Innholdsfortegnelse for 14-Apr-2022 i Horse & Hound

WHAT a week in horse sport, topped by amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen winning the Grand National at 50/1 on his father’s sevenyear-old Noble Yeats. Yet another fairytale for the race that has produced so many, and that the public remains in love with. Huge congratulations to the Waley-Cohen family and trainer Emmet Mullins. As reporter Marcus Armytage writes (p36), a part-timer beating the full-time pros, people love that. Indeed they do, and Marcus should know, having been the last to do so 32 years ago. Instead, the public largely backed the other story they loved, that featured in Horse & Hound two weeks ago, of Snow Leopardess, the mare who already has a foal, who was alas pulled up after the 16th. Speaking of mothers, Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl added…

TRIBUTES have been paid to Gemma Tattersall’s medal-winning partner Arctic Soul, who has died aged 19. Gemma and the former racehorse, owned by The Soul Syndicate, won the advanced at Weston Park on 9 April but “Spike” died of a suspected heart attack after the cross-country. His best results included third at Badminton 2016, third and fifth at Burghley in 2017 and 2014, ninth at the Blair European Eventing Championships, a win in the British open and Event Rider Masters at Gatcombe in 2017 and world team gold in 2018. “Words don’t even come close to what I feel, I will miss him terribly every day, ” said Gemma. “Our partnership was something I might never have again, something so special, we just understood each other. “I said goodbye and…

LORRY LICENCES UP FOR RENEWAL THE Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is reminding animal transporters to check the expiry date of their transporter authorisation and apply for renewal. The authorisation is valid for five years and some 9,000 were due to expire this year. It is mandatory for those transporting animals, as part of an economic activity, on journeys over 65km. This includes rescue charities and those who move horses in connection with professional riding, livery and stabling. Failure to comply risks “heavy penalties”. NEW NAMES IN BEF SUPPORT STAFF NEW appointments have been announced by British Equestrian (BEF) and British Showjumping to enhance the jumping support team. British Olympic showjumper Tony Newbery becomes Nations Cup chef d’equipe, Belgian Olympian Stanny van Paesschen technical expert and Simon Woods team…

▲ VOYEURISM A rider annoyed to see her horses grouped round the far field gate, and warned by past experiences, barrelled over to tell off the people she thought were feeding them – only to find a couple doing something rather different, watched avidly by an equine audience. Better than feeding them though? ▲ IMPULSION Overheard at a show, a trainer asking his young rider: “What’s two plus two?” When the child didn’t respond, the trainer added: “More leg!” Well, it has oft been said that more leg is the answer to everything… ▲ MAINSTREAM FAME Top eventer Tom McEwen was rather chuffed to be the subject of a question on A Question of Sport, saying, “Now I feel I’ve really made it!” The panellist who said he and Toledo…

I HAD a wonderful weekend at Great Witchingham Horse Trials last month – the sun was shining and everyone was enjoying the fantastic conditions. But I was sad to hear that this was possibly the last British Eventing event David Sayer would be running and that he’d continue to run only unaffiliated events. I’ve competed at Great Witchingham for over 30 years and it is one of the few events that can run despite extreme weather conditions – the only time I remember it being abandoned was due to snow. It is a great educational course and rides extremely well. It would be sad to lose such a great local horse trial, especially with the everchanging weather conditions and extreme amount of rain we now get. We need to keep…

alexandra.robinson@futurenet.com @alexrob_journo_ OUR first show of the season was the Wiltshire Spring Show held at West Wilts EC (26-27 March) and while it was a long way for us to travel, it was well worth the journey. The venue was superb and the show itself was well run by organisers Vincent Seddon and Ian Smeeth. What I loved most was the wide variety of classes for everyone. There was a section of unaffiliated classes ideal for those who are just starting out in showing, and it’s these opportunities that provide a stepping stone for riders who might want to dip their toes in the water before signing up to societies. The working hunter sections seemed to have unbelievable numbers. The range of different fence sizes and course technicalities meant competitors…

