Innholdsfortegnelse for 2-May-2024 i Horse & Hound

PRESSURE continues to mount on the FEI to tackle the issues facing modern dressage. Five-star judge, vet and head of the International Dressage Officials Club (IDOC) Hans-Christian Matthiesen is the latest senior figure to argue that the current competition format for dressage is outdated and needs change. Among his suggestions are updating guidelines forjudges that enable them to score a horse’s general impression more easily, making equipment such as double bridles and spurs optional, and a marked assessment of each rider’s warm-up that counts toward their total score. “We can’t explain that we only care about the horse for five minutes” HANS-CHRISTIAN MATTHIESEN Mr Matthiesen made suggestions in an article for Malgré Tout. “I think when the article came out some took it as if I was against the sport,…

FOR a man who has been given soul-crushing information, Aidan Coleman is remarkably composed when we meet in Moreton-in-Marsh, a stone’s throw from his home in the Cotswolds. The essence of the bad news? “I was a jockey last week, now I’m an ex-jockey, he says. The beginning of the end came in June last year when Aidan’s mount Ascension Day, two lengths ahead in a maiden hurdle at Worcester, ran out at the last, crashing through the wings. Aidan knew his fall was serious - not from the pain, for which jockeys have next-level thresholds - but when he saw the angle of his leg. After exemplary care on the track, he was taken by ambulance to the local A&E, still in his silks, and waited his turn -…

CARRIAGE DRIVING is a small sport, and we don’t have the breadth of competition that allows for many unaffiliated events. It is very inclusive, open to all types of horses and ponies, from the very smallest equines to extremely well-bred warmblood competition horses. That is one of the greatest pleasures in sport driving. In all club events organised under the umbrella of British Carriagedriving, horses and ponies compete under restrictive medication rules designed to safeguard fair play, as in all other disciplines. Sadly, this can have unintended consequences for the welfare of older horses and ponies diagnosed with Cushing’s - sometimes at a relatively young age, and when able to lead a fully active life for several more years. They are forced into retirement, or worse, because they are being…

I THINK this is a fantastic track. It features a lot of the iconic Badminton fences and the flow works really well. There are some nice fences to get horses and riders into their rhythm, and the early combinations set them up for the first intense question at Huntsman’s Close. The course is reversed this year - this gives competitors more time on the flat, which will help them settle into a rhythm. The way designer Eric Winter has shaped the course, with more fences in the Vicarage Vee area and missing out the staircase, means that riders will probably not be turning as much towards the end of the course. ★ MARS BADMINTON preview Hopefully, that will be in horses’ favour, without taking away the complexity and intensity of…

EVENTING DEFENDER KENTUCKY 25-28 April pippa.roome@futurenet.com @pipparoomeorkyle Defender Kentucky, USA OLIVER TOWNEND achieved a first five-star win for an extraordinarily long-standing owner, made an assault on Olympic selection and set up a Rolex Grand Slam attempt, all in a few gloriously sunny days in the Bluegrass State. Disappointingly eighth after dressage, he and Cooley Rosalent appeared too far off the pace. But they clawed their way up, securing victory with a clear showjumping round as their two British rivals ahead of them clipped a fence each. It is hard to believe that “Rosie” is only 10 - this was her third five-star. “She’s tough, female, not mare-y but knows what she wants,” said Oliver, who bought her from Cooley Farm himself as a “raw, stringy” four-year-old. She is by Valent…

HIGHLIGHTS 15-21 April Dressage at Belmoredean, W Sussex A WINTER of training paid off for Alice Knight and Fernando Van Weltevreden (Frodo), who bounced back to an advanced medium 98 win six months after their last outing. “We were focusing on the prix st georges work,” said Alice, who also missed a chunk of competition time with her Amando gelding while establishing her family training yard, Knights Dressage in West Sussex. “Frodo has an amazing attitude and answers every question. There was some slight anticipation in the changes and a bit of over-exuberance, but he’s now super-confident in the arena.” “Frodo answers every question” ALICE KNIGHT Five-year-old mare Solyst Salvation made a winning show debut, heading the prelim 17 qualifier with a plus-70% score. “She was an angel,” said Megan…

