Innholdsfortegnelse for 31-Oct-2024 i Horse & Hound

EVENTING is an extraordinary sport. Two weeks ago, in glorious sunshine in the USA, just 38% of starters finished a five-star cross-country course (Mark Phillips, p14), with the winner Oliver Townend claiming his ninth victory at the level. Then last week, at another five-star in France (report, p48), with rain lashing down and viewers unable to tell the track from the water jumps at times, 79% of starters completed and the victor Caroline Harris was competing at this level for just the second time. There are many opportunities to look foolish when making predictions in horses – as the scenarios above show, the joy of equestrian sport is its unpredictability – but occasionally, you hit the jackpot. Caroline was one of our 12 to watch in 2024 in the first…

IN THE NEWS MILLFIELD BALONEY Judith Witham’s star jumper has died, aged 18, after an illness. He and Adrian Speight were twice national champions and three times Highland grand prix winners. HALO Jayne McGivern’s 11-year-old joins an elite club of five-star eventing stallions, having finished seventh at his debut at Pau with Piggy March. Report, p48. CONTENDRO I The top sport horse sire has died, aged 27. He headed the world eventing stallion rankings multiple times and also featured on the leading showjumping and dressage sire lists.…

pippa.roome@futurenet.com @pipparoomeorkyle SOMEHOW 2024 seems to have been a long year. Maybe it’s the wettest September followed by incessant showers in October! After a dry Burghley, the European five-star season finale at Pau was not so lucky, as rain all day Friday and Saturday resulted in the course being shortened to just over nine minutes, with going more often found out hunting than at a five-star. Many riders were trying to pick the best footing for their horses with an eye on next year, rather than the clock. All credit, though, to Caroline Harris with D. Day, who made light of the conditions. Back in September, Blenheim was fortunate to dodge enough showers so that it could run. On the Monday afterwards, the lake burst its banks and the “coffin”…

NOBLE PEPPERMINT Stable name: Pepper Sex: mare Height: 133cm Breeding: unknown Age: 14 Owner: Kelly Ward Rider: Elsie Lynch Producers: Kelly and Ruby Ward Best results: 2017, Classic Security working hunter pony (WHP) champion BSPS Summer Championships; 2018, restricted supreme BSPS Winter Championships, supreme WHP BSPS Area 2A and BSPS Area 2B, first 133cm WHP and champion HOYS final; 2019, first 133cm WHP and champion Midland Counties, first 133cm WHP and reserve champion Royal International (RIHS) final; 2020, supreme WHP BSPS Summer Championships; 2022, first 133cm and WHP champion Warwickshire Summer Fair, first 133cm WHP and champion Three Counties, first 133cm WHP Royal Windsor, mini WHP supreme BSPS Summer Championships, first 133cm WHP, champion and supreme pony of the year HOYS final; 2023, first nursery stakes London International (LIHS) final,…

catherine.austen@futurenet.com @cfausten123 MY good friend Willy Poole was a fine amateur huntsman and in later years achieved celebrity status as an author and journalist. His hunting career was always constrained by lack of funds and increasing weight, but he was a true hound man and did more than most to help the public perception of hunting and the rural way of life. It was the wilder countries that he loved and it was his measure in later life that he did not want to live where the curlews did not come. It was at Eton that he discovered the beagles, which ignited the passion of his life - hunting. Although his father insisted that he was articled to a chartered accountant in the City, he arranged to live in a…

A GELDING with a sizeable social media following due to his warm-up antics scored his first win, in a BE90 at Oasfcy (2). Good Omen III, who is known as Nemo - or “#naughtynemo” belongs to Jo HolmesCole and was steered to victory by freelance instructor Tom Fray. “He does enjoy a buck and a spin, but usually manages to pull off a decent performance in the ring,” explained Tom. “He missed last year due to having surgery to remove his manica flexoria ligament and we’ve brought him back into work slowly this year. “He had a couple of good unaffiliated runs, but also deposited me on the floor between fences one and two at Aston-le-Walls, so this win is pleasing for many reasons.” FIRST WIN…

