Innholdsfortegnelse for 15-Jun-2023 i Horse & Hound

IT'S great to see eventing legend Pippa Funnell back on the front of H&H after winning the four-star long at Bramham (report, p38). She modestly says she thought she was “past all that at her stage”, but her interview with Pippa Roome demonstrates the expertise she has gathered over decades of winning the “big ones” and it's no surprise to see this coming into play. In his comment this week (pl5), Richard Davison calls for promotional material showing the devotion of those who ride and care for horses in our Olympic disciplines. Pippa Funnell would be an excellent candidate for such a production. She is already a great ambassador in her post-event interviews, when explaining how she manages her exciting Bramham winning ride MCS Maverick. She does not, and would…

EXPLOSION W Ben Maher's Olympic champion, whom he owns with Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright, was pulled up while competing at La Baule. He received immediate care on-site. DSP ALICE Simone Blum's 2018 jumping world champion will retire at Aachen on 29 June. Simone and the 16-year-old also helped Germany to world bronze and European silver. IMHOTEP Charlotte Dujardin's world team silver medal winner, owned by Coral Ingham and Carl Hester, broke 80% in the grand prix and special to win both at Wellington. Report, p50.…

INSTITUTIONS A list emerges of issues for which people went to mental institutions in the 1800s. It includes “women trouble”, “imaginary female trouble” and “kicked in the head by a horse”. MOT TESTERS Ah, the annual joy of plating lorries. Hats off to the tester who allowed a fuse change to see if a faulty light would work, which it did. Shame it then failed on brakes, but you can't have everything. PULLING FACES Research finds horses have an array of facial microexpressions, to communicate. Any Shetland owner could have told them - or any mare owner, TBH… SHIRTS Overheard at a show: “Do you like my new shirt or do you think it makes me look like a pastor?” Now that you come to mention it, those dark sleeves…

Email to hhletters@futurenet.com Name and address must be included. Letters may be edited. TOP TRAKEHNERS I ENJOYED reading about Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo's Badminton win (“How I won…”, 1 June). “Walter” is by Grafenstolz, a Trakehner stallion, and I'd like to fly the flag for the breed. I have owned purebred Trakehnei Raymond, my equine soulmate, for nearly 13 years. He was bred by Susan Attew, owner of the Holme Park Stud in Bedfordshire, who told me that recently a 95-year-old lady, Catherine, visited the stud to reconnect with Trakehners after 75 years. As a child, she and her mother escaped from East Prussia along with many Trakehner horses. And there is a book by Patricia Clough called The Flight across the Ice, which tells the story of these…

alexandra.robinson@futurenet.com @alexrob_journo_ IN recent months it has become apparent that class entry numbers have been experiencing significant fluctuations at shows held across the country. Some events, despite the organisers' best efforts, face a dwindling number of competitors. This often leaves organisers perplexed but it begs the question: can declining entry numbers solely be indicative of waning interest in the industry? It may be tempting to attribute this decline to a lack of interest. However, it is crucial to delve deeper into the issue and consider the impact of various factors affecting participation. One of the most apparent issues is the scheduling conundrum. The existence of multiple shows within close proximity to one another as well as running the same Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) or Royal International (RIHS) class…

HORSE&HOUND IN THE SPOTLIGHT Need to know FLASH COOLEY Age: 11 Breeding: CSF Mr Kroon x OBOS Quality Breeder: Jim O'Neill Rider: Gemma Stevens Owner: Pru Dawes Greatest achievements: third Osberton CICYH* 2018; second Carolina International CCI3*-S 2019; first Florida Horse Park CCI3*-L 2019; 13th seven-year-old World Championships at Le Lion d'Angers 2019 (all with Liz Halliday-Sharp); first Burgham CCI3*-S 2021; 12th Blenheim eight- and nine-year old CCI4*-S 2021; third Millstreet CCI4*-S 2022; fifth Blenheim CCI4*-L2022; second Millstreet CCI4*-L 2023 (all with Gemma Stevens). RIDER GEMMA STEVENS “I STARTED riding ‘Casper' at the end of his eight-year-old year. He'd done plenty of three-stars with his previous rider Liz Halliday-Sharp and gone very well, but he'd had a patchy four-star start with a couple of falls. “I felt like it was…

