Innholdsfortegnelse for 4-May-2023 i Horse & Hound

MICK SAYWELL FORMER British team member and Olympian Michael Saywell died peacefully on 2 April aged 80 with his family at his side. As a child Mick spent much time at his grandparents’ farm. His grandfather William Wagstaffe was an accomplished horseman who played a massive part in Mick's formative years. Riding became Mick's passion. In the 1960s Stonepark was the first to take Mick to the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). His talent took him to John (Jet) Taylor, which led to success on many horses, with selectors taking notice of this self-made lad. In the 1970s Mick's association with Trevor Banks began. The experience is weil documented with team places. Mick's was the best British score at the 1972 Olympics with Hideaway. Mick brought the family, Kathy,…

A NEW app bringing all the FEI tack and equipment rules into one searchable place has launched ahead of the summer competition season. The FEI tack, equipment and dress app works online at tack.fei.org and as an iOS and smartphone app, to help give riders and officials clarity on what is – and is not – allowed in each discipline. Users can search by any number of categories and subcategories, for example “leg and hoof protection” and then the subcategory of “front boots”, and by discipline. On each item, there are links to related FEI legal articles. Future updates are already planned, including a function where FEI officials can upload photos and videos of pieces of equipment for review by the FEFs equipment group, which meets monthly. “It's coming next,…

FOR decades, spotting The Queen ringside at Royal Windsor Horse Show – come rain or shine – was an integral part of the event she hosted in her back garden, and they are moments we shall treasure. But a select few, including some of the world's leading riders, were privileged enough to meet the monarch and enjoy some time in her company. US showjumper Kent Farrington, who was presented with the trophy for winning the Kingdom of Bahrain Stakes for the King's Cup with Creedance in 2016 by The Queen, sums it up by saying: “It is the classic English experience, with the castle and getting to meet The Queen.” Double Olympic gold medal-winning showjumper Nick Skelton was invited to bring his legendary stallion Big Star, now 20, up to…

EVENTING HIGHLIGHTS 20-23 April Sytner Land Rover Knutsford Kelsall Hill, Cheshire TOM WOODWARD, 21, led a bevy of young eventers to success when he took the Sytner Land Rover Knutsford CCI3*-S on Jaeger Master. The nine-year-old Royaldik son belongs to mother and daughter Wendy and Jenny Spiller – the Team Joey syndicate – and has been with Tom for a year after previously being ridden by Izzy Taylor. “He's straggled in the showjumping, but we've been out British Showjumping almost every week over the winter and the past few weeks it's started to click,” said Tom. A change of tack and improved balance as he has strengthened up has helped Jaeger Master in this phase. “He jumps better in a double flap rather than monoflap saddle and in a rubber…

AGAINST THE ODDS KATY LAWRENCE'S Horseheath winner, Whitemoors First Flight (Flynn), defied the odds for a winning comeback at novice level when he headed section C. The Sir Shutterfly gelding, with whom Katy won the British Eventing Grassroots League in 2019, partly severed his deep digital flexor tendon in the field just before Badminton's grassroots championship in 2021. “It took 18 months to rehab him fully,” said the Surrey-based freelance instructor, who credits her vet, Mike Byers, and farrier, Oli Goffin, for Flynn's recovery. “I followed my vet's detailed rehab plan, which started with five minutes’ strict in-hand walking, and we built up from there. Oli made him special wedge shoes initially and then bar shoes to aid his recovery.” Flynn's exercise routine now involves less jumping and more hacking…

HIGHLIGHTS 17–23 April Prestige Equestrian, Glos “THIS level seems to suit her,” said Alex Harrison of MSJ Top Secret, after the mare scored a 73.7% win on her grand prix debut. “It felt like she really tried. I was a bit emotional afterwards.” After taking over the ride a year ago on Emma Blundell's 12-year-old Totilas daughter, originally competed by Charlotte Dujardin and more recently by Amy Woodhead, Alex spent a season getting to know her at small tour. “She could be quite hot and tense at shows,” he said. “She has amazing paces, but she only wanted to show off her amazing paces. It was a case of persuading her not to go for a 10 all the time when an eight would do. “She became more confident throughout…

