Innholdsfortegnelse for 10-May-2018 i Horse & Hound

JONELLE PRICE looked stunned to win Badminton, cantering away from the last with a disbelieving hand to her mouth. Eight months after having her first child, the New Zealander produced a beautiful cross-country round with speed demon Classic Moet (Molly) — a joy to watch. An unassuming horse with a unique style, Molly got down and galloped after each fence in her endearingly heroic way, while others laboured in the going. Her economical showjumping round made for tense viewing and a thrilling finish, as she rattled many a pole while Jonelle held her nerve to the last. What Pony Clubber does not now wish to emulate this pair? Oliver Townend is now the only rider to win two-thirds of the Rolex Grand Slam twice. On his first attempt, he was…

Princess Anne has opened a new veterinary building at the University of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School. A sculpture by Kelpies creator Andy Scott was also unveiled at the site. News presenter Alastair Stewart has been made a vice-president of the Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund. He is a long-term supporter of the charity, which helps those injured in horse-related accidents. The Riding for the Disabled Association’s chair, Sam Orde, is stepping down from her “very successful term” in early 2019. Former event rider Sam has held the position since 2010. Fashion expert Gok Wan is “honoured” to return to Newmarket racecourse to co-host the July Festival on 13 July. Gok will also present the award for the best-dressed group of the day. Winner of the best shod horse award at…

CHARITY BRAKE recently recognised the efforts of Maria Caulfield, MP for Lewes, by awarding her a parliamentarian road safety award. Ms Caulfield has been working towards improving the safety of country lanes for all road users, following a serious collision involving East Sussex-based rider Beverley Berrill (horseandhound.co.uk, 11 November). Ms Berrill spent 10 days in hospital after the collision and her horse was put down. Ms Caulfield presented a petition in parliament signed by more than 1,500 people calling for measures including a reduced speed limit and increased signage warning drivers to be mindful of other road users, in Ditchling, Streat and Westmeston. “This is such an important issue,” said Ms Caulfield. “I was pleased to be able to present this petition and show this strength of feeling in the…

AH, Badminton. Top-class sport, top-class entertainment, top-class shopping — and top-class fashion, of course. This year’s first horse inspection lived up to the latter billing, with riders sporting looks from Paul Tapner’s patterned-jacket-apricot-bow-tie combo to Dee Kennedy’s checked cap and leather trews as they trotted up their rides. And never mind “where did you get that hat?”, Harry Meade: where did you get those eye-searingly, throat-tighteningly bright lime-green trousers? As the rider himself put it: “Away Cruising trotted up well… and ran away from me on the way back. Or maybe he was running away from my trousers.” We’re not sure how he missed out on the best-dressed prize.…

Sir — As the mother of a relative newcomer to British Eventing, I think that stopwatches should be removed from the lower levels, as most riders have no idea how to use them correctly. Knowing the optimum time is of no use if you don’t know where the minute markers are. A perception of being behind or up on the clock takes the rider’s focus away from learning to jump the horse out of a rhythm, so all riders at BE80T should have a couple of time-training sessions with a coach as part of their qualification for entry. This could also be applied to BE90 riders who fall outside the optimum time by a specific margin. Riding the time is not taken seriously enough and it is just as important…

ANAESTHESIA and analgesia (pain control) in horses have advanced considerably over the decades. Undeniably, our ability to provide more effective equine anaesthesia and pain relief has made a big difference to equine health and welfare. It has also allowed increasingly complex and challenging operations to be performed. Colic surgery, for instance, has become almost routine in many major UK equine hospitals, while more intricate orthopaedic operations as well as ear, nose and throat surgeries are now possible. New developments in medications and techniques have also allowed procedures previously thought possible only under general anaesthesia to be carried out on the standing animal. This is considerably safer for the horse. Dental extractions, sinus drainage, kissing spine correction and even some fracture repairs can now be performed on the standing animal using…

AIM WALK pirouettes are a competition movement at medium level and above, and this exercise helps the horse learn to position his body correctly in the pirouette. For younger horses, it helps to strengthen their hindquarters and also teaches them to take more weight on them. By gradually decreasing the size of the travers half-circle, the horse learns to keep marching with all four legs as he turns. It is a useful suppling exercise for the horse. It teaches the rider to think through the movement and learn to develop the feel and positioning for a good walk pirouette. The same exercise can also be ridden in canter when starting canter pirouette work. ‘It helps the horse strengthen his hindquarters and teaches him to take more weight on them’ TIPS…

