Innholdsfortegnelse for 11-Nov-2021 i Horse & Hound

SEEING a 17-year-old horse advertised for sale can raise some eyebrows – and even prompt accusations of shirked responsibility or potential welfare concerns. But there are situations in which ponies, and even horses, are passed from good homes to good homes between responsible owners in their late teens or even twenties. It might still not sit right with many, but for those who have benefited and found joy in taking on an older horse, in those instances when it works, everyone is happier – most importantly the horse. We see some of those examples in this week’s issue, talking to riders who have had success taking on top competition horses as schoolmasters, learning from their wisdom and taking new skills on to develop younger horses (feature, p32). And we hear…

MR BASS Laura Collett’s five-star ride, whom she owns with Keith Scott and Nick How, has retired aged 13 as the injury he sustained in 2019 recurred. He won the sevenyear-old world title and was second at Luhmühlen 2018. LAMBRUSCO III The para dressage star, who helped launch careers and brought joy to riders at South Bucks RDA into his senior years, has died aged 28. He and Sophie Christiansen won two golds and a silver at Beijing 2008. STORMHILL KOSSACK Martin and Debby Ewing’s eventer, ridden by Andrew Nicholson, Giovanni Ugolotti and Gemma Tattersall, has died aged 23. “Devon” was shortlisted for the 2012 Olympics, selected for WEG 2014 and came 10th at Pau.…

▲ DIAGRAMS One was tickled by a riding book with some unusual imagery. Our favourites were thinking of your arms as hosepipes, with an illustration of a rider with rubber tubes as arms, and “putting a grand piano in your pelvis and playing”, complete with picture of piano-in-pelvis. Let’s say it struck a chord… ▲ DESTRUCTION Oops of the week to the delivery driver who left a parcel in the recipient’s field. The horse obviously knew inside was a supplement for him, which is why he destroyed the box to open it. Cutting out the middleman? ▲ BIKES The 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment, in Australia, is testing electric bikes as its new mount of choice. Cheaper to feed, but we’re not sure the 2nd/14th Light Bike Regiment has quite the…

1) In eventing, what do the individual gold medallist from Tokyo 2020 and the individual silver medallist from Rio 2016 have in common? 2) Who is the only horse to win four Ascot Gold Cups? 3) Which year did Guy Landau retire from showing? 4) Who is the only horse to win the Grand National and Gold Cup in the same year? 5) Britain took all three individual podium spots at the 2021 European Eventing Championships – when did Britain last achieve this? Answers from 4 November 1) Jane Tuckwell and her husband Philip own/bred William Whitaker’s ride Galtur 2) 550 3) Georgia Wilson’s Sakura 4) 19 5) Tango Duke, 42.…

alexandra.robinson@futurenet.com @alexrob_journo_ IT’S been around a month since we came back from the 2021 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and what an incredible, albeit exhausting, week it was. I always feel immense pressure ahead of HOYS, like any other professional. I go there with the aim of just having one win if possible and so to take the small hacks with Royal Visit Park William on day one really set the tone for our show. It snowballed from there with each of our riders – my wife Sarah, our daughter Izzy, our client Zara Brookes and me – enjoying wins. Congratulations to everyone else who succeeded at HOYS. Just remember that getting there is the hardest part and your fate is in the hands of the judges on the…

Need to know BILLY NIKON Age: seven Breeding: AES by Plot Blue out of Billy Snap (by Vechta) Rider: Lucy Townley Owner/breeder: Donal Barnwell and The Billy Stud Greatest achievements: won the Foxhunter final at Horse of the Year Show 2021 and the Foxhunter Masters at the National Showjumping Championships 2021. CO-OWNER WILLIAM FUNNELL “WE’VE always thought a lot of Billy Nikon and she’s another good one to come out of the motherline which goes back to our first mare Tatum, who was also the grandmother of Billy Congo. Pippa’s four-star jumper Billy Kodak came from the same dam – Billy Snap, hence the names. We’ve used her sire Plot Blue quite a lot and they all seem to have good brains. “All the way through, when it’s been important,…

