Innholdsfortegnelse for 01-Mar-2018 i Horse & Hound

EVEN our self-confessed “cynical old news editor”, Eleanor Jones — she’s really not that old — admitted to being moved this week when interviewing Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff newcomers award winner Adrian Stewart and his employer, trainer David Nicholson. Five years ago, Adrian couldn’t put on a headcollar, nor had he the opportunity to do so, because he was in prison. It was there that someone suggested he consider working in racing once he was out. Adrian was “given a second chance” by Kevin Frost, then moved to David’s and was quickly promoted. Adrian doesn’t credit having a job with keeping him “safe” — he credits the horses. It’s for them that he is first on the yard in the morning and last out, and now winning awards for…

BETAWAVE The nine-year-old Holsteiner mare has been taken on by Australian Chris Burton. Three-star eventer “Leta” was previously ridden by US rider Robyn Fisher. “I am incredibly excited to watch her continue her education with Chris,” said Robyn. FISCHERROCANA FST Formidable German eventer and three-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Jung is considering taking the 13-year-old mare to Kentucky (26-29 April). Michael and Rocana have won at the US four-star event for three consecutive years. CRISTALLO The 20-year-old Holsteiner gelding has been retired. Ridden by US showjumper Richard Spooner and owned by Showjumping Syndications International, Cristallo competed in six World Cup finals and was a member of two winning Nations Cup teams. D’ABERNON REPLICA The prolific Welsh section C stallion has died aged 23. Owned by Kim Curtis and John Williams,…

Former jockey Charlotte Mitchell has joined feed company Spillers as a thoroughbred nutritionist. In the UK and UAE, she rode 50 winners from around 1,000 rides. Former event rider Claire Lomas, who was paralysed from the chest down in a cross-country fall in 2007, is preparing for her second marathon. She will wear a robotic suit to tackle the challenge. Dual Classic winner Ted Durcan has retired from race-riding aged 44. The seven-time champion jockey is considering working in bloodstock. “Racing has been very good to me,” he said. Musley Bank Stables’ Jessica McLernon was named employee of the year at the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards. She was given the trophy by Michael Owen and Ed Chamberlin. European para champion Suzanna Hext will compete as a grade II…

CHATSWORTH TO TAKE HOYS CLASSES QUALIFIERS for the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) will be held at Chatsworth Park, Derbys, this year, following the cancellation of the 2018 Bakewell Show. Owing to organisers’ decision to postpone what would have been the 188th show, to let the ground recover after two years of bad weather, the qualifiers needed a temporary home. Working hunters, cobs, riding horses, coloureds, partbreds and mini ponies will be among those competing for HOYS tickets at Chatsworth on 9 September. NATIONAL SAFETY DAY TO RETURN THE Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund (MDIRF) hopes to raise awareness on its second national equestrian safety day on 24 March. For the second year, the charity, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, also wants to promote its work supporting those…

OWNERS A rider was surprised to receive a letter from the council asking her to stop her ponies pooing on the footpath in their field, as walkers had complained. “I told them I’d had a chat and they promised not to do it again,” the owner said. “He said that was fine.” Perfect. HANDWRITING There’s always potential for lols in dressage comments but this one is different. “She put ‘nice parsnips’ and I have no idea what it means!” a rider said. “Did you take a bribe?” asked a pal, to which a more on-the-ball rider suggested: “Partnership…?” Ah, that might be it. GROOMING Poor old Paul Tapner. The poor love’s Badminton ride Bonza King Of Rouges went out on his groom’s day off, and he’s a grey. “Whose stupid…

JANE is regretting not paying the “compound” sum of £25 to the Dunthrop Vale Tumblers’ Club at the beginning of the hunting season. Four falls in, her tumblers’ club bill is £40 so far with just a few weeks of the season to go. Slightly embarrassingly, she is racing up the league table towards being “top tumbler”, only two falls behind the Wednesday field master, who is notorious for attempting vast hedges on green five-year-olds from Ireland. Still, if she wins, the first prize of a coat brush will come in useful. The countryside is desperately wet, and she has been avoiding looking at her hunting coat for two days now. It is filthy — splashes of mud, lumps of mud, horse slobber on the sleeves — and she just…