Manor Grange Stud, W Yorks SARAH THORNTON headed both prelim bronze sections on seven-year-old gypsy cob-bred gelding Sir Roger Butterfly Ball. “My daughter Ellie has been riding him in BD [British Dressage] Quest and I’ve not competed with him since May,” said Sarah. “I couldn’t wait to message Ellie and gloat!” Nicknamed “The Dude” and described as “a family gem”, Roger has been with Sarah since he was 18 months old. “He’s come back from stifle surgery two years ago and we’ve started jumping lessons,” said Sarah, who trains with Bethany Edginton. “I didn’t realise until the day that the test was in a 20×60m arena but he seemed to prefer it.” “He’s come back from surgery” SARAH THORNTON…

Share your news story Call 0330 390 6386 Email eleanor.jones@futurenet.com @jones_eleanor_ THE FEI will carry out an “ethical review” of the use of medication in competition horses - as voting is to take place on banning injectable vitamins at events and trimming equine ear hair. Final FEI rule change proposals have now been agreed, ahead of these going to a vote at the general assembly on 13 November. Among the proposals, which include equine out-of-competition testing (news, 12 July), are changes to the veterinaiy regulations. Throughout the rules revision process, the Swedish federation has pushed for a ban on medication being administered on the day a horse competes, stating that with the current debate on equine welfare and social licence to operate, “it is of utmost importance not to allow…

CHRISTOPHER WELLS THE eventing steward and organiser has died peacefully at home aged 95. After retirement from the Army, Christopher moved to Suffolk with his family and engaged himself in many of his passions. He became regional director for the British Field Sports Society; he was passionate about field sports and the conservation that goes hand in hand with them. He spent many happy seasons working various generations of Labradors, picking up on C Syndicate of the Army shoot on the battle area near Thetford. He loved letting the older dogs teach the younger ones the job and had several generations, thinking each was the best he’d had. He loved his hunting and rode to hunt so he could watch hounds work. At the end of a day, he didn’t…

Event rider Caroline Harris and the 10-yearold gelding D. Day won Pau five-star, in their first season competing at the top level. Report, p48. Showjumper Robert Whitaker and Vermento beat 38 rivals to win the Helsinki World Cup leg on 27 October. Robert said Vermento was “amazing”. Jockey Toby McCainMitchell, grandson of legendary Red Rum trainer Ginger, had his first Cheltenham win, on The Newest One. Report, p66. Showjumper Jessica Mendoza won the $32,000 two-phase competition at the Washington International Horse Show with In The Air, on 25 October. Olympic team gold medallist Laura Collett will be guest of honour at the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards. Laura is “delighted” to be part of it.…

A STEWARDS’ enquiry, taking their own line, a human athlete and prosecco featured at the Cheshire Hunt’s hound-racing afternoon. Crowds gathered at the Cheshire’s kennels on 13 October to cheer hounds in nine races. “The clerk of the course had inspected the going and declared it good to soft,” hunt member Rachel Cooke told H&H, adding that hounds were loaded into the “starting gates” aka the old hound trailer. “The starter’s flag went down and the huntsman blew his horn, then ran in front, calling them on,” she said. “Undoubtedly the huntsman was at the heart of the sport.” The first two races were the bitch and dog hound puppies. “These caused amusement, with a few refusing to start or taking their own line,” Rachel said. “A stewards’ enquiry was…

OWNER KELLY WARD “I TOOK a call from Brian Flynn in Ireland; he said his neighbour had a mare for sale - would I be interested? He sent me a video of her trotting up the road and loose jumping - I bought her straight away. “She was exactly what we’d been looking for. My daughter, Ruby, was only seven at the time, but the day Pepper arrived she had a sit on her. She was green but a lovely pony, though Ruby was minute on her. “Ruby rode her all winter and at the BSPS [British Show Pony Society] Winter Championships she jumped her as a novice nursery. We were offered a lot of money at this time, but we didn’t sell her, something that very much went against…

WELHAM joined John when he was already IS years old late to start a major international career. But they still enjoyed stellar results for six years that culminated in an amazing win in the Hickstead Derby in 2000. “I first saw him with Keeley [Durham] and he looked good, very good,” remembers John. “She’d done really well with him and got him to the young riders championships. She thought she’d gone as far as she could with him, and that he deserved a chance at the big time.” Welham had the stable name of Fidget because he wouldn’t stand when out hunting; and this was a horse that had done a bit of everything… very well. He’d hunted, point-to-pointed, evented up to intermediate level and had attracted a bid from…