‘He’s found life extremely easy until now, but he had to dig deep today’ ROS CANTER ON ALLSTAR B Mitsubishi Motors Badminton, Glos THE extraordinary mare Classic Moet used her speed across country to snatch a first four-star victory for herself and her fearless pilot last week at Badminton. New Zealander Jonelle Price’s ride has been renowned as one of the fastest horses in the world since she put in the quickest round in horrible conditions at the 2014 World Equestrian Games (WEG). The rider knew coming into Badminton that sticky ground after the wet spring would highlight her mount’s superiority. “When I walked the course on Wednesday I actually couldn’t believe how good the going was — I hoped it would start raining again,” said Jonelle after her…

Eliminated showjumping — Waltham Fiddlers End (Tom Jackson, GBR) 30.2,0,22.4 Withdrawn final horse inspection — Nereo (Andrew Nicholson, NZL) 30.3,0,7.2 Withdrawn after cross-country — Dromgurrihy Blue (Harry Dzenis, GBR) 37.9,0,36 Eliminated on cross-country — Xam (Harry Dzenis, GBR) 37.8; Chakiris Star (Alexander Whewall, GBR) 29.6; Euro Prince (Clare Abbott, IRL) 29.8; Spring Panorama (Andy Daines, NZL) 40.3; Zocarla BLH (Danielle Dunn, GBR) 35.8; Charlton Down Riverdance (Becky Woolven, GBR) 33.5; Cooley Rorkes Drift (Jonty Evans, IRL) 24.1; Silvia (Warren Lamperd, AUS) 36.9; Vanir Kamira (Piggy French, GBR) 25; P.S. Arianna (Madeline Backus, USA) 39; China Doll (James O’Haire, IRL) 41 Retired on cross-country — Alfie’s Clover (Richard Jones, GBR) 34.2; Mr Potts (Louise Harwood, GBR) 34.1; Billy Beware (Pippa Funnell, GBR) 25.7; The Duke Of Cavan (Yoshiaki Oiwa, JPN) 24.9;…

 Summerhouse EC, Glos | Hartpury College ‘He was so happy to be back at a show’ CHLOE HUNTER ON DAY LIGHT Alice Peternell, who competes the 14.2hh cremello stallion Cynheidrefawr Crème De La Crème for Helen Lomas, admitted to some reservations when taking on the ride two years ago. “I wasn’t sure I really wanted to get back on a pony, but he just gets better and better,” said Alice, who beat Lara Butler and Amiek C, having finished second to them in the advanced medium 85. “Initially, it was about getting him on side. He had a slightly stubborn stallion temperament, which we’ve got through, and now he really wants to work for me. We have a great partnership. “He does have his stallion moments, but he has…

Inchcoonans EC, Perthshire | Muirmill EC, Ayrshire A show ring winner chalked up a novice silver double when Ruth Darling rode her own Highland pony Islesman Of Mendick to wins on 72.3% and 71.7%. Ruth backed the Moss-Side Iain Mor six-year-old stallion for breeders John and Kate Dykes, and showed him last season before buying him in August. “He’s very easy to do, forward, light on his feet and finds it effortless,” said Ruth, who trains monthly with Jane Bartle. “He’ll be shown in novice show classes and has a few visiting mares booked in. I’d like to push on to elementary if he’s strong enough — he’s been practising changes at home.” Ruth was also third in the same class with Chesterhill Fala, a home-bred part-bred Highland, and recovering…

THE popular mare (right) bade farewell to Cheltenham in the best way, having stormed to victory in the Visitcheltenham.com Mares Open Hunters’ Chase. She is now set for an appointment in the breeding sheds. The 13-year-old, running at the meeting for the sixth successive season, hacked up in the race she’d won in 2016 under Immy Robinson. The winning jockey’s mother, Caroline Beasley, was the first woman to win a race at the Cheltenham Festival when riding Eliogarty to victory in the Foxhunters in 1983. Trainer and part-owner Pauline Harkin said: “She hated the ground here last year, but she’s now probably running as well as she’s ever been. The thing is she’s 13 now and you’d just hate anything to happen to her.”…

