Innehållsförteckning för 10-Jul-2025 från Horse & Hound

BEFORE I spoke to Sadie Smith, I talked to some of the people closest to her, and every single one lit up at the mention of her name. Carl Hester, for whom she worked for five and a half years, calls her one of the hardest workers he's ever met. It feels like there's this groundswell of belief in the sport that she's on track for something big. But that belief hasn't always come from within. “I've always struggled with self-belief,” Sadie, 35, admits. “Don't get me wrong, I want to do well and I love winning, but I've never been someone who talks myself up.” She says riding her “one in a million” mare, Swanmore Dantina (Dia) – who helped earn her a first senior call-up at the Rotterdam…

GAIT analysis software has become more widespread in recent years and has been trialled as part of the pre-race/ competition veterinary assessment. The software shows promise, particularly in monitoring a horse's gait over time. The software is not being used with the intention that it makes decisions but rather to provide the vets with further information, as a scan or X-ray might do. Veterinary treatment details and videos of the horse's gait are required to be submitted in advance for horses entering the major racing festivals, and advanced imaging is required for some races (for example, computed tomography, or CT, scans for the Melbourne Cup). Wearable heart monitors (pictured, above) are available for horses and there may be a place for them to be incorporated in the future.…

MARTIN FUCHS THE current world number seven is master of the big occasion, securing several championship medals in recent years; though his luck ran out at the 2024 Olympics when he lost a stirrup. He was crowned European champion in 2019 on Clooney and this year he brings the 14-year-old Conner Jei (pictured, above), one of the most consistent five-star performers. RICHARD VOGEL HIS great partner, the 13-year-old stallion United Touch S (right), is one of the most popular horses on the circuit and an absolute joy to watch. The German 28-yearold rider is ranked number nine in the world and his ascent to the top of the sport has been nothing short of meteoric. His championship debut came at the Paris Olympics but he'll be making a bold bid…

A NEWLY formed Breen-Simpson-Gredley syndicate snapped up two lots at Bolesworth's Elite Foal and Yearling Auction. The syndicate are the new owners of yearling Klent Carry On (pictured), a full brother to CSI5* grand prix winner Kick On, and filly foal Chaccolotte (by Chacco-Blue, out of Babylotte). The pair sold for £35,000 and £42,000 respectively. “I had instruction from Shane in Aachen to bid on Shirley Light's yearling, full brother to Lillie Keenan's Kick On,” said Chloe Breen. “David Simpson asked if he could go halves, then just as the auction kicked off, Tim and Polly Gredley asked if they could go thirds. So our new syndicate ‘Auction Fever’ was born!” TALKING POINT…

HIGHLIGHTS 25–29 June DO YOU WANT TO BE ON THIS PAGE? HAVE YOU WON A CLASS? Email jennifer.donald@futurenet.com within 24 hours of your event and please include a contact telephone number Royal Norfolk ELLA DALTON landed an assured double with the scopey 17.3hh Hurricane VDL, taking both the international stairway and the area trial with the sole double clear. The 23-year-old delivered the only faultless first round of the area trial, leaving her last to go in the jump-off under the table A9 format. She needed to trump a quick round from Laura Renwick and Marseille, who took through four faults. “We were laughing as it was typical that we'd jump the only clear round and then have to go back in as the top five get through!” Ella said.…

Myerscough College, Lancs TRUE all-rounder Linsfort Ear To The Ground (Leo) topped both the novice and elementary classes. Over the past nine years with owner Lisa Sergeant, the Connemara has excelled in everything from working hunter and pony racing to eventing and Pony Club mounted games. “You name it, he's done it,” said Lisa, whose daughter Hannah has partnered Leo to many of his previous successes. “He won the SEIB Search for a Star Championship at Horse of the Year Show in 2019 and was there last year, qualifying in only a handful of shows for the mountain and moorland junior. “I'd enjoyed some affiliated dressage with him over the winter on a ticket, so I decided to register him and try to qualify for the Area Festivals,” said Lisa,…