My job is based at Tweenhills, which has been run by its owner David Redvers since 1995. Under his management, the stud farm is home to Qatar Racing’s stallions, as well as the majority of the operation’s band of broodmares and youngstock. I oversee the foaling barn at Tweenhills. As you can imagine, I’m very busy at this time of year, welcoming lots of beautiful young foals into the world. We have some fantastic stallions standing here, including the likes of Havana Gold, a Group One winner as a three-year-old, and Kameko, the fastest 2000 Guineas winner in history when he won in 2020. Foals by Kameko are quick to stand and are sharp and intelligent. They drink very quickly and are very straightforward, which makes my life easier! We…

THE Blue Chip Championships returned following an enforced three-year hiatus after Covid-19 caused its cancellation in 2020 and 2021, but it proved more popular than ever. “Entries in the senior championships have been the biggest in the history of the event, ” said show organiser Kelvin Bywater, who began preparations and allocation of qualifiers last June. “After being forced to cancel for two years it’s been a long and cautious road to this year’s finals, but we’re delighted to welcome so many competitors back.” The championships began 31 years ago with three days in one arena at Stoneleigh Park and 70 stables. It has evolved into five days, two arenas with more than 3,000 competitive first rounds at the show and over 300 nationwide qualifiers from October to March. Blue…

“BY the last test my legs were flagging, ” said Alex Hardwick after another four wins at Brook Farm EC, Essex, three days later. “Briljant Fame saw me through the PSG [prix st georges] and inter I – he was epic.” Alex also headed both advanced mediums with Joie De Vivre Prins. “Joie is a total dude, ” she said of the Expression gelding she bought as a three-year-old. “He’s incredibly talented but as cool as a cucumber. He was at elementary last time out, last year, so to smash out wins with 72% and 74% at these levels is amazing.” Alex’s mother Sally finished second to Alex both times with her nine-year-old gelding Dance On Top. “I couldn’t manage without mum now I’m juggling two children as well, ”…

alexandra.robinson@futurenet.com @alexrob_journo_ BSPS Area 13A RIHS Qualifying Spectacular, Duchy College, Cornwall SIX former Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) winners made the trip to Cornwall a winning one, with three taking home championship titles. Kativa Dumbledore, the 2017 show hunter pony HOYS champion, went through the card to win the Royal International (RIHS) riding horse title, the RIHS intermediate show hunter type class and the RIHS show hunter pony championship, before landing overall supreme of show. Tierney McKinnon and Vienna Hounsham shared the ride on the part-bred Connemara. Owned by Dawn Weston, the son of Spinway Blackthorn is produced by Tierney’s father Brett McKinnon. The grey gelding was partnered by Tierney in the small riding horse class and the supreme, but ridden by Vienna in the 153cm show hunter pony…

catherine.austen@futurenet.com @cfausten123 Blue Ridge Hunt, Farnley Farm, Virginia, USA IF you ask the younger generation of Irish huntsmen whom they most try to emulate, the name Graham Buston will come up again and again. A brisk, plainspoken Limerick man, Graham grew up a stone’s throw from the kennels of the county pack, and learnt his trade whipping-in to the great Dick Chapman. Having hunted the Waterford and the County Limerick with great success, he was already a household name in Ireland when he made the move to the United States nine years ago, first to the Bear Creek in Georgia, and then to the magnificent Blue Ridge country in 2014. The Blue Ridge hunt a wide-open, galloping country in the valley of the Shenandoah River. The sixth Lord Fairfax, who…

Share your news story Call 01252 555021 Email eleanor.jones@futurenet.com @ jones_eleanor AS fairytales go, it was a cracker – the amateur jockey on his last ride and the 50/1 seven-year-old horse winning the world’s most famous race. Sam Waley-Cohen and Noble Yeats were first past the post in the Grand National at Aintree on 9 April, in what Sam had already announced would be his last race before he retired. “I can’t say anything – it’s a dream. I couldn’t believe it, ” said Sam, 39, after the race. “I’ve got to say thank yous as it’s my last ride. First of all to Dad for his unwavering belief and love over the past 23 years – we’ve never a cross word and have just worked great as a team.…

