Innholdsfortegnelse for 12-Jul-2018 i Horse & Hound

IT’S always been an anomaly to me that as you near the narrowest part of the country road that is most in shadow, that’s where you leave the 30mph limit and are invited to drive up to 60mph by national speed limit signs. I am led to believe there’s greater logic to this than merely appealing to common sense. There has been debate on reducing speed limits on rural roads for years and happily the notion is gathering pace following government review (news, p5). I recently watched a video taken by a camera-wearing motorcyclist driving round a country lane in which they had passed some riders wearing hi-vis before anyone watching the video even realised the horses were there. Riders can do the sensible thing in wearing hi-vis, which is…

EQUITAPE, the only praziquantel-only wormer available in the UK, is to be discontinued from October. The chemical, which targets tapeworm, will only be available in moxidectin or ivermectin combination wormers also used to treat small and large redworm. Manufacturer Zoetis said the decision was due to a third party manufacturer ceasing supply. “A new praziquantel-only product for horses would require a new registration, involving many years’ lengthy development and approval processes, which make it an unviable option for the UK alone,” a Zoetis statement said. “We will continue to communicate with suppliers and horse owners and apologise for any inconvenience.” The Moredun Research Institute’s Professor Jacqui Matthews said this limits options for species-targeted treatments. “Resistance is a growing problem and has the potential to become a major horse welfare threat,”…

HARTPURY OFFERS RACING DEGREES TWO new degree courses on offer at Hartpury aim to “enable graduates to succeed in the global racing industry”. The university centre believes its BA (Hons) in international horseracing business and its BSc (Hons) in racehorse performance and rehabilitation will provide the first-hand experience employers want. “The performance and rehabilitation course will combine this with strong practical knowledge, while the business students will take a closer look at the governance and structure of international racing,” a Hartpury spokesman said. Students will also work in Hartpury’s equestrian centre, which features equine therapy facilities, riding simulators and a livery yard. SUCH A THING AS A FREE LUNCH ALL racing staff accompanying runners at Jockey Club racecourses will receive free meals. Staff, including horsebox drivers, will receive vouchers on…

Olympic eventer Phillip Dutton’s stepdaughter Lee Lee Jones is making good progress recovering from a brain injury sustained in 2016. Phillip thanked the public for their support. Racing trainer John Spearing sustained serious injuries as he put a young horse through the stalls. The 78-year-old suffered multiple fractures and a head injury and is recovering in hospital. US showjumper Kent Farrington has withdrawn from World Equestrian Games contention. He believes it is in the best interests of the team and his ride Gazelle not to compete. Dressage rider Anna Ross is working with Elite Stallions to launch Elite Dressage, a business which aims to boost British breeding by making it easier for clients to buy in the UK. Flat trainer Joseph O’Brien scored his first Classics victory, in the Irish…

BILLY CONGO Pippa Funnell has retaken the ride on the European showjumping gold medal-winning 17-year-old from her husband William. Pippa produced the stallion and the pair have been reunited to compete at CSI2* level. MULRYS ERROR The former ride of eventer Ben Hobday has returned to competition after retiring from top-level sport. Sallie Ryle’s part-bred Clydesdale jumped clear across country at a CIC* with Argentinian Sebastian Roldan Olivera. LOT 462 The half-brother to three-time Cheltenham Festival winner Altior set a new record at Tattersalls Ireland’s Derby sale, selling for €365,000 (£323,000). He was sold to Aiden Murphy on behalf of MV Magnier.…

OH, the grand old Duke of Wellington, he had ten thousand cones… It may not be quite the words to the nursery rhyme, or indeed accurate in terms of numbers, but the poor old duke has become the subject of unknown pranksters’ attention. The statue of Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington, in Glasgow’s Royal Exchange Square, has set a new record, as the number of traffic cones it was sporting reached double figures. It appears members of the public have been trying to outdo previous coneage, balancing nine on the duke’s head and one on that of his trusty steed. Boozed-up revellers? Or just kind-hearted locals wanting to give the combination some shade in the heatwave? Whichever, when they were up, they were up and no doubt when…

RELAX THE RULES Sir — I agree totally with Katie Jerram-Hunnable’s suggestion (opinion, 28 June) for a day-ticket arrangement to enter county shows. In fact, I’d suggest that any rider should be able to enter an affiliated class at any show. They simply need to abide by the rules of the society running the classes and accept they will not qualify for any championship show. Over the years, I have known of many competitors wanting to become a show society member in order to compete at local county shows, but being put off because of the cost of membership. As a result, shows miss out on entries revenue, local county shows lack a community feel and spectators see empty rings that actually do more to make riding look elitist. I…

GEMMA TATTERSALL REIGNING national champion and current FEI world ranked number two Gemma Tattersall was a member of the British squad at the 2017 European Championships and a member of the team at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games riding Quicklook V. She was fourth at Badminton this year with Arctic Soul. TRAINING THE STARS The most difficult horse I have to make the time on is Pamero, because he is so big and has the most enormous stride that he takes time to set up for combinations. Arctic Soul is a strong horse but is so naturally fast that I can still make the time on him, as long as he is paying attention and listening to me. Santiago Bay might not be full thoroughbred, but she has such an…

“RIDERS are notorious for taking the time and effort to warm up their horses correctly, but they don’t all consider their own warm-up to be important,” says Harriet. “Warming up is the gradual increase in intensity of exercise and stretching before taking part in a strenuous activity. It is a way of preparing the body and muscle condition for the demands of the activity. Although warming up is mainly aimed to reduce stiffness in the muscles before exercise, a simple 15-minute routine can actually improve your performance as a whole.” The benefits of warming up are numerous, as Harriet explains: “It increases the speed of contraction and relaxation in the muscles, resulting in quicker reaction times, and it reduces muscle stiffness as warmer muscles cause less resistance, making movement more…

Aim: the hip adductors are a large group of muscles situated on the inner thigh from your knee up to the groin. Their primary role is to bring the leg towards the midline of the body. Often when riding, the adductors will shorten and over-tighten, resulting in the rider not being able to sit deep into the saddle and causing them to “grip” with the inner thigh. The idea of the stretch is to lengthen and relax these muscles — essentially switching them off to allow the rider to achieve a deeper and more stable position in the saddle. When you get on cold, this muscle will fire up a little bit more than you need it to, making you feel stiff when you eventually dismount. Opening it up before…