HOME-PRODUCER Amber Twambley's decision to persevere with her Welsh section B Copella Black Knight has been confirmed it was the right move, as the Eyarth Braveheart eight-year-old has booked three RIHS places in two weeks. “Fergus” secured his RIHS amateur ticket at North of England Spring, before winning both open Welsh section A and B and Pretty Polly passes at BSPS Area 5. This will be the first time both Fergus and Amber will be making the trip to Hickstead. “He joined us as a fivemonthold foal straight from his breeders,” said 25-year-old Amber. “But in 2020, he sustained a suspensory injury and I was told I wouldn't be able to ride him again. “Thankfully, we didn't give up on him and he's been sound for well over a year…

Weston Lawns, Warks JAKE ELLIOT'S Django Blue cruised to a 2.35sec win in the spring grand prix, round a course where two tight turnbacks showed off his scope. “He is a very good double clears horse but not naturally the quickest and I'm not the fastest rider; I set out at one pace and keep to it!” said Jake, who finished ahead of Michael Whitaker and Peanut II. Farrier Jake bought the gelding nine years ago and he has taken him to jump at a level he never planned. “Before I got him I'd not jumped for about four years and I set out with the aim to go back to local shows. Now I spend more time jumping than working!” he said. Dependable Django has also been in demand…

HIGHLIGHTS 29-30 April Mid Surrey Farmers Draghounds, Godstone, Surrey NORMOFTHENORTH continued his sensational run of form, winning for the fourth time on the bounce, this time in the mixed open under Izzie Marshall. “He's an absolute legend – he's run 15 times for us, winning 10 of those, finishing second twice and third three times,” said Izzie of the nineyearold, who is trained by Alan Hill and owned by The Three Farmers & A Gardener Partnership. “He loves making the running, so I jumped him off in front and he didn't miss a beat. We were nervous the ground might be a bit soft for him, especially on an undulating track as it would put his stamina to the test, but his class got home in front. He doesn't know…

Punchestown, Ireland THE week belonged to Willie Mullins. Again. I cannot ever recall so many great horses in one yard at the same time and almost all did their thing by winning at the Kildare course last week; Facile Vega, Energumene, Gaelic Warrior, El Fabiolo, Klassical Dream, State Man, Impaire Et Passe, Echoes In Rain and Lossiemouth all finished the season with Grade One wins. To win added brownie points for beating a Mullins hotpot in a top race at Punchestown, it now appears to require some thinking outside the box and bunging Fastorslow, runnerup to Corach Rambler in the Ultima at Cheltenham, into the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup was a masterstroke by Martin Brassil. His victory, under a superb hunting ride by JJ Slevin, by two-and-a-quarter lengths with Gold…

NEW details on the crosscountry course, grooms’ accommodation and stabling have been revealed as Paris gears up for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Paris organising team gave an update on next summer's equestrian events at Versailles at the FEI sports forum (24-25 April). Delivery will be by GL Events, which has run major horse shows. The historic site and Paris 2024's pledge to reduce the Games’ carbon footprint by half set extra logistical challenges. “The principle has always been the welfare of the horse” SABRINA IBANEZ News on testing was revealed, and specifics about stabling and accommodation. Horses will be stabled by discipline, rather than by nation, and there will be tight arrival and departure windows. Organisers are looking at using nearby venue Jardy as a base for those…

RIDERS and grooms at Badminton Horse Trials (4-8 May) will benefit from on-site access to mental health and wellbeing support in a “pioneering” step forward. Riders Minds will provide a hub with a counsellor, and an out-of-hours number to call, for the duration of the event. Victoria Wright, founder and chair of the mental health charity, said: “This is the first time this has happened in equestrian sport, and it is fantastic the FEI has recognised the importance of facilitating this service and that it is being pioneered by Badminton. “It's a huge step forwards to have the acknowledgement from the International Olympic Committee and the FEI, and for the sport to recognise that there is a need for mental health support within all of the equestrian disciplines.” Anna-Louise Mackinnon,…