‘With little cherub slumping awkwardly, you go through the “heels down” routine with as much enthusiasm as you can muster’ ALERT the world media, it is sunny here today. The mud is receding, temperatures are creeping up and we have taken the rugs off the horses. Even the sheep have an air of surprise about them. Once the lambing is over, it will be good to have friends to stay again, though you have to watch the kids. Many of them get here and go a bit mad. This is particularly true of the urban ones. They see a potential death trap and think, “Get me in it!” Over the years we’ve seen a two-year-old jumping off a quad bike (it was stationary, but worrying all the same). A three-year-old…

CALLS have been made for eventing rules to be clarified after Oliver Townend was given an offical warning for his cross-country riding at Badminton. Oliver was spoken to by the ground jury for overuse of the whip on Cooley SRS and Ballaghmor Class (report, p33). In an interview after his showjumping, Oliver said it is a “tough sport and sometimes you have to win looking a bit ugly”. But he has since apologised: “Having watched my Badminton cross-country rounds for the first time when I got home, I’m so disappointed and upset about the way I rode,” he said. “I fully accept the warning from the ground jury. My competitive instincts got the better of me and I will work hard to improve in this area. I care enormously about…

IT is not the first time blood has been reported on a horse ridden by Marilyn Little in competition. In October 2015, the month Anna Ross was eliminated in Le Mans, RF Scandalous was also alleged to be bleeding from the mouth, as was RF West Indie the following weekend. A statement released by Marilyn last week read: “I want to offer my sincere regret for the negative attention this has brought to the horses and sport we all love, as well as the pressure that is being put on my sponsors. “I could never achieve any success in this sport without my horses, my incredible support team, the people who make this sport great, and the sponsors who help me along the way. “I tried my very best to…

THIRTEEN-year-old Phillipa Sinclair has not let unpleasant remarks stop her from achieving dressage success. She and her parents compete up to elementary level with their traditional gypsy cobs. “We are used to the comments,” her father Steve told H&H.“Phillipa used to get upset — I have seen her almost in tears— but now it makes her train harder. “At her last affiliated competition she took two ponies and came first and second. She was collecting her rosettes when a man said, ‘How can that beat me?’ Luckily she is used to such hurtful comments now. “She has qualified for Area Festivals and under-25 championships, and is doing very well in the BD bronze league.”…

PROSECUTORS PAY HUNT CASE COSTS A JUDGE has ruled that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has to bear the entire costs of a failed prosecution under the Hunting Act. At a cost hearing on 27 April, the judge announced that the costs of £57,786 would be awarded against the CPS, after a failure to provide photographic evidence. Three members of the Grove & Rufford were convicted in March 2017 of hunting a wild mammal with dogs but all were acquitted on appeal this March. It was revealed that the prosecution had failed to show photographs that would have supported the defendants’ case. £50K GRANTS IN COUNTRY SCHEME APPLICATIONS have opened for rural groups and charities to apply for grants of up to £50,000 from the Prince’s Countryside Fund. The fund…

LARGER EQUINES Eventer Sam Watson helpfully tweeted a “Badminton ground update” before day one, saying a machine would flatten the ground. “It has 14in-wide plates called feet,” he wrote... “They call it ‘The Mulry’.” To which Ben Hobday’s supercob “replied”: “You know what they say, big feet = big...” Hmm. Big shoes? FALLING OVER We will spare the blushes of an H&H-er who turned up to assist a friend at a vet’s visit. As she arrived, the staffer climbed the fence into the yard, managed to break the top rail and landed on her backside in the mud. Nothing like making an entrance, eh? FAMILY You know when you graduate from university, aged 22, and your dad buys you an equestrian centre? It’s reported that US showjumper Jennifer Gates does,…

PLENTY TO SMILE ABOUT Sir — Two weeks ago saw the start of the showing season for me and my cob, which made me think about the routine that lay ahead. From Monday to Friday I work as a lawyer, which means early starts, late evenings and unpredictable hours, which result in my husband having to pull his wellies on and muck in! On Saturday morning, we arrived at the showground and I was entered for two qualifiers, during which I made an interesting comparison. The judge in my second class — equivalent to a Queen’s Counsel in the legal profession in terms of status, knowledge and expertise — is also a fellow competitor. It made me smile to think that although I’m an amateur, sometimes competing against the professionals…

I started riding by a complete fluke. My parents finally had a daughter after three boys and they started taking her for riding lessons. The instructor, Kim Knightley, now the director at Bishop Burton, turned to my younger brother and me, and said: “Do you fancy having a go?” That was it — I was bitten by the bug. I knew I always wanted to go into the army. I did the aptitude test at the recruitment centre and they asked what I would like to do. I said I didn’t know, so they asked what I could do. My father was a baker and I used to work for him, so I told them, “I can either bake bread or ride horses”. They put a leaflet in front of…