Aim: this exercise increases the blood flow in the leg and gives a nice stretch down the back of the leg to make it easier to keep your heels down. How to do it: stand near a wall for balance, with your feet a hip’s width apart. Ensure the ankle, knee and hips are in alignment to protect the joints. Press down into the ball of each foot to raise your heels and body upward. Keep your core muscles engaged to avoid shifting your weight forwards or backwards, then slowly lower yourself back down in a controlled manner. Repeat five times.…

ADAM HARVEY saw off a raft of professional riders when he took CIC2* section C on Picasso V. “I came to complete my qualification for the Blenheim eight-and nine-year-old class and did not think I’d win,” said Adam. The 24-year-old is a graduate chartered surveyor, working 7.30am-4.30pm in an office in Reading and riding his three eventers afterwards. Nine-year-old Picasso V, by Van Gogh, is his top horse. “He likes to be number one and to show off, which makes him good at the dressage,” said Adam.…

BE105 sec E.— 1, Spiders Secret Weapon (K Emms) 32.8,0,0.8=33.6; 2, Smooth Emperor (E McFarlane) 34.5,0,0=34.5; 3, PN Hugo (A Tomlinson) 32.3,0,4.4=36.7. sec F.— 1, Ideal Illusion (R Whitmore) 23.8,0,0.4=24.2; 2, Capeston Little John (E Warren) 22.3,4,0=26.3; 3, BBS Lovejoy (E Miles-Thomas) 27.8,0,1.6=29.4. BE100open.— 1, Galileo 7 (A Thwaites) 28.3,0,0=28.3; 2, Shutterfly Flip (E Spilsbury) 34.8,0,0=34.8; 3, Billy Eurostar (S Muir) 34.3,0,2=36.3. BE100 sec A.— 1, Howlett (E Eltham) 15.3,0,0=15.3; 2, Dona Di Casa (L Mills) 27.5,0,0=27.5; 3, Fernhill Beach Boy (H Leeson) 25.8,0,5.2=31. sec B.— 1, A Sportsfield Big Sensation (A Taylor) 28.5,0,3.6=32.1; 2, Melleray Hill (G Beeby Wynn) 32.3,0,0.8=33.1; 3, Contrast Z (J McLeod) 33.3,0,0=33.3. sec C.— 1, Percivals Rebel (R Jessett) 29.3,0,0=29.3; 2, Excellent P (C Leadbeater) 33.3,0,3.6=36.9; 3, Cowling Hot Gossip (T Bird) 33.5,0,4.4=37.9. BE90open.— 1,…

A HORSE who was given to his rider as a freebie came up trumps in a BE90 section at the Reverdy-sponsored Brightling Park. Voltaires Valentino (Inca) had a reputation for being aggressive, but Harriet Poupart was tipped off by a friend, who believed the gelding had oodles of potential — with the right rider. “When I went to see him, I took my trailer, said hello to him, loaded him up and took him home,” said Woking-based Harriet. “It was a massive risk. After five months, I’d had enough; he was spooky and spent all his time doing bunny-hop rears.” Suddenly, though, the pair clicked. “Inca started to respect me and I began to understand what made him tick — we both found dressage boring! Inca had never jumped a…

VALE VIEW 1 July: prelim 7 silv (S Smith).— 1, Quibab Z (H Pike) 63.64. brnz.— 1, Onna Moonbeam (H Dalgleish) 66.14; 2, Carrowholly Lass (S Lockwood) 65.23; 3, Helenic Sunrise (SE Bowker) 64.09. prelim 17Q silv (S Cooper).— 1, Woodlander Roxanne (L Cooper) 68.45; 2, DKS Fire (L Adams) 66.9; 3, Quibab Z 63.62. brnz.— 1, Bria (E Darbyshire) 64.83; 2, Carrowholly Lass 63.62; 3, Onna Moonbeam 62.93. nov 28 silv (S Smith).— 1, Emblem (H Ellis) 70.21. brnz.— 1, Dromore Lord (C Stockley) 69.38; 2, Smooth Criminal II (K Taylor) 64.79; 3, Mighty Mac (K Rambridge) 64.38. nov 37Q silv (S Cooper).— 1, Emblem 67.96; 2, Furstdance Of Greschurch (T Bullick) 65; 3, Saffron II (N Monks) 63.7. brnz.— 1, Woodlander Roxanne 68.15; 2, Mighty Mac 64.63; 3,…

Step Aside, West Sussex | Petley Wood, Kent Both Joanne Curling and Cheryl Hammerson opted to celebrate wearing tailcoats even in the hothouse atmosphere of the indoor school at Belmoredean. As Cheryl, who won the advanced gold pick-your-own (PYO) with 67.19% put it: “There’s no point in keeping the champagne in the fridge waiting for a special occasion. Make now a special occasion.” Her 13-year-old DiMondez (Dez) is big-moving but has a high wither and a long neck. Cheryl explained: “I thought he was lazy but he wasn’t — he was blocked. He’s taught me a lot and continues to do so. “I now feel that focusing on qualifying for the regionals at a level where he can be competitive has held me back. I’ve decided to push on,” added…

Mundole EC, Morayshire | Morris EC, Ayrshire The 12-year-old piebald gelding had originally been on loan to Faye. However, her husband Steven bought him as a surprise wedding present two years ago. “That was a good present. He can be a cheeky devil, but he tries his heart out and knows his job when he goes down the centre line,” said Faye. “We joined British Dressage [BD] in September and we’ve qualified at prelim for the Area Festival, and started at novice,” she added. Faye trains with Fiona Maxwell, who also enjoyed a brace of wins at the venue. Fiona’s St Antine, a Sir Caprimond seven-year-old mare, was bought as a yearling from Morgan Equine. “I like tall horses and she was predicted to be over 17hh, which she is…

29 Jun: Connolly’s Red Mills newcomers.— 1, Croft Herman (M Lanni); 2, Billy Harmony (H Berryman); 3, Klarins Yee Hah (B Walker). 1.10m.— 1, Ryans Holly (H Pearce); 2, My Lucky Day (E Simpson). Equitop Myoplast Foxhunter.— 1, Nassini Z (B Ward); 2, Lord Don (B Walker); 3, African Affair (R Moss). 1.20m.— 1, Galerius (C Nicol); 2, Tullylost Meryl (T Davies); 3, Simply Almund (B Ward). HOYS Talent Seekers/7yo.— 1, Don Diego De Plata (T Stockdale); 2, Funnycan (H Tredwell); 3, Faltic HB (R McCrea). 125/135cm.— 1, Mega Times (C Franks); 2, Deezie Katine Weering (B Walker); 3, Lakeland Dancer (J Gann). KBIS British nov.— 1, Hollywood Lena (R Moss); 2, Norton Harvestman (R Lambert); 3, Don Juan Du Barry (M Routledge). 90cm.— 1, William Wallace IV (T Harris).…