Addington Manor Winter Regional Championships, Bucks THE handsome grey DHI Bravo is not always the most confident performer but he did not allow any nerves to show with an assured and polished performance. “He was so much more relaxed than in his prix st georges (PSG) test yesterday,” commented Nathalie Kayal, who had not competed the 11-year-old Sydney x Goodtimes gelding since Saumur last September. “He had a few niggling little injuries at the beginning of January so hasn’t been in full work. I was a bit worried about his fitness levels doing two tests back-to-back but he dug deep for me. There’s a lot more to come when he is fitter.” Craig Millard took home two freestyle titles. “It was unexpected!” said Craig. “I’ve never won a sash before…

Ladyleys Dressage, Aberdeen | Brahan, Inverness Katie rode Seventh Heaven III to win the novice gold freestyle with plus-72% at Ladyleys. A win at Gordon Dressage Group the previous week saw their percentage increase by almost 4% for a confidence boost ahead of the winter regionals. “It was new music put together by Tony Hobden from Equidance. It’s brilliant modern pop music with electric violin, DJ Khaled and David Guetta,” explained Katie. The Sir Caprimond rising seven-year-old mare is out of the 2016 Horse & Hound outstanding mare award winner Seven Percent, was bred by Suzie Mainprice from Morgan Equine, and is co-owned with Katie’s sister Lucy. “Lucy has dreams of eventing her but she’ll concentrate on dressage with me. I’ve taken my time with her; she’s developed a real…

Cherwell, Oxon | Sparsholt, Hants | Fairoak Grange, Hants Katie had a baby last November and “Merlin’s” owner, Eloise O’Donaghue, has lent him to her to help her get back into the competition swing. “He’s so kind and it’s so nice to have a break and then come back out and get great scores,” said Katie, who won the novice qualifier at Fairoak on 74% as well as the elementary silver. “He’s been Eloise’s family horse — she hacks him and her kids ride him. He was really concentrating in the tests and was foot perfect.” Nick Lawson and Fandango V have qualified for the novice summer regionals in two outings, and a plus-76% win at Sparsholt was a good warm-up for the winter regionals. Fandango (Fontainebleau x De Niro)…

EMBRYO transfer (ET) seemed the obvious solution for my 15.1hh event mare, Fizz. She was nine years old, just coming out of novice ranks and we were being offered good money for her as a junior prospect. But I just wanted to try to get a foal from her. She’d never had a cross-country penalty, had some lovely Irish breeding with plenty of thoroughbred, and a super temperament. If I could get her embryo safely into a surrogate, I could sell her with no regrets — and her sale would easily cover the procedure. Dr Monica Morganti, stud vet at Twemlows, one of the UK’s leading ET centres, explains: “ET is used for a variety of reasons: a) so a competition mare doesn’t need to lose time carrying a pregnancy;…

RACING’S distinctive orange take-off boards and crossbars could be phased out if a study concludes other colours are more visible to horses — while there could also be implications for showjumping and eventing. The research, funded by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and the Racing Foundation, and run by the University of Exeter’s sensory ecology and evolution department, has already indicated that white or neon yellow might be better alternatives. Professor Martin Stevens, who heads the department, said that while the final results are still being analysed, there is a “good chance” one of these colours would enhance visibility. “Our main aim was to understand if changes could be made to help horses better respond to fences and hurdles in order to reduce falls and injury. “It’s complex as many…

GREENKEEPERS Oops moment of the month came when racehorse Planet Nine decided that rather than running in the 3.35 at Kelso, he’d take a detour. Straight across a golf course. And straight across a pristine putting green, divots aplenty flying in his wake. “Oh no,” the commentator said, pretty much summing it up. “Oh no.” STATISTICS One was intrigued by figures sent to H&H “proving”it is cheaper to commute by horse than by car. It took into account costs such as £1,200 per year for livery and £200 for saddle and bridle. Oh, and sell your manure and keeping horses is not only cheap, it’s a money-maker! Who knew? IDENTIFICATION One will not name the rider who, er, mistakenly rode one horse in a class when the name on the…