JOSS HANBURY found Scooby for me. A grade A showjumper, Scooby had been ridden by Jean Germany in international competitions and was an eight-year-old when I bought him. He was incredibly up together, extraordinarily collected. When he went at a fence, he just took hold of the bit and went. If you weren't holding on, he'd jump you off – once or twice he actually did. To start with, I found him quite difficult. Every horse is an individual, but this chap was something completely different. He didn't stand off as most horses tend to do, but because of his showjumping experience I suppose, he had an extraordinary ability to meet fences right. Nothing ever fazed him, nothing put him off, he just wanted to jump. He never, ever stopped…

ROYAL WINDSOR HORSE SHOW takes place from 11–14 May 2023 and you can find further details at rwhs.co.uk This year's H&H M&M in-hand supreme championship will be very special, as 12 native breed champions battle to take the baton from the 2022 winner, The late Queen's home-bred Highland mare Balmoral Leia. International four-star dressage returns to Royal Windsor for the first time since 2019. Expect to see some of Britain's best grand prix pairs in action. Sunday's Rolex grand prix is the feature showjumping class, attracting the world's leading riders, including British number one Harry Charles and Olympic champion Ben Maher. H&H will be providing extensive coverage from Royal Windsor at horseandhound.co.uk, including breaking news, interviews and expert insight, in addition to what will be included in the bumper magazine…

ADDINGTON PREMIER LEAGUE 28–30 April Addington Premier League, Bucks “I WAS blown away by her,” said Jackie Siu of her prix st georges (PSG) winner, the 11-year-old Bojengel x Goodtimes mare Jockey Club Huittharien. This was just the mare's third-ever PSG test, but she waltzed to glory with 72.1%, with Hong Kong international rider Jackie explaining she “tried her heart out” at her first stay-away show. The pair joined forces at the start of 2019 and although “Bo” is still quite new to competition, thanks to pandemic-related delays, Oxfordshire-based Jackie is hoping she will go to the Asian Games later this year. “We've just been nurturing her along, as she is such a special mare; she has the capability to go all the way. The fact the Asian Games was…

HIGHLIGHTS 17-23 April HAVE YOU HAD A NOTABLE WIN IN THE SHOW RING? Email alexandra.robinson@futurenet.com within 24 hours of the show for your chance to appear in this section BSHA Southern Spring, Addington EC, Bucks JAYNE ROSS and her team swept the board by winning several classes and taking home both supreme championships. King of Addington was Debbie Harrod's aptly named King Of Clubs, Royal International (RIHS) riding horse champion earlier in the day, who lifted the open supreme with Jayne on board. Last year the Riverland Roi six-year-old won as a novice at Royal Windsor and he concluded his season by standing second at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). “He was so happy to be out showing” TINA BILLINGSLEY “He's consequently denoviced so he's in at the deep…

BRC RI-DRY CLOTHING INTERMEDIATE WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS 22-23 April BRC Ri-Dry Clothing Intermediate Winter Championships Onley Grounds Equestrian Complex, Warks THERE was an emotional victory in the junior intermediate dressage for Worlington RC's Alice Osborne and Candy Crush Soda. They won the overall individual title on a score of 72.93%. “We bought Candy Crush Soda three years ago,” said Alice's mother Claire. “She's been out of work half the time we've had her and we have had all sorts of problems with her so to win this is amazing.” A new saddle caused ligament damage in the 11-year-old's spine, resulting in behavioural changes, and then the mare developed ulcers. “She went from being a polite, placid horse to a firebreathing dragon. We have a great team in place now and seem…

HARRIET COUPLAND and Cillbhrid Mermaid (pictured, right) went home with a fistful of prizes after they won the individual 100cm showjumping, were part of the victorious Area 6 team in the same competition and helped High Wycombe RC to third place in the senior 90cm showjumping. “I knew we were flying in the jump-off so I was hoping the time was good enough to win,” said Harriet. “When it was confirmed I was ecstatic and to win in the team competition too was awesome.” Cillbhrid Mermaid is a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse/warmblood whom Harriet has produced from the age of four. “She's naturally very downhill and has a very forward girth groove so it's taken years to find a saddle that stays where it should, which has slowed our progress.…

