Innholdsfortegnelse for 14-Aug-2025 i Horse & Hound

PUTTING a horse under general anaesthetic (GA) is a major task. Apart from the mechanical challenges of lifting and positioning a 450kg dead weight, a horse’s physiology is designed to work in an upright position, not on one side or upside down for long periods. We’ve known for many years that the actual position of the horse, not just the anaesthetic drugs, affects respiration and circulation. Now vets in the USA have discovered something else. They took blood samples from 24 healthy adult horses before GA, anaesthetised them for two hours and allowed them to wake up and recover, taking regular blood samples during the anaesthetic and for 24 hours afterwards. No surgical procedures were performed. When they analysed the blood samples, they found that serum iron concentrations plummeted and…

NAF FIVE STAR HARTPURY National championships IRELAND’S Austin O’Connor took the Fairfax Saddles British novice championship with Diamond Mistress, capitalising on a speedy double clear to finish on their 26.5 dressage. “She has a great old brain,” said Austin of this eight-year-old, who is owned by Kate Jarvey. “She’s a very big mare, so she’s very much growing into herself, but she’s got everything – she has movement, jump, and most importantly, the desire to do the job.” Austin said that this class has been the plan for the mare by Diarado for a while. “Although you never set out expecting to win, we knew she could be competitive and she was good in every department this week,” he observed. Austin took over the ride on Diamond Mistress from Ireland’s…

NAF FIVE STAR HARTPURY International classes ROS CANTER and the indomitable Lordships Graffalo led from start to finish in the Magic CCI4*-S to win by 5.4 penalties, just adding 0.4 of a cross-country time-fault to their 22.4 dressage. “He had a quiet run at Aston three weeks ago, and so I wanted to give him a good spin, but I wasn’t necessarily coming here to win,” said Ros, who won her second Badminton title in the spring with “Walter”. “I’ve made a few little tweaks since Badminton, where I missed two changes, so that has been a big topic I’ve been working on, but there’s been other things that have come out of that that I think have improved because of it. “I’ve had a bit of help from Amy…

Bicton Arena, Devon FIRST place in BE90 regional novice qualifier section A was awarded to Susanna Morris and Breeogue Breeze for the second straight year, despite a “satnav failure” across country. “I came to fence four and was focused on the wrong first part of the combination so I had to change direction suddenly just a few strides away and redirect to the right fence. Then I nearly missed fence seven completely – that’s what happens when you get to 60,” said Susanna. Breeogue Breeze is a 14-year-old Connemara whom Susanna bought unseen 10 years ago when she was undergoing treatment for breast cancer. “Although he looks really calm, he’s a huge worrier and internalises everything. It took a while to get to grips with him and he takes careful…

LONGINES GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR OF LONDON CSI2* classes POLLY GREDLEY started the year with the aim of a double clear in a 1.45m grand prix on this tour, but she surpassed her goals when she landed an “out-of-this-world” victory on home soil with her beautiful stallion, Kingsborough Kasper. “He’s my horse of a lifetime,” said Polly, who is in her third season with the Kannan 12-year-old. “After we’d done the job and gone clear in the first round, I just wanted to go top three. But in the jump-off, I felt he was going to win this one for me today. I wasn’t sure we’d be able to do it, but we did.” Five riders from 30 forward made the second phase of this Champagne Piaff Trophy, with another, Olympic…

HIGHLIGHTS 29 July–3 August Chard Equestrian, Somerset A SOLE double clear clinched the season’s only international trial, when Rosie Moss held her nerve with the “completely unique” Amina OL to deliver a steady, faultless round. “I have been quietly aiming for this,” said Rosie, who took over the reins of Laurie Fogarty’s Diamant De Semilly mare four years ago. “She’s jumped a lot of good rounds and has often been high up the placings but not had a big win, so she hasn’t always had the recognition. She and her connections deserve this.” Rosie and Amina are a memorable partnership, as the mare is 19hh while her rider is only 5ft 2in. “You can tell from that what an amazing horse she is,” Rosie added. “Luckily she is beautifully schooled,…