ONCE a plan that will work for horse, owner and vet has been devised, it’s time to take any practical steps needed to ensure correct dosing. We all know it can be difficult to administer medication to horses. Your own vet can give you useful tips, depending on the treatment involved and your horse. Advice might include the following: • If treatment results in a temporary loss of appetite, try dissolving the tablet in water or feeding it in a piece of apple or a tiny piece of bread to ensure it is swallowed. • Using medicines that only need to be given once daily and that are palatable can help, as they can easily be slipped into a small feed. If medicine in the feed does not work, sometimes…

THE Gala evening is always a splendid affair at the Quest championships and this year was no exception. Louise Bell brought her exciting new prospect Zinkwazi for a mini masterclass. The big atmosphere was a great experience for the six-year-old and instructive for the audience on coping with a sensitive youngster. The invitational freestyle competition brought forward a mix of challengers, riding tests from prix st georges (PSG) to grand prix. Scarlett John was riding her first inter I on seasoned campaigner Highcliffe Apollo, while Samantha-Thurman Pickett and Jayne Turney both demonstrated that ponies (Careleu Celtic Choice and Cruz III respectively) can be very competitive at the higher levels. The class winner was Jessica McConkey (Lady Gaga, pictured), fresh from a placement at the Van Olsts in the Netherlands. “She’s…

FULL HOUSE FOR “SANTA” FIVE victories from his first five classes – all at advanced medium – have convinced Gary Hoult that SP Santana is something special. The 12-year-old gelding, bred by Sandy Phillips, recorded his latest winning score at Belmoredean, West Sussex, where he headed the advanced medium 91 qualifier with 71.92%. “He’s trainable, relaxed and not at all spooky,” said Gary, who competes “Santa” for Angie Rutherford. “He’s now ready for PSG and we’ll hopefully take him further.”…

RIDERS were full of praise for the organisation at this show – but the event was marred by the theft of around 14 saddles from five lorries and one tack locker. Riders including Rikki Gradley, Julie Grimwade, Holly Grimwade, Danielle Dickson and Angie Thompson were all targeted, with the stolen saddle brands including Equipe, Fairfax, Butet, Devoucoux, CWD and Amerigo. “I had my three favourite Devoucoux show saddles taken. They are all moulded to you and your horses and you know exactly what fits what,” Angie said. “They are so personal; to have them stolen is absolutely gutting.” Angie said that the thefts appeared to come in three waves, with some occurring in broad daylight. Lorries in one corner of the site that could be accessed via a separate gate…

KAMERON VAN HET LINDEHOF and Ben Bick picked up their seventh 1.30m-1.40m win on the bounce at Forest Edge, Norfolk (29 October). Ben rode the 11-year-old Dutch gelding to success at premier shows two years ago and last month got him back from owner Judy Dodd to sell. “It’s like being back with an old friend,” Ben said. “He was a good horse for me in the past, but didn’t quite reach the same success when ridden by other people. “We’ve had him back for a month and he has won every single class he has entered.” Ben said that Kameron was a “bit of a strong, old-fashioned type” but with the “biggest heart”. “He gives you everything when you jump him. He isn’t the fastest horse, but he is…

THE feature contest at Esher on Sunday, the Listed John O’Leary Memorial Future Stars Intermediate Chase, attracted a paltry entry of two. There’s no taking away from the Nicky Henderson-trained winner Chantry House (pictured), who does indeed look a champion in the making and, under an astute ride from Nico De Boinville, beat sole rival The Big Breakaway by 37 lengths. The seven-year-old has been shortened to 6/1 for the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day. “I’d prefer to run in one-runner races,” quipped Henderson, who was joined on the podium by Sir Anthony McCoy on behalf of owner JP McManus. But Henderson, who has won the race four times in the past five years, underlined it as an important stepping stone to the rest of the season. The…

WALTER SWINBURN (pictured) inherited the ride on Shergar when he was appointed stable jockey to the colt’s trainer, Michael Stoute, at the start of 1981. Swinburn’s father, Wally, was instrumental in negotiations that saw his son take over from Lester Piggott, who’d ridden Shergar in both his starts as a two-year-old. Lester would take full retribution. Wally was due to ride Blue Wind in the Oaks four days after Shergar’s Derby romp. But Lester jocked him off at the 11th hour before steering Blue Wind to victory. “It would have been a lovely family double, but it was not to be,” Wally reflected.…

