Innholdsfortegnelse for 11-May-2023 i Horse & Hound

YOUNG riders, breeders and nations risk being priced out of elite showjumping unless the right balance is found between cost and reward. “Fantasy fees” on riders’ bills at shows, how to balance big differences in prize money, riders’ paying their way into shows (“pay cards”), and costs headlined a debate at the FEI Sports Forum (24-25 April). Riders, owners, officials and organisers shared ideas for a financially viable future, without top-level jumping becoming a sport only for “billionaire families”. Entry fees in the US work on a different model to Europe. Inflation and exchange rates mean sums differ between countries - and the FEI is proposing to rebalance the situation. As part of this, the FEI suggested lower-limit prize money at one-star, which would be good for some but there…

RIDERS are remindedto check - and double-check their tack after a raft of competitors were eliminated for having their horses’ bits on incorrectly at the Winter Dressage Championships. By Saturday evening (22 Aprii), seven competitors at Hartpury for the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships and Petplan Equine Area Festival finals had been eliminated. The bit in question, the Sprenger Ultra Loose Ring, is dressage-legal. But for those unlucky seven, they competed with the bit attached to the bridle in thè wrong way. The manufacturer's guidelines state that Sprenger bits that are marked with an arrow at the side of the mouthpiece have to be positioned correctly in the horse's mouth, and this arrow has to point forwards on the left-hand side. “It is always disappointing for everyone concerned when…

VETS are allowed to carry out any dental procedures that they are trained to do and feel competent performing, and there are now many equine vets who have undertaken further qualifications in equine dentistry. The most qualified of these are specialists who have passed rigorous diploma examinations, being members of either the European or American Veterinary Dental Colleges. They are the only group who can call themselves equine dental specialists. There are also equine vets who have undergone postgraduate training in equine dentistry to attain advanced practitioner status. Vets on this list have knowledge and experience in equine dentistry beyond their veterinary degree, and also have confirmed that they are up-to-date in their area of expertise. There are also vets who have sat and passed the BEVA/BVDA equine dental technician…

BEST of the British first-timers, and the only one to complete, was Kristina Hall-Jackson. The 25-year-old from Dewsbury, Yorkshire, was riding her own and the KHJ Syndicate's CMS Google. They finished 29th, with Kristina saying she has “learnt a great deal” on her Badminton debut. “She's an incredible horse and I'm learning all the time. I'm really lucky to have Chris Sartie and Pippa Funnell training me and they fill me with confidence,” said Kristina, who was given this 13-year-old mare as a Christmas present from her parents when they bought her from Vere Phillipps in 2015. Kristina, who events full-time, had a couple of refusate on cross-country day, but finished well and added six faults on the final day. “It's a bit frustrating when I make little mistakes, but…

THE ground was very good on the first day, Friday, and wet and muddy on the second, Saturday. Although some of the leading marks came towards the end, such as from Pippa Funnell and Billy Walk On (above, equal 11th), some riders asked if it's time to invest in all-weather at Badminton. “We're not doing walk and trot tests, these are top-level horses,” said Izzy Taylor. “We've produced them to get here, they're worth a huge amount of money and we're asking them to do difficult movements in poor going. “I appreciate it's tradition, but eventing has moved forward. Sport is meant to be as fair as possible.” However, Harry Meade said after his test on Saturday afternoon that although the arena “looked messy”, it “wasn't holding”. “The horses are…

TALKING POINT WILLIAM FOX-PITT suggested a boycott of the direct-route rail into The Lake at fence 21a (Hollie Swain and Solo are pictured here, above) before cross-country and course-designer Eric Winter responded, explaining he wanted to prevent horse falls and mitigate risk. The rail had a MIMclip, so anyone triggering it would incur 11 penalties. “I think we should all jump the alternative rail in,” said William. “I think the direct rail is a horrendous fence for our sport. Why is that fence there? What's the matter with a log with brush into The Lake? I think it's very sad, as I would hope my horse would rub her back legs over it, dropping into the water - that's what good horses do.” Eric responded: “I think the fence will…

BADMINTON Showjumping THE Kelvin Bywater-designed track proved influential, with just two clear jumping rounds inside the time from 30 showjumping starters. The USAs Katherine Coleman and Monbeg Senna jumped the only clear from the 10 competitors in the morning session. They were one second over the time allowed - 85 seconds - to finish 23rd. The bogey fence was the first of the three doubles (5ab), where both elements had water trays. Ros kicked off the top IO, jumping out of order with Pencos Crown Jewel, seventh after cross-country. The mare lowered two fences to finish ninth, but Ros said it was a “benefit” to have a bonus bite of the cherry before jumping overnight leader Lordships Graffalo. Capels Hollow Drift jumped a superb clear inside the time under Tom…

