Innholdsfortegnelse for 24-Dec-2020 i Horse & Hound

WE only featured Totilas a few weeks ago, interviewing rider Edward Gal about the sons of Totilas with sights set on Tokyo 2021 (interview, 3 December), and retelling the great stallion’s story in our legends of the sport series (10 December). Then last Tuesday we learned the 20-year-old dressage star had died due to colic. As those who competed against him in his heyday testify (news, p4), we owe the stallion a great deal for the way he brought new audiences to the sport. He won all that he could under rider Edward Gal, breaking records as he went. He made headlines around the world and I’ll always remember being at Windsor for the Europeans in 2009 when a hoard of showjumpers came to watch dressage for the first time…

CHRISTMAS TREATS IN STORE WITH H&H ENJOY two special episodes of the Horse & Hound Podcast over Christmas. The first (24 December), features an inter-discipline quiz with showjumpers William Funnell and Scott Brash, eventers Gemma Tattersall and Tina Cook, and dressage riders Spencer Wilton and Louise Bell. The 31 December episode is dedicated to an interview with Nick Skelton, in which the Olympic champion discusses what he has learnt from his top horses. The podcast is available to H&H Plus members every Thursday and to all on Friday. • Visit horseandhound.co.uk/podcast or search “Horse & Hound Podcast” in your preferred podcast app. EVENTING EUROS MAY GO AHEAD THE 2021 European Eventing Championships may yet go ahead following an FEI U-turn. The FEI board has agreed to reopen the bid process…

AS a rider who has to ride on the roads to reach bridlepaths, I agree entirely with Dan Sherriff’s comment (opinion, 10 December) about riders not fuelling road rage. I’d say 95% of the drivers I encounter are considerate and go out of their way to slow down. However, the other 5% can be reckless – I’m overtaken on blind bends and I get passed too fast and close. My horse and I wear full high-vis, I make a point of thanking drivers and I move off the road where possible and try not to hold people up, so I fi nd it disappointing when other riders do not offer the same courtesy. Recently while in my car, I was stuck behind two riders trotting up a narrow lane with…

“HE WAS SO FLOPPY” MINIATURE Shetland colt Gizmo (pictured, above) weighed just 9.5kg when he was born on a snowy night in the Scottish Borders in late March. While the mare, Fern, appeared to foal without issue, owner Charlotte Mills soon sensed that something was wrong. “Although Gizmo seemed physically perfect, he was so floppy that he couldn’t stand,” she recalls. “He was unresponsive and was getting cold, so we took him indoors and put him in front of the fi re.” Gizmo was referred by Charlotte’s local veterinary practice to the Dick Vet Equine Hospital, where he arrived early the next morning after a short lorry journey spent sitting on Charlotte’s lap. Now nearly 12 hours old, he had yet to stand or nurse from his dam. “Examination revealed…

Codeword Can you crack the code? Every letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a number, with the same number representing the same letter throughout the puzzle. All the words are related to the horse world. To start you off, two letters are already revealed. Name the winners There haven’t been many competitions in 2020, but here are a handful of the big winners. Can you name the horse, rider and event? Wordsearch KIDS CORNER The following parts of the horse are all hidden in this word search – horizontally, vertically and diagonally, or back to front. CANNON CREST ERGOT FORELOCK GIRTH HOOF MANE POLL STIFLE WITHERS CHESTNUT CROUP FETLOCK FROG HINDLEG BARREL MUZZLE QUARTERS TENDON CORONET DOCK FORELEG HOCK LOINS PASTERN SHOULDER GASKIN Who’s a pretty face? Can…

THE equestrian world has been rocked following the death of iconic dressage horse Totilas. The Gribaldi son died on 14 December after a severe attack of colic, confirmed by his German rider Matthias Rath the following day. Totilas changed the world of dressage with his former rider, the Netherlands’ Edward Gal. In a stellar career, the pair broke records and won title after title, including world and European gold medals and the 2010 World Cup title. After winning three gold medals at the 2010 World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Kentucky, Totilas was sold to Paul Schockemöhle, who retained breeding rights, while Ann-Kathrin Linsenhoff bought the riding rights for stepson Matthias. Totilas’ final test was at the 2015 European Championships. The following day he was diagnosed with periostitis of the coronet…