HICKSTEAD'S SUCCESSFUL VETERANS IT may surprise you that the first-ever winner of the British Jumping Derby at Hickstead in 1961 was just a six-yearold - Goodbye III, ridden by Seamus Hayes. That could never happen nowadays, of course, but compare that winning youngster to last year's victor, the 16-year-old Can Ya Makan with Shane Breen in the saddle, who was chased home by 18-year-old A Touch Imperious (Harriet Biddick) and Shane's other ride, the 17-year-old Golden Hawk, and you can see the polar shift in the age of successful Derby horses. John Whitaker's Gammon, who won in 1998 aged 21, remains the oldest horse to triumph over the West Sussex turf, but teenage horses often excel in this iconic class. So what is it about the Hickstead Derby that brings…

NEEKA KAY, 16, took a break from GCSE revision to record her first ever win in the BE1000u18 at Belsay riding her own “extremely opinionated” Connemara, Summerdale Sammy (Roo). “I bought him as a justturned four-year-old. He has tonnes of jump, but hasn't always been the easiest,” said Neeka. Another rider with GCSEs on her mind was Hope Mussell, who similarly took time out from her studies to post a win in the BE1000u18 at Little Downham (1) riding her own OSH Phoenix. At Cooke Coachbuilders Stafford, Hannah Dennison and her smart six-year-old Greannanstown Rich Boy (Rex) celebrated a winning eventing debut when they trumped the opposition in BE80 section K. “Rex is a super-cool guy,” said 22-year-old Hannah, who juggles three jobs with producing young horses.…

INTERNATIONAL NEWS TIM PRICE led New Zealand to a pillar-to-post win in the Connolly's Red Mills Nations Cup at Millstreet in Ireland. The world number one finished top of the standings on Sue Benson's 2021 Pau winner, Falco. The Kiwis fielded a strong team with the aim of making their mark ahead of next year's Paris Olympics. “It was important that we delivered a decent result and showed that we are on track, so we brought good horses on to the team,” said Tim. “The time was very tight on the cross-country so it felt like a proper test.” Tim was joined by his wife, Jonelle, who finished seventh on McLaren, Clarke Johnstone and Menlo Park (fifth) and Samantha Lissington (Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ, 44th). Samantha may have been the…

FOR grade V freestyle winner Fiona Maynard, just to be out and about competing with Denver IX was cause for celebration, after spending nine weeks in lockdown after a case of strangles at her Kent yard. “It was brilliant to be out, and Denver took everything in his stride, even though he hasn't been able to leave the yard for nine weeks,” said Fiona. “It felt a bit like coming out of a Covid lockdown again, having not seen anything for a while, and it was a bit nerve-wracking. “Denver and I are still a relatively new partnership,” she added, of the 12-year-old gelding she bought at the end of last summer, “We're still getting to know each other, so there are a lot of firsts for us this year…

AFTER a tough few months losing both parents, Susan Kiernan has rediscovered her mojo and is back out competing. At Radfords EC, Shropshire, she and her nine-year-old gelding Just Me landed a novice and elementary, both with over 73%. “I lost my dad in November, then my mum in March, so it's been a lot to deal with,” she said. “The stress of it made me very poorly and I tried to keep competing, but I kept breaking down in floods of tears.” Susan's trainer Rui Campeão stepped in to help. “He'd been away for a few months, but returned a month ago and has helped me get my head back in the game,” she said. “When I went out, it all just clicked. The tests felt so good that…

SHOWJUMPING SOUTH OF ENGLAND 9-11 June South of England, South of England Showground, W Sussex FLYING TINKER II, the “coolest horse on the circuit”, lived up to his name yet again as he and Mark Edwards put in a superb performance to win the international stairway. The home-bred 12-yearold came to Ardingly after an area trial-grand prix double at Royal Bath and West the previous weekend and was in flying form again, jumping the faster of only two double clears to cross the line just ahead of Ben Walker and Creevy Pacino Cruise. Ben Townley's track had claimed all but three scalps in the first round, including Mark's three previous rides, Montreuxs Tale, Royale Tale and Dillinger NE. “It always helps to go round once or twice and get a…