ANAESTHETISING a horse for major surgery requires total concentration, skill and attention to detail. Here’s what’s happening… 1 A general anaesthesia (GA) monitor displays vital signs, such as blood pressure, heart rate and rhythm, and respiratory rate. 2 Sterile intravenous (IV) fluids offset the decrease in blood pressure (hypotension) induced by anaesthetic agents. 3 A capnograph measures exhaled carbon dioxide and also displays the levels of anaesthetic gases. 4 An anaesthetic record sheet is used for regular recording of data. 5 An endotracheal tube keeps the airways open while delivering anaesthetic gases and oxygen. 6 A pulse oximeter, attached to the tongue, measures pulse and oxygenation of the blood. 7 An intra-arterial catheter allows direct measurement of blood pressure. 8 An IV catheter in the jugular vein enables safe administration…

TWO years ago, Sue Mertens faced a problem that confronts most of us at some point in our horse-owning careers. Her 23-year-old warmblood/thoroughbred mare, who was still competing in everything from BE80 classes to riding club events, suddenly began rushing fences and napping on solo hacks. When the vet was called, he quickly diagnosed cataracts in both eyes. “She was on DIY at the time and I didn’t know what to do,” says Sue. “She hated it when her fieldmate went out, and that became worse when she started to have the problem with her eyes — she’d lather herself up into a real panic.” Sue was lucky. She had stayed in touch with her mare’s breeder, who offered to care for the veteran at her yard in Sussex. It…

THIS year’s Badminton dressage hit real high notes. Overall, the judging was great. Pammy Hutton and I complained last year about the inconsistent marking on some of the flying changes, but this year there were virtually no errors. We were lucky enough to have a four-star international pure dressage judge on the ground jury in Christoph Hess. He always impresses with his positive judging and this was mirrored by Sue Baxter and Katrin Eichinger-Kniely, who kept up to his standards. They were all willing to reward with high marks whenever they could, but it was also refreshing to see that when there was a mistake, low marks followed. Everyone gets so excited about Michael Jung’s La Biosthetique-Sam FBW, but it was great to see he was correctly marked for a…

ERIC WINTER was pleased with how his second Badminton cross-country track rode and picked out Ros Canter and Padraig McCarthy’s rounds as his favourites. “There were faults everywhere, it was a test of all qualities and worked well as a package,”he told H&H. “I can’t believe I still had as many horse falls as last year [seven]. It was a much more readable package. That’s disappointing. “I made the course fractionally easier because of horses lacking runs this spring — we cut a bit of brush off the fences at The Lake and added a lower rail at the fence into the Shogun Hollow.” Eric admitted he hadn’t spotted the route riders found round the ropes to the final element at The Lake, which offered a much less risky option…

KATE HONEY finished best of the British first-timers in 42nd after a jumping clear across country on her mother Ruth’s Fernhill Now Or Never. The pair completed the four-stars at Luhmühlen and Pau last year. “This feels like another step up and there’s more pressure — there are hundreds of people here watching me as I only live an hour away,” she said. The other two British debutants with jumping clears across country were just behind her. Will Furlong, who featured in H&H’s preview (interview,3 May),took 43rd with last year’s Bramham under-25 national champion Collien P 2, while Ashley Edmond landed 44th on the hard-pulling Triple Chance.…

• Aston-le-Walls (XX) ON.— 1, Rehy Royal Diamond (R Canter) 25.5,0,0=25.5; 2, Deoch An Doris (I Macpherson) 24.8,4,0=28.8; 3, Its Lush (H Horton) 30.3,0,0=30.3. nov sec A.— 1, Fernhill Smart Choice (S Berry) 26.5,0,0=26.5; 2, Brechfa Baruch (L Harwood) 33.3,0,0=33.3; 3, Raediant Rubi (A Casburn) 35,0,0=35. sec B.— 1, Sportsfield Top Notch (P French) 27.3,0,0=27.3; 2, Starbucks I (S Bullimore) 25,0,3.2=28.2; 3, Hardin (H Horgan) 30.8,0,0.4=31.2. sec D.— 1, Braveheart B (T McEwen) 30.5,0,0.4=30.9; 2, Castlerichmond William (E Godwin) 35,0,0=35; 3, Bambino De Lilatte (P Torlonia) 33.3,0,0=35.3. sec E.— 1, Dreamaway II (T McEwen) 20,0,0=20; 2, Fernhill G (S Berry) 23.8,0,0=23.8; 3, Highdown March (P French) 28.3,0,0=28.3. BE100open.— 1, Iconic (C Agnew) 27.5,0,0=27.5; 2, Top Honours (G Spence) 28.8,0,0=28.8; 3, Jamaicas Pride (M Warburton) 30.5,0,0=30.5. BE100 sec H.— 1, Lates…