WHEN BE90 victor Amy Dixon first took Goodluck II showjumping, an onlooker told her that his technique was akin to “a spider being thrown across a room”. It didn't come naturally to him, but the 39-year-old rider feels like she has now found a key to this phase by using a hackamore. Amy had one made by her local saddler, Jenny Inman, and Goodluck II seems to have taken to it like a proverbial duck to water. “He's an anxious horse and he's not only sensitive to the bit, he also likes to chew it,” explained Amy. “I tend to go to my hand and not my leg, which hasn't helped. I've had jumping lessons from Simon Buckley, plus James Sommerville, and this training, coupled with taking the bit away,…

SHOWING BSPS WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS Winners’ gallery…

HIGHLIGHTS 28 April-1 May Chepstow Spring International CSI2*, Wales and West, Monmouthshire GRAHAM GILLESPIE got straight down to business with new ride Veneno to win the Longines ranking CSI2* grand prix on their first major outing together. It has been three years since the Scottish rider claimed a grand prix win - during which rime he has focused on producing young horses but after deciding to buy an experienced horse to get back in the game, he found instant success with this 15-year-old, who has jumped to five-star with Donald Whitaker. “We'd sold a few nice eightyear-olds and I decided it was time to buy an older one,” said Graham. “I knew he was a very capable horse.” Jumping third draw from eight forward, Graham and the athletic Veneno axed…

THERE were two very impressive winners at Newmarket on Sunday - Running Lion, a daughter from the only crop of Roaring Lion, in the Howden Pretty Polly Stakes, and Via Sistina (pictured in front) in the Howden Dahlia Stakes. it's a job to know whether the tacky ground was throwing up big-margin winners or these were two Group One winners waiting to happen. The ground is, trainer George Boughey admitted, absolutely key to the five-year-old Via Sistina, but not so for Running Lion, who gave owner-breeder David Howden the pleasure of writing the winner's cheque to himself. I think we will see a good deal more of his double green colours. It now gives John Gosden reason for a head scratch. He trained Roaring Lion, who won the Dante impressively…

gemma.redrup@futurenet.com @gemmaredrup Derwent Hunt, Charm Park, N Yorks IN the mixed open, brothers Chris and John Dawson enjoyed a win with Jan Buckingham's 11-year-old Steely Addition. Trainer Chris originally bought the horse as an unbroken three-year-old. “After John won on him as a four-year-old at Hexham, we sold him at Cheltenham to Jan,” Chris explained. After a few stinte at various trainers’ yards, Steely returned to the Dawsons’ base last season. “Things didn't quite pan out for him, so I said to Jan, a bit tongue-in-cheek really, that she should send him back to me for a while to get his mojo back,” said Chris. “He did get his spark back last year and his confidence was on a high, but he's a horse who likes sunshine and dry weather,…

NEWS Insider Share your news story Call 0330 390 6386 Email eleanor.jones@futurenet.com @ jones_eleanor_ IT is what dreams are made of, but Ros Canter said she may never have dreamed she could do what she has done winning her first Badminton on Lordships Graffalo. Former world Champion Ros and Grafenstolz gelding “Walter”, 11, led from start to finish, topping the dressage on 22.1. They added 11.6 timepenalties on a cross-country course that had been hit by heavy rain and on which no one made the optimum time, then put in a polished, foot-perfect showjumping clear, adding 1.6 time-penalties to finish on 35.3, exactly 15 penalties ahead of Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class in second. “Everyone says this is what dreams are made of but I don't know if I ever…

TAKING horses’ temperatures can save lives - and has done so - riders have been reminded, as the community unites to fight the threat of strangles. To mark the 2023 Strangles Awareness Week (1-7 May), World Horse Welfare presented a webinar on 3 May. Experts spoke about biosecurity and best practice in preventing and managing strangles. Riders were reminded it is the most commonly diagnosed infectious equine disease in the UK, and that a high temperature is often the first sign, typically two to three days before the horse starts shedding the infection. FEI senior veterinary advisor Caterina Termine spoke about the importance of good biosecurity, referring to the “devastating” EHV outbreak in Europe in 2021. She explained new rules brought in as a result of this, including twice-daily temperature…

