Innholdsfortegnelse for 05-Sep-2019 i Horse & Hound

TEAM silver for Britain’s eventers at the Euros — a remarkable achievement in such a close competition. The squad went to Germany under the pressure of being capable of beating the home nation. But the Germans had such a strong advantage after the dressage that the competition became about the battle for silver, which the team achieved admirably. Kitty King did herself no harm ahead of Tokyo either, finishing best of the Brits. When watching composed TV interviews, it’s easy to forget quite what it takes and means to riders to get there, whereas both Kitty and Oliver Townend’s emotional responses reminded BBC viewers. For many, the most phenomenal performance was that of Cathal Daniels and Rioghan Rua. The little chestnut mare was charming to watch. We’re in a world…

QUALITY OLD JOKER Holly Smith’s ride has gone to a new home. The 11-year-old gelding scored puissance victories at Olympia, Liverpool, Bolesworth and HOYS as well as many other international classes with Holly in the saddle. SAP HALE BOB OLD The 15-year-old retained his European title with victory at the 2019 championships under Germany’s Ingrid Klimke. The pair also helped Germany to team gold at this year’s event in Luhmühlen. Report, p34 BUTTERCUP The piebald mare was crowned champion rescue pony at Equifest (28 August-1 September), 14 months after she was brought into World Horse Welfare’s care as one of the “worst cases staff had ever seen”.…

THE knock-on effects from challenging weather resulted in a drop in starters at events in 2018, British Eventing’s (BE) directors’ statement shows. The statement and financial report for 2018, which had a wet spring and dry summer, showed starters were down by 12.8% and entries 3.8% from 2017. There was also a slight decrease in membership and horse registrations. Memberships dropped from 16,035 to 15,984, while the number of horses with season or half-season passes fell by more than 1,000, from 11,414 to 10,364. However, there was growth in the uptake of both member and volunteer training sessions. After staff and officials, safety was one of the biggest spends under sport. This includes frangible devices — frangible pins, reverse-pinning kits, MIM clips — that are issued free of charge to…

DENTISTS have an astonishing record at top-level sport. The air pistol world record holder, windsurfing’s 2012 Olympic bronze medallist and eventing’s 2008 Olympic double gold medallist Hinrich Romeike all fix teeth for a living. And perhaps another counterpart is forging the same path. Fellow dentist Caroline Clarke is on the cusp of her first tilt at five-star when H&H visits, and she’s doing something she’s never done before: “wrapping Possum in cotton wool”. Possum, Caroline’s Burghley ride more formally known as Touch Too Much, is a “pony-like” Irish-bred who usually knows how to look after himself. But rewinding four months, on the day Caroline was due to leave for Badminton with the lorry packed, Possum pulled out of his stable with a swollen leg. “I put him on the lunge…

You want to avoid the horse getting stuck in one frame and one pace. The variety in his frame and paces will help keep the horse loose and moving more freely. If you find your horse is stiffer on one side or struggles with the throughness, despite your training, it might be worth getting him seen by your vet and a qualified physiotherapist to ensure there isn’t an underlying physical issue. For a horse to accept being truly through, he must be happy in his mouth. If you are concerned he isn’t accepting the contact, perhaps look at his bit and teeth to rule out any pain or discomfort.…

LUCINDA GREEN  1975 on Be Fair (Luhmühlen) 1977 on George (Burghley) GINNY ELLIOT  1985 on Priceless (Burghley) 1987 on Night Cap II (Luhmühlen) 1989 on Master Craftsman (Burghley) PIPPA FUNNELL 1999 on Supreme Rock (Luhmühlen) 2001 on Supreme Rock (Pau) MICHAEL JUNG 2011 on La Biosthetique-Sam FBW (Luhmühlen) 2013 on Halunke FBW (Malmö) 2015 on FischerTakinou (Blair Castle) INGRID KLIMKE 2017 on SAP Hale Bob OLD (Strzegom) 2019 on SAP Hale Bob OLD (Luhmühlen)…

BACK FROM A SPINAL OPERATION POLISH rider Małgorzata Cybulska (pictured, right), whose name is equivalent to Margaret in English, is still eligible to compete in young riders, being just 21 years old. She finished 31st, with a jumping clear across country, a particularly noteworthy achievement because a spinal operation prevented her from riding for four months in the spring. She has ridden 10-year-old Chenaro 2 since he was five and she is also a psychology student. “I tried to be focused and ride aggressively and positively, which are things I used to have a problem with, and to always be sure I wanted to be the other side of the flags,” she said. KICKING ON AFTER A KICK DENMARK’S Irene Mia Hastrup had a late preparation for the Europeans because…

WITH my British selector hat on, I enjoyed being at the European Championships, where the tension was unbelievable. Taking away the co-efficient in the dressage was supposed to make the dressage less influential, but an unintended consequence is the showjumping is now so nail-biting, with it being common that four faults cost 10 places. Germany deserved gold. If Kai Rüder hadn’t been over 40 seconds late leaving the start box, their winning margin would have been even greater. Ingrid Klimke was so unlucky not to win the World Championships last year when she had the last fence down, but there was no mistake this time and justice was finally done. The Brits tried to give away team silver in the showjumping just scraping home in front of Sweden by less…