ONE winter morning in the Adelaide Hills, Sarah Clark hitched up her trailer and started the 10,000-mile journey to Burghley with her beloved horse LV Balou Jeanz. Sarah had dreamt of riding at Burghley since she was a child. A dream fanned by her aunt in the UK, who would send her copies of Horse & Hound and VHS recordings of the BBC's coverage of Badminton and Burghley. Her remarkable journey ended with a fairy-tale result, completing with a clear cross-country jumping round at the event that had first lit the fire in Sarah's belly from those old tapes and thumbed magazines. She wasn't sure if she could afford Jeanz's return flight – she had thought as far as Burghley, but beyond that was an open chapter. As it turned…

RACING'S ROYAL THREAD AMONG the many investitures bestowed on King Charles III at his coronation on Saturday will be his stewardship of the Royal Studs. He will become custodian of a racing and breeding enterprise with greater inherent potential than at any time in the past 45 years. The studs now house broodmares of a calibre inherited by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, when the royal silks were to the fore in that year's Derby. They were carried by Aureole, who chased home Pinza at Epsom just four days after The Queen's coronation at Westminster Abbey. And in Slipofthepen, the King and Queen have a home-bred colt who is full of promise. Unbeaten in two starts, Slipofthepen, trained by John and Thady Gosden, might have contested a Classic of his…

AN extraordinary dark bay of 18hh, Valentine was a very long way up – and a jolly long way down! He was a Dutch Warmblood, given to The Queen by The Queen of the Netherlands on the occasion of her state visit to this country in 1982. Valentine was intended as a carriage horse, but he simply didn't want anything to do with that, so ended up with the Household Division at Pirbright – where he wasn't very successful either – as an event horse. Sir John Miller, the Crown Equerry, then had the bright idea – since Valentine seemed such a misfit – of sending him to Joss Hanbury, who is a magician with difficult horses. Joss said the horse was a complete nightmare to start with – he…

IT'S a rare feat for a novice show horse to maintain enough composure to lift a championship in the Castle Arena at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. But in 2008, The late Queen Elizabeth II's home-bred large riding horse Petition did just that. The Petoski gelding, who was just a six-year-old at the time, came to the fore to triumph against his much more experienced rivals, providing his producer Katie Jerram-Hunnable with a memorable career first. “This was the first time I had won a championship on one of Her Majesty's show horses at Windsor,” recalls Katie, whose first royal ride at Windsor was the lightweight hunter March Past, who was pulled top and dropped to third in the four-year-olds after being understandably spooked by the paparazzi who had flocked…

LIZ HALLIDAY-SHARP scored her first five-star podium place on the 11-year-old Miks Master C, by Mighty Magic, who was a talking horse coming into this event and looks like an important part of US eventing's future. “Less than a year ago, his breeder Laurie Cameron called me out of the blue and asked if I knew her horse, Miks Master C,” said Liz. “She said, ‘I wonder if you'd take the ride on him?’ Ultimately she wanted to sell him and I was lucky my wonderful owners Ocala Horse Properties and Deborah Palmer jumped in and made it possible. “He is the most amazing horse. I think he's a Burghley and Badminton horse, I hope he'll be my Olympic horse. I think the world of him. He's such a kind,…

HIGHLIGHTS 20-23 April 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 Aspen Cooling Ltd Solihull (1), West Mids JANE VALENTINE chanced upon a winning warm-up strategy with her own Dollar Oats (Otis) when their late arrival at Solihull due to a crash on the M6 meant they had to trot straight out of the lorry and down the centre line. “Il was the best he's ever felt” JANE VALENTINE ON DOLLAR OATS’ UNPLANNED COLD START “I was planning to arrive, walk the cross-country and get myself organised, but I didn't have time for any of that,” said the Cheshire-based rider. Nevertheless, the pair conjured up a personal best dressage score…