Sir — When I read about everyday cleaning products being as bad for my health as smoking 20 cigarettes a day, I wasn’t too worried because my house is often way down the pecking order when it comes to domesticity. Sometimes with muddy dogs, cats and boots all residing in the kitchen, you may need to wipe your feet on the way out! Then as I was mucking out one morning, I realised that every day my eyes run and every day I cough when the ammonia fumes from the urine-soaked shavings hit the back of my throat. This cannot be good news for anyone who mucks out on a regular basis. So daft as it might look, I’m thinking of doing a Michael Jackson and wearing a mask to…

ROS TATE had never heard of the condition guttural pouch mycosis (GPM) until her dressage mare, Supreme’s Shania, was rushed to hospital last May. After learning that emergency surgery was necessary, Ros endured a traumatic 24 hours before her mare sadly lost her life. “My daughter had called me to say that Shania was having a nosebleed,” says Ros, who had bought the young Don Schufro daughter from Denmark two years previously. “I had never seen anything like it: blood was pouring from her nose and mouth. Luckily, one of our vets lives in our village. She recognised instantly that it was guttural pouch mycosis and told me to get Shania straight to hospital.” The vets at Fyrnwy Equine Clinic waited for Shania’s condition to stabilise after the trauma of…

‘Shoulder-fore helps establish flexion and control, which is useful on the go-round’ AIM ENSURING that show horses and ponies are able, and willing, to flex and bend correctly is something to perfect before you get in the ring. At home, I spend a lot of time working on suppleness with the natives I have in. Mountain and moorlands can be strong to ride and some breeds have a tendency to lean on the forehand. Therefore, practising exercises like the shoulder-fore helps the rider establish greater flexion and control, which is especially useful when you’re on a go-round with more than 40 other ponies in the class. THE EXERCISE 1 It’s best to introduce the shoulder-fore in walk and work towards completing it in working trot, sitting or rising. When you…

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Myerscough Winter Regional Championships, Lancs JUST two years after riding her first novice test in the UK, Chinese rider Sarah Rao won the prix st georges (PSG) riding Waldessarini (Foxy). This was a stepping stone on the way to bigger things later this year. It was the perfect start to a week that included both Sarah’s birthday and the Chinese New Year, particularly as Sarah’s other horse Davidoff (Hoff) won the advanced medium silver with her trainer Sarah Higgins in the saddle. “When Sarah [Higgins] won on Hoff and received a sash, she told me I’d have to win my own on Foxy,” said Sarah Rao. “I did say I would, and I went out to do my best, but I never believed we’d win. I was so pleased with…

Summerhouse EC, Glos | Coleg Cambria, Flintshire “He had some chill time and he loves hunting,” says Yasmin, who headed a competitive novice 37 qualifier at Summerhouse EC with 72.4%. “Now back in work, he is stronger and muscled up — all ready for the regionals at Wellington.” The three-hour trip from Dorset proved worthwhile for Yasmin, who bought the Dannebrog son as a two-year-old colt from Ryan Shannon and has since produced him herself. “Dragunov is scared of grey horses and was a bit worried by one in the warm-up,” she said of the six-year-old. “He span round a few times, but as soon as he is within the arena boards he is so focused. “He loves the harder work. We’ve had a lot of help from our trainer,…

Brook Farm, Essex | Keysoe, Beds The pair claimed a 71% win at Keysoe in the medium freestyle and a 77% win at Brook Farm later in the week. “Eaton is kept at our livery training centre, Caldecote Farm in Bushey, Hertfordshire, that I own together with my partner, showjumper Edward Brook, and where I produce young dressage horses for sale. After the regionals, where he’s doing medium and advanced medium, Eaton will be aimed at his debut prix st georges (PSG),” said Mandy, who trains with Lisa Hopkins. “He’s such a talented horse and has done so well in his dressage career, in young horse classes, and getting to the nationals at each level he’s done. He’s still only nine,” continued the rider. “His music was done by Julie…