CHARD EQUESTRIAN CSI2* 18-21 April Chard Equestrian CSI2*, Somerset IN the first of a remarkable run of grands prix successes (see also report p70), Mikey Pender and scopey mare HHS Cornetta devoured the track for the CSI2* 1.45m big tour finale, neatly sewing up the class from first draw by setting an invincible standard. Ben Townley’s course produced nine clears but the jump-off quickly became a done deal, with the first two combinations retaining the top two places. Mikey’s lead on the big and powerful Comet Obolensky x Acorado grey was almost matched by next in William Whitaker and 11-year-old Chacco’s Lando, but he was half a second wide of the mark. “Cornetta has a massive stride, no one else got from fence two to three on eight strides,” said…

ABBIE SHACKELL described herself as “the most amateur rider in the six-year-old final” but beat experienced opposition to win with her mare Nala Pride, whom she has produced from a three-year-old. Nala (pictured, left), who was bought from Castell Sport Horses in Wales, only started jumping 1.20ms in March and was tackling only her second 1.30m - the previous one having been the six-year-oid final at the Welsh Masters. “We had one down at the Welsh Masters as my hat slipped down, so changes were made!” Abbie said. “She’s a petite 16.1hh and doesn’t have a huge stride, so always has to go forward. She loves a jump-off.” ONES TO WATCH Daniel Moseley topped the five-year-old final with Lisa Hales’s gelding SFS Getaway, who is by Escape Z and out…

ALEXIA LILLEY may just be six years old but she’s more than holding her own in open classes against adults with her delightful Shetland pony Briar Puzzle (pictured). Despite still being eligible for lead-rein classes, Alexia has booked RIHS tickets in Pretty Polly mountain and moorland (M&M) first ridden, open M&M and open coloured ranks. She landed the latter pass in second place in a quality class at BSPS Area 2A held at Warren Farm EC, Lancashire, where she went on to stand section reserve after a storming gallop behind class victors, Lucie Gordon Burgess and Burghwailis Razzamatazz. Alexia and Puzzle then triumphed in the end-of-day supreme championship. “Her forte is riding off the lead-rein; she really flourishes,” said her mother, part-time teacher Amy Lilley, also RIHSbound in the amateur…

IT may have taken Patrick Wadge, 22, nearly two years and 63 races to ride his first winner under Rules at Perth in 2022, but the victor of this season’s conditional jockeys’ championship is being richly rewarded for his perseverance. The Gretna-born Scot, based with Lucinda Russell for the past five years, won this year’s title with 37 winners, building a mighty reputation in the process. “It was nice to seal the deal. It’s been a great season,” said the former eventer and point-to-point rider. “I’ve had great people behind me, supporting me and helping me to improve. “It would be lovely to follow on and do what Sean Bowen and Harry Cobden have done, but it’s easier said than done. So I’d just love to get as much sport…

NEWS Insider Share your news story Call 0330 390 6386 Email eleanor.jones@futurenet.com @jones_eleanor_ BRITAIN had a clean sweep of the podium at the Kentucky Three-Day Event - and secured a new Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing live contender. Oliver Townend topped the US CCI5* with Cooley Rosalent, with Tom McEwen (JL Dublin) second and Yasmin Ingham (Banzai Du Loir) third. This puts 2023 Burghley winner Oliver into position to potentially become the third-ever winner of the Grand Slam, after Pippa Funnell and Michael Jung, if he can take the Badminton title next week. Since its inception in 1999, Rolex has offered a major cash prize, now $350,000 (£279,000), to any rider who can secure consecutive victories at Burghley, Kentucky and Badminton. “Perhaps this will be third time lucky” OLIVER TOWNEND…

FOX HALL Kingsclere, Newbury, Hants For you: at the end of a long, gravel drive, flanked by hornbeam trees, is this immaculate six-bed country house, built in 2014. There is a cinema room, gym and wine store. Highlights outside include a large terrace for alfresco dining, with olive tree topiary, Mediterranean garden, sculpture garden, orchard and tennis court. There is also a staff flat above the carport, with a double bedroom and open-plan kitchen/reception room. For the horses: an L-shaped stable block with three stables and tack room. Set in nine acres, including pasture and parkland. £6,45m Knight Frank, 01256 630970, knightfrank.co.uk BRIDWELL PARK Uffculme, Tiverton, Devon For you: a Grade I-listed Georgian country house, within a deer park. The property is used as a wedding venue, and includes a…