WHAT a buzz! I have recently taken part in a couple of hunt scurries and found them enormous fun. One of the greatest aspects of equestrian activities is the wide variety of forms in which they come, from the relatively sedentary to the high-octane. Over the past 20 years or so, I’ve had the pleasure of crossing Leicestershire’s finest hunting country in various guises. I moved to the Quorn hunt kennels at the age of 17 and got to know that hunting country, where I spent seven happy years as first whipper-in. As huntsman of both the Pytchley and South Shropshire I have taken hounds by invitation to the Cottesmore, Belvoir and Quorn, and last season I had the pleasure of hunting the Quorn hounds for a number of days…

CAVAGO ASSOCIATED CHAMPIONSHIPS 22-26 October oscar.williams@futurenet.com @oscarw_dr Cavago Associated Championships, Onley Grounds EC,Warks PART-BRED Arab gelding Riversides Caballero made up for his “meltdown” at last year’s championships by storming both his classes - the part-bred Arab prelim 17a and novice 23 - to take the title in each under Tamsin O’Connor. Tamsin purchased 10-yearold “Aero” as a “green project” three years ago from his breeder and quickly realised that dressage was his discipline of choice. Together they have qualified for and been to the Area Festival Championships at prelim, novice and novice freestyle music, as well as the regionals and nationals at prelim this year. “We came here last year and competed in prelim, but Aero had a meltdown and we did a very tense test,” explained Tamsin. “So I…

DESPITE a wardrobe malfunction, Chloe Dawes claimed a 73%-plus outright advanced medium freestyle win at Chard Equestrian, Somerset, with Femma Lijbra. “It was a warmer day than I’d expected and I could barely get my boots on,” said Chloe. “Before long I had horrible pins and needles and couldn’t feel my feet, so I had to warm up without stirrups. She’s a very forgiving mare and guessed at what I meant in the test, for things like the half-passes.” Known as “Chilli”, due to her laid-back nature the 14-year-old has previously taken Chloeto advanced level and has more recently been campaigned by grade IV para riders. “I’ve never known a horse enjoy the big competitions as much as she does,” said Chloe. “She loves an atmosphere”…

WITH 30 London tickets on offer over the two days - in 12 individual breed qualifiers and six semi-finals - business was brisk but sadly the show was dogged by heavy rain, including a cloudburst of biblical proportions on the final afternoon. TALKING POINT “It’s a good job they were native ponies,” one spectator commented wryly. Show officials and Arena UK staff pulled out all the stops to cope with the sudden flash flooding, enabling the show to carry on. “Our stewards also pulled together under extreme weather conditions to deliver a professional, enjoyable show,” said director Sharon Thomas. “Competitors seemed to remain cheerful and understanding too, despite being absolutely wet through!”…

FLEDGLING trainer Harry Derham earned a landmark first Cheltenham winner when the hugely likeable “pocket sized” Givemefive (pictured, above) landed Saturday’s £30,000 Masterson Holdings Hurdle over two miles for leading golfers Graeme McDowell and Brooks Koepka. “This means an awful lot,” said Derham, formerly assistant to Paul Nicholls. “Cheltenham is a very special place. When I was 11 I was chasing Ruby Walsh and Kauto Star up that hill and watching uncle Paul [Nicholls] win all those races. To have a winner in my own name here makes it a very cool day.” The four-year-old son of Holy Roman Emperor was found by Derham’s cousin Megan Nicholls 12 months ago and has been beautifully ridden by Paul O’Brien to three victories so far. “From the first day we jumped him…

IN THE NEWS PENDINI The former 128cm jumping pony has died, aged 34. She and Jess Hewitt won HOYS and RIHS and she had been retired with Aimee Jones, her last rider. CITY OF TROY The 2024 Derby winner and European champion two-year-old will retire to Cool more’s base in Ireland, after his final start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on 1 November. J ST JAKE The top endurance horse has died, aged 29. Jake and Helen McFarland completed 19 160km rides, winning the Scottish title and a premier Golden Horseshoe award.…

