Innholdsfortegnelse for 7-Nov-2024 i Horse & Hound

IT'S obvious to those of us who enjoy horses and riding that our sport provides myriad physical and mental health benefits. It's not the only sport to do so, but the inclusion of another being in the experience of riding and horse ownership adds a unique dimension that can be hugely beneficial for both parties. That partnership strengthens with time, and with experience riders and owners develop skills, knowledge and empathy – which can equate to stronger and stronger bonds. It's no surprise then that we easily found a number of riders to speak to who are enjoying their horses to the max now in their later years (feature, p32) – with horses who are in their later years too. Having not owned a horse for a while now, I'm…

BÓTHAR NA The former Kerry National winner and Grand National runner, trained by Willie Mullins, has died, aged 25. He excelled in showing and dressage with Sarah McClelland. CARLTONLIMA EMMA A shoe of The late Queen's much-loved pony was made into a trophy, given to farrier Jason Gajczak for the best-shod horse in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot. EMILY UPJOHN Trainer John Gosden has confirmed that the dual Group One-winning mare is to retire. Her biggest wins were the Coronation Cup at Epsom and on Champions Day 2022.…

Email to hhletters@futurenet.com Name and address must be included. Letters may be edited. RACING'S FUTURE IT is worrying that I recently heard a statistic on TV relating to the number of young people who think racing is cruel, and yet when the crowds were shown, many were young people enjoying themselves. The programme focused on the trainers at the top of the title race, who appeared desperate to do anything it takes to get another winner. No one sees the amount of preparation it takes to get a horse to the trainer's yard, let alone on the racetrack. “Rising trot helps horses develop their topline” SHANNON ALLEN HAVE YOUR SAY Do you feel strongly about an issue in the horse world? Write to H&H at hhletters@futurenet.com and please include your full…

catherine.austen@futurenet.com @cfausten123 LIKE a pack of hounds that hunts true to the line, or the peal of a church bell, when you meet someone who is utterly genuine, it is unmistakable. They just ring true. That's my impression of Lady Sarah McCorquodale, and it is franked by those whom I speak to about her. In her 15th season as a Belvoir master, she is both the backbone of the hunt and its headmistress. Her efficiency as an administrator is legendary – I have never come across anyone who replies to an email so quickly – and, while she wouldn't be the type to suffer fools gladly, she is both respected and truly loved in the hunting country. She's very funny – most of her stories err on the side of…

CHRIS SMITH topped the 1.25m Blue Chip qualifier with his wife Nicola's 12-year-old gelding Be Caprivi (pictured). “She's expecting and is due in three weeks, so I've pinched him to keep him ticking over,” Chris said. “She's had him since a five-year-old and I did ride him before when she was pregnant with our daughter, who is four now. “I've probably jumped him half a dozen times and he's always competitive – he'd be capable of jumping bigger tracks but is a very good 1.35m horse.” Chris executed a turn no one else attempted to produce the fastest of 15 double clears, pipping Will Edwards (Stapleton Florence) by 0.21sec. “He's quick without trying. As soon as you look where you're going, he's gone. “I feel more pressure riding him than…

THE STIG MOTORS TO TOP SPOT EMILY DIMERY piloted her grade A, The Stig, to the fastest of just two double clears at Mendip Plains EC in the Blue Chip diamond qualifier, beating her friend Yasmin Pincott (Tawnmore Lux Furious) by 3.43sec. “He was on speedy form,” said Emily. “I knew that Yasmin was the one to beat.” Emily has owned the Mermus R gelding since buying him 10 years ago as a just-backed four-year-old. “He's one of the cheekiest horses I have ever met,” said Emily. “Everything is down to how he's feeling on the day and on a good day, he's quite talented. “He can be spooky when he's not in the mood and on other days he's like, 'I've got this.' On bad days, we say he's…

