Innholdsfortegnelse for 4-Apr-2024 i Horse & Hound

IN his comment this week, Robert Walker explains why he is not in favour of amateur classes. Putting people into these categories expands the divide, and there will always be those who interpret the rules generously (p16). I can see his point, though I know many will disagree, given the old complaint that the “names” are so very hard to beat. Robert argues that if you’re good enough, train and produce well, and have showmanship, you can win. And there are those proving his point. It follows that someone not dedicating themself fulltime to producing horses is at a disadvantage. But there are exceptions, pursuing and achieving their dreams, be it at Badminton, or Horse of the Year Show. While acknowledging that the wellbeing of working horses decades ago was…

IN THE NEWS VALMY BIATS Emily King and the 15-year-old, owned by his rider, Philippe Brivois and the Valmy Biats Syndicate are the first to win back-to-back Grantham Cups at Thoresby. Report, p48 LIMESTONE LAD The fan favourite National Hunt horse has died, aged 32. Owned by the Bowe family and trained by James Bowe, he won over £500,000 and 35 races from his 65 starts. BANZAI DU LOIR Janette Chinn and The Sue Davies Fund’s 13-year-old and Yasmin Ingham, world champions, head to the Kentucky Three-Day Event, at which they came second in 2022.…

APRIL FOOLS Top marks to Stallion AI Services, which announced its new semen-by-drone delivery service, on 1 April. We’ve heard of good semen motility but this has to be a leap further… MORE APRIL FOOLS Also top marks to those who spotted the H&H online April Fool. Sadly there isn’t evidence of 35,000-year-old matchy horse and rider gear made from sabretooth tiger skin. Not yet, anyway. MISHEARING A young rider is convinced lessons take place in the “marina”. Not only could the trainer not bring herself to correct her, it seems far more fitting after this winter… LUNGEING A rider who admitted she was too lazy to lunge her fresh warmblood before she rode experienced a sudden, unplanned and aerial dismount. “At least he lunged himself, afterwards” she sighed. True.…

Email to hhletters@futurenet.com Name and address must be included. Letters may be edited. WAVING THE FLAG… FURTHER to Mark Phillips’ comments about a possible new flag rule (opinion, 21 March), I think this would be in the best interest of the sport. It would encourage better and safer riding; avoid expensive, long and often controversial judging procedures; and be more understandable to the general public, so selling the sport to a wider audience. As Mark says, this change will also be needed if we want immediate results after crosscountry for the new proposed Olympic format. Giuseppe della Chiesa, FEI level 4 course-designer, former FEI eventing committee chairman Rome, Italy “Start your ‘adult’ showing career when you feel ready!” ALEX KELLY TOO MUCH PRESSURE WITH regard to Simon Reynolds’ opinion (21 March),…

FIND MORE GREAT PRODUCTS ONLINE Visit horseandhound.co.uk/buyers-guides to find more fantastic new products TAIL BAG BY HACK & HOUND This water resistant tail bag can be worn 24/7 if necessary, whether it’s for travelling, turnout or before a show. £12.50 hackandhound.co.uk SUPERPOO BY SUPREME PRODUCTS A fragranced, deep-cleaning shampoo that is formulated to break down tough stains and leave hair soft. It has colour enhancing properties to improve brightness and is suitable for all coat colours. £11.75 for 500ml supremeproducts.co.uk SUPPLE PLUS BY ROWEN BARBARY An advanced joint supplement for performance horses undertaking strenuous work. It contains a superior level of key nutrients designed to help maintain joint health, mobility and target inflammation. BETA NOPS compliant. From £34 for 1kg rowenbarbary.co.uk ELRICK SHOW SHIRT BY COLDSTREAM Made with technical fabrics from…

AFTER a 35-year sabbatical from the sport, Fiona AndradeBrown relaunched her eventing campaign at the end of last season and, second time out, clocked up a win in BE80 section A at Munstead (1). “I decided that now my five children have left home it was time to reignite my eventing career,” smiled Fiona, who previously competed at novice level. Her winning conveyance, the 14.2hh Irish-bred gelding Lislaird Barney, previously contested pony trials with Fiona’s daughter, Emilia. “Having supported my daughters through years of eventing up to novice level it is wonderful to have the chance to compete again and Barney is proving to be a fantastic partner,” she said. Sam Gillespie took open novice section D at Tweseldown on Sarah Finley’s eight-year-old Lily B. “I’ve been riding her since…

Mount Ballan, Monmouthshire “HE’S very much a ‘look at me’ horse,” said Danielle Jones of Doylan Question Time, overall prelim and novice silver winner. “He loves his work and comes into his own in the arena.” Described as “a bit of a Heinz 57”, the seven-year-old gelding is co-owned by Danielle and her partner Riona Bradley-Yorath. “We saw a video of him as a two-year-old and he looked the part,” said Danielle. “He’s willing and genuine and moves so naturally. We’re taking our time so as not to spoil him, but I think this is his year.”…

