Innholdsfortegnelse for 14-Nov-2024 i Horse & Hound

IT was a treat to see a “new” name win the last five-star of the eventing season, in Pau, France – cover star D. Day and rider Caroline Harris beating the favourites in the wettest of ground after hours of relentless rain threatened to cancel proceedings. In the H&H interview (p16), Caroline explains that she slept like a log the night before cross-country, fully expecting rain to stop play. Instead, the course was adapted, Caroline went clear, and faster than her peers, to put herself in the lead before showjumping and maintain that lead for victory. In doing so, she beat the very best – riders including Ros Canter and Oliver Townend – and surprised herself. If you’re not yet familiar with Caroline’s name, it’s one you should get used…

VOLCANO Julie McClelland’s HOYS puissance winner, ridden by Douglas Duffin, has died, aged 24. He had Hickstead Derby placings and represented Britain in a Nations Cup. AUGUSTE RODIN The Aidan O’Brien-trained 2023 Derby hero, who also won the Irish equivalent, will retire to stud at Coolmore’s Irish base after his final run in the Japan Cup. LCC BARNABY US eventer Lillian Heard’s great campaigner has retired, aged 18, after 11 five-star completions. He was a familiar figure at Burghley and Badminton, Kentucky and Maryland.…

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald I WAS recently invited to speak at the Association of British Riding Schools (ABRS) annual conference about my upbringing in a riding school. One of the subjects I touched on was the problem of attracting staff to the industry, not just at the elite level, but also at grassroots level, in riding schools and show centres. They are one of the entry points for involvement in the sport, and where people learn to uphold the necessary standards of behaviour. We live in an era of greater scrutiny and we all need people around us that we can trust. It’s really important that we value our staff, are respectful to them and make them feel a part of something, because keeping the show on the road is a real…

KISSING SPINES occur when the dorsal spinous processes, which are a part of each vertebra that make up the spinal column of the back, are too close together and touch, or “kiss”. The veterinary term for this condition is “impingement of the dorsal spinous processes” or “overriding dorsal spinous processes”. The spinal column of the back of the horse is generally made up of 18 thoracic and six lumbar vertebrae. Kissing spines are most commonly located within the region of the 13th to the 18th thoracic vertebrae, which just so happens to be where the seat of the rider is located in the saddle. It’s important to remember that the back of a horse is usually a very dynamic structure and is constantly moving. Viewed from the side, the back…

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SOUTH SHROPSHIRE 2 November catherine.austen@futurenet.com @cfausten123…

catherine.austen@futurenet.com @cfausten123 Heythrop, Oxon THE Heythrop stood firm against Storm Milton, the organisers confident of the Cotswold brash’s drainage, and despite heavy rain in the morning it proved itself. Team Ride Away 1 were caught in the deluge warming up, but Charlotte Alexander and Saphir Du Rheu took them fast over the early part of the course. Running hard down to the drop hedge at the centre of the course they had Lisette Davies, Roddy Stanning and Will Badlan in hot pursuit. At the far end of the course, a classic switchback of three hedges in one fence line sets a challenge, and here Will tipped off King Gypsy, baulking Roddy and Lostintranslation. But Roddy and the former Betfair Chase winner persevered, taking a dive at the final hedge to…

Bogenraith Equestrian, Aberdeenshire “IT’S a huge milestone,” said Ria Stewart after a prix st georges victory with Aesopica Texel MFS. “That’s probably the happiest I’ve been after a test.” Ria bought “Fable” from a friend four years ago, as a “cute, affordable, quality mare”. “She hadn’t suited my friend and I wasn’t sure about her myself, as she never seemed particularly motivated or to enjoy her work,” said Ria, who had a baby last year and gave Fable, now eight, an 18-month competition break. “But something seemed to click this year. Maybe she’s stronger, but she seems to be on the way up. “She seems to be on the way up” RIA STEWART “We’re both still green at the level but, for where she’s at, I’m delighted.”…