AGAINST THE ODDS HELEN WHITE came back from having both hips replaced in June to win a BE80 at Norton Disney (2) at Speetley. While Helen was recuperating, her ride PS I'm Jack (pictured) sustained a serious cut in the field, so he had some time on box rest before going to Helen's jumping trainer Mark Jackson to get going again. “Mark's daughter Harriet ran him at Alnwick Ford unaffiliated and I took him back after several trips to Northumberland for tuition and hospitality chez Jackson! “This is the first win with my new hips, but my other horse, EPA Murray, was second at Askham Bryan two weeks ago,” said Helen, who is managing director of Blind Fashion, an almost £3m blind company with 40 employees. “It's fairly challenging, as…

CAREER CHANGE PAYS OFF FORMER showjumping mare Come On Vivien made easy work of the prelims at Crow Wood EC, Lancashire, scoring two bronze section and overall wins. Ania Dzieciolkiewicz, 16, whose grandfather bought “Connie” for her in December, explained that the 14-year-old Cornet's Stern daughter is thriving in her new career. “Connie had never done dressage and we've had our ups and downs, but she's absolutely smashing it,” she commented. “We train with Tori Peter, who helped us start from scratch. Our 72.2% prelim 6 score is a personal best.”…

A SHARED RIDE PHOEBE HUGHES rode her former eventer Top Biats to a silver and overall medium win at Sparsholt, before her trainer Yasmin Olsson-Sanderson (pictured) achieved a silver victory with the same horse at advanced medium. “Top is such a special horse and means the world to me,” said Phoebe, whose hopes of a gold medal with him at the 2022 young rider European Championships were dashed when the pair knocked a showjumping pole and fell to fifth place. “Sadly, he was injured last year, so we took the decision to bring him back as a dressage horse. “It's hard not to love dressage on a horse as natural at it as he is,” added Phoebe, a university student who also events. “Yasmin is supportive and knows him as…

2 The number of finishers in Wetherby's juvenile hurdle, after four of the six runners were taken out in chaotic scenes involving an unseat and a loose horse wiping out three rivals 20 AIDAN O'BRIEN'S RECORD-EQUALLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AFTER LAKE VICTORIA (JUVENILE FILLIES TURF) AND HENRI MATISSE (JUVENILE TURF) STRUCK FOR THE COOLMORE TRAINER $6,008,000 BREEDERS' CUP CLASSIC WINNER SIERRA LEONE'S CAREER EARNINGS 1 IRISH TRAINER GER LYONS LANDS A MILESTONE FIRST BREEDERS' CUP WINNER WITH MAGNUM FORCE IN THE JUVENILE TURF SPRINT 9th Grade One win for Envoi Allen as the 10-year-old, trained by Henry de Bromhead and ridden by Darragh O'Keeffe, landed the Irish Champion Chase at Down Royal…

Share your news story Call 0330 390 6386 Email eleanor.jones@futurenet.com @ jones_eleanor_ THE equestrian industry is facing “the perfect storm” as minimum rates of pay will rise further than predicted next spring. Businesses face soaring wage bills on top of the well-documented ongoing issues, including high interest rates and increased pressure on everyone's finances. There are also concerns that some in the industry have failed to move with the times - they have been warned that non-compliance with the law is not an option and that HMRC is cracking down. In the budget on 30 October, the chancellor confirmed that the living wage – the minimum rate of pay for people aged 21 and over – will rise from £11.44 to £12.21 an hour in April. The rate for 18-…

Para dressage legend Sophie Christiansen is to retire after a 20-year career, in which she won 27 senior championship medals. Full report, 14 November. British-based Dutch Olympic eventer Andrew Heffernan has been named as Bramham cross-country course-designer. He takes over from Ian Stark. Paris Olympic team gold and individual bronze medallist Laura Collett has been shortlisted for The Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year 2024. Showjumper Scott Brash's Paris clear that secured British team gold has been shortlisted for the moment of the year at the Scottish Sports Awards. Researcher Alice Goff won the British Equestrian Trade Association thesis of the year award for her dissertation on African horse sickness.…