I'm from a non-horsey family, but I had an obsession with equines when I was tiny I'd stare at Shires at a local show all day. I came from a hardworking family who didn't have money to chuck at a child's hobby. But there was a pony in the field behind our house, and my sister and I befriended the owner. Sometimes there would be three of us on the pony - me, my sister and our friend. One time I lost both my wellies, the others started giggling and all of us fell off. When you're in that environment with nobody running over to see if you're alright, you don't have any fear. I did get tidied up later - in my teens I helped at a trekking centre…

THERE were leaderboard climbers aplenty this year, thanks in part to the testing ground conditions. Some horses who might otherwise go under the radar with poorer dressage marks had the chance to shine thanks to their jumping process. The biggest climber, and therefore the winner of the Glentrool Trophy, was France's Lue Château, who rose from 56th after the first phase to 11th with E.A.R.L. Haras Des Chateaux's 14-year-old Viens Du Mont. This resuit was mostly thanks to docking the fourth-fastest round of the day across country, where they incurred 21.6 time- faults, and 8.4 faults on the final day didn't impact their overnight 11th place. ONE TO WATCH “My horse has a big heart and always gives 100%,” said Luc of the Selle Français gelding, who was ninth in his first…

● Five overnight leaders have gone on to win Badminton in the past 10 runnings of the event (event cancelled in 2012, 2020 and 2021) stretching back to 2011. ● 2011 was the 12th year in a row that the overnight leader had won Badminton, a run broken by Jock Paget's win from second place in 2013. Since then, there has been much more variation in how this phase has played out. ● As this year, the ground was very wet and energy sapping across country in 2014, which showed in tired horses in the final phase. The only jumping clear at that event came from Australia's Wendy Schaeffer, 12th on Koyuna Sun Dancer, and it was at the expense of three time-faults. ● 2014 also marks the only year…

HIGHLIGHTS 25April-lMay Cirencester Park (2), Glos “RIDING him is like pulling on an old pair of slippers,” declared Kitty King, recounting her ride on Diana Bown and Samantha Wilson's Rio 2016 Olympic veteran Ceylor LAN, who was the convincing winner of advanced section N. “This was his first ran of the season and I thought he'd be fresher than he was in the dressage, but he thoroughly enjoyed his day out - he came out of the showjumping swinging his head around and full of the joys of spring,” she smiled. The pair added just 4.4 time-penalties to their dressage score of 28.4 to finish more than five penalties clear of runners-up Vittoria Panizzon and DHI Jackpot. Kitty admitted to being relieved to “get a decent track under my belt”…

SHOWING HIGHLIGHTS 24-30 April South of England Spring, W Sussex A HOME-BRED Welsh mare scooped the supreme pony title, and £1,000 prize pot, on only her second ever appearance in the show ring. Earlier in the day, Mandy Burchell-Smalls Rowfantina Old Gold, ridden by eightyear-old Ellie Johnson and led by Mandy's son, Oliver Burchell, started their campaign by standing top of the mini mountain and moorland (M&M) Heritage championship, qualifying for the Royal International (RIHS). “She'd only been to one show in her whole life,” said Mandy, of the Monksfield Jupiter five-year-old out of Mandy's star broodmare Rowfantina Old Times. “Gold was backedjust before Christmas and on her debut in the ring she was Champion at BSPS Area 14,” Mandy continued. “She's a really lovely person; we think very highly…

HIGHLIGHTS 24-30 April HAVE YOU HAD A NOTABLE WIN IN THE SHOW RING? Email alexandra.robinson@futurenet.com within 24 hours of the show for your chance to appear in this section Northern Ireland Festival, Cavan EC, Co. Cavan FOR the third time in his career, Charlotte Smiley and Bernadette Lyons’ Dales Copleylane Ringo (Merlin) landed the supreme pony title. The 16-year-old has been a super-consistent performer for dog groomer Charlotte, and impressively he has won his class at the Northern Ireland Festival every year since his debut there in 2016. “One day Bernadette asked me to sit on him at a show and the rest is history,” said Charlotte, who has featured with Merlin at the past five consecutive HOYS finals. “He doesn't feel 16 and he loves everyone watching him.” Reserve…

POINT-TO-POINT HIGHLIGHTS 6-7 May Kimblewick Hunt, Kingston Blount, Oxon FARRIER Thomas Murray steered his trusty partner Gabrial The Great to win the men's open. Thomas has owned the gelding for six years, so he knows exactly how to get the very best out of him. “I don't mind holding on to him a bit these days and I never rush him up to thè front; he's 14 now and I just want to look after him,” said Thomas. For all his talent on the track, Gabrial The Great is a quirky horse who requires careful management. “It sounds silly, but even if you're half an hour late to the yard, he will go ballistic; consequently, I can never have a lie-in!” said Thomas. “He loves his routine; if he doesn't…