“I WONDER IFTHE QUALIFICATION SYSTEM NEEDS LOOKING AT” CHRIS SMITH finished first and second in the Prestige Italia Big Star qualifier with Regnum Van Den Tinnenpot and Roxy Van't Heike but went home without qualification for Stoneleigh, as that requires a treble clear, and all horses faulted in the second round. “There are only four qualifiers and no one from this one will be going to the final, which is our biggest six-year-old national championship,” said Chris, who won the final last year on One Gem. “The horses jumped well and it was a tough enough course, so I wonder if the qualifying system needs looking at.”…

MIDLAND COUNTIES 3-4 June alexandra.robinson@futurenet.com @alexrobjourno_ Midland Counties, Arena UK, Lincs A HOME-PRODUCED show pony filly bred - and watched here - by show founder and long-time chair Liz MansfieldPamell scooped the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) Price Family in-hand supreme ticket. Jane Laffey's stunning twoyear-old Rotherwood Grace Darling (Gertrude), beautifully shown by Luke Gardner, was foot-perfect throughout under the eagle eye of judge David Puttock to top the 13 finalists. ‘ The champion is just so elegant, and has that all-important look-at-me quality,” reflected David. “I was very happy with the overall standard, but the champion and reserve stood out for me from the first trot-out.” Reserve went to the Menai and Friarly Studs' three-yearold Welsh A Friarly Sophia. “A great goer and super type,” was David's verdict…

THE James family's Glenmore Gwennic (Glen, pictured) made it into the history books as he won the 22nd Royal International (RIHS) ticket of his career after lifting the amateur mountain and moorland (M&M) qualifier at Staffordshire County. The 16-year-old won his first qualifier as a six-year-old and he's since competed across four sections at the final - open M&M, Pretty Polly, amateur and M&M working hunter. This year he'll add the amateur ticket to open and working hunter passes. “He thrives on the flat as much as in the workers,” said Emma, who works for Aston Martin and won the open Connemara and New Forest final aboard Glen in 2019. “He's a born show-off. He's a big-ring pony so Hickstead suits him. We have a few young ponies at home,…

Share your news story Call 0330 390 6386 Email eleanor.jones@futurenet.com @ jones_eleanor_ SCIENTIFIC data is being used to help underpin expertise in producing the best cross-country going, to benefit horses and the sport's future. Unlike racing, publicly available standardised readings are not routinely given for cross-country courses. Equine vet Mark Lucey and scientists including Sarah Hobbs and Alison Northrop have been working with events to measure going conditions. “I worked as a vet for 40 years and thought I could put something back into the sport,” Mr Lucey told H&H. They started taking measurements in 2018 and have data from some 150 courses. They used ground moisture readings and a Vienna surface tester, developed by vets and based on a bowling ball. “The aim was to try to measure the…

BAHRAIN has been stripped of its world endurance team gold medal after one of its horses tested positive for an anabolic steroid at the championships in Butheeb, UAE, (20-26 February). Hera Durances, ridden by Abdulrahman Mohammed Alzayed, was found to have the banned subs tance stanozolol and its metabolite 16-beta-hydroxystanozolo in her system. These are anabolic steroids used to improve performance by promo ting muscular development. FEI rales state that banned substances have “no legitimate use in the competition horse and/or have a high potential for abuse” and “are not permitted for use in the competition horse at any time”. The horse was disqualified, so the Bahraini team no longer had three counting scores. This means the team title has been reallocated to France, Portugal takes silver and Italy bronze.…