ON FORM HOME-PRODUCER Ellis Priestley had a field day at the BSPS Area 5 show, partnering her versatile 13-year-old Connemara stallion Rathcline Argon. They stood native challenge worker champions, took the 90cm worker stakes, were second in the 100cm equivalent and won their open challenge ridden class. “I bought Argon last year,” said Ellis, a qualified equine dental technician. “He hadn’t done much showing, so we did a novice season. This is his first year in opens; we’re aiming for ridden and worker Hickstead and HOYS qualifiers.”…

BROTHER and sister George and Matilda Readman landed a mini title double at the recent Northern Counties Ponies Association (NCPA) Yorkshire Branch show with their family’s Welsh section A Nynwoods Simply Grand (Mike), who is campaigned from home. En route, the six-year-old headed both novice and open classes. This was the first proper outing for five-year-old Matilda since sustaining a broken arm in a collecting ring accident last spring. “Another pony bashed into Mike and poor Tilly fell off – she was badly frightened and completely lost her nerve; we honestly didn’t think she would ever get back in the ring,” said mother Sarah. “Mike was produced by Team Harker last year but after the accident, we brought him home. “Both children help look after him, and George – who…

IT’s the time of year when you attack all the things that are neglected while hunting is on. I didn’t notch up a huge number of days this season but even when you’re not hunting, you’re probably thinking about it and it is easy to sweep life’s other demands under the carpet. That’s my excuse anyway. I’d love to be the kind of person who hunts all day and parties all night, hosting jolly dinners for 20 of my closest friends most weekends. I know there are people who have the energy for this and I doff my hat to them. With the season over we were due another shindig and that is how I found myself, the first hunting-free weekend, rotating around the kitchen in a pinny to get…

Share your news story Call 0330 390 6386 Email eleanor.jones@futurenet.com @ jones_eleanor_ ARE recent initiatives and campaigns improving groom’s lives? Academics from the Netherlands have researched whether four initiatives were seen by grooms as addressing issues that prevent them from staying in their jobs. The initiatives are: the formation of the International Grooms Association (IGA), recognition at the 2022 World Championships, the #ChampionsAsOne campaign and the FEI best groom award. More than 1,300 grooms took part in a survey, 54% of whom had left the industry. Some 52.3% had heard of some of the initiatives, but not all. Formation of the IGA was the “most impactful”, but asked about the personal impact of the initiatives 58.5% said none. Co-author Susanna Ole told H&H the paper investigated the industry’s “real issues”,…

NEW CLASS FOR LONDON SHOWING A NEW class has been added as showing returns to the London International (LIHS, 18-22 December). The series, run by LIHS with the British Show Pony Society (BSPS), British Show Horse Association and the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations for the first time last year, returns with an extra championship. “Organisers are thrilled to announce a new class for 2024 – the BSPS Heritage first ridden working sports pony,” a show spokesman said. “The Heritage working sports pony championship will include the first- and second-placed ponies from the BSPS Heritage first ridden working sports pony and the BSPS Heritage lead-rein working sports pony.” There will be qualifiers at 52 shows this year. MAJOR PRIZE FOR THE GRASSROOTS GRASSROOTS eventers can compete for a £3,000…

World champion Lottie Fry is the only Brit who will contest the 2024 dressage World Cup Final in Riyadh, Saudia Arabia (16–20 April). She will ride Everdale. British Dressage list one judge Richard Baldwin has been promoted to international status. Richard said he is “very proud and honoured”. Rising star Olli Fletcher was selected for the 2024 Young Riders Academy, a programme for “talented young European showjumpers”. Event rider Coral Hardman and her husband Oliver welcomed a baby son, Rupert Oscar, on 15 February. The couple “couldn’t be happier”. German showjumper Christian Kukuk won his first Rolex grand prix, with Checker 47, on his first visit to Wellington International, US.…

PLAITS will be optional, but pointed toes, elegance and energy are to be key determiners in the British Show Pony Society’s (BSPS) new hobby horse classes. The classes will run at some BSPS area shows, qualifying for a final at the summer championships. Classes will run for two age ranges; three to six and seven to 11. Competitors will each perform a freestyle show, no longer than two minutes, and there will be marks for coordination, balance, energy and body control, and for “overall performance of the show with energy and appeal”. A BSPS spokesman told H&H: “The BSPS wanted to embrace the hobby horse craze as an addition to our fabulous children’s entertainment programme, which sets the society apart from others in providing all-round family fun.” The rules state…

pippa.roome@futurenet.com @pipparoomeorkyle OPINION MY eventing outings so far consist of Tweseldown, twice. The second fixture (report, p52) was put on with just a couple of days’ notice to replace Cirencester, which was lost to the weather. Rachael Faulkner and her team deserve a standing ovation for coming to the rescue again – full credit to British Eventing for saying, “Go for it” and to Tweseldown for being able to put it on. Last year I was impressed with course-designer Andrew Heffernan’s lower-level tracks, and he did a great job this year, largely changing the course from the first event two weeks earlier and producing another good track. Andrew has his own ideas, and has got the hang of more open distances now to encourage forward riding. I like what he…