ON.— 1, George V (F Lickiss) 27.8,0,3.2=31; 2, Mini Bubble (N Brent) 30,0,1.2=31.2; 3, Karinella Ruby (H Hall) 33,0,0=33. nov sec I.— 1, Future Gravitie (T Forester-Bennett) 31.3,0,2=33.3; 2, Seven Of Diamonds (J Pinkney) 32,4,0.4=36.4; 3, Gaudi (D Sibley) 32.8,4,0=36.8. sec J.— 1, Louisbourg C (J Whiteford) 30.8,4,0=34.8; 2, Billy Hennessy (J Pinkney) 31,4,0=35; 3, Contory (J Findley) 35.5,0,2=37.5. BE100plus.— 1, Quidam De Lux (S Heal) 27.8,0,0=27.8; 2, Unique Van De Hoeveweg Z (R Fry) 28.5,0,0=28.5; 3, Glenomra Delux (K Prowse) 33,0,0=33. BE100open.— 1, My Kiltealy Sandstorm (H Rowcliffe) 27.5,0,0=27.5; 2, Jager Bomb (C Chapman) 25,0,3.2=28.2; 3, Duggans Drift (J Reed) 33.3,0,0.4=33.7. BE100 sec A.— 1, Rosewater Danny Boy (H Bailey) 25.8,0,25.8; 2, King Leopold (L Honeysett) 30,0,0=30; 3, Haslemere Supreme (E Flay) 31,0,0=31. sec B.— 1, GFS Moonlight Echo…

Bury Farm High Profile, Bucks MARIA EILBERG contained Royal Concert’s natural exuberance and kept him on side to win at inter II and grand prix. In Friday’s inter II, the 16-year-old by Royal Diamond looked powerful and confident, particularly in the extensions and the piaffe and passage. He jumped together behind at the start of the one-time changes and didn’t manage to recover, but the quality of the rest of the work was enough to score 72.28%. In Saturday’s grand prix the one-times were accomplished with verve and enthusiasm, and the whole test was energetic and harmonious. “He felt much more established in collection and basic self-carriage, and I felt I had a bit of time in between movements,” commented Maria. “I think I’m getting braver to ride him. He’s…

THE recent European Championships brought us insight into an exciting Tokyo Olympics with many outstanding performances. But the protest during Dutch showjumper Marc Houtzager’s round, when animal activists invaded the showjumping arena and ran around waving “stop horse slavery” placards was also a salutary warning of the shape of things to come. Ethical questions are being raised worldwide over the justification of the use of animals for sport on the world stage. At the Olympics we are the flag-bearers for the relationship between horse and man, and performances will be held up and scrutinised as such. The public perception of horse sport is vital to its longevity, and we need to succinctly articulate our reasons for using horses for sport in a way the general public can understand. It’s easy…

23 Aug: prelim 19 (S Price).— 1, Flamgoch (L Hoskins) 69.70; 2, Marble Arch VIII (K Hughes) 69.17; 3 Hugo X (J Clark) 68.96. nov 23 sec A (S Bell).— 1, Coltstown Glider (E Sutton) 74.38; 2, Renkum Capitano (S Bunn) 73.75; 3, Jackpots Forsetti (B Young) 73.33. sec B (S Cumine).— 1, Cavicii (H Stenvall) 70; 2, Breight Said Fred (L Hughes) 68.96; 3, Vocal Killinghurst (J Taylor) 68.96. elem 53 (A Harris).—1, Pascal McCoy (S Chant) 70; 2, Gershwin FH (J Viney) 69.12; 3 Spellbound II (N Kalderen) 69.12. med 73 (N Du Plessis).— 1, Showstar (J Ainscough) 71.62; 2eq, Bolli (G Dainty) & Glen Prossen (G Somers) 68.24. adv med 91 (J Harris).— 1, Hillgrove Rockwell (H James) 74.1; 2, Raphael (V Watson) 70; 3, Bono II…

COCKSHOT 25 Aug: nov 37 gold (A Davies-Bell).— 1, Gustav IV (D Lever) 67.59. silv.— 1, Oliver XX (K Smith) 67.96; 2, Blessington Power (L Burton) 67.04; 3, Rongai (A Unwin) 66.48. brnz.— 1, Rafiki Yango (L Watson) 65.37. elem 57 gold.— 1, Gustav IV 68.93. silv.— 1, Rongai 64.46. brnz.— 1, Rafiki Yango 65.89; 2, Bally II (S Moss) 64.46. med 61 gold.— 1, Lyme Park Riggeletto (P Hughes) 67.41. silv.— 1, Sir Sams UDH (A Hackett) 67.93; 2, Donner Diva II (S Williams) 64.66. med 73 gold.— 1, Flying Dream II (D Lever) 67.65. silv.— 1, Hollywood VI (C Derby) 66.18; 2, Donner Diva II 63.38; 3, J Kay (R Ibbett) 61.76. adv med 85 silv (J Graham).— 1, Rough Lee So Schufro (D Grundy) 67.65. brnz.— 1,…

VENTURING OUT OF COMFORT ZONES SHORTLY after her inter I win at Cockshot (left), Tori Peter was preparing for a different challenge — a cross-Channel relay swim. “Just 18 months ago I couldn’t do front crawl and was scared to death of fish,” explained Tori. “I hated putting my head in the water and would start to hyperventilate. Crossing the Channel means swimming through shoals of jellyfish and large amounts of debris in the shipping lanes — it would have been the furthest I’d ever ventured out of my comfort zone.” Deteriorating weather conditions forced a last-minute delay — the swim is now scheduled for 20 September. First though, Tori will contest the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Nice this weekend. Tori was inspired to take up triathlon after attending…