Eventer Pippa Funnell won her fourth Bramham title, the CCI4*-L on MCS Maverick. Her first Bramham victory was in 1992 with Metronome. Report p38 Irish showjumper Shane Breen won the CSI05* La Baule Derby on Scarteen on 10 June. Shane will defend his Hickstead Derby title on 25 June. US trainer Jena Antonucci became the first woman to win the Belmont Stakes, New York, in its 155 years. Arcangelo was ridden by Javier Castellano. Dressage rider Fiona Bigwood has been sidelined with a knee injury sustained leading a youngster. She had been due to compete at Wellington CDI last week. Flat jockey Hollie Doyle won the Italian Oaks on the Stefano Bottitrained Shavasana on 11 June. The win is Hollie's second Classic title.…

pippa.roome@futurenet.com @pipparoomeorkyle IF you've never been to Bramham (report, p38), stop whatever you are doing and book for next year right now. Should the nation decide to give me a stately home for services to equine journalism, Bramham is the one I'd choose - no doubt it helps that the park is lushly green when we visit in June and gilded in sunshine. I don't imagine the Lane Fox family would be too happy to hand it over, but I can dream… I love the event's show atmosphere, with the second arena filled with everything from young event horses to showing and mounted games. The spectators were thick around the main arena for the showjumping grand prix on Sunday. Tom McEwen was among the riders to say that the team…

IN football, a major upheaval like a new manager - is proven to reap immediate results. And so it was with Lily Attwood's first fivestar victory, in the Pearl Stakes at Royal Windsor last month aboard Cor-leon VD Vlierbeek Z. The win was just a few weeks after she moved her entire string from Buckinghamshire to Belgium, having spent the previous three years competing from her family home. Lily was already catching the eye in 2022 as she established herself on the CSI5* circuit. Since her late teens, she's earned herself a berth on the senior British team, a smattering of top placings and a regular slot in the Global Champions League (GCL). But Lily, now 21, is hungry for a lot, lot more. “I know I'm still young, but…

“CASPER is very chilled at the yard. He's always trying to be a coloured horse rather than a grey - he loves to lie down, so we're always washing him! But he's such a kind horse. He can be a little nervous - you wouldn't want to go into his stable and start rushing around as he'd look at you like, ‘What are you doing?' “He's very much the same at a competition. If you get the plaiting kit out or go to put his bridle on he might give you that nervous look, but he loves his work once he gets going. He also always knows when he's nearly home, no matter what lorry he's in or what route we take. He starts tapping his feet and we call…

PRODUCTS VISIT HORSE & HOUND'S VIRTUAL SHOPPING VILLAGE horseandhound.co.uk/directory/shopping…

JESSE CAMPBELL finished third on Gambesie, a horse he took on after his previous rider, Irish Olympian Jonty Evans, suffered serious head injuries in a fall in 2018. The New Zealander explained that the 12-year-old Gambesie's career has been interrupted by soundness issues. “He has bad feet so he has lots of hoof supplements. He used to be turned out at night because I really believe in turnout, but actually he now stays in, because he obviously does a lot of walking out in the field and he busts his feet up, so that's been quite a help,” said Jesse. AGAINST THE ODDS “It's been a really hard road to manage him, but so far, so good. He has had last year back and we thought Bramham was such a…

A LORRY driver from Cornwall made her seven-hour journey worthwhile when she topped the NAF Five Star BE80 championships. Emily Tamblyn and 16-yearold Knockenpower Rory were the only pair to break the 30-barrier in the dressage, on 29.3, and held onto their lead despite 2.4 time-faults across country. “I've had him for just over two years and we mainly spend our time hunting with the East Cornwall, then in the summer I just do a bit of eventing for fun,” said Emily. “I deliver tarmac for a living and work 4am to 6pm, so he's on full livery.” This was Emily's first affiliated run of the year after the two events she entered were cancelled. She said: “Luckily, I went to an unaffiliated three weeks ago just to give him…