 La Fontaine, Jersey | Fairoak Grange, Berks | Crofton Manor, Hants ‘I’d never have dreamed of these scores’ STEPH TAYLOR ON WGS PERUGIA The eight-year-old Lissaro mare, owned and ridden by Jules Walker, was originally produced for Jules by UK-based James Burtwell and was moved to her home in Jersey last December. “Frances Turner, the judge, gave me some inspiring comments to work on,” said Jules. “For me, it’s not so much about winning, but getting the movements right and working towards a harmonious test.” The mare was bought from the Westfalian auctions as a four-year-old. At Crofton, Steph Taylor won both advanced mediums on 69% and 70% with her own Polish warmblood, WGS Perugia. “A few months ago I’d never have dreamed of these scores,” she said. “Jezz…

Chepstow CSI2*/1*/YH1*, P, Ch-A, David Broome Event Centre, Monmouthshire KERRY BRENNAN had given fair warning with two second places in early big tour 1.40m classes on the feisty Wellington M, and the pair pulled out all the stops to lift the two-star grand prix title. “I was nervous, I haven’t jumped this big since Hickstead’s Queens Cup last year. But I love the surface here, they spring off the top,” said Kerry. Portugal’s course-designer Bernardo Costa Cabral used the vast sand arena with a restrictive time, committed lines and square oxers in his 13-fence track to reduce the 58 starters to four clears, although a further three returned on one time-fault. “It was technical, especially the early line from oxer to double, which was also in the jump-off,” said Kerry,…

WHEN running shows, the number one rule is to work with the competitors and not to alienate them. Though riders need us to run shows, we also need them on our side to be able to run good shows. I can’t speak for every organiser but, at Pyecombe, we’ve invested in top surfaces, we use good course-builders and we try to keep our facilities as nice as we can. It’s important to keep re-investing back into the showground, but that does increase the financial burden. You’re never going to become a millionaire by running shows as there are so many hidden costs. We’re lucky because it’s a real team effort. All our family members help before, during and after shows. My niece and nephew Ruby and Max harrow the arenas…

SHOWING regulations are in place not only to safeguard sportsmanship, but also to guide and protect our judges and competitors alike. There are certainly not “there to be broken”, as one exhibitor recently quipped. Fortunately, this is the mindset of a very small minority but, nevertheless, it is the reason rule books usually increase in size, when loopholes are discovered. However, everyone does agree that rules must not only be crystal clear to be functional — words like “must” or “must not” are much better than “recommend”, “may” and “should”, which don’t mean diddly-squat! But rules also need to be more uniform among the governing bodies. SHOEING DILEMMA WHILE reporting at an early show holding both Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) qualifying rounds,…

Arapahoe, Colorado, US DESPITE a name that derives from the Indians of the Western plains, few American packs of foxhounds are more devoted to their British origins than the Arapahoe. Not only is turnout unrivalled, but the hounds that hunt the high desert within sight of the Rockies are as a level a pack of modern English as any. IN THE BEGINNING THE Arapahoe was founded in 1907 by John F Kuykendall and Lawrence C Phipps, but activities ceased in 1927 when the golf course on which the kennels stood was developed. In 1929, Lawrence C Phipps Jr re-established the hunt at his Highlands Ranch, and it was recognised by the American Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) in 1934. It was Phipps Jr who began the tradition of English hounds;…

AFTER 12 rides, Jacob Pritchard-Webb finally got his first winner aboard the Linda Delahooke-owned and trained Pantxoa (pictured). The 21-year-old, who works as a stable lad for Fergal O’Brien, took out his amateur licence last October and said he had a “brilliant ride”, despite nearly coming unstuck at the second. “We didn’t expect him to go so well, but the ground really suited him today with it being good, and I knew jumping the second last that he was never stopping,” said Jacob. This win was even more remarkable for Jacob, as he returned from a three-week tour of America with his family just 36 hours previously. “So today’s win really is all down to Matthew and Linda Delahooke and Sally Randell, who keep Pantxoa going at home,” he said.…