TIGER ROLL The dual Grand National winner enjoyed hunting with the Ward Union on 15 December. The 10-year-old was partnered by Keith Donoghue, who rode him to win at the 2018 and 2019 Cheltenham Festivals. LA BIOSTHETIQUE-SAM Data analytics company EquiRatings has redesigned the “Elo” ratings system to rank event horses. The system rates Michael Jung’s double Olympic champion as the greatest of “all time” (since 2008). BIT OF A BARNEY Louise Harwood’s home-bred, with whom she made her five-star debut at Burghley, has died aged 25 following a happy retirement with Judi Fox. Barney’s CV boasted five Burghleys, three Badmintons and two advanced wins. BILLY GRAND The Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner is enjoying hunting with the Surrey Union. The 18-year-old spent the past two seasons field mastering with…

JILL TYLER THE former British Horse Society (BHS) county chairman and bridleways officer for Norfolk died peacefully in hospital aged 87. She was born Jill Bagnall-Wild in Hampstead, and her father was an army officer, so during World War II the family was stationed in Egypt. Mrs Tyler was evacuated to South Africa with her mother and brother and here she fell in love with horses, and taught herself to ride on ponies and donkeys. Later the family returned to Egypt where Mrs Tyler met army officer Wilfrid. The couple married in 1951. They travelled the world on army postings and Mrs Tyler continued to ride as much as possible at the army saddle clubs, and then on her own horses. The couple shared a love of travel, boating and…

A YEARLING found “on the brink of death” days before Christmas 2019 is happy and thriving in a new home. The youngster was spotted lying at the bottom of a bank in Belvedere, London on 18 December 2019. RSPCA animal rescue officer Lisa Miller said: “He was stuck, lying on his side, with his back legs caught around a tree and his front legs in the river. He was exhausted; on the brink of death.” The pony was winched to safety by the London Fire Brigade. No owner came forward so he was taken to an RSPCA centre, and in May, was rehomed by Debbie Paine and her family. Lisa said: “It is just fantastic to see what a transformation Cash has been through, he’s a Christmas miracle!” EJ…

OPINION LAST Christmas, we were all blissfully unaware of coronavirus, how it would change the world and all our personal worlds. This year, lives and livelihoods have been lost, hospitals and hardship are in every headline, while separation from friends and family has become the sad new normal. It must be a miserable time for anyone who’s been forced to sell their horses – mine are what make me crawl out of bed every morning, including at Christmas. Tea and pills consumed, the pull of my horses and pupils gives me the reason to leg it into the day. Christmas does give one a little planning time. Even when competitions are curtailed, goals are needed, starting with that half-hour spent grooming your horse every day. For me, it’s been three…

GRADE III rider Natasha has won five Paralympic gold medals, as well as double silver at the 2018 World Championships. She is currently aiming for the Tokyo Paralympics with Keystone Dawn Chorus, and is also an FEI dressage commentator. BEFORE going into the arena, I remind myself that this is fun, and I do this sport because I enjoy it. Lots of riders put so much pressure on themselves and forget why they do it. Thinking this way before going in also helps me breathe, and of course our horses pick up on everything that we as riders are feeling. If we’re nervous and tense, our horses will recognise this, and they will act differently, too. It’s really important to know your horse and to be able to adapt your…

WHEN Paula Pearson’s parents planned to buy her a pony for Christmas, they hoped it would be the most magical of mornings. And it was – until the pony threw her into a brick wall. That Christmas Day, also Paula’s fifth birthday, was 61 years ago but Paula remembers every minute, and not just because she was taken straight to hospital. Paula explains that she had been “born horse-crazy”, to non-horsey parents. And when her grandfather worked for a local man who bred Welsh ponies, his pay was a stallion. “My great-uncle, who would have known better, wasn’t aware,” she said. “A neighbour had delivered the pony in a pick-up truck and by 5.30am, I couldn’t wait any longer. “It was dark outside but they put me on the pony…

OPINION ANYONE who has been lucky enough to hunt with one of the many packs in Northumberland or the North will at some point have heard mention of the 10th Duke of Northumberland; Hugh Percy. The Duke was master of his own pack, the Percy, from 1940 until his death in 1988. He also hunted the hounds for two days a week for most of his time as master. It’s fair to say that all packs enjoy a “golden era”. Without doubt, the Percy’s golden era would have been when the Duke was hunting the hounds. Don Claxton was kennel-huntsman and Danny Moralee field master in those days. An exceptionally well-run country paired with fields of often well over 100 horses meant that hounds would be out four days a…