THE youngest competitor in the in-hand supreme championship, eight-year-old Lakai Desousa, landed the overall reserve title with the Welsh part-bred coloured gelding Blackertor Contender (Titch; pictured). Having only started showing in-hand this year, Lakai was following in the footsteps of his mother Hannah Miller-Burton, who took the supreme in-hand title here last season with SD Red Gambler. “This was Lakai’s first evening performance and I cried more than when Gambler won it last year,” said a delighted Hannah, who only purchased Titch six weeks ago. Lakai’s grandad Philip Ward-Burton was only able to equal Lakai’s result here, when he took the reserve supreme M&M title with Heather Seaman’s Highland stallion Killian Na Dailach. The nine-year-old is being produced by Hannah and Philip this season and will be aimed at the…

martha.terry@futurenet.com @marthaowenorterry BRC SEIB HORSE TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2–3 August BRC SEIB Horse Trials Championships, Swalcliffe Park, Oxon HIGH FEN RIDING CLUB (RC) had plenty to celebrate after they went home from the British Riding Clubs (BRC) SEIB Horse Trials Championships with two individual national champions. Sarah Stirling piloted Machardo to victory in the mixed 80 while Abi Jacobs and Auld Flame proved the pair to beat in the mixed 90. “He’s 21 and I’m 62 so we’re a vintage pair in the best sense of the word,” said Sarah, a personal and business coach who’s been riding the gelding for seven years. “He’s evented up to intermediate level and been ridden by both Simon Grieve and Piggy March. He’s high mileage and has had a few injuries in recent years…

Dunster Country Fair, Dunster Castle, Somerset – 30 July THIRTY-TWO packs, including 16 foxhound packs, from the West Country and Wales were represented at the annual hound show held at the Dunster Country Fair, run by the West Somerset and Minehead Harriers. A Taunton Vale doghound, Foreman 22, by VWH Footpad 19 out of TV Grumpy 18, took the supreme championship with a Quantock Staghounds bitch, Wagtail, 23, by Minehead Watchet 16 out of Groovy 18, as reserve. The Eric Green Cup and the Huntsman’s Salver for the hunt and professional huntsman/kennel-huntsman winning the most points went to the Cotley Harriers and Matt Biddescombe. Champion harrier was Axe Vale Bantam, an unentered bitch by Dart Vale South Pool Baskerville 18, out of North Norfolk Mable 22; best beagle was the…

MY article this week is unashamedly eulogistic – on three counts. The first, of course, is Princess Anne. Frankly it is almost impossible to over-eulogise about her Burghley performance, because it was quite remarkable by any standards. Doubtless it would have been possible to send her, when she left school, to one of the many top riding establishments either in Britain or abroad. But no, she learnt it all by herself with, of course, the inestimable help given to her by Alison Oliver, and, I have no doubt, on occasions too by Alan. She could hardly have had better mentors. But the hard work, the early mornings after big official occasions, the determination to learn, were all her own. DOUBTLESS, too, she could have afforded to buy a top-class, really…

BHODI, the ride of Michael Jackson, was the winner of the British Eventing Retraining of Racehorses championship. Michael and this 10-year-old, who is owned by Emily Oppenheimer, were the only pair to finish on their dressage score (27.5). “Emily bought him from Piggy March, who rode him to novice level three years ago,” commented Michael of this son of Dark Angel, who ran 10 times on the Flat with limited success prior to his switch to eventing. “Emily has been training with me and competing him since then, and I took over the ride in the second half of last year. The plan is very much to go to the ex-racehorse class at Cornbury next month,” said Michael.…

SEAN MONAGHAN took a win for the Irish in Saturday’s Hyde Park Stables 1.30m, riding his superstar eight-year-old Tiberio Della Caccia (pictured). It was a comfortable step down for this striking 17hh gelding, who was fresh from his first CSI5* at Hickstead. “He was fourth in two classes there and he’s been placed in a lot of rankings classes this year, so this was a nice easy class for him – he needs a few easy ones now,” said Sean, who bought him from Bertram and Harry Allen as a three-year-old. “There are probably not many eight-year-olds in the world doing what he’s doing in all different arenas. ONE TO WATCH “This was a nice experience for him, having the smaller height in the tighter arena, as he likes a…