THERE has been much debate about the centralisation of point-to-point subscriptions through Weatherbys, which, in my opinion, is a bad idea. The Master of Foxhounds Association (MFHA) announced that for 2018/2019 there would be a centralised process for obtaining and registering hunter certificates, Weatherbys managing the whole process. The current hunter certificate arrangements were reviewed when concerns were raised about the fair implementation of mandatory regional subscription rates. Currently, subscriptions are collected by the individual hunts, with differing prices for each hunt. However, the concern was that the mandatory rates were not being implemented properly. No system can keep everyone happy. However, I feel that centralisation is likely to reduce the number of horses who run in point-to-points, because many members of hunts give or subscribe in different ways. Centralising…

FOUR-STAR course-designer and former British Eventing chief executive Mike Etherington-Smith told H&H he agreed with Ian Stark’s opinion that the rules need to be clarified. He added he had not seen enough of Oliver’s rounds to comment specifically on this case, but speaking generally he said the rules about use of the whip need to be “tightened up”. “The rules can be interpreted one of two ways, in my opinion — actual abuse of the horse and welfare of the horse in the sport, which are linked,” he said. “There’s no place in our sport for abuse of the horse. I’m not in a position to say whether Oliver abused his horses, because I didn’t see enough [of his cross-country rounds]. “What we need are clear black and white rules…

NEREO The 2017 Badminton winner, ridden by Andrew Nicholson and owned by Deborah Sellar, retired from top-level competition at this year’s event. The 18-year-old finished in the top 10 at 11 four-stars and won three world and Olympic bronzes. FAUGHEEN The star hurdler will not run again this season after having a growth removed from his groin. Trainer Willie Mullins said the 10-year-old’s surgery was successful and he expects him to be “as good as ever” next season. LEGOLAS The Olympic dressage gelding has been retired from international competition, aged 16. Legolas, ridden by the US’s Steffen Peters, was placed 12th at the 2016 Rio Olympics and 10th at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in France. MULRYS ERROR The “supercob” has been retired from top-level eventing. Rider Ben Hobday announced…

JOB descriptions and training will be provided for FEI officials as part of a new code of conduct. The FEI is also hoping to recruit more officials and plans to ensure they rotate around different events every few years. It is working towards abolishing the upper age limits — which vary between roles, disciplines and countries — and instead introducing competency-based role-specific evaluations. “Putting something else in place is difficult, and taking more time than anticipated,” said Mark Samuel, chairman of the FEI officials working group, at the FEI sports forum on 27 March. He added officials’ ability to do the job will be measured on competency rather than age. FEI jumping course-director Frances Hesketh-Jones said the group is working on 110 job descriptions across disciplines. “All the FEI disciplines…

AUTOCORRECT A rider was bemused by a text from her mother, who shares her horse. “Going out on Jack xc,” it read. “I said I hoped she wasn’t, as he hadn’t been ridden for a fortnight and she hadn’t been cross-country for 20 years,” the rider confided. “Mum’s reply said she meant xx.” The perils of modern technology. HEN PARTIES Or one hen whose fiancé, as featured on Don’t Tell the Bride Ireland, had booked her hen party at a yard – and arranged for her to muck out some stables. We’re not sure quite what he was thinking but what she was thinking was more obvious… COMMENTARY Pammy Hutton was as on-form as ever for the Badminton dressage, as was Rory Bremner… a Donald Trump impression, followed by “Now,…

AS Suzanne is attaching the handmade leather leading-rein to the noseband of Demon’s elegant showing bridle, she takes a firm hold underneath his chin and looks him in his oh-so-innocent, long-lashed eyes. “Don’t you dare, just don’t you dare,” she mutters. Section A Demon (his name is very long and Welsh but part of it sounds like “demon”, which is highly appropriate) stares back unflinchingly. He is exceptionally beautiful and moves like a pint-sized grand prix dressage horse, but the angelic exterior hides a foul temper and distinctly ungenerous mindset. On the leading-rein — and as long as he has a healthy respect for the mother of the small child lucky enough to be allowed to show him in the ring — he behaves like an angel and wins everything…

