Innholdsfortegnelse for 13-Oct-2022 i Horse & Hound

HORSE&HOUND VET CLINIC FOR many owners, the thought of a prolonged period of post-operative rehabilitation can be even more daunting than that of the surgical procedure itself. Emergency surgical procedures can by their very definition be lifesaving, or at the very least be the difference between a sustainable long-term quality of life for your horse, or not. An elective surgical procedure, on the other hand, may be more related to improving or sustaining performance levels. Either way, the overall success of any surgery is often dependent as much on what happens following the procedure as it is on the surgery itself. In fact, many scientific studies define surgical success as a return to previous levels of work, or higher. As in humans, a return to function for your horse can…

TO celebrate Horse & Hound's support of the London International Horse Show, we're giving you the chance to win a VIP experience for two at the show. The lucky winnerwill receive: • Two tickets to The Phoenix Club for the Friday evening performance, which includes the FEI Dressage World Cup freestyle to music supported by Horse & Hound, including a delicious buffet dinner at your own private table, a glass of champagne on arrival and fantastic seats. • Hotel room for two people, which includes breakfast, on the doorstep of ExCeL London. • Top-price tickets and Champagne Bar badges to the Saturday afternoon performance at the London International Horse Show, which include all-day access to the Shopping Village. • A behind-the-scenes tour of the London International Horse Show. • £100…

IN THE GENES EXMOOR ponies dominated in the 122cm M&M working hunter pony final, with Debbie Barker-Runiewicz and her own 10-year-old gelding, Moonpenny Delphinus (Finn, pictured), taking top honours, reigning ahead of Frankie Currell with Jacqueline Wharton's stallion Dunkery Black Grouse. Just an hour before the victory, Debbie jumped in the 133cm class with Finn's sire, Moonpenny Aquarius. What's more, second-placed pilot Frankie had Finn on her yard in between him leaving Lauren Brill, who backed him for his breeder Mary Rose Bryant, and joining Debbie. “He probably has every typical Exmoor trait you could think of,” Debbie said. “This not only marks my first HOYS win but my first placing at HOYS,” added Debbie, “The course rode well, but I was mainly focused on keeping Finn relaxed, soft and…

SHOWING HORSE OF THE YEAR SHOW SEIB Search For A Star | SEIB Racehorse to Riding Horse IT took a moment for cardiology nurse Alex Windross to realise that she'd been called out as the winner of the SEIB Search For A Star (SFAS) championship with her nine-year-old riding horse Herbie. But when the penny dropped, a childhood dream had been realised. “I didn't believe I would win; there were some fabulous horses in that championship,” said Alex. “I've been coming to HOYS [Horse of the Year Show] as a spectator for years and years.” Alex's decision to show Herbie came earlier this year when her first horse, Freddie, suddenly died from colic. “Showing has been an ode to Freddie,” she said. “I decided to do one show with Herbie…

SHOWJUMPING HORSE OF THE YEAR SHOW CSI3* classes THE showjumping star of the week was undoubtedly Ireland's Jessica Burke, who won an international hat-trick on her first visit to the show. Jessica and Louisa Church's nine-year-old Inpulss won Friday's NAEC Stoneleigh stakes speed class, with Joe Whitaker and Icaterina second, then Saturday's accumulator ahead of Mark Edwards and Flying Tinker II. On Sunday, they topped it off by winning the speed horse of the year, again from Mark and Flying Tinker – who are far from slow. To win any class at HOYS, let alone three internationals, on the same horse, and on your debut, is an amazing achievement, and an emotional one. “To do the hat-trick – I didn't think about it too much; I just tried to take each…

THE CPEDI2* competition was the scene of the international return of European para gold medallist Suzanna Hext after almost three years out of competition. Riding Talland's 22-year-old school horse, Thijmingh (Timmy, pictured, right), she aced all the grade II classes with scores in excess of 72%. It's been a tough year for Suzanna with a bout of sepsis combined with cochlear implant surgery to restore her hearing. AGAINST THE ODDS “I'm still focused on my swimming, but I'd iike to fit more riding in around it,” said Suzanna, who has won world medals for para swimming and finished fourth at the Tokyo Paralympics. “The wins this weekend were just the boost I needed. I've only ridden Timmy five times since I came out of hospital and I wasn't expecting him…