Burrows Court Farm, Glos CHAGALL cruised to a 72% grand prix score in the pick-your-own class with FEI five-star judge Isobel Wessels. The lofty Contendro gelding, now 17, has claimed multiple national titles in his illustrious career. “We don’t get to do so much nowadays, but I’m so grateful for our amazing journey together and the fact that Chagall is still so sound and well,” said Isobel. “He is working as well as ever at home and he also enjoys hacking out and spending some hours in the field each day. “It’s been a difficult year, but I’ve loved spending time with my very special boy,” she added.…

alexandra.robinson@futurenet.com @alexrob_journo_ Worsley Gala, Bold Heath EC, Cheshire A Welsh section C filly reigned supreme in the overall foal championship. Michael Cobley’s stunning home-bred Tryfel Glamour Queen oozed quality and presence to first be judge Kitty Bodily’s choice for the overall section C championship and bronze medal before being called forward to land the foal accolade. By three-time Royal Welsh gold medal winner Caebryn Endeavour out of Monaray May Queen, Glamour Queen stood over the reserve choice, the Perrins family’s chestnut Welsh section A colt Rookery Roscoe. “Her dam, now 22, has also won the Royal Welsh three times and was reserve overall champion in 2012,” said Michael. This was Glamour Queen’s first outing as a foal. “For me, she is a substantial filly full of quality,” Michael added. “She…

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald Ascot, Berks RACING just about saved the best until last at the end of a wretched 2020 when Paisley Park, five lengths down at the second last and seemingly going nowhere, rallied in the final strides to beat Thyme Hill by a neck in the Porsche Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday. Porsche is not a totally apt fit for staying hurdlers because they are more about stamina than speed, and never was that more evident on Saturday as Paisley Park’s staying power really kicked in – but only after the last when Thyme Hill, the new kid on the block in the division, looked to have done enough. It could be the first of many epic battles between the two. Paisley Park might have been the…

gemma.redrup@futurenet.com @gemmaredrup Avon Vale, Larkhill, Wiltshire & Barbury International Racing Club, Barbury Racecourse, Wilts TWO rides at two different meetings resulted in a fruitful weekend for jockey Hannah Lewis, who headed the ladies’ open at Larkhill, followed by the mixed open at Barbury the next day. Both rides came out of the stable of Sam Jukes and Lucy Smith, and are owned by Clive Bennett. The seven-year-old mare, Miss Seagreen, kicked off Hannah’s double when storming home ahead of 2/1 joint favourite Southfield Theatre. “It was her first time in an open – she’s gone up the ranks really nicely, considering she is still quite young,” said Hannah. “The plan was to have a nice run round and if she’d have finished in the top four, we’d have been over…

“THERE was something so special about Alf, whom I nicknamed Squidge,” says Tracy Cox, Mistral Højris’s groom from 2010 to 2013. “I feel as though he trained me – he made me a better groom. It took me a little while to get to know him and for him to trust me, but he is a horse you would go the extra mile for; I always did and I loved doing it. “He had a huge personality, but was a little scaredy-cat too, and was known for his fear of prize-givings. He was a fabulous horse to travel with, but sometimes he wouldn’t eat at shows – he tended to internalise his fear, and we had to become chefs to work out what he might like to eat. But he…

SHOWS have been cancelled in large areas of England owing to the latest coronavirus restrictions. The Prime Minister announced the new tier four, the strictest level, for London and much of the east and south-east of England on Saturday (19 December). Although competitions can run in tiers one to three, British Equestrian has advised that all organised competitive activity should be suspended in tier four. Previous tier-related advice applies to the other three tiers. In the fourth, riding centres and schools may open, but for one-to-one sessions only. Outdoor facilities may be hired out, while adhering to permitted numbers of people, and owners and guardians of horses may travel to care for and exercise them “without restriction”. Where possible, travel into and out of tiers three and four should be…

Former top jockey Lizzie Kelly and husband Ed Partridge had a first winner, Hamilton Dici, for their Valentine Bloodstock business. Lizzie retired from race-riding in July. British Horseracing Authority chief medical adviser Jerry Hill won the George Ennor trophy at the Horserace Writers and Photographers Association Derby awards. The Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund has welcomed international dressage rider Annie Rawlins as a vice president. A spokesman for the fund said they are “thrilled”. British Equestrian has appointed Sam Bradley as head of performance support. Sam has experience in international hockey, cricket and rugby, and hopes to “bring what he has learnt”. Record-breaking jockey Hollie Doyle has finished third in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards, won by Lewis Hamilton. Hollie said it felt “unbelievable”.…

GOOD WEEK BARGAINS Quote of the week goes to a councillor debating a motion to ban trail-hunting on a council’s land, even though it is thought no council land was used for hunting anyway. “Cherwell owns mainly play areas, verges, car parks and shopping malls – over which the only hunting that takes place is for bargains,” he said. Bravo. PARENTS A rider who was bucked off in superb style was not necessarily looking for sympathy when she got home. Which is lucky, as her mum’s reaction was anger, because she’d missed the spectacle, and a request to “do it again”. Sigh. CHOCOLATE AND WINE Lots of festive shows offering alcohol and chocolates as prizes this month. Which is great, and why only at Christmas, one wonders? Might beat a…