BRITISH SHOWJUMPING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Junior finals HOLLIE GERKEN has cemented her place in the halls of fame as she added the national 148cm title to her vast list of achievements, in her last year on ponies. Hollie, who turns 16 in December, and Livewire VI won with the only jump-off clear, after just four of 39 starters jumped clear in the first round. “We knew it would be technical, and it was built to height, but I thought there would be more clears,” Hollie said. “‘Lily’ jumped amazing; I’m so proud of her.” Hollie, who has won just about every national title on offer, not to mention team gold at the pony European Championships in July, said it had been a great summer. “I’m really sad I have to come…

New Forest and Hampshire, The Showground LAURA RENWICK continued to dominate the county circuit, claiming three of the top five places in the area trial. It was the very consistent eight-year-old Marseille who took the win with the sole double clear, while Laura partnered Abbie Summers’ If Evers Girl MS to runner-up as the fastest four-faulter. Homebred NFS Corluga was fifth, on his second attempt at the level. “Marseille has been phenomenal,” said Laura, whose season highlight with him was winning the four-star grand prix at Bolesworth. “He’d done very little before this year and has really stepped up. We never doubted his ability, we’ve just been putting everything together. “He’s always been a super talent but you never quite know how much ability they have until you test it.…

NON-EMERGENCY ambulance service worker Emilie Sanderson contracted Covid-19 at the end of 2020 and spent two months in a coma as a consequence. “My family were told to prepare themselves several times but I defied the odds and came out of hospital and was back riding within two months,” said Emilie, who rode her 13-year-old Shire gelding Ruskington Owen to victory in the heavy horse final for the second consecutive year. Owen’s had his share of health scares too: “He has almost died twice; the first time as a four-year-old when he got stuck in a bog and the second time following a routine operation to remove a bone fragment two years ago when he got a blood clot. He has been my best friend through everything,” said Emilie. AGAINST…

PRODUCERS Gayle and Emma Holder’s team of young riders scored a satisfying hat-trick. Rocco Lindsay piloted his mother Jane’s 133cm show hunter pony Tandridge Hallmark to pick up their HOYS ticket. Despite being in their first open season together, Rocco and the seven-year-old have hit impressive form, winning at the RIHS. Eleanor Franchitti’s Rotherwood Dora Dora and her tiny nine-year-old rider Sophia Franchitti brought home the 128cm HOYS show pony ticket. “We always say it’s as if someone winds her up and lets her go – she’s like clockwork,” said Emma. “She’s such a good girl and a real yard favourite.” Emma’s niece Cerys Holley, 16, and Natasha Anglin’s novice intermediate and small hunter Dunard Mirahs Boy (pictured) shone in the evening performance to bag the overall novice final championship.…

NORTH AND WEST WINDERMERE triumphed over 35 teams at the Youth Home Nations, Vale View Equestrian, Leicestershire, finishing ahead of North and East Hardwick Hall and South and East Duran Duran. The winning team comprised Verity Matthews with Bunbury Peppermill at novice, individual prelim runners-up Katrina Metford and Hawtins Fiorucci, pony FEI runners-up Georgie Morgan and Brouwershaven’s Jasper and elementary champions Freya Ainscough with Showstar (pictured, above). For Freya, the win with 15-year-old gelding “Archie”, was particularly meaningful. “In 2022, Archie sliced his stifle on a stone wall and spent a lot of time in hospital in Edinburgh in a body sling,” she said. “The vets thought at best he might be hacking sound, but after 11 months of rehab, he was back. He was perfect from start to finish…

BRITTNEY MCCLARY confessed she was “speechless” after being crowned overall individual mixed 70 champion aboard Lestowder Black Knight, a gelding of unknown breeding she bought from a field two years ago. “If you had told me then that I would have won something big like this with this horse I wouldn’t have believed you,” said Brittney, who combines riding with being a mother to her three-year-old daughter and working part-time as a groom at a local stables. “He hadn’t done anything until I got him and it’s been hard work to get him to this point but he’s a real diamond in the rough. He has great movement and a really trainable brain and is getting better each time I ride him.” FIRST WIN The Threewaters RC pair led their…