HAVE YOU WON A BD CLASS? DO YOU OR YOUR HORSE HAVE A GREAT STORY? Email dressagehighlights@yahoo.com within 24 hours of your win for a chance to feature on these pages Hunters EC, Gloucestershire JESSICA DAVIES and sevenyear-old mare Kadanz II topped the novice 38 with just shy of 74%. The mare has been with Jess, who is studying a for law degree at the University of Sheffield, since a three-year-old. “He's taught me how to set up everything in the grand prix” EMILY ORMEROD ON DON CARISSIMO “She's gone from strength to strength this year and is going to do her first medium soon,” she said. “She went to the nationals and was really good. We had a few mistakes that kept her out of the top placings, but…

SHOWJUMPING HIGHLIGHTS 25 September-2 October Cherwell, Oxfordshire CALCOURT QUALVADOS bounced back from a break to win the 1.20m open and Blue Chip Dynamic B&C handicap for 18-year-old Jake Myers. The 10-year-old mare had been jumping junior tracks in recent months. “We recently gave all of the horses a few weeks off. She's just coming back into it and we thought it would be quite nice to get her qualified for the Blue Chips,” said Jake. Sarah Hedges and Nicki Sharp's seven-year-old Renkum Marceau were unfazed by lashing rain on the opening day to take the Blue Chip Karma. Emma-Jo Slater, who had earlier taken a win in the FMBs Therapy Systems Star qualifier with Freule TN, collected the runner-up spot on Kimba Time. “He's naturally quick and suits my way…

ILFRACOMBE RC claimed their first quadrille title after they impressed judges Jane Domhill, Keeley Squires and Gloria Outten with their “The Devon Dragons’ Return” performance. Charlie Pocock with Thea Kremlin, Katie Miles on Hoe Court Jester, Cheryl Munday with Pippi Longpark Stockings and Georgia Sollars riding Diva Dancer transformed into dragons. The horses were bedecked in rugs, hoods and full-face masks while the riders wore fake leather outfits and had swords for the routine, which was performed to tracks from the film How To Train Your Dragon. “Eleven years ago, I was part of the third-placed Witheridge RC team that used these costumes in the quadrille final at Olympia,” said Cheryl. “I always felt that the performance hadn't reached its full potential, so I entered us on a whim. It's…

HORSE&HOUND FROM THE FIELD BACK-to-back three-day events throughout September working at which is vital to my always-precarious finances meant that I didn't manage to go hunting until the month was very nearly ended. And it seemed, at a distance, like another life, and a highly labour-intensive one with ridiculously early alarms set. In fact, if my mother hadn't put a huge amount of effort into organising that threeline whip, a family day's autumn hunting, it's possible I'd still be faffing about convincing myself I am too busy now. Mum, my brother and I are spread fairly far and wide, and it's rare that we're all in the same place at the same time. However, there was a particular incentive. A great, great family friend, Clive Ashby, who is also my…

BRIAN GILES THE much-loved journalist and former jockey died on his 81st birthday, 22 September. Mr Giles was equestrian correspondent and racing editor of the Daily Mail for 42 years. He reported on showjumping and eventing throughout the 1970s, '80s and '90s, when riders such as Harvey Smith and David Broome were household names. For many years, the Mail was a key sponsor of the All England international showjumping fixtures at Hickstead; huge blue banners at the showground's entrance on the A23 urged visitors to “Read Brian Giles in the Daily Mail”, much to his amusement. He travelled the world as equestrian correspondent and was often called on to report on other matters while away, notably at the 1972 Munich Olympics, when 11 Israeli athletes were shot dead in a…

AS much of her early riding experience involved trying to keep up with her father on the hunting field, it's perhaps not surprising that Harriet Biddick is something of a speed demon. Harriet and her long-term faithful partner Silver Lift appropriately lifted the British Speed Derby trophy at Hickstead this summer for the third time. Harriet and “Mickey” have also come second in the class three times, making them the most successful speed Derby combination in history. But these are far from Harriet's only top results. “Dad was a master, so I'd be out trying to keep up on my young ponies. I learnt the hard way!” Harriet says. “I learnt to ride mainly through producing ponies to sell. We had young ponies, never really schoolmasters, and had to make…

• Set clear goals, with specific targets as well as regular check-ups by your vet and physiotherapist. Rehab is a team effort. • All rehab programmes will have ups and downs; this is completely normal. Keep going! • Finding another horse to ride during this time can help to reduce the time pressure you may be placing on yourself and your horse to recover fully. • Get creative in working out small ways to keep your horse's mind occupied when stabled. • See this period of time as an opportunity to get to know your horse's personality and come back from injury as a more solid partnership. • Take the time to learn about your horse's surgery and the way that your rehabilitation programme is helping him. Remember, you are…

