Innehållsförteckning för 24-Apr-2025 från Horse & Hound

I WATCHED an interesting TED Talk recently by academic Brené Brown, where she explains beautifully the need for vulnerability and embracing uncertainty and the many benefits the two can bring. Uncertainty is something people have very much moved away from, she believes, even in terms of faith – the definition of which requires a degree of not knowing – and yet we deal in absolutes, because it is easier for us to stomach than the discomfort that comes with uncertainty. I'm twisting this slightly to apply it to the horse world today. But Brené points out how, in politics, she sees little room for debate. Only absolutes – “I'm right, you're wrong”. It made me think of the equestrian world and the tricky juncture we are at. There is so…

PAPILLON Z The horse Belgian showjumper Jérôme Guery credits for taking him to the top has died, aged 23. The pair won top grands prix and qualified for the 2016 Olympics. LOT 143 The Havana Grey colt set a record price at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale on 16 April, selling for 1.7m guineas from Malcolm Bastard to Amo Racing. SINE NOMINE The 2024 Cheltenham Festival Hunters’ Chase winner has died, aged nine. The mare, owned by Robin Tate and trained by Fiona Needham, developed sepsis.…

SECRETS Private Eye readers will have seen it joked that a prime minster's group chat “leaked top-secret government defence policy to the editor of Horse and Hound” . That's &, not “and”… one for Pedantry Corner? PROOFREADING An H&H-er was corrected for writing AI in the p9 story without clarifying that the I is intelligence, not insemination. Good point; two Is we need to ensure aren't crossed… HONESTY An interview with Johnny Depp surfaces, on playing Tonto. “You look like you know what you're doing on a horse,” the host says. “Yeah,” Johnny replies. “I don't.” We feel it, JD. RESOLUTIONS Overheard in a hospital car park, a voice declaring: “That's it, I'm never buying another horse.” We've all said it. We haven't stuck to it. A speedy recovery. SCAMMERS…

Email to hhletters@futurenet.com Name and address must be included. Letters may be edited. @ horseandhound instagram.com/horseandhound facebook.com/horseandhound SHOW SOME RESPECT FURTHER to Rebecca Penny's column (opinion, 3 April), I agree with all her comments. I have run the South West Pony Association since 1997. We hold a three-day show and one of the biggest concerns we have is that there is too much disrespect aimed at judges, stewards and officials, all of whom work without pay, except for expenses. “Women are dropping out of the sport in despair” NICKY COATES We remind people attending our show to be kind and courteous at all times, especially when things don't work out – and to remember that a child may be watching their actions. We are losing local shows, judges and stewards as some…

“JAY was an absolute dreamboat from the start. He joined me in 2020 to begin his ridden education. I messaged Jane early on and told her he was going to be a superstar. He took to ridden work very well and he made my job easy. God made him to be a ridden pony; he's naturally balanced and rhythmical and he finds everything easy. He's so uphill, too, and he's always had that certain something, even as a raw product. He has the right attitude and he was a pleasure to have from day one. “We took our time with him, though, despite him being such a natural. Victoria and Jane always trusted me to put the steps in place to give him the time to develop and mature during…

PREVENTATIVE measures you can take to reduce the risk of EMS, to ensure early diagnosis or to manage a horse with the condition are: ● regular body condition scoring (vet clinic, 16 January) ● developing an individual exercise plan for your horse, and sticking to it ● tailored diets including soaking hay and including controlled amounts of chopped straw ● using grazing management approaches such as track systems, grazing muzzles (vet clinic, 3 April), strip grazing and mixed swards…

EMILY COLLER and Flabbergasted II (pictured) won the inter I silver with a score of 67.23%. “I haven't won a big championship before,” Emily said. “She's a special mare. I've had her for nine years and it's taken a long time for our partnership to come together.” Emily explained that at one point, Flabbergasted II's future under saddle appeared to be over. “She actually got totally written off in 2020. We sent her for a routine check-up – we do that every year because my mum's a vet – and she was cleared from every angle. Then on the way back from the vet's, between the lorry and the field, she did her deep digital flexor tendon in her back legxfund. AGAINST THE ODDS They told me that I'd probably…