ROYAL NORFOLK organisers — widely renowned for their “customer care” — went to extreme lengths to counter the searing heat. Water was freely available everywhere for both competitors and connections, and mini jockeys were instructed that jackets need only be worn in the final line-up; while classes were in progress, they were also permitted to stand in the shade of nearby trees. However few took the opportunity to do so, bringing the issue of child — as well animal — welfare into the spotlight yet again.…

HOYS hunters (S Smith, T Wiggett) Catplant sml.— 1, K Campbell’s Church Rock Cashel; 2, Ms Heath & O’Connell’s Bersham Dragon Fly; 3, H Binks’ Wycliff. l’wt.— 1 & res, J Day’s Viewpoint; 2, P Duncan’s Duckett’s Grove; 3, D Stennett’s Time 2 Reflect. m’wt.— 1 & ch, D Harrod’s Bloomfield Valhalla; 2, B Beercock’s Chadwick Spartan Wood; 3, S Tennant’s Bloomfield Bespoke. h’wt.— 1, D Harrod’s Bloomfield Excelsior; 2, J Day’s Patric’s Choice; 3, G Parr’s Redemption Ground. ladies side-saddle (W Phipps).— 1, F Babington’s Seabourne Silent Valley; 2, G Steele’s Colbeach Mark Of Distinction; 3, E Bury’s Encourage. Cuddy working hunter (J Wormall, P Cook) l’wt.— 1, Mr & Mrs Burnett’s Scarthill Kingdom; 2, S O’Halloran’s LVS Jackpot; 3, V Rose’s Wyworrie. h’wt.— 1 & ch, M Cooper’s…

OWNER Sally-Anne Cowley made a triumphant first attempt at an RIHS qualifier to win the lightweight class and stand amateur hunter reserve with the ever-consistent Miracle Mickey, now home produced by Sally-Anne and her sister Liz Cheffings. “I ride Mickey at home, but I’ve only ever ridden him in the ring once before — two years ago — and never in any kind of qualifier,” said Sally-Anne, who only took to the saddle as her class here clashed with the cobs where Liz, Mickey’s normal rider, partnered Randalstown Rolex to head the amateurs and qualify for the Royal Angel final, where he finished fifth. “Liz only told me half an hour before the class so I had to put my brave pants on, borrow a jacket and find a groom,”…

SERENELY formal, attended by men in bowler hats and dark suits and ladies in flowery hats, Peterborough Royal Foxhound Show appears every summer as an unchanging symbol of hunting’s continuing popularity in rural Britain. The pinnacle of the hound showing season celebrates its 130th show on 18 July. It was founded 140 years ago, but closed down during the two world wars. Peterborough remains a unique occasion, a triumph of dedication and support by generations of foxhound breeders who have ensured that it not merely survives, but flourishes. Winning a championship at Peterborough is still the ultimate accolade in the foxhunting world. First-time visitors might think the calm, patient procession of judging classes, broken by polite applause as rosettes are discreetly distributed, indicates a lack of fervour among the contestants…

THE 10th Duke of Beaufort, always called “Master”, adored winning Peterborough prizes, and overall collected 34 championships. After a win he would beam delightedly, and kick the boarding in front of his special seat. He found defeat hard to bear, and would convey thunderous disapproval to the judges. His main hound breeding rival, Ronnie Wallace, cultivated a dead-pan mien at the ringside, but cared just as much about winning. He won 33 Peterborough championships, 19 with Heythrop hounds between 1952 and 1977, and the remainder with the Exmoor pack where he was master and huntsman from 1977 to 2002. As a new judge, Brian Fanshawe recalled the Duke asking him why he had looked hard at a particular hound in the Beaufort two-couple. Fanshawe replied: “We were trying to make…

QUESTIONS have been raised as to why a government scheme to combat drivers who pass cyclists dangerously close does not include other vulnerable road users such as riders. Department for Transport (DfT) parliamentary undersecretary Jesse Norman said £500,000 will be made available for driving instructor training on teaching safe passing of cyclists. The UK-wide scheme also involves funding for police to catch and punish those driving dangerously past bikes. But the plan, revealed on 29 June, omitted other vulnerable road users such as riders. “I don’t understand how the government can bring this in for cyclists and not for other road users,” said equestrian road safety campaigner Debbie Smith, of lobby group Pass Wide and Slow. H&H asked transport minister Jesse Norman if the initiatives could be applied to encourage…

SUPER NOVA II Spencer Wilton’s Olympic team silver medal-winner has returned to competition after 10 months out. The combination scored 75.89% in the CDI3* grand prix at Hartpury Festival of Dressage (report, p.44). OPGUN LOUVO Sandra Auffarth’s top horse is retiring from championships. The 16-year-old has won nine medals for Germany, including individual gold at WEG 2014 and team gold and individual bronze at London 2012. TYAN TULLAMORE Jane Somerset’s prolific mountain and moorland working hunter pony has died aged 17. “Tully” was twice a winner at the Royal International Horse Show, and second at Horse of the Year Show in 2011 and 2012.…

EIGHT Pony Club members will represent Britain at the international tetrathlon championships, to be held at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) venue this month (28-29 July). Competitors have undergone a rigorous selection process, taking into account national rankings, interview, references and their performance jumping two unknown horses. “It was quite intense,” said 20-year-old squad member Miranda King, from the Vale of the White Horse branch. Different countries host the championships, which take place every two years. This year’s will be one of the last events at Tryon International Equestrian Center before the Games (11-23 September). “Normally in the UK you ride your own horse but in America we’re being lent horses who have been ridden once round a course in the arena beforehand,” Nottingham University student Miranda told H&H. “We…

SKY lanterns have been hitting headlines again, with calls for their sale and use to be banned. As organisers of the Lights Festival, a series of lantern releases, were urged to cancel an event at Buxton Raceway on 28 July, which has since been dropped, a point-to-point mare was injured in Hampshire. Part-owner Sarah Sladen told H&H Bastante was found with a serious leg wound and a singed tail, and that a clump of singed tail hair was seen in the field near a burnt-out lantern. Sarah believes the lantern landed on the mare, causing her to bolt and jump the fence, catching her leg on a strand of plain wire. Hampshire County Council is among a number of authorities in the UK to have banned the release of lanterns…