Share your news story Call 01252 555021 Email eleanor.jones@futurenet.com @jones_eleanor_ THE decision to remove the riding from modern pentathlon has been questioned not only by federations but also by welfare experts. World governing body UIPM announced on 4 November, after days of rumour, that the showjumping would be dropped after the Paris 2024 Games. The UIPM board had endorsed recommendations made by its innovation commission, set up some years ago to “continuously monitor the composition of modern pentathlon and review its suitability for the Olympics”. The board agreed that riding be replaced with a discipline that “enhances the popularity and credibility of modern pentathlon, while preserving its status as the ultimate physical and mental sporting challenge – as envisaged by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics”.…

THE Scottish Government is seeking a “pre-emptive” ban on trail-hunting in a move the Scottish Countryside Alliance said is “unnecessary and unjustified”. The Government launched a consultation on 29 October on proposals that would significantly affect how Scottish packs operate. Hunting in Scotland comes under the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002. At present, more than two hounds may still be used for flushing foxes to guns. This is one of the areas the Scottish Government is seeking to change. The proposals include limiting the number of dogs allowed to flush foxes, and other wild mammals, to guns and a licensing scheme for the use of more than two dogs “where no other method of control would be effective”. The detail suggests a model in which licences are only…

Dressage legend Carl Hester has been awarded an honorary degree by Hartpury University for his outstanding achievements and his long relationship with Hartpury. Carl said he was “very humbled”. Showjumper William Funnell returned to competition in Lier, Belgium (4-7 November), nearly five months after breaking his ankle in a fall during the Nations Cup of Sopot, Poland. British Eventing president and former Olympian Jane Holderness-Roddam has been appointed Commander of the Victoria Order by Princess Anne, whose lady-inwaiting she has been for 43 years. Champion Flat jockey Oisin Murphy enjoyed his first Breeders’ Cup win with the Yoshito Yahagi-trained Marche Lorraine on 6 November. Oisin said it was a “dream come true”. Chair of the FEI dressage committee Frank Kemperman will step down as CHIO Aachen chairman at the end…

A COB colt has been wearing his poppy with pride – because it forms part of his unusual markings. Dennis the Menace, who appears to have both a Remembrance poppy and kneeling soldier in the pattern on his back, has been a hit in the show ring, winning every class he is eligible for at riding club level. “Quite a few people notice his markings and they catch judges’ attention as well,” owner Sean Witham said. “I have had people asking for photos with him as the markings look like the war memorial. Lest we forget. “I spotted the poppy as soon as I laid eyes on him – it really stands out. “Once I saw him, that was it, I had to have him.”…

FIFTEEN to 20% of the population are believed to be dyslexic, but it is still a poorly understood condition. A dyslexic person looks normal, appears to do all the normal things and usually has become expert at putting up a facade to hide their difficulties. Dyslexia affects a person’s ability to read and write, as well as their memory, organisation and concentration, and ability to multitask and communicate. Therefore, imagine the difficulties some riders encounter when riding a dressage test with predetermined movements or figures to 12 letters placed symmetrically. Among other things, the letters are not in alphabetical order, which can add to the difficulty, and some riders may not know their left from their right. What’s more, short-term memory can mean that learning a dressage test is phenomenally…

AS the saying goes, it’s best to leave the party early, departing on good terms and leaving a lasting legacy in your wake. And the outgoing chairman of the British Show Horse Association (BSHA), Nigel Hollings, has done just this. After the roaring success of the 2021 BSHA national championship show, Nigel decided it was time to step down from the role he has held for two terms, spanning eight years. He officially retired from his position at the BSHA annual general meeting held on 7 November. Today Nigel is best known for his influence on society councils, on judging panels, as a show organiser and as a showing steward, namely for the Royal Windsor Horse Show. But he came from a non-horsey background and worked his way to the…

“I STARTED riding Billy Nikon as a six-year-old. She was a big child, so she didn’t do much as a five-year-old. She jumped clear at the six-year-old finals at Bolesworth, Hickstead and in the Big Star final, but because she was just a bit big and green, it never quite came off for us in the jump-off. “But she had a holiday over the winter and this year she’s been amazing. We haven’t jumped loads, we just tried to line her up for some nice classes, aiming for the Foxhunter final. She qualified at the Foxhunter Masters at Stoneleigh where there were more than 20 in the jump-off – that was the first time I said right, we have to go for it. She was faster than I ever thought…