TEAM ARMSTRONG-SMALL was celebrating after Jessica Langhorne, 14, partnered her mother Laura Parker's novice show pony victor, Tandridge Happy Days, to earn both pony and rider's first RIHS ticket at British Show Pony Society (BSPS) Area 15. This came via a win in the new Young Dragonara class, and to seal a perfect day, the pair then added the Area and overall ridden supreme of show titles. This was the second Hickstead pass in a week for progeny of the mare's sire, Connor McCormick and the Chadwicks’ Llanarth Decision, whose son, the Gresty family's home-produced 138cm show pony Brookvale Lord Grantham, was victorious at North of England Spring the previous day. IN THE GENES…

HIGHLIGHTS 14–20 April Edited by Jennifer Donald jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald BetGoodwin Easter Festival, Plumpton Racecourse, E Sussex WHETHER you're supporting Team Skelton or Mullins in the duel for the trainers’ championship, we're all being treated to a thrilling conclusion to the jumps season. With both the reigning British and Irish champion trainer, Willie Mullins, and long-time title leader Dan Skelton sending out battalions of their best runners in a bid to take this year's crown, there's a feast of high-calibre racing to savour as we hurtle towards the season finale at Sandown on Saturday (26 April). Plumpton Racecourse is a minnow of a track, but with £450,000 of prize money on offer across 14 races at its two-day jumps finale, the East Sussex venue took centre stage for jumping's elite and…

HIGHLIGHTS 19 April gemma.redrup@futurenet.com @gemmaredrup Pytchley with Woodland, Dingley, Northants ALEX CHADWICK delivered a tidy treble, bagging mixed open, restricted and maiden titles for three different yards. His mixed open victor was The Whiskey and Water Partnership's Aramax, who delivered an easy win despite strong competition. Trained by Jenny Owen, the gelding was posting his fifth victory of the season. “He felt more rejuvenated compared to the last time I rode him,” said Alex, who was making his fourth start on the Maxios nine-year-old. “He's a really nice horse to ride and he finished off really well today.” He was bought from the Tattersalls online sales last year, as Jenny explained: “He was a good horse in his day and was a cheap purchase. He's really enjoying the pointing field…

THE Taunton Vale field had an unusually pink tinge to it on the pack's last day of the season in its vale, as Carmen Mears (pictured, right) and 10 of her friends celebrated her engagement to her partner, Louis Palmer. Sorrel Dryden said: “We wanted to make it a ‘hen day’ to remember and blinged up our horses with pink, glitter and diamanté. Carmen – who has hunted for most of her life, first with the Modbury Harriers and then the Dart Vale, South Pool and Modbury Harriers after their amalgamation – likes to be correctly attired for hunting, apart from one incident many years ago with pink socks and a broken boot zip. “We decided to put on as much cringeworthy pink attire as we could lay our hands…

Edited by Eleanor Jones Share your news story Call 0330 390 6386 Email eleanor.jones@futurenet.com @ jones_eleanor_ THE owner of a horse to whom another livery attempted to give rat poison has spoken out in fear the same thing might happen to someone else. Christine Campey, of Caldwells Gate Lane, pleaded guilty to attempting to give the poison to Gill Poole's mare Elle, in May 2023. The 68-year-old was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £500 costs and £430 compensation. Ms Poole told H&H: “It's been difficult to get my head round as there's no reason. If there had been a vendetta, that's at least an explanation. “To know that somebody will do that to you is not a nice feeling, because if you can't think of a…

SAD FAREWELL TO BELOVED RIDER TRIBUTES have been paid to a much-loved rider and mother who died “doing something she loved”. Katie Hacche, 25, was treated by medics after her fall in the warm-up at Little Mill Equestrian, Carmarthen, on 12 April but could not be saved. Her uncle Mike Fussell thanked all those who tried to help her. “Anyone that knew her would agree she was a well-loved member of our family and in her circle of friends. RIP, our beloved Katie, you will always be in our hearts and minds.” Little Mill said it will send weekend entry fees from those who have agreed to a fund set up in aid of Katie's partner Dan and young son Theo. SNIFFER DOGS IN DOPE-TESTING SNIFFER dogs could be used…