COUTURE A fashion mag gushes over a sleb's “ultimate horse girl style”, as her trousers had a horse motif. As we know, such style is really wellies, baler twine and Eau de la Merde du Cheval No 5. ALGORITHMS A rider trying to sell stirrups on Facebook was puzzled to find her listing “goes against our rules on weapons”. It must have been the AK-47 treads that gave it away, or the Kalashnikov leathers… TUCKING IN A horse who won an indoor event in Canada loves beer, Krispy Kreme doughnuts and jumping out of fields. And he's called Audacious. Couldn't be more perfect. PRODUCTS We will not name the non-horsey website offering a free tailguard, or “equine protector cover” with orders. Very random but we would be interested in equine…

DRESSAGE ONLY IN HORSE & HOUND oscar.williams@futurenet.com @oscarw_dr WHO else spotted variations in the judging at the National Championships? Even accounting for judges seeing tests from different positions, were the inconsistencies too large and too frequent? In some cases, of course, these discrepancies will have been reviewed. But at the nationals, one might expect better spreads than second to 23rd, second to 20th (twice), first to 17th, first to 20th, first to 15th and fifth to 29th. In my book, to achieve the top or second-best mark from one judge and then be placed 20th is a huge differential. One's nearly a winner, the other out with the washing. Perhaps one solution is for judges to have additional sessions with experienced trainers who have produced horses through from young horses to…

THE Flat racing and showjumping worlds will come together in an exclusive Bolesworth Elite Auction, Exclusive Embryos & Racing Dreams. Bolesworth's Nina Barbour (pictured, below) has selected 17 exclusive implanted embryos with stunning jumping bloodlines. The highlight is a rare Romeo 88 embryo out of Picobello Mabella (a full sister to Hello M'Lady). “We're selling the dream and proving the dream happens with the right ingredients,” says Nina, who cites two Bolesworth Elite Auction yearlings now competing at 1.50m. “Romeo [now a gelding] only has five or six offspring; there never will be that many.” Alongside the embryos (which are insured until the foal is seven days old), shares in three of Michael Owen's Flat horses, trained by Hugo Palmer, will be auctioned. Nina explains: “By the nature of both…

IT is important to note that the risk assessment tool only provides a guide, and it must be recognised that every horse or herd is unique, and worm control needs to be tailored to the individual circumstances. Remember that individual factors that signify low risk do not mean no risk. It should also be recognised that this approach is appropriate only for mature horses; the parasites and their risks in foals (pictured), weanlings and yearlings are different, necessitating a different approach (to be covered in vet clinic early next year). Nevertheless, the CANTER risk table is a valuable tool to help make the shift we need to a different way of monitoring and controlling worm populations, and should be used to help protect our horses' health into the future.…

FOLLOWING a 30-year break from the saddle, 70-year-old farm and yard owner Andy Blackwood rekindled his passion for horses during a ranch holiday, aged 50. He has earned himself the nickname “the bionic showjumper”, thanks to having “various bits bolted together”, and says he's not there to make up the numbers when it comes to competing with his 19-year-old chestnut mare Ellie. “Riding keeps me fit. I hack every day and I see the physio once a month for my aches and pains,” he says. Andy credits beach riding for keeping Ellie in top shape, and it was thanks to the beach that she returned from a near-fatal field accident in 2014 when she got a leg caught in wire. Ellie had surgery and spent a month in plaster, and…