THE majority of foals born are fit, healthy and ready for the world, but sometimes things aren’t quite right. One condition that can affect a newborn foal is neonatal maladjustment syndrome, also known as being a “dummy foal”. Traditionally, oxygen deprivation to the brain is thought to be the reason for this syndrome, resulting in brain damage and inadequate blood supply to the nerve cells. Oxygen deprivation can result from the placenta coming away abruptly from the uterus before foaling, prolonged labour, prematurity, sepsis and swelling of the brain, among other causes. Another, newer consideration is failure of the foal’s mental state to evolve from somnolence within the uterus to consciousness at birth, which normally occurs as the foal travels through the birth canal. The squeezing effect of the canal…

“THE gift of a pony for Christmas is a dream for many children, but the reality can be very different,” says a spokesman for World Horse Welfare. “Looking after a pony is a year-round, daily commitment, and winter is often the most difficult time for many owners, with cold, wet conditions making everyday tasks much more challenging and short, dark days allowing far less time to ride and spend getting to know the pony. “Owning and looking after a pony or horse, especially if you do not already have horses, is a major commitment and should be carefully considered before any decisions. Making sure you can commit to the ongoing financial and physical demands is essential, and we would also advise that the child has been involved in the choosing…

WITH a competition career that so far spans 15 years, more than 300 tests on his BD record and a list of former riders that resembles a Who’s Who of young dressage talent, 14.2hh De Vito II gelding Dublin is still notching up the wins. The international team stalwart, now 20, headed the medium freestyle at Myerscough College, Lancashire with Lavinia Johnson, his partner of the last five years. “Dublin keeps getting better and better,” said Lavinia, who credits her trainer Jackie Beavan with the veteran’s ongoing improvement. “He’s feeling fantastic.”…

A LOW-KEY debut with his new horse Dark Diamond turned into a cause for celebration for Irish para rider Michael Murphy, who nailed two noteworthy scores with the Don Crusador gelding at Bicton College, Devon. “He took it all in his stride,” said Michael, who bought DD a month ago from his trainer Elder Klatzko. “He wants to show off and he did everything perfectly. “The first time I sat on him I could feel his gentle and kind nature, which is so important as a grade I rider,” said Michael, whose focus is on next year’s Tokyo Paralympics. “Most horses struggle to understand what I’m asking, but DD really tried. I knew from that moment that he was right for me.”…

NO horse had won the Betfair Exchange Trophy twice before Saturday but, running off a mark 15lb higher than last year, Not So Sleepy (pictured, above) managed it on Saturday when, once again, making almost all of the running. Lady Blyth’s home-bred is quite a character. In Newcastle’s Fighting Fifth he refused at the first, dumped Paddy Brennan in front of the hurdle and then took out Silver Streak at the second when loose. Jockey Tom O’Brien, landing a second valuable prize in a few weeks after taking the Paddy Power, had him in front but with company for a lot of the way and he never once hesitated at an obstacle. Indeed, it was the opposite – when the little gelding saw a stride, he ate them up. “He…

Factfile DOB: 4 April 1995 BREEDING: Michellino x Ibsen STUDBOOK: Danish Warmblood HEIGHT: 17hh BREEDER: Betty Rasmussen OWNERS: the Bechtolsheimer family RIDER: Laura Tomlinson (née Bechtolsheimer) Medals timeline 2009 European Championships, Windsor – team silver, individual bronze 2010 World Equestrian Games, Kentucky – team silver, double individual silver 2011 European Championships, Rotterdam – team gold, individual bronze 2012 Olympic Games, London – team gold, individual bronze WHEN a 19-year-old Laura Bechtolsheimer (now Tomlinson) first sat on an imposing nine-year-old chestnut gelding in Denmark, she instantly knew he was special. What she couldn’t have known, back then, was the impact that Mistral Højris would have, not just on her own career, but on British dressage as a whole. The sport has seen remarkable transformation over the past 12 years, its British…

WE all know that if a horse isn’t getting enough work, it will mess you about. I hadn’t really considered this fact when we set off for hunting after the four-week lockdown. Strangely there were only 10 of us out, although plenty more on foot. I was expecting more after the long lay-off, but apparently it was the same elsewhere. My mother reporting on the South and West Wilts surmised that the weather didn’t help, concluding that the modern foxhunter is a softer specimen than the ones of old; a few drops of rain and wet going being enough to put them off. We set off in our reduced throng, all the horses were on their toes and Jim had a naughty look in his eye that I hadn’t seen…