Manor Grange Stud, Yorks Charlotte, 15, watched her elder sister Alexandra compete at the pony Europeans with DHI Lionceau back in 2012, but it was only last year that she decided to have a real go herself. “We looked at about 10 horses dotted all around the country and found Camelot just down the road,” said Charlotte. He’s been amazing — he’s taken me from prelim to advanced in 10 months. When I went to try him we just got on, and he’s been the best trainer I could have ever had. “We’re doing our first international at Keysoe this month and it’s down to this amazing horse.” Val Elliott was on hand to see Sam Buttery win two prelims with her Rotspon six-year-old Romari. Val bought the horse two…

Solihull Riding Club, West Mids BRYAN SMITH and Joe Trunkfield secured coveted Hickstead places in a hotly contested SEIB winter novice. Half the class found the answers over course-designer David Cole’s track as 29 came forward from 59 starters, but the clock dashed hopes as fences fell with the increased speed, and just eight posted double clears. The winning round came late, with Bryan easing Sarah Limbrick’s Tullagh Rose to win by 0.35sec. “She’s a typical Irish-bred horse, surefootedness is bred into them and they have a fifth leg. She took the first tight turn so easily and I just kept going,” said Bryan. The nine-year-old mare, whose breeding traces back to Kildalton Gold, was purchased 12 months ago in Ireland from Bryan’s veterinary surgeon brother Eric as a project…

OVER recent years, I’ve heard of horses being sent back to Europe due to the fact that they can’t stay sound in the US. Before moving to Germany almost two years ago, I really found it hard to believe. How is it possible, with all the advanced medicine in the equine industry, that performance showjumping horses are more sound living and competing in one region? I had bought some horses in Europe a few years prior to me bringing them back over when I emigrated. I had shown them competitively and I thought they were all pretty sound horses. My vet performed routine maintenance on these horses a couple of times a year, which I thought was all normal. I now jump my horses much more in Europe. I go…

Kempton, Surrey KEMPTON’S Betdaq Chase day, which traditionally hosts the last significant Cheltenham trials, often throws up useful pointers. While a number of Saturday’s winners will not be going to the festival, Redicean, winner of the Betdaq Adonis Juvenile Hurdle, looks like he has a serious chance of providing his trainer Alan King with a third Triumph Hurdle. The Triumph favourite Apple’s Shakira has won all three of her starts at Cheltenham, but I cannot help feeling she is a short-priced favourite on account of her sister Apple’s Jade’s exploits as much as her own. All three of Redicean’s wins have been at Kempton, a flat right-handed track, which is about as contrasting to Prestbury Park as you can get — but that is not a worry for King. As…

CAPT DICK SEAMAN CAPT SEAMAN, a familiar figure on the eventing circuit for many years, died on 15 Febuary aged 95. Born in Jamaica in 1922, he served in the Royal Artillery after Harrow and, while in India during the war, rode in Flat races and was secretary of the Quetta Hunt, whose quarry was jackal. He was aide-de-camp to the governor of Bermuda and returned to the UK to teach at the RMA Sandhurst, where he took up four-in-hand driving. He was later elected as a member of the Coaching Club. He jumped out of Dakotas, flew a Tiger Moth and competed in motorbike trial riding. He also completed the Cresta Run. As an amateur rider he was a member of the National Champion Riding Club showjumping team with…

ENJOY unwinding after a busy day at the yard with a refreshing gin and tonic? Now there’s an equestrian version of the tipple infused with “horsey” botanicals, including apples, carrots and hay. Ginkhana is the brainchild of Aberdeen-based rider David Lawson, who enjoys a G&T when staying away at events. “I’ve always been into gin and horses,” he told H&H. “This is a cracking gin made with Deeside mineral water and meadow hay grown a few miles up the road. “The gin industry is crammed, it’s a crazy sector, but we’ve found a niche.” Mr Lawson recommended enjoying the gin with a good tonic and a slice of green or red apple, or with elderflower tonic and fresh mint. Well, we don’t mind if we do. Cheers! A 50cl bottle…