29 Aug: 1.40m.— 1, Fruselli (H Smith); 2, Gemmarco 16 (N Pavitt); 3, Mr Blue Sky (G Williams). 1.20m.— 1, Saber (L Long); 2, Royal Trooper II (N Edwards); 3, Deezie-Katine Weering (B Walker). Spidge Photography 1m Q.— 1, Valtaire (S Cox); 2, Calista (A Port); 3, Avalon V (R Nichol). 1.30m.— 1, Cairo Z II (M Dickinson); 2, Hotesse (M Garry); 3, CSF Cruz Flamenco (E Slater). Connolly’s Red Mills newcomers.— 1, Idodinus PP (N Edwards); 2, Forever C (M Dickinson); 3, Ifnotwhynot (N Lockhead Anderson). 1.20m amat Q.— 1, Southbound (F Polland); 2, Banderas (A Carnet); 3, NP Zelah (R Haines). 1m.— 1, Amandas (T Kay); 2, Siediola V (Z Light); 3, Enrico P (C Silvester). Harcour 1.10m amat Q.— 1, Apart EA (C Withey); 2, Bukato (A…

ONE of the criticisms — and there are a few — levelled at huntsmen is that, when it comes to interests, they suffer from tunnel vision. Hunting consumes them and anything non-hunting related is avoided at all costs. There is some truth in this. It takes focus to hunt a pack of hounds well, but that needn’t be at the expense of all outside interests. There are musical huntsmen, those who read, huntsmen — some of whom are published in the pages of this magazine — who possess an elegant prose style and several who are really good artists. Master and huntsman of the Cattistock since 2010, Will Bryer is adamant that he shouldn’t be described as an artist, but he was pursuing this path before he became distracted by…

TEAM GBR put in a strong performance to take silver to Germany at the European Championships in Luhmühlen (29 August-1 September). Tina Cook (Billy The Red), Pippa Funnell (Majas Hope), Piggy French (Quarrycrest Echo) and Oliver Townend (Cooley Master Class) finished 0.3 of a penalty in front of third-placed Sweden. Kitty King, who was riding as an individual on Vendredi Biats, finished best of Brits in seventh, while just one unfortunate showjump down took Oliver out of the medals. “I’m so proud of my team,” said chef d’equipe Dickie Waygood. “There were such strong performances across the disciplines. I’d also like to congratulate the German team on their victory. A team silver medal is fantastic, but our attention now turns to Tokyo.” In a turnaround of her heartbreak at the…

LOT 92 The Kingman colt set a record for Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale at Doncaster, selling for £440,000. The colt was consigned by Hillwood Stud and knocked down to Kevin Buckley on behalf of MV Magnier. GROVESIDE BELLBOY The 14.2hh, who appeared at both Horse of the Year Show and Royal International four years running, has been put down aged 25. “Billy” was ridden by Caitlin Galbraith and retired at her family’s equestrian centre. SEA BREEZE Jason Webb’s star eight-year-old polocrosse mare was named champion horse at the UK Polocrosse Association National Club Championships. Breeze was competing with the Kent Target Polocrosse Club.…

BRIBERY A rider facing her first lesson in some time, feared she might struggle — so baked her trainer scones, with jam and cream, in hope bribery might mean an easier lesson. We don’t know whether it did but the point is, surely, jam or cream first? TEAM CHASING Anyone who questioned whether horses love their job should have been at one team chase, where a horse, shrugging off his lack of rider, took on the fences with gusto, with his teammates. It’s possibly fair to say he enjoyed that event more than his rider did… JUMP JUDGING A jump judge saw all sorts of shenanigans: a loose horse went for a jolly, so a steward “whizzed” over in his car to help, jumped out, forgot to put the handbrake…

I WAS interested to read your news item on livery costs (15 August). As someone who runs a small livery yard, mostly on my own due to increasing costs and often left feeling despondent about the disparity between what I can realistically charge and my wages, it was a breath of fresh air. Sadly, so few people accept that owning a horse is really expensive and they rarely see what costs are incurred over and above those of hay, feed and bedding. I am wary of increasing my charges for fear of upsetting my clients. Therefore, I hope people will understand that if they don’t support their yard owners, people will struggle to find good care for their equines and standards will inevitably fall. The writer of letter of the…

Essential info VISITING BURGHLEY (5-8 SEPTEMBER) HEAD to burghley-horse.co.uk or call 01217 966079 for ticket prices, timetable and info. VISITTHE H&H TRADE STAND FIND Horse & Hound on avenue B,stand B21, where new subscribers can sign up to one of two fantastic show offers. You can either save 25% and receive a choice of welcome gift from a selection, including Noble Equestrian riding tights or a Thermatex rug, or choose a bigger saving of 50%. We also have a special offer on horses-for-sale adverts, so ask the team for a voucher to advertise your horse for just £1. Our sister magazine The Field hosts a gundog display in the main arena after Thursday morning’s dressage. Find them on stand A19 with an unmissable subscription offer — subscribe to The Field…