Chard Equestrian, Somerset FOLLOWING what she describes as a “mega-disaster” in October, Sophie Savage enjoyed a successful outing with Two Tone Ted, heading the novice 4 silver section and sharing a three-way elementary 4 win. “At the Summer Area Festival Championships at Arena UK, Ted took an absolute dislike to the place,” said Sophie, who suspects that noisy background music -namely Come On Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners -prompted an out-of-character reaction from the 15-year-old Irish-bred gelding. “I had to retire halfway through the first test and withdrew him from the second,” she said. “We had him checked over and we’ve been taking it easy since then, but he has really come back on form. He’s given me an absolutely fantastic year. He’s a star.”…

FENELLA ADAMS, 11, claimed her first big win, and London International (LIHS) qualification, when she headed the 128cm grand prix with Dunbarover IV (pictured, right), who she has been riding since April. “She’s probably only jumped a handful of 1.10ms, so she is overjoyed,” said her mum, Rebecca. “We didn’t have him in time for the Royal International qualifiers and only caught the end of the Horse of the Year Show qualifiers, so we’ve just been building up, jumping smaller stuff and enjoying him.” After good results throughout the show, they decided to try the gelding in the “huge and technical” grand prix. “The first four in the jump-off had multiple fences down, so she decided not to go full pelt but to turn him up and try to put…

JIM, my horse, is 16 now. He’s knocking on. I look back and wonder where the years have gone and, like many owners of older horses, wish that their lives were not so short compared to our own. Apparently, 16 in horse years equates to 50 in human ones, so give or take a year or two, Jim and I are the same age – feeling pretty much the same as ever, despite the years on the clock. You can get institutionalised riding the same horse all the time, so I have been trying to wean myself off my old friend by riding other horses and fortunately Adam has a few spares. On Tuesday, Alec and I went out for the second proper day of the season. I left Jim…

Share your news story Call 0330 390 6386 Email eleanor.jones@futurenet.com @ jones_eleanor_ GIVING horses choices and listening to their needs could be key to improving welfare. These topics were covered at the World Horse Welfare 2024 conference on 7 November, the theme of which was “What is a good life for a horse?” Lisa Dickel, a researcher in ecology and animal welfare at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, said animals make choices every day, such as on movement, habitat and resources. “The dynamic concept of welfare describes it as ability of an animal to respond flexibly to internal and environmental cues,” she said. “For example, to respond to whether they are hungry or there are social cues they need to react to. This will help maintain their health and…

MINNIE THE MOOCHER Adam and Ally Pike’s star Shetland has died, aged 35. Minnie appeared at Olympia three times, standing supreme in-hand Veteran Horse Society champion in 2013. MOUNT ST JOHN FREESTYLE Freestyle, 15, tops the world dressage rankings. She won medals with Charlotte Dujardin, and team Olympic silver with Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour. CARNSDALE SIR LANCELOT Angela Hunt’s 15hh show hunter pony has been put down, aged 18. He and Angela’s daughter Jessica won top titles including at HOYS and the RIHS.…

US Eventing technical advisor and chef d’equipe Bobby Costello is leaving on 30 November. He was appointed interim chef in 2022, full-time in 2023. Dual Grand Nationalwinning trainer Lucinda Russell celebrated her 1,000th career winner, Starlyte, in a handicap hurdle at Kelso on 9 November. Olympic dressage rider Jayden Brown is to return to Australia, having been in Britain since 2022, to establish his own coaching and training business. The late RSPCA inspector Kirsty Withnall who “dedicated her life to fighting animal cruelty” received the animal welfare award at the Charity Today Awards. Legendary trainer Sir Michael Stoute, whose career includes six Derby winners and 10 champion trainer titles, sent out his final runner on 6 November.…

TRUE horsepower is reducing the impact of tree removal – needed for maintenance of the electricity network in Scotland. Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Transmission is working with Future Forestry, which has found that “there is still a place for horse logging where access, space, environmental, or ground sensitivities don’t allow for modern-day machinery”. The firm has equine team members Eli, Luke and Ben. Future Forestry’s Angie Smith said: “We have to consider the environment we are working in and how we can leave a site having caused as little impact as possible. When I heard that the previous owner John was retiring from working with the heavy horses, I knew we had a place for them. Our fantastic equine manager, Annie Hutchison, spent a year settling them in.”…