US eventer Liz Halliday has moved from hospital to a rehab centre, eight months after she suffered a head injury in a fall. She looks forward to recovering further. A big-screen documentary about double Olympic showjumping gold medallist Nick Skelton will premiere in May. Nick said that he is delighted. As H&H went to press, Dutch Olympic eventer Tim Lips was due to undergo surgery after he fractured his back and ankle in a car accident. Grand prix rider Sadie Smith won four titles at the Winter Dressage Championships. “This week couldn't really have gone any better,” she said. Report, p36. Former Olympic showjumping champion Ben Maher ended his US season with wins in two classes at Wellington, while still nursing a broken foot.…

oscar.williams@futurenet.com @oscarw_dr OPINION THE excitement never fails to get to me as Badminton draws near. I even love terrifying myself by walking the cross-country course. How wonderful horses are to gallop and jump it with, on the whole, pricked ears. The dressage will likely be highly influential this year and results at many of the build-up events have been split by less than a mark. Will Badminton's top 10 move well enough to win any advanced medium in the country? How straight will the changes be? Will the judges spot every change that's late or early behind? It happens in a split second, yet can make the difference between an eight or a three, or first or 10th after dressage. With such substantial prize money and the prestige of a…

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NAF FIVE STAR WINTER DRESSAGE CHAMPIONSHIPS Gold classes THE gold classes once again delivered a standout crop of rising stars – and two riders dominated: Dannie Morgan and Sadie Smith. Among the most impressive was Dannie with Fever Tree (Foundation x Dayano) – or Gordon at home – who won both the Spillers medium freestyle gold (79.56%) and the final class of the show, the Horselight medium gold (74.82%). It's hard to pinpoint just one reason Fever Tree stands out. He's athletic, consistent across all three paces and rarely scores below a seven. These latest wins bring his record to 46 victories from 53 starts and six national titles. He looks every inch a future team horse. Every time he entered the arena, a buzz followed. Spectators gathered from all…

CHARLOTTE MONK and First Class V were clear winners of the Horselight medium (71.53%), their first national title together. The pair had come close; third in the novice silver at the nationals and fifth at the same level at the winters in 2023. “It feels pretty surreal,” Charlotte said. “It's only her seventh medium test. I came out of the arena and said ‘I could've done this better, and this…’ so I'm quite surprised! “But she's really come on; I think she's now a horse who delivers day in, day out. I OWE IT TO--- “I've been training with Serena Pincus, and she's helped me no end. She wouldn't be the horse she is if it wasn't for her. I'm so grateful.”…

PONY OF THE YEAR SHOW AND YOUTH FESTIVAL 16–20 April jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald Pony of the Year Show and Youth Festival, Arena UK, Lincs RACHEL PROUDLEY stood clear of the crowd at these viewing trials, where she commanded the under-25 line-ups, adding a one-two in the grand prix to an earlier victory in the under-25 B&C final. Nineteen-year-old Rachel has a more expansive string at her disposal since her move to Richard Howley and Morgan Kent's HK Horses last year. And she had three forward for the under-25 grand prix, finishing with all of them inside the top seven. She claimed the top spot with an untouchable pathfinding round on new ride Nera D Champs FT, before slotting into second from last-to-jump on her more familiar partner, Quality Street, on whom…

WILTSHIRE dual-purpose trainer Dan Horsford saddled his first winner, when Robber's Bridge won the Malton Marquees Handicap Hurdle at Market Rasen under Henry Brooke. “We've sent out our first runners in the past few weeks, so to get one in this early is just what I wanted,” said Horsford, former assistant trainer to Alan King for 12 years. He now trains from nearby Sharpridge, also on the Barbury Estate. “I'd like to thank the owners Rupert and Jenny Martin at RHM Horses for putting their trust in me. We've got some exciting plans – with over 40 boxes and some of the best facilities, our doors are open.” FIRST WIN…

A YOUNG mare provided her jockey with his first point-to-point win, in the maiden at Kimble. Harry O'Dwyer, 20, gave Chubb Castle's home-bred Cityscape five-year-old, Bluescape, an exemplary ride to lead a seven-strong field on just her third-ever run. FIRST WIN Bluescape joined trainer Bradley Gibbs last August to be prepared for the Tattersalls online sales. “She didn't end up going through and she came into training,” Bradley said. “She has always shown us plenty and she's got a very good attitude, but she's been mentally immature and quite green.” Harry works for trainer Fergal O'Brien. “Connor Brace put me onto Harry a few months ago,” Bradley continued. “He's an exceptional rider; he's got a good mind and I know he could go places.”…