GERMANY’S GROWING STRENGTH IN DEPTH AS host nation, Germany fielded eight individuals, of whom seven completed. The highlights were: • 2014 world champion Sandra Auffarth finishing 11th on the impressive chestnut Viamant Du Matz, who failed to complete at WEG last year but now looks like her next team horse. • Anna Siemer (pictured) landing 13th on FRH Butt’s Avondale. Anna, 36, has two children — Carlotta, two, and Henry, five — and credits her team and husband Christian for making it possible for her to run her 14-horse yard near to Luhmühlen. “Christian and I have been together 20 years, since I was a pony rider,” she said, adding that he has showjumped at three-star level. “I start riding at 8am when the kids are in kindergarten and finish…

THE standard was high — even those riders ranking 50-60th scored over 60%. And the top couple almost reached 80%. Although we lost the multiplying factor of 1.5 in eventing dressage last year, this result shows it’s still so important to do a good dressage test to win a medal. We saw lots of horses with really good movement, while in years past many eventers had quite an ordinary trot and a canter that wasn’t expressive. Now, we see horses who can show extended trot like dressage horses and well-balanced collected canters. Of course, with event horses you still often see a bit of tension because they are trained for cross-country, but it’s just a slight tightness or a short neck — there were no dramas. And most riders managed…

MIKE ETHERINGTONSMITH ON THE TIME, THE BIRD AND MORE “THERE was some spectacular riding, as well as great decisions by first-timers at this level. “I didn’t expect quite so many to get the time, but with great weather and excellent footing, more go inside the time than if it’s pouring with rain. You have to design a course for all weathers and the time is calculated at 570mpm, you can’t change that. “Overall, I’m pleased with how the course rode. But I will study the footage, as there’s always something new to learn. “I was surprised the bird caused so much trouble — I put it there to ensure riders kept some gas in the tank towards the end of the course. It was intentionally not a brush fence —…

PREDICTING THE RESULT EQUIRATINGS, the equestrian data analysis company run by Irish team member Sam Watson and his university friend Diarmuid Byrne, used the statistical model they have designed with their technology partner SAP to forecast the results of the Europeans. The model simulates the competition 10,000 times and updates its projected leaderboard as the competition progresses with the estimated probability of each pair winning, finishing on the podium or in the top 10. The model proved extremely accurate, with Ingrid Klimke starting as the favourite and Michael the second favourite. In addition, they correctly predicted the top three nations in the team competition.…

WELLINGTON Adv sec R.— 1, Conpierre (S Bullimore) 28.6,0,0.8=29.4; 2, RSH Contend Or (F Collins) 31,0,0=31; 3, Very Good Tempo (T Rowland) 31.1,1,0=32.1. sec S.— 1, Topaze Du Plain (R Scalisi) 29,0,7.6=36.6; 2, Monte Classico (K Coleman) 31.2,0,6.4=37.6; 3, Viscera (T Viklund) 31.3,4,2.4=37.7. adv 8/9yo.— 1, Celus D Ermac Z (A Clark) 27.9,0,0.8=28.7; 2, SRS Kan Do (K Roddy) 31.1,0,0.8=31.9; 3, Falko TH (C Harris) 33.4,0,4.4=37.8. OI sec M.— 1, Dacapo (L Collett) 27.1,0,0=27.1; 2, Willem Van Wup (L Schroter) 23.2,4,0=27.2; 3, Iron IV (S Milnes) 28.4,0,0=28.4. sec P.— 1, Cooley Moonshine (E Halliday-Sharp) 25.7,0,0=25.7; 2, Collien P 2 (W Furlong) 25.9,0,0=25.9; 3, Lordships Graffalo (T McEwen) 29.3,0,0=29.3. OI u21.— 1, Connaght Diamond (H Ewell) 28.9,0,0=28.9; 2, Cafre First Melody (S Kullich) 30.7,0,0=30.7; 3, Just Amazing III (F Collins) 29.6,4,0=33.6.…

SHELFORD MANOR (2) ON.— 1, Reggae Man (T Johnson) 29,0,0=29; 2, Jagos Mill (H Scholl) 30,0,1.2=31.2; 3, Bordergrove Mexico (N Smith) 31,0,0.8=31.8. ONu18.— 1, Kilimazing Topaz (J Fawcett) 30.3,0,0=30.3; 2, Glencarrig Dolphin (L Baguley) 33.8,0,0.4=34.2; 3, KEC Quality Fantasy (O Jackson) 31.8,0,2.4=34.2. nov sec A.— 1, Gorgeous DHI (H Woodhead) 30.3,0,0=30.3; 2, Dannys Diamond (H McCance) 31,0,0.8=31.8; 3, All About Gold (L Baugh) 33,0,0=33. sec B.— 1, Handsome DHI (H Woodhead) 25.3,0,0=25.3; 2, Wish List (T Rudkin) 27.8,0,0=27.8; 3, Call Me Carrie (C Vreden) 26,0,3.2=29.2. BE100open.— 1, Coady Bay Logic (T England) 26.8,0,0=26.8; 2, Just In Time (S Molyneux) 28,4,0=32; 3, Caoife Z (G Dukes) 33.8,0,0=33.8. BE100ou18.— 1, Grandis Oscar (J Curran) 28.3,0,0=28.3; 2, Emeralds Finest (G Wagstaff) 31.3,0,0=31.3; 3, Kelshamore Dandy (A Smith-Maxwell) 31.8,0,0=31.8. BE100RF sec H.— 1, Ballylahive…