DRESSAGE WELLINGTON INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF DRESSAGE 6-11 June Wellington International Festival of Dressage, Hants CHARLOTTE DUJARDIN proved her competitive flame burns as fiercely as ever as she continues her comeback after a brief baby break. Her 2022 World Championship ride Imhotep showed he's still in the ascendancy as he landed both the grand prix and the special with personal bests. Charlotte and Carl Hester (Fame) battled it out for the top spots in both classes, with Imhotep taking the grand prix on 80.2%, then the special on 80.87%. “I really wanted an 80%, and I knew he was good enough, but he's been just a bit behind, on 77 or 78%;” said Charlotte, having scored 77-26% to win at Windsor, her first show since giving birth to Isabella. “I've been…

Suffolk Show, Trinity Park SANDY MCLEAN bullseyed the main target of his “mini tour” to England when he headed the £3,000-to-thewinner area trial with the brilliantly consistent Gino F. “It's probably the most competitive class I've ever jumped at that height and for Gino to have been placed in all three of the trials [also at Hertfordshire and Cheshire], he's done really well,” Scotsman Sandy, 20, said having earned final draw in the jump-off with the fastest first round. When he went in, Adrian Speight held the lead with Millfield Baloney. “I know Adrian isn't slow, so I knew I would have to take the handbrake off,” said Sandy, whc claimed victory with 1.58sec to spare. “I went in with the between.” “It was good for him to finally get…

EQUINE vet Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher's 25-year-old Connemara Smokin Gun (Gunner, pictured) picked up the Veteran Horse Society ridden championship, his first in affiliated senior ranks, at Royal Bath and West, just weeks after he won his class at Royal Windsor. The versatile gelding was Rebecca's daughter's competition pony for nine years, turning his hoof to all spheres, including working hunter, eventing and Pony Club. “I stole Gunner when my daughter went to university and I discovered my riding gear still fit,” said Rebecca, who has been an equine vet for 40 years. “We still event, and last weekend we won at elementary level dressage; Gunner is as competitive as ever.” The last time Gunner appeared at Bath and West showground was seven years ago when he won as a working hunter…

LIKE many things in life, job-seeking can be a numbers game, so is it ever worth considering a corner of the equine space where there is less competition and therefore more likelihood of securing a stable role? It's no surprise that one of the most competitive careers is that of a full-time rider. “If you ask young riders what role they would most prize, it would invariably be a professional rider,“ says Sophie Starr, director of riding at Bryanston School. “However, the route to becoming a professional rider relies not only on huge talent, but the aligning of many stars and often considerable financial input and sacrifice from families. For many, they must have another career, horsey or not, to support their riding, and this has the potential to become…

A GLOWING two-page obituary is devoted to “Himself”, the great chaser Arkle. The writer Audax (John Oaksey) picks out his own favourite memory. He chooses “oddly enough, a defeat, one of only four he ever suffered over fences”, when he was giving 321b to his rivals. So used to victory, he might easily have sulked when things got tough - but the tougher they got, the harder he tried. Effortless supremacy is one thing - dogged persistence in pursuit of the impossible quite another.” The facts and figures of Arkle's record are extraordinary: only six horses ever beat him over fences; he won his three Gold Cups by five, 20 and 30 lengths; he graced an Irish postage stamp in 1981 and inspired a song, Arkle, by the influential Irish…

YARD OF THE YEAR THE finalists have been announced in the SEIB Yard of the Year Awards, in association with H&H and British Equestrian. Judges have decided on two finalists in each of six categories: small and large riding school, DIY and full livery yard, Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) centre and competition venue. The winners will be announced at an awards lunch in July. SEIB marketing manager Nicolina MacKenzie said: “At SEIB, we know there are many livery yards, riding schools, RDA centres and competition venues that provide outstanding service, and through these awards we are determined to put something back by recognising their professionalism, skill and commitment.” • Visit: horseandhound.co.uk/yardoftheyear23 GAME CHANGER FOR GROOMS A NEW online reporting mechanism for grooms' feedback is a “game-changer” for the…