RAIN Olympic hero Tom McEwen wouldn’t change a moment of the Games except maybe had it been dry for dressage as “that was a bit s***!” We hear you, Tom. But overall, not a bad fortnight. RUNNING A journal reports that evolution allows us to outdo horses long-distance. Cool, but anyone who’s ever chased an uncatchable Shetland might beg to differ… SPELLING A yard owner was tickled when a livery texted: “I’ve got a leek in my stable.” “I’ve got a carrot,” she replied. “If we find a few onions, we could make soup.” Unhelpful. But also the only possible answer. SCAMMERS This week’s award to the seller of a pony who’s “not afraid of dogs, chickens, cars, guard rails, flags, or signs”. Oh, and he’s 12.5hh. Perfect. PARTNERS Overheard…

Email to hhletters@futurenet.com Name and address must be included. Letters may be edited. IT’S A NON-STARTER I FOUND Oliver Townend’s opinion about eventing very interesting (17 October). As a long-time British Eventing amateur member and having represented grassroots members in the past, one of the appeals of eventing is the scheduled timings. Amateurs, often with no help at events, have to schedule their course walking, warm-up and horse preparation, and a published timetable helps them plan this. To arrive at the showjumping to be shunted down to accommodate the multiple rider can have many implications for childcare, animal care or horsebox hire. “I remember him playing on the floor with plastic horses” MARIE RUTHERFOORD As for Oliver’s idea of a sum added to entry fees to form a prize fund,…

“WE’D known Pepper for a longtime as my daughter Elsie has trained with Kelly for some time and we’d also previously loaned Ruby’s 12hh pony Blackhill Imogen. Elsie took Pepper on when she was nine, but she was still so tiny on her. “Pepper has been amazing for Elsie and riding her has been the most incredible opportunity. She’s so unassuming and has the biggest heart. Elsie is a perfectionist and Pepper is this way too, being very rhythmical. She’s taught Elsie to sit and wait for a stride, and I know I can trust her 100% in every way. A lot of this has come from Kelly too, who has been the best mentor for Elsie. “The HOYS supreme win was a shock and so unexpected, especially so early…

EFFECTIVE disinfection requires an awareness of four essential principles: • The surface to be disinfected must be clean. Organic matter (bedding, faeces or dried sweat on door frames, feed and water bowls) inactivates most disinfectants and must be removed. Unless visibly clean, disinfection should always be preceded by cleaning of the surface to be treated. • The disinfectant must be certified to have antifungal properties. Some common disinfectants have poor antifungal activity. Seek veterinary advice when choosing a disinfectant. • The disinfectant must be made to the correct concentration. An arbitrary “dollop” or a sachet added to a bucket of water, so common in the horse world, will not suffice. • Sufficient contact time with the treated surface must be allowed. It is often best to allow the disinfectant to…

IF you can’t wait for the seasonal reappearances of last year’s exciting novices or you’re simply counting down the days to the Grand National, you’re in luck because the new season is cranking into top gear. Before you know it we’ll be discussing who is going to win the King George VI Chase at Kempton, and which stable stars are reaffirming their dominance ahead of Cheltenham and Aintree. So take your seats for drama, excitement and some unforgettable sporting triumphs; here is just a taster of what you can look forward to this winter. A IS FOR… AINTREE, ASCOT, AYR AND ANTICIPATION FOR AN ADRENALINE-PACKED SEASON CHELTENHAM’S October meeting (report p72) signals the action shifting into top gear and 39 of Great Britain’s 59 racecourses will host jumps meetings this…

PAU 24-27 October pippa.roome@futurenet.com @pipparoomeorkyle Pau, France BRITAIN’S Caroline Harris and D. Day headed a world-class field to be crowned champions in their first season at five-star. The pair sealed victory through their phenomenal jumping performances. Their dressage was mid-field good - a score of 30.3 left them in 22nd after the first phase - but the exceptional way in which this 10-year-old floated through the soupy cross-country conditions is what set them apart. Clear showjumping rounds from Tom McEwen on Brookfield Quality and Ros Canter on Izilot DHI, who held provisional third and second after cross-country, meant that overnight leaders Caroline and D. Day had no buffer. D. Day is an excellent showjumper, but jumping for a five-star win is beyond any situation either of this pair has been…