MULES Wallace The Great’s stand on mule rights (right) has opened up all sorts of other issues. With recent discussion over BD clothing rules, and mules now being allowed, a rider queried whether the footwear of the same name would also be permitted in the ring. Not sure that’s in FEI rules, tbh. IDENTIFICATION The owner of a bay and a grey was disconcerted by the sight of two greys in her field. Cue much colourful language and huffing about fly-grazers, after which she realised one “grey” was the bay in a fly rug. Oops… PETROL STATIONS A showjumper was surprised to be asked by a garage attendant what he was doing out at 3.30am… but possibly not as surprised as the attendant was by his answer, which was, airily:…

TINKERBELLE is furious. She does not want to wear a muzzle, which considerably inhibits her ability to gorge herself on the still-lush grass. But Tinkerbelle, being a 12hh pony — albeit one intelligent enough to escape from any arrangement of electric fencing known to man — does not associate grass and her pleasingly full figure with the pain and throbbing in her hooves that comes with laminitis. Her guilt-racked owner Karen does. She has painstakingly sewn sheepskin padding all round the muzzle’s straps so they don’t rub Tinkerbelle’s sensitive skin, and has widened the hole at the bottom of the muzzle with a Stanley knife so poor Tinkerbelle can at least eat something. She pokes long strands of grass through the hole so that Tinkerbelle understands that she can eat…

HARRIET EAGLESTONE is a level four sport massage therapist specialising in humans. She has a keen interest in sacroiliac joint dysfunction and pelvic imbalance, and her equine and farming background means she has worked with a variety of clients, including the North Hereford branch of the Pony Club at last year’s Horse of the Year Show, where she was the team’s massage therapist. She also treats national-level triathletes, marathon runners and jockeys. • For more information, visit hsportmassage.com…

Aim: a lot of riding movement comes from the pelvic area and your quadriceps (muscles at the front of the thigh). Quadriceps that are tight mean your leg can’t stretch as long as it should, and you may even ride a hole or two shorter than necessary. Loosening up your pelvis and quadriceps before you get on results in a longer, more secure and effective leg. How to do it: stand with your feet a shoulder’s width apart with your hands on your hips. Step forward with one leg, flexing the knees to drop your hips. Descend until your rear knee nearly touches the ground. Your posture should remain upright and your front knee should stay above the front foot. Push the weight into the heel of your lead foot.…

St James’s Place Barbury, Wilts NOT all CIC3*s are created equal and since its inception in 2005, Barbury has been firmly ensconced as one of Britain’s premier one-day events. With the sun scorching down on the glorious vista of burnt grass and white tents, horses and riders battled it out like gladiators in a sizzling hot arena. Both CIC3* sections went to successful combinations who have lost form recently. This marked a turning point for these pairs, who now have a real crack at selection for their respective nations’ World Equestrian Games teams. For Britain, Nicola Wilson and Bulana’s CIC3* win was their best result since individual bronze at last year’s European Championships. James and Jo Lambert’s mare was unruly across country in her younger days and that tendency reappeared…

CIC3* ERM.— 1, Upsilon (T Carlile) 24.9,0,1.2=26.1; 2, Pamero 4 (G Tattersall) 27.2,0,1.6=28.8; 3, Polystar I (C Burton) 30.8,4,0=34.8. CIC3*.— 1, Bulana (N Wilson) 25.2,0,5.6=30.8; 2, Kananaskis (R Coney) 28,0,8=36; 3, Chilli Knight (G Tattersall) 33,0,6.8=39.8. CIC2* sec C.— 1, Picasso V (A Harvey) 26.3,0,3.6=29.9; 2, Fit For Fun Raa (L Svennerst OE l) 26.9,0,3.2=30.1; 3, Hollyfield II (L Green) 31.7,0,1.2=32.9. sec D.— 1, Fanta Boy (H Bate) 22.9,0,7.6=30.5; 2, Cooley Quicksilver (E Halliday-Sharp) 26,0,5.6=31.6; 3, Ferro Point (D Doel) 31.9,0,0=31.9. sec E.— 1, Bahira M (C Burton) 29.6,0,0=29.6; 2, Calmaro (L Collett) 25.1,0,4.8=29.9; 3, Union Fortunus (P Locke) 30.6,0,3.6=34.2. IN.— 1, Brookfield Quality (H Meade) 27.5,0,0=27.5; 2, Alcatraz II (A Bragg) 28.6,0,0=28.6; 3, AKD Corline (P French) 27.3,4,0=31.3. sec L.— 1, DG Canta (C Wiederkehr) 30.9,0,0=30.9; 2, Redbarn Lux…

Nations Cup.— 1, Britain 138.5 (Halltown Harley/G Spence, Wil/S Brown, Shadow Man/B Hobday, Voltaire De Tre’/L Law); 2, Canada 148.7 (Kelecyn Cognac/W Roberts, Crimson/S Brost, Bogue Sound/J Phoenix, Honor Me/ LM Fergusson); USA 157.5 (Sportsfield Candy/P Dutton, Spring Easy/C Martin, Cisko A/S Elliott, Park Trader/B Davidson). CICO3*.— 1, Off The Record (W Coleman) USA 31.1,4,0=35.1; 2, Halltown Harley 35.2,0,0=35.2; 3, Pavarotti (J Phoenix) 29.5,2,5.2=36.7; 9, Voltaire De Tre 33.6,4,8.8=46.4; 16, Shadow Man 29.7,0,27.2=56.9; 18, Wil 34.4,0,30.4=64.8.…

CHEPSTOW NRF.— 1, Monbeg Meddlar (H Meade) 25.5,0,0=25.5; 2, Chytodden Crystal Rose (K Hancock) 28.9,0,0=28.9; 3, Cooga Hat Trick (A Bragg) 28.2,0,1.2=29.4. IN.— 1, Coddstown Pet (K Hancock) 24.6,0,0=24.6; 2, Brookfield Quality (H Meade) 25.2,0,5.6=30.8; 3, Ladys Sky High (C Valender) 28.9,0,4.8=33.7. ONu18.— 1, Lissyegan Cooley (S Spratling) 32.5,0,6=38.5; 2, Up Mulberry Street (S Cresswell) 31,4,7.6=42.6; 3, Rosscon Miller (L De Lacy) 28.3,4,10.8=43.1. nov sec E.— 1, Dream Dragon (L Harwood) 24.3,0,2.4=26.7; 2, Gilexio (M Glentworth) 26,0,7.2=33.2; 3, Farleaze The Beez Kneez (M Glentworth) 30.3,0,6.4=36.7. sec F.— 1, Belona (A Nicholson) 33.8,0,6.8=40.6; 2, Domino Derval (C Hardinge) 29.5,0,13.2=42.7; 3, Brechfa Baruch (L Harwood) 30.5,8,7.2=45.7. BE100open.— 1, Kottage Clover (D Evans) 30.3,0,0=30.3 2, Another Morning (R Thomas) 35.8,0,0=35.8; 3, Dazzling Flight II (F Powell) 36,0,0=36. BE100 sec B.— 1, Expert III…