At 30, I had a mid-life crisis – an early one! I was the classic horsey teenager, who loved the idea of working with horses but wasn’t creative about knowing what was out there, and my parents said, “You need a proper job”, with horses as a hobby. So I did a normal person’s degree, and ended up working in human health research. I had a great job, and loved it. But I wished I was working with horses. So I spent my Christmas bonus on degrees, in equine science and advanced animal behaviour, and when I was 30, said, “I’ve either got to change this year or stop moaning.” I looked at animal-related research and because I had skills from human health, and the animal stuff, I qualified for…

THERE are management strategies you can adopt to try to reduce the chances of your horse suffering a bone bruise – or other injury. Aim to: • Tailor your exercise plan to your horse and do not overexercise an unfit horse. Fatigue will increase the chances of picking up an injury. • Take time to prioritise a good warm-up and warm-down. • Exercise your horse on good footing where possible but alternate your surfaces to allow for continual adaptation and strengthening of bone, muscles, ligaments and tendons. • Make sure that your horse’s foot balance is optimised. • Surround yourself with educated professionals and listen to the advice given by your physiotherapist, farrier and vet. • Do not take risks chasing a competition result if your horse is not physically…

IN 2022, the Sovereign Auction House sold a full sister to Lordships Graffalo for what looks a smart price of £21,500. But although the brilliant nature was there, many years of nurture still lie ahead. The budding star was sold as a six-month-old embryo, carried by her dam Cornish Queen who was then 22 years old. The Texan bidder, Mimi Falb, breeds top-class event horses. Mimi had been following Cornish Queen’s breeder Bridget Parker and was a fan of the Ben Faerie lines that she used. “In every generation, either the dam or sire has competed at advanced,” she says. “It’s about trying to find those old thoroughbred lines that can jump. Cornish Queen is like an Irish-bred event horse, with thoroughbred on the dam side – we need that…

oscar.williams@futurenet.com @oscarw_dr HIGHLIGHTS 18–24 March Brook Farm Training Centre, Essex “HE definitely has the engine,” said Georgie Day of her “mini Ferrari” Waverley Night Music, who headed the prix st georges (PSG) with 67.79% on his debut at the level. “He’s sharp but in a nice, goey way, with so much energy. If he could, he’d come out to work 10 times a day.” The nine-year-old Negro gelding, nicknamed Nemo, originally belonged to Georgie’s mum, Mandy, and Edward Brook, having been purchased as a foal from Waverley Stud. “He was too sharp for Mum, so I took on the ride when he was a four-year-old – and never gave him back,” explained Georgie, who has competed him at the nationals every year since. “Because we buy and sell horses, we…

“WE’RE keeping our options open,” said Katie Ardern, who is in the enviable position of having a horse showing promise in two disciplines. Her eight-year-old mare Ferro Pleasant, an overall novice and elementary bronze winner at Kelsall Hill, Cheshire, has also qualified for the Badminton grassroots championships next month. “We bought her from Ireland, on the strength of a Facebook advert,” said Katie, who was attracted by the mare’s breeding and her dark grey colouring. “She was pretty raw and untouched but I have produced her myself and she has turned out to be amazing. ONE TO WATCH “She’s a bold mare with a lot of presence,” added Katie. “For now, we’re happy doing both dressage and eventing. She wasn’t an expensive buy and the gamble seems to have paid…

HIGHLIGHTS 25–31 March jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald Meydan Racecourse, Dubai, UAE “I’M still coming to terms with what’s just happened,” said trainer Bhupat Seemar after Laurel River upstaged his star-studded rivals when he put in a breathtaking performance to win the $12m Dubai World Cup sponsored by Emirates Airlines. Carrying the silks of the late Prince Khalid bin Abdullah’s Juddmonte, the operation’s six-year-old home-bred snatched the lead in the opening furlong, surging clear three furlongs out under Cork jockey Tadhg O’Shea and effortlessly stretching to an all-conquering eight-anda-half-length success. This was the first time since Dubai Millenium in 2000 that the contest had been won by a margin of more than six lengths. However Laurel River’s dominance was amplified further by the calibre of his distant challengers. The Japanese defending champion Ushba…