WHEN show producer Adam Forster visited Joyce and Jacky Newbery's Newoak Stud last year, he knew he'd found a potential HOYS winner in Newoak Midnight Blue (pictured), but he didn't quite think the gelding would win the Gribbin Family iead-rein pony of hunter-type final in his debut season. The four-year-old part-bred Dartmoor, ridden by Scarlett Smith for her grandmother Naomi Bradwell, is by former HOYS winner Lickfolds Snowstorm out of Ardenhall Midnight Charm. He is produced by Adam and his partner David Jinks in Cheshire. “I thought I had a bit of a star on my hands when I saw him at the stud,” said Adam. “I remember saying to David that we were definitely bringing him home with us.” This was five-year-old Scarlett's first time riding at HOYS and…

SHOWING HORSE OF THE YEAR SHOW Price Family supreme in-hand A PROLIFIC-winning riding horse mare bowed out of the show ring at the top when landing the overall Price Family supreme inhand title for the first time. Having outshone a quality field in the afternoon preliminaries with producer Steve Pitt, Rosemary Penn and Vicky Smith's 14-year-old Lovestruck grew in stature with every step in the evening, pulling yet more out of the bag with every floating stride. Judges Tullis Matson, director of the equine reproduction specialists Stallion AI Services, and Welsh pony breeder and showman Edwin Prosser were in complete agreement throughout. “We were both looking for type, performance, bone and limb,” said Tullis. “This mare was totally correct for her type and in the evening went even better than…

SHOWJUMPING HORSE OF THE YEAR SHOW Pony finals THE GS Equestrian Pony Showjumper of the Year title is always a hard one to win and this year was no exception – as only three of 27 combinations jumped clear in the first round. From a start-list that was a Who's Who of junior jumpers, only Poppy Deakin (Armene Du Costilg), Ruby Barrs (Casper XXII) and Sophie Evans (Oscar Van De Beekerheide) contested the jump-off, Ben Townley's track having caused problems at every stage. It was Poppy and Kerstin Deakins 12-year-old mare who took the title, in Poppy's last year in pony classes. “So it's great to go out on a good one!” she said. This was a first HOYS win for Poppy, who had been competing at the NEC since she…

DOLLEY PHANTOM laid the ghosts of a shaky season to rest in winning the open intermediate by eight penalties for Franky Reid-Warrilow. They led from the outset, sealing a 23.2 dressage with a quick double clear. Phantom was fourth at Bramham in June, but had a confidence crisis over the summer. “The wheels fell off at Burgham when she didn't want to jump a trakehner into water and all plans had to go in the bin,” Franky said. “She naturally finds things scary – even a bucket outside her stable so we had to rebuild her confidence.” They did two novices – “that was hard with a four-star horse, stopping at a novice water”, admitted Franky – and built a trakehner into water at home. “An intermediate should be a…

DRESSAGE HIGHLIGHTS 26 September-2 October Silver Leys, Hertfordshire JENNIFER GILCHRIST'S Romanno Stud was wellrepresented with three young horses making their mark across two shows. Shelley Reeve-Smith and her two six-year-olds, Romanno Free Spirit and Romanno Motown, each won at novice. “We bought Motown and Free Spirit as foals, along with one other which my sister Tahley has,” said Shelley. “I drove them all the way down from the stud in Scotland. They're both slightly late coming out on the scene, but we've been training away at home and they're now ready to show what they've got.” Shelley's sister Tahley ReeveSmith landed the elementary 43 with seven-year-old Romanno Danteno, before heading back to Silver Leys a few days later for the 2 October show and qualifying the Dante Weltino son for…

Solihull, West Midlands LUCY MILLS and showjumpingbred Chaconda Blue won both novices with plus-70%. Lucy has owned the five-yearold since a three-year-old, buying her from breeders Jamie Ball and Brad Hooker. “I bought her to event and lightly evented her this year. She hasn't been less than second in her last four events, but because of the ground I've stuck at 90cm and 100cm,” said Lucy. “She's also turned out to be a nice dressage horse. She came ninth at the prelim gold regionals, exceeding our expectations. She's just lots of fun and has such a great attitude.” The mare has her novice gold qualification, but Lucy would also like to have a go at music with her. “Shell showjump and dressage over the winter, then event next season,” said…