Vine and Craven, Home Farm, Oxon – 14 June THE second Vine and Craven Hound Show was a tremendous success, with seven packs coming forward to be judged by former Duke of Beaufort’s kennel-huntsman Nick Hopkins and former Blackmore and Sparkford Vale huntsman Chris Bowld. The Wilton dominated the doghound classes, winning the championship with the unentered Rancher. In the afternoon the Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray won three of the bitch classes and then the championship courtesy of Replay. She was then judged to be overall champion and Douglas Hunt, former huntsman of the Hursley Hambledon, presented the Michael Renny Challenge Cup to Elliot Stokes of the Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray. The day was organised by Vine and Craven joint-masters Samantha Bracey-Sawyer, Bradley Hall and Charlie Thomas, with the team…

THE Countryside Alliance and British Hound Sports Association (BHSA) are launching a joint campaign to defend legal hunting, as the hunting community is “mighty when it is united”. The move is in response to threats including the Government’s commitment to ban trail-hunting. Its focus will be on defending legal hunting and promoting the regulatory framework that sustains it. “With the imminent threat of the Government’s commitment, now is the greatest opportunity for us all to come together,” Countryside Alliance head of hunting Polly Portwin told H&H. “We are aiming to ensure there is a sustainable future for packs of hounds where they can continue to conduct lawful hunting activities for future generations to enjoy. “Hunting has to remain united. This is a strong message; we are working together to protect…

TO SUBMIT AN OBITUARY Visit horseandhound.co.uk/obits VALDA EMBIRICOS THE passionate horsewoman, breeder and racing supporter died at home on 16 July at 92. Valda was known for her unwavering love of horses, inherited from her parents Eileen and John Rogerson. Valda and her husband Nick bought a farm in Kirdford, West Sussex, in 1969 and established Barkfold Manor Stud. They raised their children; their daughter Alex, Valda’s sons Euan and Alastair from her first marriage, and Nick’s son Nick from his first marriage. One of Valda and Nick’s greatest successes was Aldaniti who, trained by Josh Gifford, won the 1981 Grand National with Bob Champion. Aldaniti had been injured and Bob survived cancer. Their story inspired charitable donations, as well as the film Champions, and Nick helped found the Bob…

OWNERS should not rely on horses looking better after a strangles outbreak to confirm they are free of infection, a study has found. The Horse Trust-funded research by the Royal Veterinary College found that lab tests, rather than relying on absence of signs in a recovering horse, would help prevent the disease from spreading. Researchers investigated how strangles spreads. They analysed more than 500 samples and looked at the genetic codes and information about outbreaks, so they could trace how strains of strangles are related and have evolved. Using computer programmes, they tracked how genetically related strains spread between horses and across regions, and were able to pinpoint likely transmission events and chains of infection. A key finding is that most infections were transmitted by horses showing clinical signs, or…

AMATEUR event rider Erin Donnelly shows it is possible to enjoy a full, active life with a stoma as she prepares to ride in a charity race this autumn. Erin’s stoma, an opening in the abdomen to divert faeces, was created after she was diagnosed with inflammatory bowel condition Chrohn’s disease in 2021. People with stomas wear a bag on their abdomen, which they empty and change as needed. Erin said she lost 10kg in 10 days and doctors said the surgery was the only option. She was soon back in the saddle, and eventing. Then she decided to enter the Flat race run in aid of the British Horse Society on 31 October. “I’d love to show another rider you can live a normal life with a stoma,” she…

THE concept of clean sport or antidoping is vital for maintaining the integrity of any sport and so those responsible for regulating sport are using evermore sensitive tests both to deter competitors from cheating and to catch those who try. Unfortunately, there is the potential for some substances innocently to find their way into a horse at levels sufficient to result in a positive test in a competition horse. One such route is through feed, and this puts those producing feeds for horses in a challenging position. Feed materials are sourced globally and the equine feed industry represents a relatively small market when compared to international livestock feed or human food sectors. Within such a supply chain scenario, the exacting requirements of trying to ensure a feed material is free…

NAF FIVE STAR HARTPURY 6–10 August NAF Five Star Hartpury, Glos KATIE MAGEE had a day to remember when securing both the British open and British intermediate championships (page 44), becoming British national champion in the process. She scored the Hartpury open championship title aboard Treworra, an 11-year-old owned by Angela Hislop with whom she finished 11th at Badminton this year. They finished bang on the 7min 1sec optimum time to complete on their 29.7 dressage score. “It’s rare that I’m speechless, but it’s incredibly special to win this class and very unexpected,” said Katie, who next heads to Burghley with this horse. “I’ve been training hard with Nicola Wilson, and we’ve been continuing to develop his strength with lots of flatwork. “He’s a really good cross-country horse, and has…