CDI3*: PSG (S Pidgley, A Prain, E Ebert, S Hobson, I Wessels).— 1, Alicante Valley (J Dunn) GBR 72.79; 2, Half Moon Dark Magic (N Buchanan) GBR 72.2; 3, Artist (V Thompson-Winfield) GBR 71.64. GP (S Clarke, P Holler, S Baarup, O Smeets, P Storr).— 1, Mount St John Freestyle (C Dujardin) GBR 77.43; 2, Hawtins Delicato (C Hester) GBR 76.08; 3, Super Nova II (S Wilton) GBR 75.84. inter I (A Prain, O Smeets, P Holler, I Wessels, H Hughes-Keen).— 1, Half Moon Dark Magic 71.88; 2, Artist 70.91; 3, Durable (N Barker) GBR 70.79. GP FSM (S Hobson, P Storr, S Clarke, E Ebert, S Baarup).— 1, Bubblingh (R Davison) GBR 77.81; 2, Erlantanz (S Murray-Brown) GBR 75.4; 3, Into The Blue (L Bell) GBR 72.17. GP special…

Manor Grange Stud, West Yorks | Yorkshire Riding Centre, North Yorks She was recording her second win in two outings. She headed the medium 61 overall at Manor Grange Stud on the eight-year-old Gwendraeth Welsh Dancer, while working towards her qualification for the British Dressage (BD) native championships. Heather took pity on the feral pony when he was overlooked at the sales and spent months building his confidence. But he has repaid her, winning at every level, representing the northern region at inter-regionals and home internationals, and qualifying for various championships. “Moving up to medium is a challenge as I’ve never ridden at that level before, so we’re having to learn together. Learning the correct aids for half-pass has been the most difficult, but I’m supported by my trainer Hannah…

Kings Sedgemore, Somerset | Bicton Arena, Devon Danielle rode Laura Clothier’s 11-year-old Calva La Cornilliere, by Negro: “Laura is heading off travelling and, luckily, we’ve managed to get both our medium and advanced medium summer qualifications in a short space of time.” Based at the Kingfisher stud near Castle Cary, Danielle divides her time between dressage competition liveries and retraining racehorses. Sarah Gorvett, from Bristol, headed the PSG at Kings Sedgemore in her final outing before representing Australia at the Hartpury CDI on Anne Whaley’s Ubi B. “I was born in Melbourne, although my parents came back here quite quickly afterwards,” said Sarah, who was based with Adam Kemp aged 17 and now has lessons with him twice a month. “Ubi B had an injury last year and I’m thrilled…

‘She was petrified in her first class outdoors’ OLIVIA OAKELEY ON ROCK DIVA Sparsholt, Hants | Quob, Hants She won an elementary qualifier and freestyle with Horatio VCG, the first horse to be owned by Elite Dressage, newly established by international rider Anna Ross and breeder Lorna Wilson. “Gravy”, named after his colour, is an inexperienced six-year-old by Don Schufro. “He was super-balanced in his test and is a lovely boy who will train on,” said Beth. Laura Arnold’s Quatermagic, also six, then won Saturday’s medium freestyle. “This was his first ever medium test,” said Beth. “Like all Quaterback’s offspring, he’s sharp, but he’s coming on well.” Yard favourite Henrico, who is with Anna and Beth for schooling and sale, coped well with the big atmosphere. He won a…

THE elementary silver winners at Petley Wood, Sue Deacon and Standen Taransay, only recently started competing again due to the effects of a traumatic road incident 10 years ago. “I qualified for the Area Festival championships in 2008 and I was on my way to Merrist Wood as a final outing before Hartpury, when we got stuck in traffic on the M25. “‘Tara’ became stressed, started climbing up the walls of my trailer and eventually fell down. I thought I was going to lose her. “Fortunately, a St John’s Ambulance crew saw I was in trouble, put their flashers on and came to help. “I’ve continued to train Tara,” Sue added. “She’s fit and looking great, but she’s now 21 and I thought I’ve got to get out and compete…

WELL done to the British Dressage (BD) board for its quick decision to realign the rules and allow Wallace the mule to compete in the Team Quest classes his rider is aiming for. After all, I started riding on a donkey, so I’m glad BD has taken up this great opportunity to expand its growing membership and, as a charity, to highlight its inclusiveness. One again, however, I am totally lost for words at some of the horrible comments on social media. At the end of the day, BD was following rules and should not be subjected to attacks that are totally out of order, and often personal. Now that Wallace gets his day in the arena, I hope those who were so quick off the mark to damn are…

I SHOULD like to congratulate Simon Bates and his team for putting on a show with a real international flavour. The staff at Keysoe are fantastic. No problem is too big and they really want to please. I’ve been coming to the CSIs here from the start and Simon keeps reinvesting in the facilities. Some venues have big ideas that never happen, whereas he didn’t try to start too big and every year has listened to suggestions and made improvements. ALL LEVELS CATERED FOR WITH classes from producers and 1.10m riders to grands prix, the show was open to all levels. It’s so hard to get into many CSIs due to ranking list restrictions or affordability. How lovely it was here that people at the start of their international careers…

Royal Norfolk CUDDY in-hand success came at only the second qualifying attempt this term for Team Harvey with Jill Godden’s exquisite show pony broodmare, Rhos Exception (Poppy). This lovely 10-year-old owned the ring from the moment she entered it, heading a line of 13 to book her return to Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), where she was third last year. “This champion was absolutely outstanding,” said judge David Tatlow, who followed his usual style of moving animals around during the class to keep everyone guessing. “I always try to find the best possible example of an animal’s breed or type, and this mare ticked every single box.” This was the second Cuddy ticket in less than two weeks for a pony broodmare originally produced under saddle by John Harvey,…