IT was a good weekend for mother-daughter duo Fiona Bigwood and Mette Dahl. Fiona scored a win in the international seven-year-old class with her home-bred mare Donna Bella. The pair pipped Sarah Rogers and the Bechtolsheimers’ home-bred Forest Hill, who came back strongly to win the national equivalent class. Mette enjoyed a stellar first show with her new junior ride, the stunning grey Lusitano Carporal De Massa (pictured above), who arrived from France just a matter of weeks ago. Having finished second in the junior individual test behind Isla Sully (Vagabond De Massa), Mette claimed a dominant win in the junior team test with over 75%. Isla also enjoyed a pony individual test victory riding Reitlands Don Totilas, with Sofia Games and WS Jackson winning the pony team test. Meanwhile…

HIGHLIGHTS 17-23 April 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 Combined Training Championships, Onley Grounds EC, Warks “IT has taken a long time to build her confidence, but it was worth the wait,” said Gary Foggon whose mare, My Wife, was triumphant at both the prelim 80cm and novice 90cm. “She was flighty and it took me a year to get on her back as a youngster as she was so sharp, but she's as brave as a lion.” Known at home as “Myer”, the seven-year-old Sir Shutterfly mare is following in the footsteps of her eventing dam, Bonny Bank Jay Jay, who won the Combined…

SHOWING NPS SPRING FESTIVAL 22 April Edited by Alex Robinson alexandra.robinson@futurenet.com @alexrob_journo_ National Pony Society (NPS) Spring Festival, Three Counties Showground, Worcs A NEAR-PERFECT 49/50 ride mark set a Welsh section D on the path to winning the first Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) mountain and moorland (M&M) ridden championship title of the season. Michelle Rowles Lloyd had her own and her husband Dorian Lloyd's six-year-old Haighmoor Horace on song to book a return visit to the final he contested for the first time in 2022 as a first-season novice. “We were very conscious not to overshow him last year as he still needed time to mature at his own pace, but he still managed to qualify for HOYS. He's always taken everything in his stride,” said Michelle, who…

BSPS Area 5 Three Shires, Arena UK, Lincs THE competitive RIHS amateur horse championship saw Lynn and Sophie Openshaw's top-drawer riding horse New Illusion (Lily) take the overall spoils. The Team Moore-produced eight-year-old was purchased from Julie Guildford-Smith last December and she will be campaigned in intermediates alongside riding horse classes with 22-year-old Sophie. “She has been a dream come true so far,” said Lynn. “When Sophie lost her star 15 hander a while ago we struggled to find a replacement, but we've now found that in Lily.” Earlier this year, the pair won both RIHS open riding horse and intermediate tickets at UKPH Spring Classic and they were also intermediate champions at BSPS Area 2A. They weren't without competition, however, as former major championship show winners were also vying…

HIGHLIGHTS 18-23 April CSI2* Chard, Somerset AN epic, 23-strong jump-off for the 1.45m, two-star grand prix fell to a late challenge from Sienna Charles and ultraefficient Valkiry De Zance. The field had been in pursuit of a rapid target set by Will Edwards and 13-year-old mare SHW Candies B, and times were tight at the top. Sienna, 20, rode economical lines, making the most of the Diamant De Semilly gelding's neatness to top a leaderboard where just 0.46sec separated the top-three finishers. “There were a lot of horses in the jump-off but I didn't really watch that many go – I saw Will and I thought he was really quick,” said Sienna. Edited by Jennifer Donald jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald The 14-year-old Valkiry De Zance, owned by Sofia Abromavich, was formerly a…

PASS THE GLASS got back into the winner's enclosure for the first time since May 2019 when landing the conditions (level three) 9yo&up under Jack Andrews for trainer Tom Ellis and The Simply The Best Partnership at Dingley. “He's been a horse plagued with issues and it's just nice for him to get his head back in front,” said Jack, for whom patience has paid off. “The race looked like a good opportunity, but he still had to go and do the job. He's done it well in the end.”…