THE CORINTHIAN CUP, a novice championship for amateur riders, went to Emily Kemp and Boleybawn Arctic. Emily and the 11-year-old son of Arctic were the only pair to complete on their dressage score in this Fairfax Saddles-sponsored class, winning by just 0.2 of a penalty on their 30.4 first-phase mark. “He’s won four of his past six runs, but my hopes were to finish in the top five,” said Emily, 24, who runs a rug washing business. “I took the shortest route all the way around the cross-country and I’ve worked out that I need to ride him with a long rein in this phase as he likes to assess fences, and that’s just how he likes it. It meant he got into his rhythm and flew round. “I’m lost…

HIGHLIGHTS 2–3 August Northallerton (3), N Yorks CLAIRE CHAPMAN and Clyde IV continued their impressive run of form this season when they finished first in BE80 section M. It was a second consecutive win for the pair, who also triumphed in a BE80 section at Epworth (2). “We had a three-year break from eventing as we both lost our confidence jumping at novice level and have been concentrating on dressage instead. My daughter Kate restored his confidence over 80cm and then last year I plucked up the courage to start jumping him again,” explained Claire, who has owned the 19-year-old gelding since he was six. The pair came second at their comeback event at Breckenbrough in May 2024 but then Clyde IV suffered from a hock strain that put him…

BRITISH SHOWJUMPING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 5–10 August British Showjumping National Championships, Stoneleigh Park, Warks REBECCA MARSH and Stevie G became the first combination to successfully defend the national champion title, seizing the British Showjumping Business Partnership international stairway final with a fiercely competitive round that was also the sole double clear. “Winning the national championships twice in a row is a dream, especially with it not having been done before,” Rebecca said. “He’s so amazing, what a guy. I absolutely adore him, he gives 100% every time.” The first-round track was “quite big and tough”, with clears slow to materialise, but by the time all 28 competitors had jumped, six were faultless. Rebecca had taken two rides through, enabling her to have a pathfinding trip on her less experienced mare, Izara…

FELICITY ASHCROFT pulled off a fabulous hat-trick, defending her springboard 128cm title with Trefriw Eros (Ernie) and winning the 128cm bronze league final with Parc Creme Brulee (Maisie; pictured) on Saturday, then topping the stepping stones 128cm final with Maisie on Sunday. Felicity said she is very grateful to have 17-year-old Ernie, “because he’s done absolutely amazingly with me”, adding that 22-year-old Maisie is known as the “speed demon” at home. “She does go pretty fast,” she said. “She’s probably the best mare I’ve ever had. Everyone who took part was amazing. It feels really good.” ON FORM…

NPS SUMMER CHAMPIONSHIPS 5–7 August NPS Summer Championships, Three Counties Showground, Worcs ALIYA KHAN’S smile was laced with undeniable shock as she was pulled forwards as the winner of the coveted Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) Price Family supreme in-hand championship qualifier. Producer Aliya showed Isy Bergius’ Highland stallion Galdur Of Over Langshaw to take the ticket. It’s perhaps no wonder she was quite as surprised, as she admitted to commentator Carey Knox at the time that she had “pretty much never shown in-hand before”. The six-year-old homebred stallion – by Lochlands Gypsy Baron and out of Mossside Oonah – had previously been used for breeding. Since arriving at her base in February, Aliya has lightly campaigned him under saddle as a novice, even winning the Picton novice Highland…

Hartpury College Regional Championships, Glos AFTER a tough year, Fiona Gair achieved a satisfying PSG silver win with BRS Kingdom. The 10-year-old Dream Boy gelding underwent surgery for atrial fibrillation last summer and took time to regain form after five months of rehab. “We had some connection problems and retired at the winter championships,” said Fiona. “I had a long chat with our trainer, Justine Sole, and we went back to basics. “Each time out since he has produced better work and it all came together at Hartpury,” she added. “It was the most harmonious test we’ve done for a long time. I just beamed; it was a huge relief to feel that our relationship was back.” Sonnar Murray-Brown won at novice and elementary gold with Devina B, the six-year-old…