WEIHEGOLD OLD Isabell Werth’s ride, owned by Christine Arns-Krogmann, retired aged 17 after finishing third in the World Cup Final (report, p52). They won three World Cup titles, European medals, and Olympic team gold and individual silver. WINNING GOOD British jumper Emily Moffitt’s European Championship ride has been sold to Jorge Matte Capdevila. Emily and the 13-year-old, formerly owned by Poden Farms and Neil and Heidi Moffitt, had success at CSI5* and Nations Cups. PUT THE KETTLE ON The 2021 Champion Chase heroine sold to Highflyer Bloodstock, for Simon Davies, at the Goffs UK Aintree sale for £380,000. The eight-year-old is to visit Mr Davies’ Planteur, whose progeny include Trueshan.…

Email to hhletters@futurenet.com Name and address must be included. Letters may be edited. @ horseandhound instagram.com/horseandhound facebook.com/horseandhound SHOWJUMPING VALUE FURTHER to Jill Cantrill’s letter about showjumping today having no “character” (31 March), I don’t agree. Surely the entertainment value of any sport lies in the viewer’s definition of what they see as entertainment? There is a great deal of cost involved in putting on an outside broadcast, so it is cheaper to gather together some reality stars which is what seems to constitute “entertainment” these days. From the 1960s to the 1990s, there were few television channels and no reality entertainment, which could be why an afternoon watching showjumping could flourish. Then, sport broadcasting was limited and the stars of showjumping had a higher profile. Today’s riders and horses are…

pippa.roome@futurenet.com @pipparoomeorkyle THORESBY, which ran for the first time at the start of the month, is the replacement for Belton, and it definitely had a Belton feel about it. It had all the razzmatazz we’ve missed over the past two years – riding in front of the house, with spectators, tradestands and a kids’ play area. Stuart Buntine’s cross-country course will, I’m sure, develop. The time was tight and it felt a bit of a race-around course this time. Belton was more imposing – big ditches, big fences, a sunken road, the downhill run to the water – and we mustn’t lose sight of running round a beefier track before Badminton. It’s the first three-day of the year and one of the biggest, so we need a few rider-frighteners beforehand.…

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald EVERYONE understands that the Grand National is a huge event, but the true enormity of it doesn’t hit you until you win it. The race touches so many people, it’s phenomenal. So the first thing I said to winning jockey Sam Waley-Cohen after he crossed the line was. “Just enjoy it – you’ve reached the pinnacle.” Sam is a working man and rides for fun, but he’s an amazing jockey – his technique over the fences is impeccable and he’s as brave as a lion. He’s won King Georges, the Gold Cup and now the Grand National – these are the races every jockey dreams of. But part of what makes our sport so great is that it’s so welcoming, allowing someone like him to come in and…

EQUINE anaesthesia and analgesia (pain control) has developed enormously during my time as a vet. It has been rewarding to learn about and use the impressive improvements in equipment, technology and medications that have appeared as advances are made. Certainly, it seems that more is being done to help the horses that we anaesthetise. Yet, despite all efforts, vets still lose horses after anaesthesia to a range of catastrophes that would not occur if the horses were not anaesthetised. Probably the most distressing of these – to horses and those attending them – are the fatal fractures that can tragically occur during recovery. “The aim is to provide anaesthesia with minimal complications” Sadly, it seems all too easy for an equine limb bone to give way, most likely after being…