★ MARS BADMINTON preview 1954 70 YEARS AGO THE EVENT BADMINTON was born in 1949, out of the failure of the Brits in the 1948 Olympic three-day event held at Aldershot. The 10th Duke of Beaufort offered his estate for a competition, to ensure the 1952 team would be better prepared, and brought in his friend and neighbour, Colonel Trevor Horn, who had been involved in the Olympic event as both a British selector and official, as director and coursedesigner. Colonel Gordon Cox Cox took over these roles sometime between 1954 and 1957; sources differ on what year. For the first 10 years, dressage and showjumping took place in front of the house. The cross-country course - which followed the two sections of roads and tracks bookending the steeplechase -…

IRELAND Olympic hopeful Abi Lyle took a break from grand prix to ride seven-year-old mare Sun Rose to elementary and medium wins at Hunters Equestrian, Gloucestershire. “I’m now so comfortable at grand prix that I had to take a moment to relearn these tests and remember where all these circles go,” laughed Abi, who rides “Shirley” for owner Caroline Clarry of the Peregrina Stud. “Shiriey is a joy, with gorgeous paces, and she wants to get to work every day,” added Abi, who last year contested six-year-old classes with her. “I’ve no doubt she’ll be a grand prix horse, and a nice one as well. She’s one we’re really excited about.” ONE TO WATCH…

WINNING FORM SUCCESSFUL partnership Anthony Condon and Zira Van Het Kapelhof Z (pictured) made a winning return to the ring in Friday’s medium tour 1.35m. The memorably fast 15-year-old grey has had the best part of a year off while embryos were taken - with the first foal, by Luidam, landing just a few days after the show. “She’s a good quality mare, so we wanted to take some embryos and we managed to get three. We kept her ticking over last year but didn’t do a lot with her,” Anthony said. “It’s nice having her back as she’s naturally very fast, so it’s one less thing to have to think about, you don’t have to take too many risks. “She’s in good form,” he added. “I have to say…

IRISHMAN Mikey Pender and his rising star, the nine-year-old mare HHS Cornetta, took his second grand prix win over William Whitaker and the Old Lodge’s stallion Chacco’s Lando (pictured, below). “It was quite cool that Will and I were first and second again!” said Mikey, who also won Sunday’s CSI2* small tour 1.30m with Cornetta’s full brother HHS Cyprus. Poles had fallen very easily round Colm Quinn’s jump-off course, with the first third of the 12-strong field all faulting. It was Mikey who broke the jinx, delivering not only the first clear but also taking some economical early lines to clock the quickest time of the class on the big-engined grey. Four other riders left the fences standing, with William and the striking 11-year-old getting the crowd behind them as…

HIGHLIGHTS 15-21 April Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain Spring, Addington Equestrian, Bucks AFTER a decade-long hiatus from the show ring, Lesley Whitehall made a glorious return to scoop top honours in the Royal International (RIHS) ladies’ hunter qualifier aboard Ali Tate’s Commodus (Spyder). It was only the fourth time the attractive gelding - whom Ali bought after Christmas and has hunted with the Ledbury since - had taken a side-saddle. “Ali sent me a video of him when she got him,” explained Lesley, who last competed sideways with Ali’s former horse, the late Shanbo River King (Ambrose), runner-up at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in 2010. “She said, ‘You better get your backside here, I think we have something a bit special.’ He’s so level-headed and he has…

ONE TO WATCH A YOUNG gelding captured attention as he strode to the BSPS intermediate championship after winning both novice mixed and open show hunter classes at BSPS Area 2A. Vic Whalley’s five-year-old show hunter type Creavens Lad (pictured), who is based with producer Edward Young, came over from Ireland last June. While he was raw and green, Vic has always believed in his potential. “We took him to the BSPS Summer Championships last year and had some good placings, before we turned him away,” said teaching assistant Vic. “At this year’s BSPS Winter Championships, he again had some brilliant results including a third in both novice and Challenge classes. “He was a late foal and still needs time to mature, but we’re in no rush,” Vic added. “He’s such…