23 Aug: PSG gold (A Bostock, A Nicell, K Mepham).— 1, Lazulith (R Bryson) 68.64; 2, Superstar III (L Pye) 68.59; 3, Winnetou GEP (C Hole) 68.28. inter I gold (S Lanning, D Wardle, F Wilson).— 1, Hawtins Falerno (S Rahmatallah) 69.38; 2, WFD Hotstuff (N McGivern) 68.72; 3, Fix Up, Look Sharp (E Darling) 68.55. inter II gold.— 1, Royal Concert (M Eilberg) 72.28; 2, DHI Homerun (N Kayal) 70.39; 3, Diego V (L Carrier) 69.29. 24 Aug: PSG gold (D Wardle, F Wilson, N Goodman).— 1, For Season (L Kuropatwa) 70.39; 2, Camelot’s Black Knight (H Kipping) 69.95; 3, Amadeus VI (N Naylor) 69.16. inter I gold (N Herbert, J Firmston-Williams, M Robins).— 1, WFD Hotstuff 68.9; 2, Wilhelmina II (R Lane) 68.59; 3, Hawtins Falerno 68.46. GP…

FEI pony ch.— 1, Amber V (B Smetham) 138.28; 2, DZL Royal Sunrise (M Whitham) 136.38; 3, Rubinia 37 (C Davis) 133.23. FEI jnr ch.— 1, Woodlander Rhythm N Blues (M Frewin) 143.04; 2, Camelot III (C Snape) 133.56; 3, Flabbergasted II (E Coller) 130.43. FEI YR ch.— 1, Hey Mambo (R Baybutt) 134.21; 2, Bonita VI (A Lee) 133.99; 3, Enjoy Amaris V (E Bradshaw) 131.4. ch-on-horses. — 1, Solitaire II (S Marston) 140.19; 2, My Delilah (A Coller) 136.28; 3, Bonhard Alexander (C Hill) 123.27. med and above teams.— 1, Northern Platinum (Frankel/B Edginton; Wallenstein/J Mellor; Camelot III/C Snape; Hey Mambo/R Baybutt); 2, Scottish Clydesdales (Cremdalla Crem/C Milne; Apart/S Leckie; Hirstmund Merlot/Z Florence; Go/M Haley); 3, Central Crocodiles (Keystone Royal Chrystal/M Dawes; Boularouz/ Jankiewicz; Tegro/H Corkett; Daiquiri IV/R…

WEST WILTS EC 22 Aug: prelim 14 gold (S Buttenshaw).— 1, Curioso De Vida (S Grant) 65.96. nov 24 silv.— 1, Keljan Reddi To Go (P Firth) 67.17; 2, Gipsyville Traveller (B Butterworth) 64.56; 3, Penpont Chantilly (R Baker) 63.26. brnz.— 1, Key West B (J Stancombe) 65.21; 2, Whispering Angel (P Lovett) 63.47. nov 34Q silv.— 1, Keljan Reddi To Go 68.57; 2, Watermill (K Harris) 65; 3, Gipsyville Traveller 61.19. brnz.— 1, Mr Mufti (I Thompson) 68.81; 2, Key West B 68.57; 3, Actual Proof (L Cansfield) 65. elem 40 gold.— 1, Adonis (S Mandy) 67.09; 2, Lucy Diamond II (F Gair) 65.32. silv.— 1, GF DeLorean (H Reid) 68.06; 2, Jodan (J Davies) 66.61; 3, Tommy VII (J Chilcott) 65.16. brnz.— 1, Week Orchard R (K Brown)…

SAM FISH and her Shire/ thoroughbred gelding Cumeragh House Mac scored a personal best inter I score to win at Solihull EC. “We call Mac the ‘go-faster plough horse’,” joked Sam, who runs Gunstone Hall Equestrian livery yard near Wolverhampton. “He’s quite a character — probably the sharpest I’ve ever ridden — and the Shire breeding gives him so much cadence and elevation. I’d have another Shire/ thoroughbred in a heartbeat, if only I could find one. “Reaching grand prix is the dream,” added Sam. “If we can just get the one-times sorted, the rest is there.”…

AS we get to that time in the season where many are still on the merry-go-round of trying to qualify for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), it’s nice to look back at a great summer of showing. Fixtures such as the Royal International (RIHS), Great Yorkshire and Dublin have been well-supported with five rows of spectators at some. This year’s RIHS took me back to the days of Ponies (UK) (PUK) some 20 years ago. We’d always go — not just for the quality ponies but also the social aspect. People would take a week off work to head off on their summer holiday and would catch up with friends, also enjoying a party or two. Due to cost, my father didn’t register my ponies, so I started going…

HOYS, M&M, mini (J James, H Banbury) LR.— 1 & res, K Slattery’s Newoak Wizard; 2, L Smith’s Thistledown Orchid; 3, C Evans’ Finglebridge Funtime. FR.— 1 & ch, E Houghton’s Langworthy Swift Ghost. 2, S Pearce’s Garnelog Heledd; 3, M Jackson’s Nantfforchog Blue Moondust. jun (B Evans, R James) sml.— 1, T Heathcote’s Hisley Caliph; 2, L Cottrell Telynan Hotshot; 3, J Chadwick’s Cayberry First Edition. lrg.— 1 & ch, E Maxwell Jones’ Nipna Flaming Katy; 2 & res, A Smith’s Laburnum Richard; 3, K Errington’s Krypton Spider. M&M WHP (G McMurray,K Baskeyfield) 122cm.— 1 & ch, G Whetter’s Barhill Danny; 2, T Heathcote’s Roseberry Lullaby; 3, S Heath’s Friars All Gold. 133cm.— 1, L Mitchell’s Millwood Chico; 2, A Roger’s Settvalley The Titan; 3, K Whittaker’s Halliwell Sian.…