IT'S a question I sometimes dread: “So, what have you been up to?” My mind usually goes blank and then it begins to fill with all the things I have been doing recently. It's the school holidays, so that would be a lot of activity around washing machines and dishwashers, shopping for and cooking meals along with transporting children hither and thither. Not the sort of answers to thrill an interlocutor. Fortunately, you can usually turn the question back to them and they will be only too happy to tell you about their wing walking in Madagascar or running six marathons in a week. QUENTIN, an old friend from back in time and one of Adam's joint-masters at the South and West Wilts, got in touch this week. He hadn't…

YES, it's a cow, not a horse. But it's panto! Harrogate Theatre is inviting all comers to take part in its first-ever pantomime horse race. As part of fundraising efforts to mark its 125th anniversary, the theatre said “history will be made” at Ripon Races, where pairs of people in costumes will replace thoroughbreds on 4 August. “That's right, this summer Harrogate Theatre is bringing the iconic pantomime horse to Ripon Races as we gallop towards our 125th anniversary fundraising target with a pantomime horse race,” a spokesperson for the theatre added. “We're not joking – this August we'd love you to be part of this incredible event. We'll provide the costume, you can rock, paper, scissors for who's at which end! “If you're interested in putting your best hoof…

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald OPINION NEXT month is the UK's mental health awareness week (12–18 May). This year, the theme is community. We're lucky that the world of showjumping has a huge sense of community. Whether our sport takes you a few miles from home or around the world, you don't have to look too far to find a friendly face. No matter the level of competition, no one is dismissive if you ask for an opinion about a line or a distance. With the widely discussed social licence issues our sport faces, we need to protect our community. We all have our part to play, and I feel British Showjumping is ahead of other national federations when it comes to evolving rules with this in mind. It's widely accepted that social…

OWNER VICTORIA TAYLOR “MY mum Jane Sonnex bought Jay unseen. We'd lost our New Forest stallion out of the blue and on speaking to Cumbria-based Brian Williams, she found out Jay was for sale. We saw a photograph of him and knew he was the one. “He went straight to Sam Roberts to be backed over the winter of 2020 before he came home and did some clinics and lessons. In 2021, I got married so he went back down to Sam's yard and she did a couple of shows with him, winning a few novice championships along the way. Jay has always been a confident and bold pony, though we've never done a lot with him, mainly as I'm so busy but as I also don't like to rush…

IN terms of individual prognoses, horses with EMS often live happy lives for many years. However, they are at higher risk of laminitis and the longer insulin levels stay high, the higher the laminitis risk. Once EMS-associated laminitis has developed, most affected horses will have repeated attacks. Over the long term, it is likely that around a quarter to a fifth of EMS-related laminitis cases will need to be put to sleep. From the overall veterinary perspective, there is an active community of veterinary researchers investigating EMS. Our understanding of the best ways to treat and prevent the condition will develop over the next few years and our advice will be refined. At the moment, the best advice for horse owners is to monitor body condition and adjust horses’ diets…

NAF FIVE STAR WINTER DRESSAGE CHAMPIONSHIPS 16–20 April Edited by Oscar Williams oscar.williams@futurenet.com @oscarw_dr NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships, Addington Equestrian, Bucks MATT FROST and the striking 18hh Kerouac (Jack) won the Magic prix st georges (PSG) freestyle gold, the feature class on day two, with 76.75%. Matt and Kerouac had placed fifth in the previous day's PSG – which was eventually won by Becky Moody (see box, below) – despite trending on a leading score at times. Matt was determined to move past that disappointment. “Yesterday gave me a bit of a kick up the backside,” Matt said. “He still felt amazing, but I made three big mistakes. I wasn't far off, so I was gutted. “Today, I focused on getting him more through to the bit and…