THE night before the crosscountry that sealed Caroline Harris’s breakout win at Pau CCI5*, she had the “best night’s sleep”. It’s hardly what you’d expect from a rider in their rookie season at the highest level. Rain was hammering down on the lorry roofs, as it had been all day long and would continue throughout Saturday. “I just didn’t think it could possibly run, I fully expected it to be cancelled,” says Caroline. “I thought I had nothing to worry about, and was about to change my ferry times as I was so sure we’d go home early.” But the ground jury cut loops of the course out, removed fences, and the event team laid down tonnes of sand. The show would go on. Still Caroline was unsure. Her vet…

THE NATIONAL CHAMPION MONDAY, 27 May 2024 – the final day of the 2023/24 point-to-point championship – is a date that will forever be etched in the memory of Izzie Hill (née Marshall) for it was the day she became ladies’ point-to-point champion jockey for the first time. It was a momentous occasion as she pipped 10-time victor Gina Andrews to the championship crown. Final score: Izzie 24, Gina 21. “It went down to the wire on the last weekend – I think I was two ahead of Gina going into the final day,” explains Izzie, who is a former national novice point-to-point champion jockey and twice runner-up in the ladies’ championship. “I knew that Gina had to win the last three races that day to go level with me,…

FRAN SEGALOV claimed outright wins at prelim and novice with Impression II at Vale View Equestrian, Leicestershire. Co-owned by the mare’s breeder Linda Martell-Brownlow, the four-year-old Integro mare has impressed Fran with her can-do attitude. “She’s not said ‘no’ yet,” said Fran, who trains with Amy Woodhead. “She has the most trainable brain of any young horse I’ve ridden and she’s full of character, in a positive way. The more she does, the braver and flashier she’ll become.”…

Topthorn Arena, Suffolk FOXY BINGO claimed a plus-70% novice double victory under the guidance of Kelly Chaston. Kelly rides the six-year-old Hanoverian gelding for Jade Holleman and has a passion for producing youngsters. “He’s getting bolder already” KELLY CHASTON ON FOXY BINGO “I love getting them out and about and giving them a good experience,” said Kelly, who trains with Jade and also with Paul Fielder. “Foxy is a big boy, at 18.2hh, so we’ve taken it slowly. He’s only been out a few times but he’s already getting bolder.”…

gemma.redrup@futurenet.com @gemmaredrup Dunsmore Racing, Devon JOCKEY/TRAINER Josh Newman got his season off to a great start when securing a treble on the day. The reigning champion trainer, with a yard of 15 or more horses, scored his first winner in the mixed open with Tip Top Mountain, a nine-year-old owned by the Garton Partnership. “He started off pointing in 2020 when trained by Ian Chanin before Robert Walford took him on and had success chasing him under Rules,” said Josh. “He has now been purchased by Tilly Garton, who is a novice jockey and rides him at home, but she didn’t feel quite ready to ride him in a race so asked if I’d ride him initially. “We went a good tempo and he battled well to the line.” “He…

▲ FUNDRAISING Trainer Lucinda Russell joked about the number of times she mentioned Corach Rambler at the World Horse Welfare conference; CEO Roly Owers said she’d pledged £10 for each. “She owes us £240!” Result. ▲ TREATMENT A rider who had a fall was advised to have a bath. “I’ve only got a shower,” the rider said. “You’ve got a water butt,” replied the pal. Thinking outside the box, or indeed the bath… ▲ TECH Drones that scan zebras’ stripes “like barcodes” are used in conservation. Tweaked, they could make buying horses easier. Who’s at the “nine horses or fewer” checkout? ▼ SCAMMERS This week’s award to a seller who seems to have done his homework as the description sounded plausible. Shame the “jet black” filly came with a picture…