Int.— 1, Team Ride Away IV (J Stevenson, A Bradshaw, D Barrett, L Davies); 2, Fox Grant Thrusters I (W Grant, A Stone, P Nichols, B Rollins); 3, Berkeley Balls (H&C Baker, L Lingham, A Jackson-Fennell). nov (speed).— 1, Fox Grant Cubs I (A Stone, P Nichols, A Grindal, S Morrison); 2, Fox Grant Cubs II (L Fowler, C Kelly, S Morrison, E Setchell); 3, The Why Nots (C Burrows, A Newman, P Sewell, S Morgan). nov (bogey).— 1, Red Hot Filly Peppers (L&S Pollard, S Jones, J Smith); 2, Teme Valley Tigers (K&E Holman, H Wybergh, S Gibbons); 3, Wishful Warwickshire (S Butler, H Moodie, A Sharp, R Pitcher).…

RACING SHOCKED BY TWO DEATHS THE Australian racing community has been shaken by the deaths of two jockeys. Mikaela Claridge, a 22-year-old apprentice, died after an accident at Cranbourne Training Centre on 30 August. “Mikaela was a talented young rider, pursuing a career in the sport she loved,” said Racing Victoria chief executive Giles Thompson. “She was a much-loved and valuable member of the racing community and her sad passing is felt by many.” The next day, 32-year-old Melanie Tyndall died after a racing fall at Fannie Bay. “Melanie was a much-respected member of the Northern Territory [NT] racing family and her sad passing will be felt by many within the industry,” said Thoroughbred Racing NT CEO Andrew O’Toole. SECOND RUNNING OF YOUTH SCHEME APPLICATIONS have opened for the second…

Showjumper Harriet Nuttall was the first lady rider to win the All England grand prix at Hickstead on 1 September. Harriet rode 11-year-old gelding Galway Bay Jed. Report, p70 Brazilian eventer Ruy Fonseca has been given the nod to fly home to Britain to continue his recovery from injuries sustained in a cross-county fall at the Pan American Games on 3 August. Jockey Megan Nicholls, 22, has won the Silk Series for the third time in three years. Megan, daughter of trainer Paul Nicholls, is the only jockey to have won the all-female 15-race series. German showjumper Simone Blum has announced she is pregnant with her first child. Simone and her husband Hans-Günter Goskowitz are expecting the baby in February. Irish showjumper Kevin Babington is receiving treatment in hospital for…

TWO British eventers were devastated to be given yellow cards related to whip use. Gemma Tattersall was sanctioned on Quicklook V at the Event Rider Masters in Millstreet on 24 August, while Piggy French was given the card on Quarrycrest Echo at the European Championships on 31 August. Piggy’s horse had a mark, while Gemma used her whip more than twice in one incident, both of which are classed as excessive whip use under FEI rules. Piggy said: “I feel really sad because this overshadows how amazing my horse was on Saturday. I felt he backed off through the tough water complex so, to ensure his safety and mine, my reaction was to give him a couple of reminders. “Of course I accept the yellow card, but the welfare of…

FLY MASKS A rider was rather robustly shouted at by a Muggle, who told her he was going to report her to all sorts of people for being cruel to her horse. For putting a fly mask on. We’re all for advancement of knowledge and reporting cruelty but maybe do at least some research first, eh? DUCHESS DESIREE The Finnish horse looked set for a rather hard day at the Europeans, according to one start-list, which had her down as being ridden by all the riders in the dressage. That’s one thing, let’s just hope she wasn’t down to do 72 cross-country rounds too. BIOLOGY Hounds are back out, and so are our friends the sabs, who posted online a picture of a “bitch” with an “untreated mammary tumour”. Um.…

GA: I’m the sound designer for lots of big shows, so I have a warehouse of equipment and the trucks go from show to show. I make a plan so my boys know where to hang the speakers exactly to the metre, so there are no “holes” in the sound anywhere. In Aachen, we have 400 speakers. GA: I was a musician, playing trumpet and drums, but the other musicians said I would be better on the other side of the cable. So I worked on the technical side, touring with bands such as Deep Purple. My first horse show was in 1986 in Oldenburg, my home town. Then, there was no music at shows except fanfares. I brought in intro music, prize-giving music, and “jingles” for clear rounds, winners…

ANAND PATEL ANAND was born and bred in central London, to a non-equestrian family, and is now realising his boyhood dreams of riding and producing horses professionally. Those riders he once watched endless training videos of, such as Carl Hester, he now trains with and is honoured to call his peers. TRAINING THE STARS I HAVE to work on throughness (the horse working from the hindquarters into a soft, elastic rein contact) with a few of my horses, but in particular Bandito, who is currently competing at medium level. He is a very big-mover and came to me practically unrideable as he was so stiff through the topline and incredibly naughty. Working on his flexibility and suppleness has really helped him to relax and learn to work through.…