NO one has worked harder than home-producer Charlotte-Louise Iddon, who has nursed her ex-racehorse, Bear With Rupert, back from multiple injuries to become the in-hand horse champion on his VHS national championship debut. The 15-year-old suffers from navicular and arthritis, and has also sustained injuries to his check ligament and tendon over the years. But despite his haphazard nature, the attractive gelding has reaped consistent success in the show ring. “He just loves to be out and about. He's such a proud horse and he always puts on a show,” said Charlotte, who first met Rupert when she worked at Lancashire Racing Stables, where Rupert was born. AGAINST THE ODDS “I saw him as a foal and I put dibs on him,” she added. “Rupert raced twice. When he retired from…

DESIGNING your own stables can be one of the most exciting projects. Some might dream of a beautiful U-shape yard, with timber stables and undercover walkways offering protection from the elements, or an all-out barn encompassing everything you could need under one roof. However with a big project comes big decisions; should you opt for a timber or brick building? Onduline or tile roof? And would your horse benefit from an extra window or added door protection? The first step when starting from scratch is seeking appropriate planning permission from your local planning authority. Sarah Macey, of bespoke timber stable builders Prime Stables, explains that the planning application can be expensive – but is one of the most important stages of the process. “Planning can take a long time –…

OWNERS have been encouraged to have the “difficult conversation” on their wishes after they die, and reminded of support available. Bereavement charity Widowed and Young (WAY), which offers support for people aged 50 and under who have lost a partner, set up a horse-related sub-group this year following a rise in members who have been left horses to look after when their partners have died, but are not always equestrians themselves. “It's traumatic when a partner dies, but when you have to manage their horses as well, it's a lot, and people have to take on a role they might not have had before,” WAY chair Jo SedleyBurke told H&H. “It's going to happen to all of us one day” EMMA GRAY “Generally, we don't like talking about death, and…

WITH Paris 2024 qualification in the bag, British para dressage is reviewing how it can sharpen its world-leading edge on the competitive global stage. Britain has blazed a trail since 1996, and bagged seven medals at the 2022 World Championships, yet finished off the team podium for the first time. The standard was high and the closeness of the results made for exciting sport. So how does Britain push forwards? The answer, from those H&H approached, is that horsepower is critical as is increasing and nurturing rider talent. Horses and riders need greater exposure to busy show environments as they progress. To source and afford the horsepower needed, a greater understanding of the qualities para horses require is needed. And riders need owners. The solution to many of these points…

CALLS have been made for MP3 files to replace CDs for freestyle music, after “countless combinations” have been let down by technology. Anthony Hobden of Equidance, which provides freestyle music arrangements to riders, started a Change.org petition to British Dressage (BD) stating that it is “time to upgrade” from “unreliable” CDs. Mr Hobden told H&H “everyone has been complaining”. “I've been trying to address it with BD,” he said. “I think there have been concerns about the tech from venues and maybe some riders who aren't so savvy about it. So we're trying to make it easier, dispel a few myths and work with everyone to bring us up to 2022. “CDs are 40 years old and they're fallible.” Mr Hobden, who has 20 years experience in the music industry…

My mum was a hairdresser and Dad an engineer. Through their friends, I rode at weekends as a child, and played Prince Philip Cup games on horseback. My pony was aged 30 and half-blind you couldn't tell him anything. I worked for Neil Mulholland from 2014 to 2016. Then I took a break, working in schools with children with autism and various complex needs, and for the charity Key4Life. It supports ex-offenders. As a caseworker and equine workshop coordinator, I'd see the vulnerable – those at risk of exploitation – walk straight up to the horses, while the leader types watched them, scared to approach. It made them realise they'd have to do it, too, so as not to lose face. That's when their front dropped and they allowed themselves…

SHOWING HORSE OF THE YEAR SHOW Natives “THINGS like this don't happen to me,” were the words of Joe Watson, when he took the National Pony Society/Baileys Horse Feeds mountain and moorland (M&M) ridden pony of the year title aboard his own and his partner Rob Mcivor's Dales stallion, Griseburn Major. The Andrews Bowen international arena championship was a true feast for the eyes, as 22 of the country's best native ponies were presented before Scottish judges Tweetie Nimmo (ride) and Jo Jack (conformation). And the judges confirmed they'd been in harmony throughout. Tweetie's set show, which incorporated a canter circle and an extension across the diagonal, sorted the classes. “I wanted to see self-carriage and obedience,” said Tweetie. “Jo and I liked the same ponies. Our champion was balanced…