PETPLAN WINTER AREA FESTIVAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 16–20 April Petplan Winter Area Festival Championships, Addington Equestrian, Bucks WITH nearly 500 tests ridden over five days – featuring a diverse mix of breeds, types and ages – the Petplan Winter Area Festival Championships, held alongside the NAF Five Star Winter Dressage Championships, proved a brilliant showcase for British Dressage (BD). Rose Punchard and her 22-year-old, 14.2hh gelding Spot Awole kicked off with a win in the medium silver (68.83%). “He felt like he was listening to me the whole way through,” said Rose after the prize-giving. The experienced gelding, who has been competing in BD for nearly 16 years, has proved the perfect mentor. “He helped me so much when we first started,” she said. “I'd been riding at prelim that year, and…

HIGHLIGHTS 12–13 April pippa.roome@futurenet.com @pipparoomeorkyle 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 Ascott Under Wychwood (1), Oxon AFTER almost two years on the sidelines – and following a good deal of soul-searching and head-scratching – Izzy Rugman's MHS Africa (Simba) returned to form with a bang, triumphing in one of two BE100open sections and giving his jockey good reason to smile. “We did a few events when I first got him at the beginning of 2023, but since then he's had a few health issues,” explained 21-year-old Izzy of the 13-year-old Irish-bred gelding by Iroko. “He suffers from asthma and is prone to tying-up. It's taken a long time…

HIGHLIGHTS 6–13 April bethan.simons@futurenet.com HAVE YOU HAD A NOTABLE WIN IN THE SHOW RING? Email bethan.simons@futurenet.com within 24 hours of the show for your chance to appear in this section BSPS Area 15, Brook Farm Training Centre, Essex PERSEVERANCE paid off for Simon Charlesworth when his bargain “impulse buy”, Angels Will Fall, made a winning ridden show-ring debut. In November 2021, Simon went to look at two potential show horses for sale at Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Shadwell Stud. “Neither of them was suitable but another caught my eye; he was beautiful and screamed ‘riding horse’ at me,” Simon said. “I asked to see him trot up; two strides in, I knew I had to have him and struck the deal – for just £200 – on the…

A SEASONAL HAT-TRICK FOR THE PROMISING LUCY WADHAM-TRAINED SIX-YEAR-OLD JAX JUNIOR (TOM CANNON) IN CHELTENHAM'S NOVICES’ HURDLE 22 times nine-year-old John Betjeman has finished second, but he got his nose in front to win at Newton Abbott for trainer Mark Gillard with Joe Anderson in the saddle 200/1 shot Heavenly Heather became the joint-biggest-priced winner in British Flat racing history when scoring on the all- weather at Newcastle for trainer Tracy Waggott and jockey Amie Waugh A FIRST SEASONAL CENTURY OF WINNERS FOR JOCKEY GAVIN SHEEHAN CAME WITH A TREBLE AT HUNTINGDON 1/25 the short price of Huntingdon victor Give It To Me OJ for Gary and Josh Moore, ridden by Caoilin Quinn TRAINER PAUL NICHOLLS CELEBRATED HIS 63RD BIRTHDAY WITH VICTORY AT CHELTENHAM, COURTESY OF JUBILEE ALPHA (HARRY COBDEN) IN…

TEAM CHASING 13 April catherine.austen@futurenet.com @cfausten123 National Team Chase Championships, Bromsgrove, Worcs TEAM RIDE AWAY I have been crowned national champions for 2025, clinching the title in a dramatic final at the Worcestershire. It's the first year that the championships have been held at the Shaw family's Abbeylands, where the track can be considered to be highly “sustainable” – most obstacles either being natural hedges or timber from fallen trees. Starting off by weaving over the timber, it progresses to substantial hedges and ditches. A recent addition, the water is entered via a log pile, which kept the scorers busy as team after team had glance-offs. It was no problem for Team Ride Away, following the confident lead of Susannah Stanning and Pitch It Up (Bumble). Close behind were Joe…

BEAUFORT subscriber and former director of The Hunting Office, Alice Bowden (pictured, right), is aiming to raise more than £10,000 for Cancer Research UK this month by climbing Lobuche East Peak in Nepal's Khumbu Valley. Alice, who has hunted all her life, realised the importance of research into cancer when she underwent surgery and chemo-radiotherapy, following a cancer diagnosis in 2019. In February 2024, five years post-treatment, Alice was given the all-clear and is, therefore, keen to raise funds for charity. She has embarked on a 20-day trek in Nepal that culminates in climbing Lobuche East Peak, which stands 6,119 metres above sea level. ● To donate, visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/AliceBowdentoLobucheEast…