HIGHLIGHTS 23–27 October pippa.roome@futurenet.com @pipparoomeorkyle Bicton Arena (2), Devon CHLOË LIVESEY scored an unexpected win in the Symonds & Sampson CCI3*-S, piloting the 15-year-old Sportsfield Lord Livesey. Third after dressage, the pair put in the second-fastest cross-country round. Chloë's mother Hazel bought “Ron” as a four-year-old from Paul Donovan and he has competed up to four-star with Matt Heath and James Avery, before having last year off injured. Chloë has rehabilitated him under the guidance of “Spike the Vet”, Spike Milligan. “He's very easy-going so his rehab was fairly straightforward, and we are lucky we've been able to get him back to compete for me as I love him,” said Chloë. “I'm not a professional event rider, and it works well for him to go out every month or so.…

HIGHLIGHTS 21–27 October oscar.williams@futurenet.com @oscarw_dr Parwood EC, Surrey QUEENIE MOULE, 12, notched up a 73% medium win on her first outing with Amden Supreme Golden Dancer. A former pony Europeans partner for Ella Glennon, 143cm palomino gelding “Leo” has been with Queenie since February – under the guidance of Annabella Pidgley. “He has the loveliest temperament and he's a little powerhouse,” said Queenie's mum, Louise. “Queenie made a few rider errors, but Annabella was very confident that she was ready to step up.” Queenie added: “Leo has taught me so much in such a short space of time.” At novice, Jo Pool scored a bronze section and overall win with her lofty gelding TLB Kannibaloulou. Jo bought the Kannan-sired gelding three years ago, to showjump. “After he had a field…

HIGHLIGHTS 21–27 October Sparsholt College, Hants LILY LAUGHTON described her 73.38% prix st georges (PSG) winner Hulana T as “the definition of a perfect horse”. “She's the sweetest, kindest mare and never does anything wrong,” said Lily, who bought the 12-year-old from the Netherlands last December while working for Dutch Olympic rider Marlies van Baalen. “We've already formed such a close relationship.” Lily, who campaigned Hulana at young riders this year, wanted to run through the PSG with her ahead of Aachen in December. “She competed at small tour with Marlies, but she has very low mileage for her age,” she said. “At her first international with me at Aachen in March, she was quite nervous in the big arena. She showed off a lot more at the nationals.” Owen…

HIGHLIGHTS 29 October–3 November jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald Del Mar, California, USA CITY OF TROY received a film star's welcome to southern California for his eagerly anticipated racing swansong, generating global headlines and sparking heated debates about his credentials to be crowned the best in the world. In the end, Saturday's $7m (£5.4m) Longines Breeders' Cup Classic was less Oscar-winning performance and more box-office flop (see box, below). But the runaway winner of the feature race, the US-trained Sierra Leone, was deserving of star billing and all the accompanying plaudits. After making steady headway through the fast-run race, the Kentucky Derby runner-up charged into contention exiting the far turn, entering a thrilling duel with the Todd Fletcher-trained favourite, Fierceness (John Velazquez). In a pulsating finish, Sierra Leone, a Kentucky-bred son of 2017…

RECORD-BREAKING Coolmore-based Aidan O'Brien joined legendary US handler D. Wayne Lukas, 89, as the most successful Breeders' Cup trainers of all time. “I'm honoured to equal Wayne's record,” said O'Brien. “He rang me during the week and he spoke to me about this track, and he was explaining about the Classic and the way he thought we should ride it. So we feel very grateful and privileged that he was so good to tell us everything.” Their affiliation began in 2000 when Giant's Causeway was sent to Churchill Downs for the Breeders' Cup. “Wayne came down and told us what to do about the pony [whereby racehorses in the US are led down to the start by a mounted outrider] and then he said, 'No, I'll come down and pony…

TWO KEY BRITISH HORSES SOLD TWO horses ridden by Charlotte Dujardin have been sold abroad. As planned well before Paris, Imhotep, with whom Charlotte was selected for the Games, has been sold to Austrian rider Diana Porsche. Promising nine-year-old Times Kismet is now based with Germany's Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl. Kismet's breeder and previous owner Peter Belshaw told H&H: “These decisions are not easy and with the uncertainty of the investigation, the uncertainty of the road back for Charlotte and the time this will take while Kismet is heading towards her prime years, the proposal made a lot of sense for Kismet's welfare and future career.” Charlotte is suspended from competition while the FEI investigates the video of her training that emerged this summer. CELEBRATION OF RIDER'S LIFE THOUSANDS…