A CHANGE of direction has proved the perfect tonic for John Gardener and Torben Hughes’ Lakota Warrior (pictured), who made light of the mixed open track at Upcott Cross to win under Darren Edwards. Trainer Dean Summersby sourced the Valirann seven-year-old from Dan Skelton's yard last summer. “He was showing potential under Rules, but he'd lost his way a bit, so we've given him a change of scenery,” said Dean. “We hack him on and around Dartmoor, right across thè moor, and it's done him the world of good. I OWE IT TO… “We were cautious of the ground today, but Darren gave him a beautiful ride.” Dean was also responsible for the winner of the hunt members’ race, Liberty Rock. As he crossed the finish line, the Libertarian seven-year-old,…

HORSES and ponies of healthy weight will be celebrated in some showing classes at Royal Windsor Horse Show (RWHS; 11-14 May), in a move welcomed by vets. The show and The Horse Trust are “delighted” to confirm the latter's healthiest body condition awards will be presented in 14 classes. Horses and ponies will be assessed by equine vets Lucy Penrose and Jane Nixon. H&H reported that thè British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) was concemed about overweight equines competing at Windsor 2022, but it was hoped it would be a catalyst for change. “We must prioritise heciìth over appearance” LUCY GRIEVE BEVA veterinary projects officer Lucy Grieve told H&H the association was pleased to see the show supporting “this excellent initiative”. “While obesity is a serious issue across thè UK herd, it…

THE FEI is debating an increase to the minimum age for horses in international endurance, with the age Arabs reach maturity and their long-term well-being in mind. It is looking at upping the minimum age of horses in one-star rides from six to seven. “Many of the Arabian horses which predominate in the sport do not reach physical maturity by thè age of six,” States the FEI proposal, adding that the idea is “to protect younger horses from competing at excessive speed in CEP*”. The idea was debated during the FEI Sporte Forum (24-25 Aprii). Some suggested a speed cap for younger horses instead, others voiced concerns about thè impact an extra year of care would have on breeders. Equine vet and deputy chair of the FEI endurance committee Sarah…

REGULAR dental care of your horse should be carried out at least once yearly by a qualified equine dental technician (EDT) or veterinary surgeon to ensure maximum oral comfort and maintain body condition, and so maximise performance. Equine dentistry has expanded massively during my time as a vet. It is encouraging that a significant amount of research has now been published allowing us to improve our knowledge and techniques. Obtaining a history about the horse is essential to interpret dental findings and formulate a treatment plan. Breed, age, body condition, whether the horse is in regular work, and if there are any issues with head carriage or contact are all important. Watching the horse eating may identify chewing difficulties The horse must be clinically examined. The presence of a foul-smelling…

BADMINTON Dressage IN a closely fought battle for the lead in the first phase, Ros Canter squeaked to the top with the wise-beyond-his-years Lordships Graffalo. Scoring 22.1 in the Saturday afternoon post-coronation break, Ros and “Walter” were the closest combination to the 80% barrier, with the judge at B, Andrew Bennie, awarding them 79.42%. “He has been steadily improving all winter and it's exciting to be able to show him at his best,” said Ros. Although Ros and Walter didn't manage to score a 10, the consistency of thè 11-year--old gelding's work was a joy to watch, with no big mistakes. “He just loves his work and the atmosphere,” said Ros. “If the crowd had stamped their feet, he'd have danced even more. That's why he's such a wonderful event…

EVENTING BADMINTON Cross-country FOLLOWING an incredibly wet spring, the weather on dressage day two did nothing to help the going. It didn't rain on the Saturday - it poured. Many riders on the first day of dressage were full of praise for the Eric Winter-designed track - it was bold and gallopy, with some serious questions, but fair ones. Then it rained, and rained 12mm to be precise - and the track became a whole new ball game. The conditions led to two elements of combinations being removed, although the optimum time of 11min 35sec and distance were unaltered. Much of the focus before the day was on how the direct route into The Lake at fence 21a - a MIMclipped rail - would jump (see box, far right). SKILLSAND…