Longines FEI European Eventing Championships, Luhmühlen, Germany TO go into a championship as defending team champions and come away with silver may sound like a failure. But Britain truly won the silver rather than losing the gold in the European Championships at Luhmühlen, and the whole squad can go home with their heads held high. “We had to fight all the way to the end,” said performance manager Dickie Waygood — and it was true. ‘Even as an individual you want to do your best and not let anyone down’KITTY KING None of the Team GBR quartet quite achieved the dressage scores they wanted, and with the Germans always some way in front of their noses and the chasing pack very hard on their fetlocks, the Brits had to battle,…

Midway Championships, Hartpury University and College, Glos “HE thinks he’s a lead-rein pony,” said freelance rider and trainer Holly Colgate-Hardaway of her 12-year-old gelding Dalvangs Lorenzo, with whom she enjoyed a hat-trick of wins at prix st georges (PSG). The daughter of grand prix rider and trainer Zoe Colgate-Sopp, Holly scored plus-70% across the board to land both her arena tests, as well as Friday night’s freestyle. “I’m thrilled because it’s our first season at PSG,” said Holly of the Bogegardens Laurino gelding whom she has owned since an unbacked six-year-old. “We still have lots to work on at this level, but it’s all going in the right direction.” The pair earned eights for their changes and 7.5s for their pirouettes, which they’ve been working on getting “more together and…

MERRIST WOOD 24 Aug: nov FSM Q gold (A Cardiff).— 1, High Hoes Estelle (D Morgan) 80; 2, Breit Fantastic (D Morgan) 75.83; 3, Clooney Boy (L Wickes) 74.16. silv.— 1, Balvenie (L Baynes) 72.22; 2, Micro Man (J Philpot) 70; 3, Millfield Catapult (N Holehouse) 70. brnz.— 1, Casey Jones II (S Hewitt) 68.05. elem FSM Q gold.— 1, Breit Fantastic 76.15; 2, Knights Parnashe (H Knight) 69.03. silv.— 1, Harnells Erasmus (M Graham) 76.15; 2, Clooney Boy 73.26; 3, Surprise Me (C Edwards) 72.69. med FSM Q gold (M Robley).— 1, Headmore Dionysus (A Oppenheimer) 76.83; 2, Headmore Bella Ruby (A Oppenheimer) 74.66. silv.— 1, Albertho B (K Lewis) 72.16; 2, Keystone (R Gilbert) 68.5; 3, Classic Riverdance (L Stroud) 68.33. adv med FSM Q gold.— 1, Headmore…

DARCAS LEVER rode three horses to victory, adjusting her warm-ups to suit the roasting temperatures — especially for her PSG silver winner Negradite. “This was his first time out after six months off,” said Darcas, explaining that the 18.1hh gelding underwent tie-back and Hobday surgery for paralysis of the left side of his larynx. “The heat really affected him, so we did have a few costly mistakes.” Flying Dream II, who took the medium 73, coped well. “He’s exceptionally fit,” said Darcus of the Keenan family’s “quirky” eight-year-old gelding. “I’ve only been riding him for six months, but I’m proud of the partnership we’ve formed.” Darcas also won an elementary with the Keenans’ Gustav IV. Tori Peter drew on her experience as a triathlete to win the inter I with…

SOLIHULL EC 22 Aug: adv med 85 gold (J Harris).— 1, GF Dusautoir (M Forrest) 73.53. silv.— 1, Edendawn William Wombat (D Hardwick) 72.06; 2, Oscar Esquire (J Clark) 66.62; 3, Cruz V (H Needham) 64.12. brnz.— 1, Pendan Reigan (L Marsh) 61.32. adv med 96 gold.— 1, GF Dusautoir 71.05; Fi Chellio (N Allen) 68.16. silv.— 1, Edendawn William Wombat 70.13; 2, Oscar Esquire 68.95; 3, Forever Noble (H Needham) 62.11. PSG gold.— 1, Romaggio (N Allen) 65. brnz.— 1, Impression G (S Edwards) 63.42. inter I silv.— 1, Bear (J Pharaon) 67.24; 2, Zidaan (T Johnson) 65.53; 3, Serafine (S Johnson) 64.08. brnz.— 1, Cumeragh House Mac (S Fish) 68.42; 2, Mister Bicester (F Roques) 63.29.…

THERE has been a fair amount of venue bashing recently on social media, with people griping about the cost of competing and stabling at shows. I can only speak for Hickstead, but our outgoings are around £4m every year and we have to try to generate that amount to just break even. Essentially, we have five income streams — ticket sales, trade stands, entry and stabling fees, sponsorship, and showground hire and events. We recently invested £500,000 in a fourth all-weather arena, firstly to give us weather resilience, but also to create a new all-weather cross country schooling facility, which will be open between October and May. Diversification is the key to spreading the annual overheads. I believe that show centres should be applauded for their contribution to the sport.…

International: 2* big tour 1.40m.— 1, Quintella (G Tame) GBR; 2, Fremont VDL (A Thompson) GBR; 3, Iron Lady Van T Meulenhof (K Shore) GBR. 1.40m 2-ph.— 1, Quintella; 2, Tinkers Tale (M Edwards) GBR; 3, Paris 16 (N Pavitt) GBR. 1.40m spd.— 1, Calcourt Quicktime (J Fernyhough) GBR; 2, Fremont VDL; 3, Billy Angelette (W Funnell) GBR. 1.45m gp.— 1, Millioninmind (E Ward) GBR; 2, Temple Rebus (O Fletcher) GBR; 3, Lordanos Junior (S Charles) GBR. med tour 1.35m SP.— 1, Wet Wet Wet (A Shields) GBR; 2, Adriarna (S Edwards) GBR; 3, Chaska II (S Charles) GBR. 1.35m spd.— 1, Adriarna; 2, Boogie Woogie (A Thompson) GBR; 3, Horst Van De Mispelaere (O Fletcher) GBR. 1.40m gp.— 1, Quintella; 2, Wet Wet Wet; 3, Gemmarco 16 (N Pavitt)…