A COB has shed 150kg to win an affiliated event and qualify for the regional finals. Scooby Doo, owned by mother and daughter Mandy and Emma Morris, won the BE80(T) at Stafford. Mandy bought him after she lost her old horse Fred. “I never thought I'd find one I loved as much,” Mandy said. “Then I met Scooby.” Scooby was “ridiculously overweight” but thanks to strict management, he came back into work and enjoys eventing, with Emma, and dressage with Mandy. “He's loved by everyone,” Mandy said. “His name's Scooby Doo, so he's got to be brilliant, hasn't he?” EJ…

polly.bryan@futurenet.com @pollyrose21 OPINION OUR family stables has as many showjumpers as dressage horses. Consequently, I spend as much time with the showjumping community as I do with the dressage crowd. At the start of this year, Di Lampard and I were invited by performance manager Dickie Waygood and coach Chris Bartle to collaborate on a number of World Class eventing squad training sessions. During breaks, our conversations ranged across the board, but one theme that kept cropping up was the impact of social licence on each of our disciplines. When it comes to the use of horses in sport, society can be divided into the groups at each end of the spectrum those who already oppose or accept it - but with another large faction of those who are undecided…

I always wanted to ride, but there was no pony in the back field. We couldn't afford horses, so I didn't ride until I was 15. Once my parents realised how serious I was about horses, they paid for riding lessons. They wanted me to have some qualifications, so I was packed off to the worldrenowned Porlock Vale Riding School, which happened to be local to us in Somerset. I stayed on after my BHSAI as a junior instructor for a year, but I wanted to learn more about dressage. There wasn't much opportunity for that in this country at that time. I applied for a job advertised in Horse & Hound to work with riders from the Spanish Riding School. I didn't hear anything for ages, then suddenly a…

HORSE&HOUND VET CLINIC HORSES clearly enjoy food rewards - the pricked ears and eager eating show that. But what messages are we giving them when we feed treats, and with what do they associate the treat? Might our desire to demonstrate our affection and appreciation for our horses in fact do more harm than good, by inadvertently teaching them undesirable behaviour, or by upsetting their diet and risking health issues? Unlike dogs, ethologically horses have not evolved to associate working with food. Titbits provide momentary chemical surges of pleasure, but can lead to impatience or frustration if not managed carefully, or if not part of a structured training programme based on classic conditioning and positive reinforcement. “Positive reinforcement” is the process of encouraging or establishing a pattern of behaviour by…

STUDENT recruitment manager Joanne Monkman and G Damascus (Deedee), secured two wins in seven days when they added a BE90 victory at Ascott-under-Wychwood (2) to their win the previous weekend at Shelford Manor (1) - despite taking a wrong turn in the dressage. “I turned to walk across the diagonal on a free rein when the judge beeped me. I don't have arena markers at home so it hadn't twigged that I was meant to be going down the long side,” explained Joanne, who bought the 12-year-old mare eight years ago. “She can be a machine across country and I'm well known for chatting away to her on my way round. She listens to me and loves it.” ON FORM…

BECKY MOODY'S lively freestyle got the crowd assembled on the banks of the Waterloo Arena toetapping and bopping along as Jagerbomb (pictured) danced his way to third place in the grand prix freestyle on 77.84%. The music - which featured Sex Bomb for the trot and It's Not Unusual for the canter was a great match for this punchy bay, who scored 8.5s for the choreography and musical interpretation. Excitingly, the nine-year-old seems well established at grand prix in his first season at the level, but he's far from the finished article. “His highlight is that he does everything nicely, and goes round with a smile on his face, which the judges love,” said Becky of the Dante Weltino x Jazz gelding. “The weak link is still the piaffe and…

EXACTLY five years to the day since she won the open RIHS M&M championship at Staffordshire County with her iate stallion Welsh Cob Penlangrug Deio, Courtney Harvey rode his son to the same crown. The 11-year-old former stud stallion Llanarth Steptoe (Albert, pictured), who bears a striking resemblance to his sire, joined the Harvey family in 2019. “Deio was the love of my life and I was considering giving up when he died,” said Courtney, who rode Albert to finish fourth at HOYS and sixth at the RIHS last term. “His former owner, Stuart McNeal, got in touch when we lost Deio to suggest we came to see Albert,” Courtney continued. “Mum and Dad talked me into going, and as soon as I saw him I fell in love and we bought…