership based in Malton, North Yorkshire. “When I first took the mastership, I thought I would start on my own as sole master. Good partnerships are exceptionally strong, but they are also hard to come by. It seemed easier to start off alone,” he says. It is a rarity these days to find someone willing to take on a mastership single-handed; in this case even more so as Sean runs a thriving business employing 60 people. He says: “There is no doubt that it becomes more difficult every year, especially…

Brook Farm, Essex She rode William Wallace (Billy), a five-year-old gelding by Walentino out of a thoroughbred mare and owned by David and Geraldine Harding of Abbott’s Vale Stud, to win both novices with 69.58% and 70.96%. Sarah also competed two horses owned by Michele Wyatt — the six-year-old Dexterity (Diatano x Florestan), who topped both elementaries with 72.59% and a show-high of 73.9%, and Eduardo (Ehrenpreis x Silvio I), who won his sections of the two advanced mediums with good scores. “I was full of cold and it was also a bitterly cold day which meant that both babies were quite sharp,” commented Sarah. “However, they were all fabulous in the ring and gave me great rides. I feel very lucky to have the chance to train and compete…

Kingston Maurward, Dorset | Duchy College, Cornwall | Stretcholt Farm, Somerset Kingsbridge-based Scarlett got the nine-year-old BKS Grand Design from Charlotte McDowall in August, and the partnership headed both novices at Duchy College on their first outing. Charlotte also used to own the 13.2hh Felinmor Buddy, with whom Scarlett headed both elementary tests and whom she will compete in the under-18 elementary Area Festival final. “It will be exciting going to the championships for the first time,” said Scarlett’s mother, Emma. Trainee saddler Sorrel Russell, 17, headed both elementaries at Kingston Maurward on the 10-year-old former intermediate eventer, Cyres, by Nassau. “I had a bad fall two years ago when a horse fell on me cross-country schooling and I still have to manage my back injury from it. It’s surprising…

REFLECTING is a must at this time of year, looking at what works and what doesn’t, and how to go forward into the new year with aplomb. In this spirit, I have created my own Christmas room 101, where I propose the “shadows” that have overcast 2017 shall be cast aside with solutions for going forward. I suggest that the following be axed in 2018: • All sales videos that are not in real time. “Slo-mo” will be “taxed” with a £100 per second price reduction. • People who describe themselves as “British team riders”, when they have not ridden on a British team. I have evidence of one person’s website where this claim is made — they have three points at advanced medium. • Lesser-quality stallions — they should…

ON Saturday at Cheltenham, I had my final ride on our stable star and my best mate Sire De Grugy. We had discussed in depth with his owners that if he didn’t perform at Cheltenham in the Junior Jumpers Chase, we would retire him. He’d been in good form at home leading up to the meeting and we were hopeful of him running a big race. Cantering down to the start he felt great. However, during the race I felt he lacked scope over some of the jumps — which is not like him — and we finished at the back of the field. The decision to call it a day was confirmed afterwards — we wanted to retire him in one piece; after all he owes us nothing. As…

JIM MCTIFFIN SNR THE former British Show Pony Society (BSPS) chairman and judge has died aged 82, having been suffering from poor health for the past few years. Before becoming involved in horses, Yorkshire-based “Big Jim” — as he was affectionately nicknamed — was a highly successful professional wrestler under the name Gwyn Davies. He started wrestling at the age of 17 and went on to become British heavyweight champion. Wrestling originally took up so much of his time that his wife Maureen suggested they hack out together from a local riding school in Halifax to develop and share a common interest. The “horse bug” took hold and the couple started showing with their son, Jimmy Jnr, and later daughter Karen, who started on the lead rein and went on…

MEMBER BENEFITS Who said joining an affiliated body doesn’t bring added benefits? Rider Simon Grieve demonstrated one of these in a video, in which he used his BE member’s card to scrape an icy windscreen. “The unsung advantage of being a BE member!” he wrote online. Do BS and BD cards do the same job, one wonders? BUYING Spotted, in a US horse advert. “Three-year-old mare.” Fair enough, except it adds: “Part stallion”. Hmm. Oh, and this part-stallion mare also “loves to run, especially being groomed.” The mind boggles. FATHER CHRISTMAS A rider shared her secret to staying warm on social media — a skull cap cover complete with red hat, white bobble, and full white beard a la the big man himself. “I was so toasty behind my new…