HOYS, ridden heavy horse (M White, N Collins).— 1, Eversley Shires’ Horsmans Ace Card; 2, M Snow’s Gautby Arclid Flashman; 3, Mr & Mrs R Fuller’s Hales Hinos. Shire in-hand (J Etches, I Cook) 4yo, geld.— 1, Eversley Shires’ Walton Bomber; 2, G Cass’ Grovemere Lucky Boy; 3, Syers Shires’ Metheringham Woody. barren mare.— 1 & res, N Blakey’s Foxfields Rose; 2, B Winn’s Winestead Isabella; 3, N Andrews’ Manor Farm Monday Girl. b’mare.— 1, B Banham’s Acle Phoebe; 2, G Cass’ Decoy Royal Sunrise. y’ling.— 1, J Bradbury’s Old Croft Brigadier; 2, N Andrews’ Thames Oak Delilah; 3, M Prior’s Plumpton Kingsmoor Lady. 2yo.— 1, B Banham’s Acle Celebration; 2, Syers Shires’ Fifield Donald; 3, P Read’s Chorley's Commodore. 3yo.— 1 & ch, B Banham’s Acle Minette; 2, J…

HOYS, Cuddy WH (N Turner).– 1, P James’ Ricruisio; 2, K Stanworth’s Evola W; 3, M Cooper’s Bellevue Tomboy. riding horse (V Smith, S Curtis) sml.— 1 & ch, L Cameron’s Casino; 2, P Lobb’s Champagne Fever; 3, D Curtis’ Made In Ireland. lrg.— 1 & res, H Rothwell’s Happy Valentine; 2, M Cardwell’s Carrhouse Double Jeopardy; 3, S Moss’ Tiger Oats. HOYS cobs l’wt.— 1 & ch, P Mortimer’s Freddie Kruger; 2, I Darcy’s Chaplin; 3, N McConville’s Randalstown Rolex. h’wt.— 1 & res, H Andrews’ Randalstown Colombo; 2, P Cole’s Topp Hatt; 3, Baileys Horse Feeds’ Starfall. maxi.— 1, R Flack’s Boweradurrow Fred; 2, F Mouland’s The Ringmaster; 3, C Cooper’s The Cob Lott. RIHS, hunters (L Hamilton) sml.— 1 & ch, L Mollard’s Be Smart; 2, I…

HOYS M&M Mini (P Prickett, J Ryde-Rogers) LR.— 1 & ch, B Taverner’s Mardenway Amazing Grace; 2, H Summers’ Thistledown Kintra; 3, S Osborne’s Woodend Marigold. FR.— 1 & res, R Brightmore’s Cosford Challenger; 2, K Kozersky’s Hisley Calypso; 3, L Birtwell’s Thistledown Lion Heart. M&M jun (P Potter, S Phelan) sml.— 1 & ch, A Brown’s Crumpwell Harry Potter; 2 & res, A Potter’s Heniarth Yes Sir; 3, Cosford Challenger .lrg.— 1, C Harvey’s Murthwaite Wild Fire; 2, E Thomas’s Okedene Justin; 3, A Jones’ Broughton First Lady. M&M open (R Keeling, L Clynes-Thomas) Welsh A.— 1, S Wilson’s Thistledown San-Siro; 2, E Stead’s Waitwith Texas Star; 3, Z Neachell’s Glebedale Jumble. Welsh B.— 1, S Warwick’s Moelview Moscato; 2, J Regan’s Eyarth Braveheart; 3, J Atkinson’s Laithehill Crown…

ALASTAIR JACKSON will be signing copies of his new biography of Horse & Hound’s former hound breeding correspondent, Daphne Moore, at the Festival of Hunting on July 18. Lady of the Chase (Merlin Unwin, £25) is based on Daphne’s remarkable private diaries charting her life-long passion for hunting. The book is sponsored by hunting enthusiast Michael O’Reilly, who has made the royalties available to the Hunt Staff Benefit Society. Daphne, who died aged 94 in 2004, was frank in her assessments of masters, huntsmen and hounds, and the standards of sport achieved. The diaries reveal her talents as an illustrator, producing charming coloured pen and ink drawings to accompany her text, and these are widely used in the new biography. Also used are a huge range of hunting photographs going…

Foxhounds, doghounds (C Frampton MFH & Mrs J Simmons MH) unentered rest.—1, Bicester with Whaddon Chase Denton (N Cotswold Denton 15–Hasty 13); 2, Curre & Llangibby Bogart (Bogart 13–Dahlia 15); 3, Curre & Llangibby Bowler (Bogart 13–Dahlia 15). unentered couple.— 1, Beaufort Falcon & Faraday (N Cotswold Granite 15–Faithful 15); 2, N Shropshire Blackmail (Limerick 14–Blondie 13) & Target (Limerick 14–Tango 12); 3, Curre & Llangibby Bowler & Bogart (Bogart 13–Dahlia 15 ). sp.— Beaufort Faraday entered rest.— 1, Albrighton & Woodland Stockton 17 (VWH Statesman 13–Bobtail 13); 2, Cheshire Hamlet 16 (Warwickshire Harlequin 11–Radical 12); 3, Albrighton & Woodland Salisbury 17 (Bonus 13–Sandal 12). best local.— Albrighton & Woodland Stockton. entered couple.— 1, Albrighton & Woodland Salisbury 17 (Bonus 13–Sandal 12) & Stockton 17 (VWH Statesman 13–Bobtail 13); 2,…

MATCHY MATCHY A rider who was concerned the clock in her rather nice lorry was broken asked for advice on how to mend it. “I’d quite like to keep the clock as it matches the barometer!” she sighed. We salute such matchy-matchy commitment. VISION A rider commented on an H&H piece about wearing glasses or contact lenses in the saddle, to debate the positives and negatives. “Pros: I get on the right horse,” she mused. “Cons: I can see how big the fences are.” Hmm, an argument for going bare-faced? THE BECKHAMS Harper Beckham was given a pony for her birthday and, of course, she will also need an H&H subscription.Details on p77, if you’re interested, Becks. And if you want us to talk you through it, contact details are…

Sir — Recently I had to tell a client that her new Irish cob’s microchip number does not match the one in the accompanying passport — so he is not “Charlie”. The dealer cannot find another passport, so “that one must be his”. It isn’t. Her Irish source says it’s his too. Still wrong — the markings don’t match. My client points out that she could be handling stolen property. The dealer says he isn’t stolen — remarkable, given that neither she, nor her source, knows who he is or where he’s come from. And the Irish Horse Register has no record of his chip number. In a display of generosity, the dealer has offered to pay for a replacement passport, citing that these mix-ups “happen all the time” or…