‘That moment the final image goes out to my last client at the end of the competition brings an overwhelming, satisfying sense of achievement’ I didn’t become a photographer until I was 34 — I used to work in tourism, advertising and event management. I was at a crossroads in 2010, thinking over what I wanted to do, when I met a guy who saw a gleam in my eye when I talked about photography. He said, ‘if you can support yourself financially for a year, give it a go’. So I bought a basic camera for £600, photographed a few different things, but kept coming back to horses. Straight away, I decided on the black fitness outfit I always wear. It looks smart and blends in, yet it’s a…

Vet surgeon Phil Cramp explains that guttural pouch mycosis requires surgical treatment: “THERE are reports of successful medical management consisting of treatment with topical and systemic anti-fungal drugs, but the risk of a fatal haemorrhage is too high,” he explains. “Surgery is aimed at occluding [closing up] the affected artery. Without blood supply, the fungal growth stops and can then resolve without further treatment. Most surgeons elect to treat the fungus topically for a week or so after surgery, however, to ensure a successful resolution. “There are two main surgical procedures, both of which require a general anaesthetic. One involves placing an inflatable balloon, attached to a flexible catheter, into the affected artery via an incision in the upper neck. Once positioned, the balloon is inflated to stop the flow…

“TOKYO is my dream,” says Laura Renwick. “The Olympics has to be the pinnacle of anyone’s aims.” It is something of a curiosity that Britain’s leading female showjumper has not yet jumped on a championship team. Laura skirts carefully round the subject — she and her husband John have not always seen eye to eye with the powers that be in Team GBR and have preferred to plough their own furrow — but there is no doubt that her ambitions include representing her country sooner rather than later. “The World Equestrian Games might come slightly too early for Top Dollar VI [her Olympia Puissance winner, now nine, who has all the scope and power for the very highest level], and I suspect that Di [Lampard, Britain’s showjumping performance manager] already…

Castletown Geoghegan, Co. Westmeath, Ireland “I THINK you’ll find it quite like hunting in England, actually,” said Westmeath huntsman Mark Ollard when we were planning this visit. Dear Mark, despite your Stowe Beagles/Morpeth/Cattistock education, it’s clearly been a while since you did much hunting in England. I do understand what he was getting at — situated only an hour from Dublin, both the Westmeath country and its followers were a touch more anglicised than in the wilder south-west, where Mark knows I have done most of my Irish hunting. There were no vast double banks to negotiate, the odd fence even resembled a hunt jump, and only one person wore a baseball cap underneath his crash hat — presumably to improve the fit — but it was still a world…

Quainton Stud, Bucks | Vale View EC, Leics David has been riding the eight-year-old stallion since last summer for the horse’s owners Gordon and Caroline Ironside of the MFS Stud in Scotland. “I’m bringing him on slowly with the aim of taking him up to grand prix,” said David, who trains with Pammy Hutton and Charlotte Dujardin. “He has the loveliest temperament — you wouldn’t know he was a stallion. His favourite pace is trot and he’d give you extended trot with lots of lift all day long if you let him.” David was previously based at the Talland School of Equitation, but recently set out on his own and relocated to Oxfordshire. “It’s lovely and quiet here and the stallion has really chilled out, but I do miss the…

Tall Trees Arena, Cornwall | Half Moon Stud, Dorset | Stretcholt Farm, Somerset “Zagalote has such a comfortable canter that it’s like sitting on a feather bed,” said Paula, who rode to a Dire Straits compilation. Based at Tall Trees near Callington, Paula, who is trained by Helen Edmonds, bought the Moscatel 13-year-old last year. “He was cut just before I had him and was a bit hot initially. He’d never done dressage before, but is so keen to learn,” said Paula. Jessica Kenyon headed the novice 38 bronze qualifier at Half Moon Stud with her 11-year-old Twix’s Affaere, by Ben’s Affaere. “He’s been quite challenging and we tried to event, but dressage suits him much better,” said Jessica. Trained by Frances Turner, Jessica, from Sherborne, helps young people with…