THE RIGHT CHOICE Sir — After reading your vet article “The hardest call” (7 December), I had to share my story. I bred my horse, Piggy (above), from my mare 33 years ago. I had him for most of my life and when I lost his dam — who was also 33 — he helped me through it. At 22, he had major colic surgery — he was not insured for colic vet fees, but there was no way I would have said no to the procedure. He fully recovered and continued to compete in dressage and showing. Over the past few months, his arthritis became worse, plus his teeth started to cause him discomfort. Two weeks ago, he fell over in the field twice, rising only with a big…

Getting away from it all... I love a good “staycation”. I travel so often that it’s a luxury just to stay at home with my family and pets. Listening to... It has to be country music and classic rock. Tom Petty is probably top of my music list at the moment. My most memorable win... It is without doubt winning the grand prix special at Aachen CDIO in July this year with a plus-80% score riding my own Verdades. Beating Isabell Werth and ending her winning streak on her home soil in Germany, on my birthday, was unforgettable. My biggest indulgence... It’s always chocolate and wine. I tell myself every day that is a staple meal. Is that right? My first pony... Rafter was jet black with white socks, a…

TURKISH AIRLINES GRAND PRIX 1st Alberto Zorzi (ITA) Contanga 3 2nd Harrie Smolders (NED) Zinius 3rd Michael Whitaker (GBR) JB’s Hot Stuff CSI5*W London International Horse Show, Olympia ALBERTO ZORZI fulfilled an ambition to win at Olympia when he piloted Contanga 3 to the €28,750 (£25,328) jackpot, becoming the first Italian to claim the Turkish Airlines grand prix in this class’s 43-year history. “I wasn’t expecting it, but I really wanted to try today,” said the 28-year-old, who is based in Holland with Jan Tops. “It was my dream to win here, so I’m happy now and I can sleep well tonight!” Course-builder Guilherme Jorje had followed expectations with a less technical track than the previous day’s World Cup, and it produced a searingly competitive 12-strong second phase. With just…

AS well as dressage, the competition was on to decide who had endured the toughest journey to reach Olympia through the wintery conditions that spread across Europe in the days beforehand. Edward Gal (right) was deemed the winner, having left his base at 6am on the Sunday morning, arriving 36 hours later on Monday evening, as flight after flight was cancelled and he was forced to drive. Patrik Kittel didn’t even attempt to fly, but drove for 13 hours from his yard in Germany. And it wasn’t just the foreign competitors who had a challenge on their hands — Warwickshire-based Gareth Hughes, who finished 13th, was forced to leave a day later than planned with Don Carissimo, after being snowed in.…

ANTHONY PERKINS (PERFORMANCE) “I wanted to see these natives not going like over-produced show ponies. I wanted to see them carrying their own frame and not overbent. Too many were pushed out of their natural rhythm — by being trotted too fast — and although people think this increases their movement, all it does in reality is make them go longer and flatter.” JOANNE GRIFFIN (PERFORMANCE) “The go-round was included in my mark, so it is very important. Some ponies lacked sparkle today and were a bit flat — native ponies should have presence and that ‘look at me’ quality; they should look as though they are enjoying their job.” TWEETIE NIMMO (CONFORMATION) “I marked down any ponies that were too fat. I was also looking for correct breed type,…

Eaglesfield, Kent | Oldencraig, Surrey “I’ve never sat on anything like her for power and the ability to sit. I don’t have to ask, she just does it all,” said Ben of the four-year-old. “My wife Mandy and I own her jointly with Peter van de Sande, who used to own her sire, Eastman S. We both want to retain ownership and hope she will go grand prix. There’s no mad panic to compete. We’re interested in the bigger picture.” Ivaya won her four-year-old qualifiers in June with plus-80% scores but declined to enter at A without a friend in the finals in the Hartpury “hothouse”. Ben added: “Eaglesfield with its adjacent indoor warm-up and test arenas was exactly the kind of confidence-giving outing she needs.” Another youngster to watch…

Cheltenham, Glos MY TENT OR YOURS may be almost 11, but he recorded a much-deserved first win at the spiritual home of National Hunt racing at Cheltenham on Saturday (16 September) when winning the Unibet International Hurdle. He has been the bridesmaid in this race three times and a runner-up on nine other occasions including in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle In the intervening period he has been the most fantastic yardstick. In three out of four years — the other he was sidelined — the only horse better has been the Champion Hurdlers; Jezki and Annie Power and last season his stable-companion, Buveur D’Air. On Saturday, however, the lack of a recent win meant he was receiving 6lbs from both The New One — bidding to win the race for…