‘We had to change his IV fluid bags every two hours, day and night, so we camped beside his stable’ SARAH WAYLAND ON JERRY’S INTENSIVE TREATMENT LAST Christmas, the Wayland family prepared themselves for the worst. After 10 days of providing round-the-clock care for Jerry, their seriously ill Connemara gelding, it seemed as if he was losing the battle. “His head had started to tilt until it was twisted, while his left eye had dropped in its socket so you could only see the white part,” recalls Sarah Wayland. “He then stopped eating and drinking and was struggling to stand. We had to make a decision — put him down or carry on.” Jerry was fighting bacterial meningitis, an infection that causes inflammation of the membranes — “meninges” —…

HOW do equestrian sports rank as calorie burners? A quick Google search places “horse riding” as mid-table, above gardening and on a par with golf, but way below the likes of hockey at 654 calories per hour for an average male and cross-country skiing at nearly twice that. “Generally, the higher your heart rate and the longer the the activity time, the more calories burned,” says Victoria Lewis, a senior lecturer in equestrian sport science at the University Centre Hartpury. “It’s not an exact science, but riding would be classed as a moderate intensity activity — so around 460 calories an hour for men and 360 for women — but this varies between individuals.” Before you fire up your fitness tracker, bear in mind that these gadgets are not hugely…

SPORTS dietician Julia Scott Douglas, a consultant with the World Class programme and Professional Jockeys Association, and tutor in nutrition at the British Racing School, warns against skipping breakfast. “Starting a competition with inadequate glycogen or dehydration will result in poor performance and the early onset of tiredness,” she says. “A healthy breakfast of cereal, porridge or toast, including wholegrain cereals and milk, will help you maintain energy through the morning. “Every rider, discipline and level have different requirements, so a dressage rider with one horse will have lower energy demands than an eventer competing five horses. The key is good planning, so you don’t have to rely on the burger van or fast-food outlets.” PRE-COMPETITION: Julia advises boosting carbohydrates, for energy, and eating a moderate amount of protein and…

Aim: this enables you to open up the ribcage and shoulders. A lot of riders collapse through their shoulders and lean forwards, which puts them in a vulnerable position when they are riding, as they’re more likely to end up in front of the horse’s movement should he spook or stop suddenly. This exercise brings your shoulders back and encourages you to raise up through your ribcage, giving you a more secure position in the saddle. How to do it: stand with your feet a hip’s width apart, ensuring your upper body and head are in a straight line. Place your hands on your hips or your arms out in a straight line at shoulder height, whichever feels more comfortable, keeping your legs straight. Gently turn your upper body to…

BEING grounded with a broken collarbone (I’m getting good at one-armed strimming!) has given me plenty of time to watch all the live streaming now available. This development, in which the Event Rider Masters (ERM) plays a big part, has made it easier for riders to watch others and, in consequence, the standard of cross-country riding at the top level is constantly improving. The talking point earlier this season was the removal of the dressage co-efficient, which has had the effect of making scores perhaps too close — you’ve got to pull off something exceptional to establish a lead of significance, as Julia Krajewski did at Bramham and Wiesbaden — but I do think it’s a good idea in principle. It encourages riders to think harder about training and makes…

ON.— 1, Wainthropp (S Murray) 24.3,0,2=26.3; 2, Carrow Iroko (L Milne Home) 30,4,1.2=35.2; 3, Omard Ala (I Mackenzie) 34.3,0,3.2=37.5. ONu18.— 1, Commanchero (D Cross) 32.5,0,0=32.5; 2, Shannondale Flight (B Walker) 36,0,0.4=36.4; 3, The Face Of Rome (E Webster) 25,12,0=37. nov sec K.— 1, Watervalley Diamond Guy (L Fenwick) 28.8,0,2=30.8; 2, Geffory (I Bamford) 28.3,0,4.4=32.7; 3, Guidaro (B Innes Ker) 27.5,4,3.6=35.1. sec L.— 1, Timpany Emperor (D Edward) 31.3,0,0=31.3; 2, Ballyvad Dubh (H Cooper) 30.5,0,4.8=35.3; 3, Shadow Lad (D Crawford) 32.8,0,2.8=35.6. BE100open u18.— 1, Player (D Job) 22.8,4,0=26.8; 2, Valentino III (G Buchan) 27.3,0,1.2=28.5; 3, Craigieburn Heledd (A Roberts) 33.5,0,0=33.5. BE100 sec D.— 1, Ballingowan Carrie (R Macpherson) 26,0,3.6=29.6; 2, Rainbows Little Rock (E Coghill) 32.3,0,0.4=32.7; 3, Earthquake Echo (S Russell) 32.8,0,0=32.8. sec E.— 1, Whaupshill Touche (K Findlater) 24.3,0,2=26.3; 2,…

Hartpury CDI3*, Glos RICHARD DAVISON and his own and Mrs Meyer’s 11-year-old Lingh x Picandt gelding Bubblingh repeated last year’s grand prix freestyle win with an impressive personal best of 77.81% on Saturday's gala evening. Their test had great energy and purpose with some excellent on-the-spot piaffe and expressive passage. There was an occasional loss of balance and a mistake at the start of the two-time changes but the performance earned big marks, including 80% from Stephen Clarke, the judge at C. Richard’s funky garage mash-up music, compiled by Tom Hunt, really stood out from the bunch during an evening of rather similar sounding film scores. “It’s taken a long time this season to get him where I want him,” said Richard, who did not put Bubblingh forward for World…

4 July: inter II Q (J Peberdy, S Hobson, I Wessels).— 1, Kristjan (L Butler) 71.10; 2, Sarotti 57 (M Eilberg) 69.69; 3, Sheepcote Fantasia (S Pincus) 67.89. PSG Q (H Hughes-Keen, Cara Whitham, N Burton).— 1, KK Dominant (G Hughes) 73.95; 2, Brioso II (C Dujardin) 73.46; 3, Bohingus W (S Williams) 68.20. adv med 98Q (J Harris).— 1, Freya FST (E Harris) 72.24; 2, Ulyssa (L Murray) 71.18; 3, Faydirmie ZH (C Whitworth) 69.47. adv med 92Q (G Leverett).— 1, Hawtins Falerno (S Rahmatalla) 72.84; 2, Hemisphere II (D Hicks) 72.43; 3, Falcon II (R Edge) 71.76. 5 July: GP Q (J Harvey, N Burton, E Ebert, S Phillips, S Hobson).— 1, KK Woodstock (G Hughes) 70.60; 2, Contender (B Moody) 66.50; 3, Belmondo III (P Hutton) 66.40.…