SOME may I feel I should shut up and smile, but I’m afraid I care too much about dressage… British Dressage (BD) as an organisation is not the love of my life at present. Is the board really hearing its membership? Not if the apparent lack of action on angsts such as the gold, silver, bronze debacle is any indication. Letters to H&H are well answered; CEO Jason Brautigam is a master of words and pacification. But is he a good listener? BD’s charitable status has been highlighted by some letter-writers, as has its healthy financial surplus. So why the huge price hikes across membership fees, judges’ seminars and training days? Still the rumblings about personnel continue. Will the appointment of Peter Storr as judges’ director bring changes for the…

THE Injured Jockeys Fund’s Oaksey House in Lambourn has had a revamp and it’s great news for the sport. Now its gym is three times bigger and it even has a hydrotherapy pool, named after AP McCoy. Alain Cawley, who rides for us, dislocated both of his shoulders and they were fantastic rehabilitating him. I’m sure footballers get looked after well, too, but what we have in racing is second to none. It looks after them mentally, too, and they are helped to recover quickly in all ways. The Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards are another strong initiative to support the industry. Jessica McLernon, who won employee of the year, is a great example of why these awards are so important. To rise up through the ranks at Richard…

AROUND this time last year I was banging on about communication — one of my favourite subjects — and the current spell of cold weather has brought that subject sharply back into focus. In February 2017 I wrote that “communication has improved considerably”, and I’m pleased to say that the improvement has continued, but we’re not there yet. Frequent going updates are being communicated in the lead up to fixtures — although some areas are still lagging behind — and all mediums are being used. I am a great fan of social media, which can reach a sizeable audience very quickly, and it can be a very effective tool, especially for meeting organisers. It has also been used very effectively by the Point-to-Point Authority during recent weeks. It’s important to…

‘The ponies hit the corner of the field at a canter, forcing Custard to turn sharply, propelling Mary into a mound of sloppy mud’ HALF-TERM week and I was in a celebratory mood as we headed off for a day’s hunting with my sister, Gillian, visiting from Wiltshire, and two of my children — Alec and Mary — on their ponies. It was a sunny day. We were all consuming copious baked goods in the driveway of a gorgeous country house. What could possibly go wrong? Then, for some inexplicable reason, I drank a Percy Special. Big mistake. The Percy Special, for those who haven’t tried it, is a half-whisky, half-cherry brandy devil brew that would floor a sumo wrestler. It is virtually a hallucinogen. As we moved off, I…

• AMERICAN grand prix rider Marne Martin-Tucker picked Dante for an embryo transfer from her elite mare, Royal Coeur (Royal Hit x Le Coeur), with whom she represented the US at the 2011 World Breeding Dressage Championships for Young Horses, and whom she continued to train and compete at grand prix before the mare’s premature death in late 2017. “I was at Lodbergen watching the very first days Dante Weltino was started under saddle,” says Marne. “From the beginning, he moved bigger under the rider than he did on the lunge, had good balance and a very workmanlike attitude. I had a good feeling he would be a future grand prix horse and that is what I wanted in the cross. “My mare was quite tall, with truly excellent gaits,…

BREEDERS have to weigh up the cost of producing a young horse — which might mean employing a rider — with selling the foals when they are potentially less valuable. Just finding riders capable of bringing on the young horses correctly can be a struggle unless the riders are also “home-grown”, like Richard and James Davenport — who also have Swedish international rider Angelie von Essen on the team — and international grand prix dressage rider Alice Oppenheimer (Headmore Stud). As top international showjumpers, the Davenports find that their horses tend to market themselves. “A nice horse sells itself at an international show,” says Richard. “We aim to keep them until they’re nine; that’s the ideal, although we do sell some younger to keep the cash flow positive.” Sue Jaggar,…