Email to hhletters@futurenet.com Name and address must be included. Letters may be edited. @ horseandhound instagram.com/horseandhound facebook.com/horseandhound WET WET WET! FURTHER to Mark Phillips’ comment (opinion, 31 October) and the call-out for memories of the Europeans at Blenheim in 2005, I remember standing by the lake, in torrential rain, absolutely soaked to the skin, watching Bettina Hoy – who was in the lead – come down the hill and have a refusal at the house. We then waited for Zara Phillips and Toytown, who went clear over the same jump and went on to win the title. When we got back to the car park, everyone was stripping oŒ to their underwear and wringing their clothes out – a sight I shall not forget! John Mills Haslemere, Surrey “Everyone was stripping…

TEAM chasing now has a modern interface due to the introduction of its own fixtures and results app, devised by the new committee. Riders are required to register themselves and their mounts in order to use the online entry system, with one benefit being the ability to quantify the number of retrained racehorses in the sport – the start lists show some very well-known contenders. However, for horses with more modest origins, a degree of inventiveness is needed to avoid confusion. Hence Hannah Mahon’s spelling of Eddieeee!…

HIGHLIGHTS 28 October–4 November oscar.williams@futurenet.com @oscarw_dr Hartpury, Glos WITH ambitions to represent India at the 2026 Asian Games, Amairah Chadha is kicking off her UK campaign. She and Daccordo recorded their first British Dressage (BD) points with an advanced medium 5 win, heading the bronze section and the class overall with a fraction under 70%. “This competition was mainly for the experience,” said Amairah, who is in the second year of an equine science degree at Hartpury. “I made a few mistakes, mostly miscommunication with ‘Cordi’, but he covered for me. He’s amazing – always helpful.” “Avah’s been determined to produce him herself” NICKY HEATH ON HER DAUGHTER A fairly new partnership, Amairah and Cordi are training with Sandy Phillips. “Cordi is a green inter II/ grand prix horse, but he’s…

AFTER a tricky start to his ridden career, four-year-old gelding Popescu VDT is notching up the wins. The Total US son headed prelim classes at both Topthorn Arena, Suffolk, and Forest Edge Arena, Norfolk, with Rhiannon Trenton. “He was incredibly difficult to back, but with TRT, groundwork, hacking and some jumping he’s now a completely different horse,” said Rhiannon. He can be sharp, but otherwise, he’s a sweetheart to work with and he moves like a dream. Fingers crossed, he’s a big tour boy.” I OWE IT TO……

HIGHLIGHTS 29 October–3 November Chard, Somerset FLO NORRIS narrowly missed out on a one-two in the Blue Chip Dynamic B&C qualifier, when she delivered the winning round with Kammerherre Gardens Sirius and set the fastest time, but had one down on Mila Blue. “I didn’t come to Chard expecting anything, as I hadn’t been out for four weeks,” she said. “As I’d had the fastest round on my six-year-old [Mila Blue], I thought if I replicated the round on the eight-yearold, I’d be there or thereabouts. We did one tight turnback and he really picked up and tried.” Flo has owned the Swedish-bred Stakkato Gold gelding for two years: “He’s a great 1.30m/1.40m speed horse and he’s won me quite a few classes already,” she said. The 22-year-old relocated to…

HIGHLIGHTS 4–10 November jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald Aintree Racecourse, Merseyside THERE are few greater thrills for a jockey than winning over the Grand National fences and Jack Tudor’s McCoy-esque celebration as he crossed the Aintree finish line, to win the BoyleSports Grand Sefton Handicap Chase, summed it up beautifully. Tudor, 23, and the David Pipe-trained grey King Turgeon had set the pace through much of the 2m 5f race, with the jockey coaxing some superb jumping out of the athletic six-year-old. Several horses were in with a chance after clearing the last, but Tudor deployed 9/2 shot King Turgeon’s overdrive at the elbow and they stayed on gallantly, despite a 7lb weight penalty, to cruise home ahead of the staying-on Vintage Fizz and Gaboriot. “That was great fun and a real thrill,”…