BADMINTON Voltaire Design Grassroots Championships Voltaire Design Grassroots Championships, Badminton, Glos IN a battle boasting echoes of that between David and Goliath, a 14.2hh gelding called Annandale Idris trounced the opposition to claim victory in the BE100 championships despite almost every other rival towering over him. The son of Ewyn Dorian was piloted by Kate Raynor, who admitted: “I'm only 5ft tall, so I don't swamp him. We followed two 17hh-plus horses into the dressage arena, though, and I was worried he would look like a Shetland by comparison, but he gave it his best shot. He's by a Welsh section C stallion out of a thoroughbred mare, meaning that he's got a tiny Welsh body on top of thoroughbred legs!” On the final leaderboard, this pair ended up two…

HIGHLIGHTS 25April-1May DO YOU WANTTO BE ON THIS PAGE? HAVE YOU WON A SECTION? Email eventinghighlights@gmail.com within 24 hours of your event and please include a contact telephone number Calmsden, Glos AMELIA WINTER notched up a first win at BE100 with her promising six-year-old, Wolk. The 21-year-old rider, who is based at nearby Wayfarer Eventing with her parents, Emma and Mike Winter, has produced the Dutch-bred gelding from a fresh-off-theferry four-year-old. “I have had to work hard on his dressage, as he used to be a bad teeth grinder and could get very tense even with the simplest things, but with time and patience he has overcome this and become a pleasure to work with,” said Amelia, who works alongside her parents and also trains with Angela Tucker for dressage…

ONES TO WATCH FINN HEALY and the talented six-year-old Greannanstown Monbeg Joe were the runaway winners of BE100 section H at Bradwall. “He's done four BE100s now and won his last two,” said Finn, who also topped a section at Norton Disney (1) earlier in the month with the son of KEC Maximum Joe. “He'll step up to novice next time out and my aim is the sixyear-old class at Cornbury in September,” said Finn, who bought the gelding from the Ireland-based Monbeg Sport Horses as a just-backed four-year-old. “We went over to Ireland to look at four-year-olds and I clicked with this one straight away.”…

A NEW-TO-SHOWING home-producing family could hardly believe their ears when Charlotte Knight, six, was called in to win a strong winter novice Heritage lead-rein final with Thistledown Magpie (Pie), but their joy knew no bounds when they then stood reserve Champion in their first proper evening performance. It was no fluke either, as the pair also stood second in a Pretty Polly Hickstead class, picking up their first Royal International ticket as the winner had already qualified. “We've only had Pie since December, and when the results were being announced, I thought they must be in reverse order - things like this don't happen to people like us!” said Charlotte's shocked mother, Jamie Clarke, whose own equestrian forte was eventing. “We had a largely unaffiliated season last year with our…

Pony winter finals, South View EC, Cheshire ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD Portia Taylor Wilson landed a onetwo in the South View spring 128cm championship, riding ponies she produced herself. Seven-year-old Doylan Honey Glint (Sparky) topped this lm final from first to go, while Portia followed up with another clear 0.66sec slower on the coloured cob Ni Khan, whom she has produced from British novice. “Sparky is a lovely pony who has only just stepped up to the bigger tracks,” Portia's mother Rebecca Clay said. “Producing them is what she does and it's so rewarding when they come right.” Bella Wild was given the ride on 19-year-old Buttons Two by her owner Kate Anderson in November and they jumped the quickest of two double clears to take the 138cm spring championship. “She takes a…

BD Young Horse and Young Pony, Kingswood EC, Staffs HAWTINS QUINTESSENZA, ridden by Lucinda Elliott, headed a competitive five-yearold class with an 8.44 score. “She has an incredible temperament,” said her breeder Judith Davis, explaining that the young Quaterhit mare had left home at the Hawtins Stud just twice previously - once to the Hanoverian show as a three-year-old and a few days prior to Kingswood to see the white boards at Allens Hill. “We know she's lovely, but there were more experienced horses in the class. We do enjoy taking them out for the first time to see what they make of thè world - and it of them.” First Dance T topped the four-year-olds. Greg Sims, who rides the mare for Annie Woolley, said: “She's an exciting prospect:…

PALM BEACH HOUNDS 4 March catherine.austen@futurenet.com @cfaustenl23 Palm Beach Hounds Nine Gems, Florida “NOTHING should exist here. It's hostile to all life!” gushed Andrew Marren when he invited me to come and hunt with him in Southern Florida. As pitches go, I thought this left something to be desired, and yet here I was at a meet of the Palm Beach Hounds, dressed as befitted a January day in Tipperary and already steaming in the heat. We met at Nine Gems, so named for its nine lovely reed-fringed lakes. The terrain comprised widely spaced pine flatwoods, freshwater marshes and tangled expanses of low-growing palmetto. It was like no landscape I had ever seen, much less attempted to follow hounds across, yet it is all in a day's work to Andrew…