MORLEY MANOR Horsham, W Sussex For you: an outstanding and historical Grade II-listed five-bed manor house of medieval origins with spectacular grounds and distant southerly views to the South Downs. The original property has been extended and refurbished to the highest standard of craftsmanship. There are also two apartments, a gym with two loft bedrooms, tennis court, outdoor bar, swimming pool and pool house, plus a lake with a jetty. For the horses: stable block with eight Loddon stables, heated rug room and oak tack room. There is also an outside stable area with three Loddon stables, horse solarium area and washdown bay. The property sits in 14.25 acres and includes a large all-weather sand school. £6.95m Knight Frank, 020 7861 1093, knightfrank.co.uk HARFORD MANOR Holyport, Berks For you: an…

catherine.austen@futurenet.com @cfausten123 Peterswell, Co Galway THE foxhunters of County Galway have always been a high-spirited bunch. A boisterous hunt dinner held by Galway sportsmen in the early 19th century famously ended with Dooly’s Hotel in Birr in flames. The hotel burned to the ground and the county pack earned for itself the undying sobriquet “the Galway Blazers”. In its modern form as a subscription pack, the County Galway dates back to 1839, but even before that, East Galway had acquired a reputation as a first-class hunting country, with its little hazel and hawthorn coverts, light going and, of course, a multitude of limestone walls begging to be jumped. The great sporting artist Snaffles, visiting the Blazers in the 1930s, reported, “Walls! Walls! More walls! Dammit, there were more walls than…

Field House EC, Staffordshire “MY goal is to be fit to ride at the winter regionals in February,” said Jane Critchley, who signed off a successful season with a double win at advanced medium, before a forthcoming knee operation. Progress with her nine-year-old First Dance gelding Firstino (Tino) has been “chequered”, explained Jane, due to her health problems. She suffered a heart attack in 2019 as a result of an underlying tumour, which was diagnosed a year later. “Tino has been an angel,” she said. “He’s had long spells in the field, so he’s low-mileage, but he’s an intelligent horse and he thrives on work. I brought him back at the start of lockdown and pushed him on during that time. “He leads a varied life and has come back…

CEDRIC II, who looked like a “woolly mammoth” as a youngster and faced an uncertain future, is flourishing in the hands of Courtney Monks. At Cockshot, Cheshire, the nine-year-old gelding headed the novice 38 qualifier with nearly 72%. “He was scrawny and covered with bites and cuts when I bought him,” said Courtney, who decided to give the colt a chance when she feared he might be sold for meat. “He has turned out to be a dream horse, truly one in a million. “I know he’ll never be like Valegro, but he tries so hard and I hope we can get to advanced,” added Courtney, an accountant, who now trains with Bobby Hayler after winning lessons with the grand prix rider at the British Riding Club national championships. “My…

Edited by Jennifer Donald jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @ jen_donald Aintree Racecourse, Merseyside THERE are few greater thrills for connections than finding a horse who sprouts wings over the unique Grand National fences at Aintree, and father-and-son duo of trainer Peter Bowen and jockey James were understandably on cloud nine after the success of 20/1 shot Mac Tottie in the Betway Grand Sefton Handicap Chase at Aintree on Saturday. Bowen Senior has a tremendous record over these obstacles, winning the Topham Chase four times and finishing second with McKelvey in the 2007 Grand National, while his sons have now racked up a hattrick. James was following in the footsteps of his brother Sean, who won this race in 2016 on As De Mee and Warriors Tale in 2018. “It was incredible – and…

ONE of the most impressive wins of the weekend came from the Olly Murphy-trained Brewin’upastorm in the Betway Hurdle at Aintree. But just two years ago, this kind of success looked unlikely after the son of Milan received a “terrible fright” when unseating in the Arkle at Cheltenham. “It’s taken me a long time to get him back from that,” said the trainer. “His confidence was gone.” Brewin’upastorm’s owner Barbara Hester also owns one of the most exciting young showjumpers in the country, the seven-year-old Ebanking, ridden by Adam Botham. Her multi-winning hurdler has proved a stable star for Murphy. “Everyone needs a good horse in the yard and I’m lucky to have a few of them,” he said. “When this horse is good he’s very good and I thought…