KINGS SEDGEMORE 26 June: prelim 15 silv.— 1, Killasins Hero (J Frampton) 66. brnz.— 1, FLS Belle De Jour (V Gawler) 70.4; 2, Geronimo Johnny (K Randle) 67; 3, Over To Clover (S Smith) 65. prelim 19 silv.— 1, Killasins Hero 66.8. brnz.— 1, FLS Belle De Jour 70.2; 2, Rathmorrissey Ramson (R Brown) 66.2; 3, Over To Clover 62.5. nov 22 gold.— 1, Frei Zeus (A Edmonds) 68.6. silv.— 1, Beechfield Diamond (C Makepeace) 67.7. brnz.— 1, Geronimo Johnny 67.5. nov 39 gold.— 1, Frei Zeus 66.7. silv.— 1, Beechfield Diamond 65.9. elem 40 gold.— 1, Hareldik (E Allen) 65. brnz.— 1, Tempest Harley (J Tomlinson) 64.1. elem 53 gold.— 1, Hareldik 64.4. silv.— 1, Holywell Samba Dancer (J Lo-Vel) 66.7. brnz.— 1, Foxies Star (D Squires) 68.8; 2,…

SPARSHOLT 29 June-1 July: BD 4yo (M Hicks, F Wilson).— 1, MSJ Charmer (R Barker) 8.6; 2, Classic Draum (R Shannon) 8.4; 3, Tantoni Quickstep (H Bailey) 8.3. BD 5yo. — 1, Ironi (S Millis) 8.8; 2, Swanmore Wynter (J Palmer) 8.4; 3, Rock Diva (O Oakley) 8. BD 6yo.— 1, Hennessy T (C Whitworth) 9; 2, Hercules (J Palmer) 8.1; 3, Hawtins Salento (R Haryett) 7.8. med 75Q gold (P Watts).— 1, Jos K (K Lewis) 71.48; 2, Gaudeamus (D Deutrom) 67.7; 3, Stoiber’s Black Pearl (S Cheetham) 66.35. silv.— 1, Albertho B (K Lewis) 69.05; 2, Knoxx’s Figaro (D Morgan) 67.7; 3, Twyford Salamander (N Byam-Cook) 67.29. brnz.— 1, Chelesto (K Harris) 63.78; 2, Carina II (J Farrington) 62.29. adv med 98Q gold(J Titley).— 1, Doraya (T Stewart)…

‘I would never have dared to do what he just did’ OLIVER TUFF’S FATHER JUSTIN ON HIS SON’S JUMP-OFF ROUND WITH DARINO B IN THE FOXHUNTER Addington Manor, Bucks TIM STOCKDALE showed all his experience to come out top of a field of more than 100 in the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) Talent Seekers qualifier, the main class on day one. Some 18 pairs made the jump-off, in which the draw played an important part. Tracy Priest was first on Diamants Aurora and had no option but to go for it. They left a pole on the floor and ended up just missing out, in fifth place. With temperatures around the 26°C mark, some horses looked tired, but not Tim Stockdale’s winning ride, Don Diego De Plata.…

6 Jul: 1.30m two-phase. — 1, Its Business Class (M Edwards); 2, Catch The Pigeon II (S-J Coffin); 3, Troo Contest (S Edwards). area trial.— 1 & 3, Larksong & Sebastian VII (H Tredwell); 2, Harlequin Dunraven (K Doyle). 7 Jul: accumulator.— 1, Tiger Bright (W Fletcher); 2, Kinkeen Diamond (M Drea); 3, High Hopes Condor (A Ellery). GP.— 1 & 2, Tinkers Tale & Montreuxs Tale (M Edwards); 3, Bellamy (S-J Coffin). 8 Jul: speed classic.— 1, Willem De Lux (S-J Coffin); 2, Its Business Class; 3, Fairway (A Ellery). Detling Stakes.— 1 & 2, Quidde Du Buisson Z & Montreuxs Tale (M Edwards); 3, Troo Contest. Nupafeeds discovery.— 1, Gayenne PV (S O’Reilly); 2, Oris Du Gournay (L Ebdy). Connolly’s Red Mills newcomers.— 1, Golden Island Star (C…

3 July: YH1* 5yo.— 1, 15 tied. CSI2* 1.10m 2-phase.— 1, Zandokan Z (J Williams) GBR; 2 & 3, Dutsy Van Het Hek & Cuis Ghaire (R Pointer) GBR. YH1* 6yo.— 1, 19 tied. CSI2* 1.20m 2-phase.— 1, Winde (K Watts) GBR; 2, Viva Saint Roch (V Wearing) GBR; 3, Lotus (D Delsart) FRA. CSI2* 1.30m 2-phase.— 1, Levitano (S Goding) GBR; 2, Nistria VD Winning Z (C Nicol) GBR; 3, Kesara (L Edwards) GBR. CSI2* 1.40m speed.— 1, Django Blue (M Sampson) GBR; 2, Happy Boy (P Barker) GBR; 3, Whisper In The Wind (M Watson) GBR. 4 July: YH1* 5yo.— 1, 10 tied. CSI2* 1.15m speed.— 1, Zandokan Z; 2, Alothain De Blondel (L Renwick) GBR; 3, Drumin Jacko (V Wearing). YH1* 6yo.— 1, 23 tied. CSI2* 1.25m…

Sports Horse Breeding (GB) National Hunter Supreme Championships, Addington Manor, Bucks POLLY COLES and the winning open middleweight Bloomfield Valhalla teamed up and gave a polished performance to clinch the National Hunter supreme championship and the coveted Princes’ Grace Trophy. There was no one more surprised and emotional than Polly herself, as she had been thrown in at the deep end to ride “Richie” in the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) open hunter championship, where they took the tricolour to gain entry into the supreme. “I’m so shocked and I’m shaking. I first rode Richie in the hunter championships at Three Counties and this is only my second sit on him,” said Polly, whose mother, Debbie Harrod, recently purchased the Dunroe Diamond Clover six-year-old. Producer Jayne Ross had earlier…

THE weather can be a blessing and a curse. We’ve had some glorious sunshine, which is great for barbecues, and for a sharp horse. On the downside, the ground has become terribly hard. It is such a shame that a lot of the permanent showgrounds don’t do more to combat this. The Great Yorkshire, Lincoln and Hickstead, to name a few, took measures a few years ago and installed all-weather working-in areas, which is a huge benefit to competitors and their horses. I was recently at a county show and found a bit of better going while working in, just to be told that we could only exercise in a specific collecting ring. The space they wanted us to ride on was as hard as Heathrow — it was appalling,…