BROOK FARM Dog Lane, Wilson, Derbys For you: dating back to 1796, Brook Farm is a three-storey Georgian farmhouse with period features, situated in a hamlet on the Leicestershire-Derbyshire border. There are six double bedrooms, with a kitchenette on the top floor, as well as a traditional farmhouse-style kitchen with AGA and island on the ground floor. Set in 1.72 acres. For the horses: a one-acre paddock, plus a courtyard formed by an impressive range of traditional buildings of brick and stone construction. These offer potential to be converted into a variety of uses, such as stabling, subject to planning consent. £1.1m Fisher German, 01530 410840, fishergerman.co.uk OLD HOUSE FARM Waddingworth, Woodhall Spa, Lincs For you: a spacious four-bedroom farmhouse set in 11 acres of gardens and grazing land, with…

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald Randox Grand National Festival, Aintree Racecourse, Merseyside THE Randox Grand National course might have been toned down in the past 10 years with the jolly green giants not so ferocious, but the race’s capacity to produce a great sporting story remains wonderfully intact as Sam Waley-Cohen’s triumph in his last-ever ride on the seven-year-old novice, Noble Yeats, proved. Some aficionados might dismiss it as “just a long-distance handicap chase” now, but why do professional tipsters still pick horses that have the best back-stories? Why was Snow Leopardess, the grey mare who had already had a foal, trading as ante-post favourite on Friday? Because Aintree is a place where romance still trumps form. Noble Yeats was dismissed, I think, because no seven-year-old had won since Bogskar in 1940 but,…

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald Blue Chip Winter Showjumping Championships, Hartpury, Glos ROBERT SMITH confidently predicted he was hot to win the Blue Chip grand prix with the scopey Ilton, and made good on his word as he provided a jump-off masterclass. “When he’s on, he can win against the best and I knew he’d be close although he’s better outdoors. He’s a big, grass ring jumper, ” said Robert. Course-designer Nigel Jess asked testing questions of the 41 entries with rollback turns, square oxers and relentlessly quick technical distances. Six returned for the highly charged jump-off with two riders in contention for the Andrews Bowen £1,000 bonus – offered to any rider from the top three of the Blue Chip challenge who went on to win the grand prix. Mennell Watson’s early…

ELLIE KOSCINSKA scored handsomely in the Blue Chip Pro sparkle JC/JA championship with a quick, decisive round on Ganty Wills Girl. “She is the most incredible, sweetest pony who genuinely loves her job and is a pleasure to have, ” said Ellie, who got the ride last summer when owner Carole Jones approached her, and will ride the Irish-bred 11-year-old to the end of 2023, her final pony year. “She’s opened up opportunities. I’m looking forward to the future.” They were pitted against eight JC ponies and six from the JA section in this handicap, taking the title with an early JC round. “I’m glad I had an early draw, we could do our own thing, ” said Ellie, who will contest the Hickstead JC final after winning the qualifier…

ONLY one other rider in history has won the World Cup with two horses – the great Marcus Ehning in 2010 riding Noltes Küchengirl and Plot Blue. It’s not been a common strategy in recent times, with most riders preferring, or simply having no option but, to campaign a single horse throughout the week. Just three riders among the starting field of 35 opted to change horses – but it certainly appeared an effective strategy in Leipzig, with two of those three – Martin Fuchs and Harry Charles – finishing in the top four. The obvious benefit is having a fresher horse come the final day; the downside being tackling the crucial second leg or perhaps even the third on a horse who has not yet had had an outing…

DIMINUTIVE Welsh mare Dun-Lin notched up sizeable scores in the snow at Brook EC, Essex, winning the PSG with 71% and the advanced medium freestyle with nearly 79%. “She’s only 13.2hh, with a lot of attitude, but she’s very willing to work, ” said Angela Fenn of “Star”, now 10, who has an exemplary record through the levels at Area Festival finals, regional championships and home internationals. “I bought her as a project around five years ago but never wanted to sell her. She’s sharp, but in the arena she has always been very focused and switches into behaving mode on the centre line. “We hope to breed from her by embryo transfer after the nationals and will then aim for inter I, ” added Angela, who trains with Claire…