CATHY SMITH retired her 25-year-old Irish sport horse Taz when he began to display classic signs of old age. “He had started walking downhill very slowly and reluctantly, his hearing was going and he was difficult to keep weight on due to his teeth,” she explains. “By stopping when I did, he was healthy and could enjoy a few years of being a horse.” Cathy opted to put Taz on retirement livery at Lowertown Farm in Devon. “I chose this option because his care is the primary focus,” she says. “As Taz has the attention he needs I don’t have to worry about him — which works for me as I now have a six-year-old to ride.” Despite the costs of an inclusive livery package, Cathy estimates that she saves…

WHAT a couple of weeks. As soon as I won Burghley last autumn, I thought about whether it was possible to get horses to Kentucky to pursue the Rolex Grand Slam. With no funding available through the British Equestrian Federation due to cuts after 2016, I started having conversations with my owners — it is a very expensive trip. Knowing how testing Badminton was likely to be, I chose my horses for there first, and it didn’t take much to decide which to take to Kentucky. I thought the feel and the layout of the cross-country would suit MHS King Joules and, as Cooley Master Class hadn’t run in a three-day event for 3 1/2 years, I didn’t want him to have to run on potentially deep ground at Badminton.…

JONELLE PRICE scored a popular win, coming up from 22nd after dressage, which is nearly unheard of in modern day eventing. You have to feel sorry for Oliver Townend, but when Pippa Funnell and Michael Jung won the Rolex Grand Slam, it was a huge story focused on love of the horse and horsemanship. Had Oliver won, his official warning for overuse of the whip would have tainted the victory. I felt sorry for the ground jury, as this was a hard incident to handle with the pressure of the grand slam. Riders have been given yellow cards for a lot less and, in a different situation, he would have been in significant trouble. It’s absolutely unacceptable in modern equestrian sport to hit the horse multiple times. Oliver needs to…

OLD hats and young guns triumphed at Canaccord Genuity Chilham Castle (1). Katie Hale’s 18-year-old pony trials stalwart, Killacoran Blue, bounced his way to victory in the ONu18, while Ollie Martin’s five-year-old, Martins Irish Viking, won a BE90 section on his eventing debut. “He still gets as excited as ever when he sees the cross-country,” said Katie of Killacoran Blue, who represented Britain at the pony Europeans in Arezzo in 2013 with one of his previous jockeys, Pumbaa Goess-Sauru. Martins Irish Viking came over from Ireland in January and had competed in only one combined training competition before winning at Chilham. “He was nervous to start with, like some unhandled Irish horses can be, but he has lots of ability,” said Ollie, 20. CANACCORD GENUITY CHILHAM CASTLE (1) RESULTS ON.—…

Yorkshire Dressage, South Yorks | Holmside Hall, Co. Durham Tinker II, who was a surprise 13th birthday present for his owner Ceri Rogerson, won the bronze section of his first prelim and the second overall with 76% at Yorkshire Dressage. It was the combination’s British Dressage (BD) debut. Ceri, who is 17, had been loaning the cob from a riding school before her parents bought him. “He was a challenge at first because he was gelded late and was a real macho man, and we didn’t have any experience with horses as a family. But I’ve cracked on and done everything with him. Ultimately, he wasn’t brave enough to event so we tried dressage,” she said “He may be a traditional cob — all mane and feathers — but inside…

Beaver Hall, Staffs | Foxes Dressage, Wirral The coloured 16-year-old was bred by Ian Smith and his bloodlines include hackney, drum horse and warmblood. Lorna bought him as a schoolmaster six years ago. “What made me buy him? I have to admit I liked his colour but his personality really shone out,” said Lorna. “He’s been a true schoolmaster: taught kids to canter and shown nervous riders the ropes, as well taking me to riding at PSG level.” Last year, Lorna qualified the horse for the Area Festival second rounds and plans a similar route this year. “I’m hoping to have a go at the veteran and the summer music championships as well,” she added. “I think it’s a great concept; this horse isn’t the flashiest mover but with these…

HAVING recently sold two horses for their owners I seem to have contracted the dreaded “own-horseitis” with my remaining ride. I have collected a lot of kit for Delgado in a short space of time, including a bridle with an anatomical headpiece, a patent noseband and two handmade bits. It looks like at least three sheep were sacrificed to make his fluffy boots, girth cover, noseband pad and girth. His bespoke saddle was specially made from the top of one saddle and the bottom of another and has another sheep laid under it. No saddle sharing for my prince. I might even enter a show soon. Delgado’s only done about five tests, although according to the British Dressage (BD) website — which has ongoing issues with its data — we…