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald WITH the Flat racing season concluding, there's now a huge amount of jump racing to look forward to. However, much change is just around the corner and we need to be ready for it. Cheltenham appointed Guy Lavender as its new CEO but we are still awaiting news of a new chairman of The Jockey Club, and chairman and CEO at the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) – three high-profile positions that need filling. We also have a new government and, after the budget, finances for trainers have become more difficult, especially those operating on a smaller scale. I worry for the future of my fellow trainers and, for that matter, farmers. Looking on the bright side, we saw some tremendous jump racing on both sides of the Irish…

I lost my fiancé in 1997 in a car accident on Christmas Eve. He lived in west Wales, where I live now, and he was driving to the Midlands to move in with me when he was killed on the way over. You never get over it, but you learn to live with it. Afterwards I studied bereavement and post-traumatic stress counselling, to come to terms with what I'd lost. I noticed a lot of people were bereaved from losing pets, particularly older horses. I did some research and found that over a third of horses in this country were over 15, and the idea for the Veteran Horse Society came about. I found my purpose and out of something horrific came a massive positive. “Out of something horrific came…

FIND MORE GREAT PRODUCTS ONLINE Visit horseandhound.co.uk/buyers-guides to find more fantastic new products HAWICK CRYSTAL BOBBLE HAT BY COLDSTREAM This luxury ribbed knitted bobble hat is a style staple for this winter. It features a technical brushed fleece lining to help keep you warm, even on the coldest days. Finished with a detachable faux-fur bobble. £32.99 coldstreamequestrian.co.uk SILVER HONEY MUD DEFENSE SPRAY BY ABSORBINE This spray combines the natural power of manuka honey, MicroSilver BG and essential oils. It is specially formulated to support the skin and protect against the challenges seen in wet and muddy conditions. £26.12 for 177ml absorbine.co.uk DAILYFIBRE BY MOLLICHAFF A high-fibre chaff that is low in sugar and starch. Full of quality ingredients, it is specifically designed for horses in light to medium work. Provides slow-release…

CALCOURT FIREBLADE headed both prelim and novice classes at Burrows Court Farm, Gloucestershire, with scores nearing 80%. Sara Paul, who rides six-year-old “Fire” for his owners and breeders Ali and Rowland Fernyhough, has partnered him to a string of wins since his competition debut in August. ONE TO WATCH “He's a very modern dressage horse, loose-moving and powerful,” she said. “He had a little look at the judges' hut, just baby green things, but he's very genuine. He'll make someone a lovely horse to train and take up the levels.”…

MICHELLE BRAYBROOK enjoyed an advanced medium bronze section and overall win at Bury Farm EC, Buckinghamshire, with her mare Felice. “I've trained her up to PSG with the help of Anna Ross,” said Michelle, who bought the Van Gogh offspring as a just-backed five-year-old. “We've had to work hard to keep her onside as she's quite quirky and sensitive. But she's super-talented. “We've got the changes down to two-time and it's now about building her confidence in the arena,” added Michelle, who also rode her to a dance music soundtrack to finish second in the advanced medium freestyle. ONE TO WATCH…

THE opening meet should be one of the most exciting days in the year for hunting people. In fact, it's the opposite. Most of us are not crazy about the day and attend dutifully in the same way we do on Boxing Day; it was no different pre-ban. The South and West Wilts held theirs for many years in an unpromising section of the country where the best hope for a find was a yard full of brambles, ancient cars and other rubbish behind the house of some old family friends called “the Baxters”. North Dorset has become so Cotswoldesque that there are bungalows on that ragged patch of ground now. You wouldn't find a fox there even if you wanted to. I'd aimed to give the meet a swerve…