Overton Races, Overton, South Lanarkshire TRAINER Stuart Coltherd teamed up with his daughter Amy to scoop a double. One of those victories came with Oscar Wilde in the mixed open. The now 10-year-old was purchased by Stuart from Sue Smith, with whom Oscar Wilde was formerly in training. The idea was that he would run him under Rules, but he instead has enjoyed a switch to pointing, providing Amy with her first ride and winner. “He’s probably been struggling all year with soft and heavy ground as he’s got older,” said Stuart “He has appreciated the better ground here today and clocked the joint quickest time of the day.” Amy then rode Batman For Ever to take the conditions (level two) for her father, who has run the seven-year-old under…

THERE has been huge frustration as a last-minute solution to new border checks on imported semen was agreed, but not universally accepted. H&H reported that the industry was working with Government before border control posts (BCPs) came in for germinal products at the end of April. Because equine semen is classified as high-risk, it was all to be checked. Concerns were raised about how long this would take, in a very time-sensitive process with fresh chilled semen. The Government agreed a temporary scheme, so port health authorities could reduce the check rate from 100% to 20%, with vets at destination confirming all was well. This was welcomed, as a temporary solution that could provide feedback for a permanent scheme. But then it emerged that although East Midlands Airport will adopt…

WILLIE MULLINS became the first Irish trainer to land the British championship in 70 years in a title race that went to the season finale at Sandown on Saturday (27 April). Vincent O’Brien was the last to achieve the feat in 1954, before Mr Mullins was born. Mr Mullins’ 28 British wins this season included the Champion Hurdle, Gold Cup and Grand National. His total British prize money haul of £3,326,135 put him £344,716 ahead of nearest challenger Dan Skelton, who amassed £2,981,419 from 120 winners and 387 placed horses in 2023/24 (report, p78). During the closing stages of the championship, Mr Mullins said: “Vincent was a legend of legends in racing and to have your name up against him is something you could never dream of, it’s just extraordinary.…

I USUALLY hear the driven competitor before I see them approach the obstacle, bringing a rash of adrenaline mixed with a dose of nervousness and excitement. Being vet on duty at a carriage-driving event is, for me, massively more challenging than competitively driving in one, even though our horses and ponies competing at UK indoor, club and national levels of competition often have long athletic careers, which are relatively untroubled by accidents and major orthopaedic ailments. Our equine athletes have a tough time. Unlike most equestrian sports, carriagedriving outdoor competitions include a 90-minute marathon section. This is split into a number of sections, each of which has a specific time limit, so requiring significant precision. There is a 10-minute halt break after the first trot section, followed by the more…

KELSALL HILL(1) 18-21 April Kelsall Hill (1), Cheshire SAMMI BIRCH and Jutopia swept to victory in the CCI3*-S, adding just a smattering of time-penalties to their leading first-phase score of 23.4. “She’s been on the cusp of a big win,” said Sammi of the Dutch-bred 10-year-old mare by Carentino Gold, who is owned by Susan Lamb and Therese Miller. “She’s always been super-talented on the flat, so to be in the lead and then stay there was really exciting.” Sammi has produced Jutopia (Lola) - “we call her ‘Lovely Lola’ at home because she’s so easy and always tries her hardest” - from a five-year-old, when the mare joined her from Rowland Fernyhough. The pair had a good completion in the eight- and nine-year-olds at Blenheim last year, just after…

JUNIOR medal-winning rider Isla Sully and the 15-year-old gelding Vagabond De Massa - who won the Aachen Dressage Youngstars junior champion title in December - made it a clean sweep of the junior titles here, winning the team test on 70.8% and the individual test on 72.2% in what were two very strong classes. The pair rarely dropped below a seven on any movement and Isla picked out the trot work and the self-carriage as highlights. And how have they managed to achieve such consistency? “It’s the magic of our coach Alex Harrison-West. Finding someone who is both amazing at what they do and is a lovely, fun person to be around is incredibly rare, so to have Alex’s support is special. I OWE IT TO… “For the rest of…