BRITS IN BRONZE TEAM GB finished equal third in the FEI three-star Nations Cup in Linz, Austria. Holly Smith (Hearts Destiny) posted a double clear alongside Graham Gillespie (Andretti) and Spencer Roe (Wonder Why), with Jamie Gornall (Christian 25) eliminated in round one “for blood of the flanks” under the FEI Jumping rule article 241.3.30. Performance manager Di Lampard said: “I’m elated Holly’s plan came together. She went to Samorin to give the horse some valuable experience for his future career. When you see a plan like that come together, resulting in a double clear Nations Cup performance, it is not only rewarding but also gives a positive message that detailed preparation can never be underestimated.” Holly and Hearts Destiny went on to finish fourth in Sunday’s grand prix and…

BSPS Area 13A, Pendarves Equestrian Centre, Cornwall IT was a whitewash for Brett McKinnon’s show team, who headed back to their Saltash base with nine Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) tickets, four championship titles and four reserves. Brett’s 17-year-old daughter Tierney got the team off to a winning start with Liz Rogers’ Beseeka Lady Luck, a nine-year-old mare by the Bavarian warmblood Polling, who headed the large intermediate show riding type class before taking the intermediate spoils. “My championship was fabulous, with six quality and true-to-type contenders,” said judge Dawn Christie. “I was looking for balanced paces, self-carriage, lightness of hand and star quality — my champion had all these things.” With Hickstead tickets on offer for the horses as well, Brett’s team also appeared with a contingency of larger…

Cheltenham Hunter Chase Evening, Glos WHEN Charles Dickens penned one of his most famous opening lines, he probably didn’t have the fates of a Friday night of hunter chasing in mind. However, following drama at Cheltenham last week, both trainer Phil Rowley and jockey Alex Edwards would probably concede they experienced both the best of times and the worst of times. Having scooped the feature prize for a second year with Barel Of Laughs, the pair held hopes for a double with the favourite Battle Dust in the four-miler. Yet within an hour of celebrating a high, the team endured a low as Battle Dust was disqualified from his victory in frustrating circumstances, having lost his weight cloth during the race. And in a tale of more than two races,…

MENDELSSOHN’S chances of becoming the first European winner of the Kentucky Derby took a dive even before the race began when, after prolonged rain, the track went sloppy. In the race any chance he had went when he was a split second slow out of the stalls. He was then bumped around by the horses drawn outside him as they sought to get over and from three or four strides into the race Moore was playing catch-up and he virtually pulled him up down the stretch. The race was won by the Bob Baffert-trained Justify (pictured), like Mendelssohn by Scat Daddy. He overcame the 136-year hoodoo for a horse which had not run at two years old to win the race and, one suspects, with the Preakness and Belmont coming…

 Fernie, Dingley, Northants ‘He’s a big baby with one hell of an engine’ DALE PETERS ON OPEN MAIDEN WINNER THE UNMENTIONABLE DALE PETERS couldn’t be beaten at Dingley. He not only won on all three of his rides, but he was also responsible for training them. His final ride came in the shape of The Unmentionable, a five-year-old he bought with friends Simon Hunter and James Close at Ascot sales just under six weeks ago. The youngster fought hard to come home in front in the open maiden. “He’s a big baby really, but an unbelievable horse with one hell of an engine,” said Dale. “He’s learning on the job but I couldn’t be happier with him today.” Dale’s second win came in the form of Bi Quini Tiep…

British Riding Clubs Equi-Thème Intermediate Winter Championships, Bury Farm, Bucks LAST year’s senior jumping champions, Saffron Walden and District, took two titles, while Wokingham and Bearwood improved from 2017’s fifth place to win the senior dressage. Sarah Hamblett and her 16-year-old mare, Grafique Banta, were the top scorers for the Saffron Walden 100cm team, with two fault-free rounds. The pair also won the individual 100cm, squeaking home clear 0.2sec ahead of Becky Hill (Darlington and District) and Charlestown Flyer in the jump-off. “I was going to go for a steady clear but changed my mind as she seemed up for it,” said Sarah, who was last to go in the jump-off. Lisa Spence (Temple Rexton) was on 2017’s winning 90cm team and upgraded to the 100cm this time for Saffron…