SHERGAR’S ORIGINS Bay colt, foaled 3 March 1978. By Great Nephew out of Sharmeen (by Val De Loir) Owner/breeder: HH Aga Khan IV Trainer: Michael Stoute Jockey: Walter Swinburn Shergar was the best produce of Great Nephew, who was champion sire in Britain and Ireland in 1975 – when he sired Derby winner Grundy – and again in 1981, the year of Shergar. Shergar’s dam, Sharmeen, produced two further Pattern-race winners in Shernazar and Sharamana. Sharmeen is a seventhgeneration descendent of the Aga Khan’s celebrated broodmare, Mumtaz Mahal. IT is often claimed that the most famous racehorse in the world is the three-time Grand National winner, Red Rum. That assumption rings hollow. The horse in question has to be Shergar, whose 10-length Derby romp in 1981 remains a record-winning distance…

TWO former vet students who were given souvenirs when they visited Shergar at Ballymany Stud (pictured) hold the key to a positive identification of the horse’s remains. Shergar’s groom Jim Fitzgerald plucked some hairs from the horse’s tail as a memento of their visit. The students kept those hairs, some of which are now with Des Leadon, head of clinical pathology at the Irish Equine Centre. “To have access to that little bit of Shergar’s DNA is noteworthy,” Des said. “It’s one of the few nice asides to have emerged from a sorry story.”…

WE had friends from the Wynnstay country staying this week with their children, ponies and a horse. It was great to see them, particularly as this trip had been in the offing for a couple of years, extreme weather putting paid to their first attempt and Covid the second. This time, nothing was going to stop them – even though once again the weather forecast was looking less than encouraging. We all gathered at the covert at the end of our road, suited and booted and ready for the fun to begin. Two car-loads of Dorset farmers on a hunting holiday with the trainer Colin Tizzard added to the expectant throng. There’s always a bit of pressure on these occasions for the huntsman. A quiet Thursday with a field of…

YOUR CHANCE TO STAR IN H&H WORK is under way on the 2021 H&H reader issue – and we want to hear from you. The annual special edition (30 December), is your chance to share your inspiring stories. There are four categories in which H&H is looking for submissions: personal firsts, newborn foals, beating the odds and best pictures. Please send your stories to martha.terry@futurenet.com. The best entries will feature in our pages. • Visit horseandhound. co.uk/readerissue21 by 25 November M&M PONIES ARE BACK IN LONDON THE British Show Pony Society (BSPS) supreme Heritage M&M ridden championship will return to the London International (16–20 December). The final will take place on 20 December at the show’s new venue, the ExCeL. It had been due to run on 1 January at…

polly.bryan@futurenet.com @pollyrose21 MY horses have enjoyed a lovely October holiday with lots of hacking and paddock time as I am now in the final countdown to my due date. I’m at that stage of pregnancy where my organs are being frequently rearranged by boisterous kicks and my number one horse, Betty, has gone from loving nuzzling to little nips at my bump. I completely understand her sentiment; I am ready too. I want to get on with the impending birth, sleepless nights and feeling like an oddly shaped dairy cow in order to get to the other side and reconnect with the “old me” – the one who was not in demand 24/7 and had control of her own schedule. I know how lucky I am to have my horses…

I have always had horses – I was one of those kids who would jump on anything – but I haven’t always worked with them. I’m a qualified nurse and also love to travel. For years, I’d take off on my motorbike between nursing stints in the UK. One trip took me overland to Israel, another around India for a couple of years and another through Africa – although my bike had been nicked by then, so that was by more conventional transport. “I found my Clydesdale was amazing under saddle and thought, ‘Why aren’t people riding these horses?’” I returned to the UK to study at Edinburgh and a while later moved to Skye. It was there that I acquired my first two heavy horses and learnt to drive…