SHOWING HORSE OF THE YEAR SHOW Coloureds SCOTTISH showman Richard Telford achieved a career first as he secured the Coloured Horse and Pony Society (CHAPS) UKsponsored coloured horse and pony title on Lindsay McCulloch's Wot Perfection (Spook). The CHAPS UK/Man Wah UK plaited pony winner, who stands at just under 153cm, was every inch the champion in the international arena. While retaining her cool, she lifted and went for Richard, showcasing her elevated yet balanced paces. Sue-Helen Shuttleworth assessed the ride of the coloureds. “She had a lovely way of going. She was on the commands and was looking through her bridle throughout,” she noted. Richard first came across Spook, a nine-year-old by Free Spirit, when he was out teaching. “I saw her over a stable door and asked the…

SHOWJUMPING HORSE OF THE YEAR SHOW 5-9 October Horse of the Year Show, NEC, Birmingham SHANE BREEN bought Cuick Star Kervec as a yearling, nine years ago, and always thought he was going to be something special. To conclude a superb week for the Irish at Horse of the Year show (HOYS), Shane and the fiery Quick Star stallion gave a masterclass in speed, power and control to come home just under a fifth of a second faster than John Whitaker on Equine America Unick Du Francport to win Sunday's Leading Showjumper of the Year. The first-round track had been tough, as expected in a grand prix, but seven of the 29 starters went clear and Breen Equestrian and Quirke Sport Horses’ 10-year-old, who has jumped only a handful of grands…

SHOWJUMPING HORSE OF THE YEAR SHOW Senior finals HAD anyone told Robert Murphy, two-and-a-half years ago that he would have won the senior Foxhunter final at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) by now, “I wouldn't have believed them”, he says. Robert's owners had to take their horses back during the pandemic and Robert himself got a job driving a lorry, with “no horses in my stable at one point”. But Robert and Peter Charles’ home-bred eight-year-old Chawton were one of only six to jump clear in the first round, and the only ones to go clear in the jump-off. “I've had this class in my sights for a long time,” said Robert, 21, whose father Peter took the senior Foxhunter final in 1994. “This is my third go and I'm…

MANY young showjumpers have to fit their riding around school – not many also have a budding film career to squeeze in. Lilly Aspell, 15, stars alongside Liam Neeson in Retribution, due out next year. She also jumped in both the pony newcomers and Foxhunter finals at HOYS on her “superstar”, Donna Caldwell's Legends Rock (Bailey, pictured left). Lilly plans to keep up the acting, as long as it leaves plenty of time for horses. “That's the plan!” she said, adding that she has told Liam Neeson all about Bailey “and he loves it, so I'll tell him all about HOYS too”. WORKING RIDER…

EVENTING HIGHLIGHTS 1-3 October DO YOU WANT TO BE ON THIS PAGE? HAVE YOU WON A SECTION? Email eventinghighlights@gmail.com within 24 hours of your event and please include a contact telephone number Bishop Burton (2), East Yorkshire SASHA MUNRO SEEAR and Cosmic Heaven made it two wins from three outings when they led from pillar to post to claim the BE1OOopen. Sasha, who runs a competition yard in Lincolnshire, has an enviable record to her name, despite managing a catalogue of health issues sustained as a result of a serious fall in 2003. “I have severe curvature of the spine, a right shoulder that's had to be rebuilt numerous times and a pelvis that's been smashed to pieces,” said Sasha, who's endured numerous operations over the years and is now…

RIDING CLUB BRC DRESSAGE TO MUSIC AND INTRODUCTORY CHAMPIONSHIP 30 September-2 October British Riding Club TopSpec Dressage to Music, NAF Five Star Quadrille and NAF Five Star Introductory Championships, Bury Farm, Buckinghamshire MEGAN FIELD left Bury Farm with myriad prizes after she piloted Bright Time FST into top spot in the medium/advanced medium pick-a-test class and trounced the opposition with Brownstown Seawatch in the junior novice. The 16-year-old Warwickshire Hunt RC member is no stranger to success at these championships, having finished first in the junior prelim with Gwithian Gallant in 2019. “These championships were the first time I won a national title three years ago and to come back and win again – twice – at a higher level means a lot,” said Megan. “They both pulled it out…