British Show Pony Society (BSPS) Summer Championships, Arena UK, Lincs A SERIES of ever-improving performances from Shirley Dennison’s Blue Riband show hunter pony champion and section supreme, Merrycorner Mister Bui (Buttons), culminated in the Philip Judge overall supreme title. This result returned rider Harriet Dennison to the spot she last occupied in 2017 with her 148cm show pony, Laybalands Fly By Night. Judge Jackie Beatham had serious food for thought, since not only were numbers well up for this 50th anniversary show, but standards were higher than ever, too. From the final line-up of 14 worthy champions, she chose the free-moving, elegant, part-bred Connemara to stand top. “It was a true athlete,” declared Jackie. “It had a good walk, a naturally elevated way of going and superb presence. It was…

HOYS, WHP (T Strapp, H Taylor) 133cm.— 1, J Nixon’s Mynyddmorfa Susanna; 2, M Schaible’s Woodend Tempo; 3, C Gould’s Bowmount Rusty. 143cm.— 1, J Reading’s Rowdown Archer; 2, C Punshon’s Drummin Flyer; 3, W Jeffery’s Woodfield Jovial Joker. 153cm.— 1 & res, A Baldwin’s Quaralia; 2, C Stanley’s Ardwholihane Bouncer; 3, J McPolin’s Glenmore Miss Mirah. int.— 1, ch & Noble Bing WHP ch, D Reynolds’ Rascality; 2, J Davies’ Ardnacashel Cosmopolitian; 3, S Moult’s Carnsdale Mr Sox. Price Family mini (P Dorman, J Cochrane) LR.— 1 & res, C Judge’s Windbush Medallion; 2, L Bishop-Milnes’ Stockhill Prince Edward; 3, L Smith’s Cosford Madam Mouse. FR.— 1 & ch, J Bennison’s Woodview Ianthe; 2, E Andrews’ Barkway Mr McGregor; 2, L Kerr’s Wytchwood Love Potion. Bryony Gribbin Vale Farms…

IN the searing heat which persisted throughout this year’s show, welfare of both animals and riders was a major issue. Several judges remarked that since so many animals again looked like seals because of the excessive oil on their coats — which prevents them from sweating and thereby controlling their core temperature — the practice is tantamount to cruelty and puts these ponies at serious risk, particularly if they are too fat as well. Rider welfare also came under fire. In temperatures approaching 30°C, numerous announcements were made that children competing in flat classes need not wear jackets but yet again, this was mostly ignored. “Standing in a line-up for maybe two hours or more in the baking sun with no shade is like torture — particularly for a very…

NPS Area 4 president Madge Taylor of the Langfield Stud started showing ridden natives in the late 1970s. “Back then, it was a case of an M&M being ridden in the show ring as opposed to showing a ridden pony that happens to be an M&M,” said Madge. “As with everything, popularity has its pluses and minuses — established breeders had a market for their carefully bred ponies. “However, the minuses are twofold; indiscriminate breeding regardless of the correct standard of each breed, to fulfil the demand. Similarly, the influence of showing judges who do not have enough knowledge, as their opinion dictates the future. “The presentation of ponies has improved overall, although some are overproduced. Breed type has lost ground, particularly movement, and should reflect the animal’s original habitat,…

HOYS, RH (K McGuinness, L Killingbeck) sml.— 1 & res, D Stennett’s Casino; 2, E Whalley’s Prestwood Royal Appointment. lrg.— 1 & ch, Lady Tyrrell’s Chainmail; 2, D Robertson’s Hoghton Valentino; 3, K Bainbridge’s Ricciolan. hack (Miss L Haines, D Puttock) sml.— 1, S de la Hay’s Binghams Toy Story; 2, C & S Hall’s Carrhouse Dark Silk; 3, A Dark’s Runnon Ruby Tuesday. lrg.— 1 & ch, M Wallace’s Forgelands Hyde Park; 2 & res, S Farrow’s Willowlands Renaissance; 3, J Watts’ Hinwood Libertine. hunter (J van Praagh, P Cook) l’wt.— 1, C Blair’s Equador; 2, A Gallagher’s Barnacurra Maximus Meridius; 3, HM The Queen’s Kluane. m’wt.— 1 & ch, J Armstrong-Small’s Carlingfords King; 2, C Langrish’s Blushing Boy; 3, K Hirst’s Noble Gladiator. h’wt.— 1 & res, C…

‘My horse Jim was cooked and I was walking like John Wayne’ THIS summer, an ex-army friend, Ed, who hunts with us, had the idea of riding cross-country between three hunt kennels; setting off from the College Valley and North Northumberland kennels down the road from here, riding all the way to the West Percy kennels 19 miles away and finishing up in Alnwick with the Percy. The entire ride would take three days and cover a total distance of 39 miles, divided up by a night in a bunkhouse and another under canvas. Ed had permission from the landowners to make the trip, with the proviso that we stayed off the grouse moors — which wasn’t surprising given the time of year, although galloping between the butts mid-drive may…