Gloucestershire Steeplechases, Bourton-on-the-Water, Glos AFTER a string of second places, Maurice Linehan and Woody got their heads in front in the Merriebelle Stable Gloucestershire Cup for thoroughbreds on the Heythrop’s new hunt ride course, taking home a cheque for £4,000. “We won the one we wanted!” said Maurice. “All the winners from the season came together to take each other on. It was a big track, but fair, and although it was only two miles, they went very fast and the horses finished tired.” Maurice, who hunts with the Heythrop and runs a point-to-point and livery yard in Great Tew, used all the experience gained in 12 years as a professional jump jockey to overtake Harborough winners Becky Smith and Important Moment 20 yards from the line. “These races have…

Showjumper Harry Charles, 22, was the best-placed Brit at his first World Cup Final in Germany, finishing fourth on Romeo 88. Swiss rider Martin Fuchs took the title. Report p48 The Professional Jockeys Association appointed Ian McMahon as CEO. Interim CEO Dale Gibson, who stepped in after Paul Struther’s departure, returns to his previous position. Showjumper Joe Stockdale has teamed up with former One Direction singer Liam Payne taking over the pop star’s Titanium Z. Joe and Liam are looking to add two new horses to the programme. Owner JP McManus was inducted into the Aintree Hall of Fame. He has a long history with the course, including two Grand National wins with Don’t Push It and Minella Times. A life-size statue of former jump jockey and author Dick Francis…

NEARLY 50 years after he was trained there, a 50×50m portrait was created of the legendary Red Rum on Ainsdale Beach. Sand artist Sean Corcoran used a garden rake to recreate Rummy in the sand on which he galloped in preparation for his three Grand National victories. Bookmaker Coral commissioned the portrait in memory of the Ginger McCain-trained superstar, who won in 1973, 1974 and 1977. It was also in celebration of the fact Red Rum topped a public poll on the most popular Grand National winner of all time. Coral’s David Stevens said: “Red Rum is still the most popular winner of the world’s most famous race and his portrait on the beach where he was trained was our tribute to the legend ahead of this year’s renewal.”…

1) What was the name of showing producer Jayne Ross’s first-ever HOYS winner, crowned in 1966? 2) Who are the only two winners of the Rolex Grand Slam of eventing? 3) Name the highest-rated hurdler of all time to race in Great Britain. 4) Which two breeds was grand prix dressage horse Mr President’s sire? 5) How many World Cup Finals has Germany’s Isabell Werth competed in? Answers from 7 April 1) 15, Peter Simple in 1853 2) Bronze (2017 Euros) 3) Dales 4) Enable 5) Jane Thelwall on King’s Jester.…

polly.bryan@futurenet.com @pollyrose21 IN 2022, we all need social licence – public acceptance that we’re doing the right thing – to enjoy our horses. The internet has changed everything, of course. On the plus side, it means we can view competitions online, a recent highlight being Carl Hester’s masterful riding of a very hot En Vogue at Keysoe CDI in March. I remain in total awe of Carl and truly hope softness and harmony remain key to dressage worldwide. Carl is in a class of his own. On the other hand, how long before, for example, working a horse from the ground with a whip to develop the piaffe (without fear-induced adrenaline) is considered by those watching on social media to be “cruel” or “abusive”? It’s our job collectively to educate…

AT 3.30am, Brian Hughes’ alarm clock issues a shrill start to his working day. Whether the champion jockey elect bounces out of bed with a spring in his step depends on how many falls he’s had the day before, he jokes, but the gruelling regime of a National Hunt jockey requires an iron will, something the likeable 36-year-old has pulsing through his veins. Later this month, Brian will be crowned champion jump jockey for the second time, sealing the most successful season of his career. At the time of writing, the runaway leader has gained a titanic advantage of nearly 100 winners over his nearest rivals and he is on the cusp of surging past the 200-winner mark, a seasonal milestone reached only by Peter Scudamore, AP McCoy and Richard…