AGAINST THE ODDS A NOVICE win with her mare Rubiks Cube (Ruby, pictured) at Aike Grange Stud, East Riding of Yorkshire, lifted Victoria Turner’s spirits after a devastating week. “Our mare Rosy, who’d recently had a filly foal, Raven, started to colic on Tuesday and needed surgery late that evening,” explained Victoria. “Sadly, it was unsuccessful and we ended up saying goodbye to Rosy the next day. This left us with the heartbreaking task of finding seven-day-old Raven a foster mum - which we did, thanks to the foster mare’s owner and the team at Rainbow Equine Hospital. “I only sat on Ruby once in the week before the show,” added Victoria, who nevertheless headed the 11-strong class with 68.75%.…

Burrows Court Farm, Glos HAYLEYWATSONGREAVES enjoyed “cracking scores” - both in excess of 76% - with her rising star Optimist M to dominate at novice. The five-year-old, competing at his second show, is impressing international grand prix rider Hayley with his willingness to learn. “In his mind, he thinks he’ll be at grand prix very soon” HAYLEY WATSON-GREAVES ON NOVICE WINNER OPTIMIST M “In his mind, he thinks he’ll be at grand prix very soon,” she laughed, explaining how she bought “Oppo” as a rising three-year-old after falling for his presence and paces on video. “At his first outing, in March, he stood in the warmup arena and snorted, but he’s such a workhorse that he then put his head down and turned his mind to the job. This time…

CHEPSTOW SPRING INTERNATIONAL CSI2* 24-28 April Chepstow Spring International CSI2*, David Broome Event Centre, Monmouthshire THERE was déjà vu at Britain’s second two-star show of the season when the top two places in the grand prix went to the exact same combinations as the previous week at Chard - Mikey Pender on HHS Cornetta and William Whitaker on Chacco’s Lando (see report, p66, and box, top right). But while William may have missed out on the top payout for the second week running, his brother George banked a victory in Friday’s big tour 1.45m Longines rankings class with his father-in-law Martin Wood’s prolific winner Peanut. This track jumped arguably tougher than the grand prix, with just five from 65 starters going through to the second phase - although all of…

BSPS Area 16, Trinity Park, Suffolk PATIENCE and perseverance have proved the right recipe for a keen gelding and his jockey who achieved two RIHS qualifications, the Pretty Polly championship and show hunter pony reserve. Evanthe Hughes, 12, is in her second full season with her mother Miranda Hughes’ Soudley Taliesin 10-year-old Warleigh Fantastic Light (Scotty). The gelding originally made his debut under saddle with Libby Grota before he was in production with Katy Carter and ridden by Summer Brown. “We’ve had him a while; I’m terrible at selling ponies so I wanted something we could keep for a while,” said Miranda, who has watched Evanthe enjoy much success with her ponies, including HOYS and RIHS 122cm M&M working hunter finalist Springbourne Compas, and 133cm plaited contender Sannanvalley Spangle, who…

CLASH OF THE TITANS AFTER some sometimes haphazard jumping, El Fabiolo proved no match for the popular Jonbon (pictured) in the Grade One bet365 Celebration Chase, a highly anticipated clash of the two-mile titans. Nicky Henderson looked relieved, jubilant and a touch emotional after his only thrice-beaten star won with a decisive display of jumping under Nico de Boinville, for champion owner JP McManus. “That was good to watch,” said the trainer, who also credited the recently retired Aidan Coleman for being integral to Jonbon’s journey. “JP and I talk a lot, but the amazing thing is that every conversation starts with ‘How’s Jonbon?’ This horse means a lot to him and to me.” Sadly, Elixir De Nutz suffered a fatal injury when falling in the race.…

HIGHLIGHTS 27-28 April Llangeinor Pentyrch, Ystradowen, Glamorgan FATHER and son duo Tim and Edward Vaughan had a weekend to remember, teaming up to win six races across two fixtures. “I couldn’t be prouder - Ed had his first win under Rules on Friday too,” said trainer Tim. The pair claimed five of this fixture’s seven races, with the first two coming with Poli Roi, who took the mixed open in a walkover and then duly went on to win The Jockey Club & RoR veteran horse conditions (level two) 9yo&up, making it his fifth win from nine starts. The 12-year-old gelding by Poliglote previously had some success under Rules with Gordon Elliott and Stuart Crawford before joining the British pointing ranks. “Tom Malone, who is a great pal, rang me…