ON A WINNING STREAK JOCKEY William Buick posted a record fifth win in the $6m Longines Dubai Sheema Classic, carrying the royal blue silks of Godolphin to victory on 25/1 shot Rebel’s Romance for trainer Charlie Appleby. The pair became the sole Britishtrained winning combination of the evening. “That was an amazing training performance and a great job by the whole team,” said Buick. “Rebel’s Romance showed in Qatar [winning a Group Three in February] what a versatile horse he is. I got a lovely slipstream from the leader. What a great horse.” QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Lord North travelled great, but he just didn’t have the gears he had in the past. We are all getting older, right?” FRANKIE DETTORI, BIDDING FOR A FOURTH CONSECUTIVE WIN IN THE $5M…

alexandra.robinson@futurenet.com @alexrob_ journo_ OPINION I WOULDN’T ever say I’d have been a good weatherman but it’s hard not to talk about the subject when we’ve experienced one of the hardest winters I’ve ever known. The immense amount of rain we’ve received has made people question their life choices more than once, and wading through mud on a daily basis has been seriously challenging. I did think I’d seen the light at the end of the tunnel, but the night before writing this we experienced 11mm of rain in Cheshire and the banks of the brook are overflowing. It’s testing. At this time of year the horses are fit and raring to go, but they haven’t been out on grass for a long while. I’ve been questioning if I’m a stunt…

OWNER FIONA ASTON “DURING lockdown, I was thinking about buying my son, Ollie, a project pony. A friend mentioned Hannah Turnock had a nice Welsh section A she would consider selling to the right home. Benny was a stallion at the time, but he seemed sweet and had a nice personality. It was a gamble, as Ollie was only 10, but it turned out to be the best risk we’ve ever taken. “After Benny was gelded he came home. I worked through lockdown, and the kids spent the summer playing with him in the fields at home. In 2021, Benny and Ollie built their partnership on the riding club circuit, culminating in a Show Teams and Rising Stars (STARS) championships win. “The next year they stepped up to affiliated level.…

WHILE a foal derives half of their genetic make-up from their sire and half from their dam, many breeders believe that the mare exerts greater influence on her offspring – with some suggesting as much as 75%. “A mare of ours had a full brother and sister by a stallion of international standing,” says Caroline. “The filly was ginormous and born like a mini horse, a lovely type and a real improvement on the mare. The second foal, the colt, was so small we called him Peanuts. “When you breed, you’re looking at what’s on paper, but what comes out can be worlds away from what you expect,” she adds. “It’s easier to buy a horse, as from two years upwards you can see what’s in front of you and…

Myerscough College, Lancs ORIGINALLY bought five years ago for hunting, Wilfred Pickles became a “naughty cob with no job”, according to his owner Susie Gallagher. “I thought I’d better do something with him but he needed schooling, so we got stuck in,” said Susie. “We began competing with British Dressage (BD) in 2021 and it has completely transformed him, giving him purpose and direction. “He’s a showman and he loves to be in the arena – where it’s all about him,” added Susie, who rode him to a novice win. “We’re regular camp members at Aintree, with Kate Amos of Original Equestrian, and we’ve made many friends through the BD Northern Dressage Group. For a cheeky cob, as cheap as chips, it’s been a fantastic journey.”…

HIGHLIGHTS 17–24 March alexandra.robinson@futurenet.com @alexrob_journo_ BSPS Area 15a, Addington Equestrian, Bucks A FOUR-YEAR-OLD first ridden show pony showed maturity way beyond his years to trounce a full range of types and sizes and scoop the £100 novice supreme. This was just the fourth outing for Team Jinks’s Archwood Finley – a son of former Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) winner Barkway Frivolity – partnered by Lara-Mae Jones, nine. “I was tipped off about him by my friend, Gina Berresford,” said producer Adam Forster. “I contacted the breeder, Yvonne Selby, went to see him at the stud and bought him on the spot, unbroken, from the field. “He came to us after HOYS, we broke him in and rode him away over the winter. He’s taken to the ridden job…

BALLYMACAD FOXHOUNDS 20 February catherine.austen@futurenet.com @cfausten123 IN KENNELS Joint-masters: Michael Bevan, Brendan Cosgrove, Gary O’Neill, Martin Farrell Huntsman: Kevin Donohue Whippers-in: Bobby Kellett, Maurice Quinn Hounds: 30 couple of modern and old English foxhounds Hon secretary: Rachel Gilsenan, +353 87 296 9137 Hunting days: Tuesdays and Saturdays Neighbouring packs: Westmeath, Meath, Louth, Tara Harriers Hirelings: contact secretary Ballymacad Foxhounds, Finea, Co Cavan “THE Garden of Eden has vanished they say But I know the lie of it still Just turn to the left at the bridge of Finea And stop when halfway to Cootehill…” So begins the classic Percy French song Come Back Paddy Reilly to Ballyjamesduff. I drove north across the bridge of Finea, following these promising directions to the garden of Eden, but instead found myself in Co…