2nd ANY SECOND NOW Jockey Mark Walsh said: “I’ve no excuses and he has run another blinder in the race.” 3rd DELTA WORK Jack Kennedy said: “He didn’t jump well enough early on so I ended up too far out of it, but I thought he ran well.” 4th SANTINI Nick Scholfield said: “He has done his owners and trainer very proud – to do that at his age and run the race of his career. He jumped like a buck and the dream was still alive turning in.” 5th FIDDLERONTHEROOF Brendan Powell said: “I thought I had a right chance at the second-last, but he ended up just plugging away. He took to the fences really well, and just gave me a great spin.” 6th LONGHOUSE POET Darragh O’Keeffe…

LISTER 1.25m champion Rachael Connor (pictured) suffered mixed fortunes in Blue Chip week. Her lorry broke down as she went to get fuel for the journey down from Lancashire, but Sharon Whiteway came to her rescue and loaned her the work lorry. “I didn’t arrive at the show until midnight and we hadn’t qualified for the final at this point, but ‘Fi’ [Fantastic] pulled it out of the bag and won the first day’s qualifier, ” said Rachael, which made her feel slightly better as the work lorry is just that – with no living. “I’m so grateful to Sharon for the loan of the lorry, I had no other way of getting to the show, but I have to sleep on the floor at night.” However, winning the coveted…

polly.bryan@futurenet.com @pollyrose21 FEI Dressage World Cup Final, Leipzig, Germany “THAT was better than in Tokyo, ” Jessica von Bredow-Werndl declared of her World Cup-winning test aboard the brilliant TSF Dalera BB. The score was not quite as high as her Olympic gold medal-winning mark – 90.836% compared to 91.732%, with Jessica joking that perhaps it didn’t look as good as it felt because she is somewhat “rounder”, being five months pregnant – but nonetheless “the feeling Dalera gave me in there was the best ever”. It wasn’t just her own record score that looked close to being broken on this stirring night in the Leipziger Messe; many in the stands wondered whether Valegro’s world record of 94.3% was in danger, too. Not so, as it turned out. But one wonders…

MARTIN’S MARATHON TRIP HELEN MARTIN celebrated a first international win at Kronenberg in The Netherlands when she headed the CCI4*-L with her own and Lorna Soames’ Andreas (pictured). The duo were the only ones to finish on their dressage score (of 36.7) and so edged ahead of France’s Rodolphe Scherer (Song Du Magay) and Ireland’s Cathal Daniels (Barrichello). “He’s been an absolute star all week, ” said Helen, who endured a marathon trek home when passengers on the Channel Tunnel service she was aboard were evacuated into the service tunnel. “When they said four-star long, I didn’t expect it to be the journey, ” she quipped. “Fortunately ‘Alfie’ had gone on ahead with David Doel [who finished sixth with Dunges Don Perignon] and was safely home.”…

gemma.redrup@futurenet.com @gemmaredrup Bedale, Hornby Castle, Yorkshire JACK TEAL said that he is “getting a great kick out of watching his horses” with his trainer’s hat on instead of his usual role as a jockey, due to the fact he fractured his C3 vertebrae at the beginning of March. “I got buried at home in the arena off a pony while I was trying to break him in, ” said Jack. “I landed flat on my back, heard a big crunch and thought it didn’t sound too good. The fracture is pretty stable as far as those things can be, but I’m not too sure when I’ll be back on a horse.” But this meeting gave Jack something to celebrate as he sent out three winners as a trainer. One of…

WHAT do you do when hunting finishes? Cast a wistful glance over your shoulder and press on with everything you’ve neglected? Start thinking about the competitions you will enter through the summer? I am relishing the chance to think about other things besides horses but, as we all know, they are not like motorbikes that can be put in a shed and forgotten about until they are needed again. Back in the olden days, hunters with just a suggestion of a summer coat were turned out without rugs and shoes when the season closed. Simply “roughed off" until the slow work began later in the year. Nowadays, we cosset our horses. Rugs are only removed on the warmest, sunny days. Feeding continues until the first flush of spring grass appears.…