AVIFORM PRO-CHOICE GOLD Features a unique blend of pre-and probiotics. It’s good for horses prone to stress or needing support with health and condition. From £26.95 for 500g aviform.co.uk NAF GASTRIVET PELLETS Supports the natural anti-inflammatory processes and soothes the stomach walls. Good for performance horses. From £75 for 2kg naf-equine.eu HACK UP BESPOKE Made from natural herbs and minerals that support the digestive system. Free from fillers and preservatives. From £49.99 for 1kg hackup.co.uk GLOBAL HERBS GUT SUPPORT A supplement targeting a healthy gut by maintaining levels of beneficial bacteria through a blend of pre-and probiotics. From £24.50 for 500g globalherbs.co.uk AUDEVARD EKYGARD This supplement offers stomach-lining protection against acid and has a soothing and appetitestimulating effect. From £92.42 for 2.4kg en.audevard.com ROWEN BARBARY ACTI-SOOTHE Designed to soothe and…

“He is a man for all seasons” THERE is tremendous satisfaction in breaking-in a horse oneself that then becomes a faithful family mount. Ben is one such, now in his 19th season hunting with the Haydon. “We were looking for a horse for my teenage son, James, to do Pony Club on and hunt,” explains joint-master Heather McDonald. “He came from [now joint-master] Brian Tailford, aged five, completely unbroken because he had a young family and no time. I broke him in myself.” A 16.3hh dark bay gelding, Ben is out of a thoroughbred mare by a “thoroughbred with a hint of Clydesdale – the perfect combination”. Heather believes it is thanks to his “9½in of bone and light body” that he has “kept sound all these years”. He’s comfy…

polly.bryan@futurenet.com @pollyrose21 Bury Farm, Buckinghamshire OPEN Team Quest winners Could B Rounder won after three previous attempts, fielding four riders and three horses to triumph over runners-up Jenkinsons Gems and DDRC Divas. For the winners, Abigail Collier’s 11-year-old Irish/warmblood Cador doubled up, producing two consistent tests for Abigail and also becoming the team competition’s top scorer with 74.93% on day two for his other rider, Adele Barlow. Hunt groom Abigail, who has owned Cador for four years, used to event but now focuses on dressage. Meanwhile, Adele professes to be mainly a showjumper, but may have to reconsider after her success at her first Team Quest competition. “In the indoor, he just lit up and thoroughly enjoyed himself,” said Adele, an estate agent. Adele benefited from advice from grand prix…

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald Keysoe Winter Classic, Beds MARK EDWARDS maintained his status as the man to beat when he headed both the large and small grands prix, as well as tallying more young horse success with a Blue Chip qualifier victory. Mark set himself up with a fighting chance in the £1,500 grand prix after piloting two rides through to the 11-strong jump off – but his brilliant round from first draw on Montreuxs Tale was enough to seal the deal. Although there were an eventual seven double clears round Ben Townley’s track, Montreuxs’ huge stride and ample scope proved insurmountable. A late challenge came from Adrian Speight and his reigning national champion Millfield Baloney but they remained 0.75sec adrift of the Welshman’s target time. “I knew there were a few…

pippa.roome@futurenet.com @pipparoomeorkyle Aston-le-Walls (XX), Northamptonshire AN 11-year-old mare who failed to sell – even for £800 – delighted her connections when she topped novice section B. “Luckily for us she’s turned into a real cracker,” said Alice Bibby of Katharine Davis’ Princess Tinara, who came over from Ireland as a raw four-year-old as part of a consignment of youngsters for Katharine’s dealing business, Irish Horse Imports. “Her stable name is ‘Grumpy’. She’s always been grumpy, which is why no one wanted her, and when she was eventually sold for £800 only to be returned a couple of weeks later, Katharine moved her out of the sales yard and kept her as a project.” Katharine hunted the mare and started her eventing, while she was also competed by Diani Western-Kaye. “I…

THERE was a poignant moment at Aintree as Hillcrest carried the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings to win the opener, the Betway EBF National Hunt Novices’ Hurdle over 2½ miles. The six-year-old towers over trainer Henry Daly. “He’s a big boy and a classic T Hemmings – my measuring stick goes up to 18 hands and it won’t go over him, so I don’t know how big he is!” said Daly. “Lots of Trevor’s family are here today, so it’s pretty cool. “He might be very good, we’ll see!” ONE TO WATCH…