THE two Chilli Morning clones, Chilli Morning IV (Gemma Stevens) and Chilli Morning II (Julia Krajewski), looked like a chip off the old block as they answered every question at Mondial du Lion with the same neatness and intelligence as the original 2015 Badminton winner. But even though they scored identical dressage marks and cut a very similar dash across country, Gemma was quick to point out the differences between them - and the original Chilli. “Of course, in some ways they are very similar, but both Julia and I have our own systems and our horses are a product of that,” she said. “Plus, we have very different styles of riding. I don’t look at Quattro every day and think,‘You’re a clone’. He’s one of my team and treated…

SCORES of plus-80% earned SJL Vivaldo a double prelim win at All ens Hill, Worcestershire. By Vivaldi and out of a Fürstenball mare, the five-year-old geldine was boueht as a foal by Sarah Lucas and Antonia Brown. He spent time with Ginnie and Will Turnbull at Tanglewood and with Will Crawley, before Dan Greenwood started competing him this month. ONES TO WATCH “He’s the sunniest, most genuine horse and has been from day one” said Antonia. “Already 17.1hh, he’s earned the name ‘Tall Timmy’, so we haven’t rushed him. He has all the credentials and definitely the right character to take up the levels.”…

VERSATILE show horse HA Mont Brillant claimed prelim bronze section and overall wins at Cockshot, Cheshire. The part-Arab gelding, owned and ridden by Eve Bagley, was third in last year’s Search for a Star hack final at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). “He’s 13 nowand we wanted to do something different with him, so we gave dressage a try,” said Eve, who trains with Melanie Turner. “We have some things to work on - for me it’s the circle sizes and with ‘Alfie’ it’s suppleness. He’s not the easiest horse but he’s rewarding and really seems to enjoy it” ONES TO WATCH…

HOME-PRODUCER Sophie Webster achieved a long-held ambition when partnering her charming Shetland, Sharptor Choir Boy, to win the RIHS small breeds qualifier and secure the family’s first-ever Hickstead ticket. “We bought him at the end of July for my seven-year-old daughter, Imogen Pardey, and he was fifth in the RIHS lead-rein qualifier on Saturday with her,” said Sophie. “We came back the next day and I pinched him for the open qualifier - to my amazement, we were pulled top and stayed there so the tears flowed. To win and qualify so early on - and at our first attempt - is nothing short of amazing.” FIRST RIHS TICKET…

HIGHLIGHTS 21-27 October jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald Aintree Racecourse, Merseyside IN a bumper weekend for jumps racing fans, the Donald McCain-trained Minella Drama stole the show at Aintree, winning the Grade Two Virgin Bet Old Roan Handicap Chase with a superb display of jumping. Jockey Brian Hughes and the Bankhouse Stables’ “flagship” horse left his four rivals floundering in this 2m 4f chase. The Paul Nicholls-trained Hitman (Freddie Gingell) held on for second from top weight Ahoy Senor, scorching home in third. “I don’t get many chances to ride those sorts of winners,” said three-time champion jockey Hughes, who was winning the Old Roan chase for a record third time following Forest Bihan in 2019 and Riders Onthe Storm (2022). He was also second in the race last year with this nineyear-old…

Showcase Meeting, Cheltenham Racecourse, Glos “THIS is the best place to be riding winners,” declared winning jockey Keith Donoghue (Path D’Oroux) of the sport’s glorious return to the home of jump racing, while trainer Henry de Bromhead summed up, “There is no better place to have a winner.” The traditional seasonal curtain raiser at National Hunt HQ attracted a stellar cast of performers, and a record crowd of 20,585 on day two witnessed de Bromhead’s 11/1 shot Senior Chief (Darragh O’Keeffe) lead home a one-two for the Irish handler in the 3m 1f £100,000 William Hill Committed To Top Prices Handicap Chase. The Randox Grand National could now be the target for this powerful seven-year-old, who finished a length and a quarter ahead of stable companion The Short Go (Jordan…

PEOPLE pay good money to spend a few days “off grid”, but I went into panic mode when a message appeared on my laptop saying that we were no longer connected to the internet. How on earth were we going to function, work or communicate without WhatsApp, email, Life360 and all the other internet-based clutter of modern life? Phone signal here is patchy at best. Not to mention the bleak thought of an evening without Netflix. I went outside to ring the broadband company, performing a yoga move to access the smidgen of the farmyard that receives a phone signal. Apparently, it was a BT Openreach problem – something to do with the cable. Someone somewhere was opening a manhole. None of this information suggested a quick fix. “We won’t…