HIGHLIGHTS 27–29 June 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 Offchurch Bury, Warks A CHARACTERFUL gypsy cob, described by his rider as “a bombastic powerhouse”, left the rest of the field trailing in his wake when he romped to victory in BE80 section E. Sarah Edmunds’ eight-year-old I Should Coco added 2.8 time-penalties across county to his dressage score of 30.8 – finishing some four penalties ahead of the rest of the field. “He's known for his lorry park tantrums and turns into an angry cheerleader waving his pom-poms if I'm too slow to tack up or when he wants his post-phase mash and oats,” said Sarah of the…

HIGHLIGHTS 23–29 June Royal Norfolk, Norfolk Showground STRAWBERRY roan was flavour of the day in the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) mini mountain and moorland (M&M) qualifiers and both winning riders were debutants in their class. Belcher Harrington's Dycott Birthday Boy won the leadrein class and stood champion, handled by Terri Guyett and ridden by five-year-old Thomas Joe Teasdale, who'd never ridden at an affiliated show and only sat on “Sonny” for the first time the night before. Terri and Thomas Joe's mother Raychal Teasdale decided they would all take a trip to Royal Norfolk for a few days as it coincided with Terri's birthday. “We thought it would be lovely to let Thomas Joe have a ride in the ring and get a photo of him competing,” said…

SISTERS Rhiannon and Chloe Evans were on form at Ceredigion Welsh Pony and Cob Association's summer fixture, both with ponies spotted and purchased from their breeders as foals and started by the sisters. After success at Aberystwyth and Ceredigion County, National Pony Society (NPS) Area 28 and Carmarthenshire WPCA shows, Rhiannon was delighted to add another accolade to her season tally aboard on-form Welsh section D Llwynaeron Mario when they topped their novice Welsh section C and D class and novice championship. “He tries his heart out every time,” said Rhiannon of the home-produced five-year-old. Victory was especially sweet for Chloe who has staged a comeback this spring from injuries sustained while playing rugby. She tore her meniscus, fractured her tibia and sprained some other ligaments, meaning surgery and a…

Tell us about your first pony. Bambi – a creamy, hairy, scruffy, cute Thelwell type, about 11.2hh and a real sweetheart. What do you eat for breakfast? Alpen with no sugar, raspberries and semi-skimmed milk. Your weirdest superstition before competing? I put on my left boot first, but my right spur first. If I don't do that, it feels weird. If you weren't a rider you would be… I'd like to say a vet, but I wasn't intelligent enough. Maybe something in the World Class structure so I'd still get to go to the Olympics? I enjoyed ceramics at school and I was quite good at it, so maybe I'd be a potter! The sculptor Sarah Coward did pieces of Ceylor LAN for his owners and me after the 2016…

A NEW test for potentially fatal large redworm in horses is “another useful tool in the kit”. Westgate Labs business director Kristy Hodgson said “alarm bells started ringing” when cases of large redworm were confirmed in UK horses. The larvae spend time in blood vessels, where they can cause life-threatening damage, but numbers had vastly reduced over the past 40 years. “We knew we needed to act quickly,” she said. “We want to empower owners and prescribers with the tools to make informed decisions, not be forced back to over-worming as a precaution.” Faecal worm egg counts cannot distinguish between small and large strongyle eggs. For the new test, faecal samples are incubated to allow larvae to hatch, which can be identified. Jacqui Matthews, a parasitology specialist from Austin Davis…

THE Princess Royal is supportive of a scheme to combat obesity in showing – as more horses and ponies than ever before are to be involved. Princess Anne is patron of The Horse Trust, whose Weigh to Win scheme has been running for six years. Awards are given to the animal in the healthiest body condition in certain showing classes. She attended a training day at the charity, at which she and others including vets, riders, judges and representatives of showing societies heard more about the adverse effects of obesity. Guests saw demonstrations of condition scoring, weighbridge and weigh tape use and ultrasound scanning of fat deposits. “Keep putting horse health first” JEANETTE ALLEN “The Princess Royal spoke with many of the guests about their involvement with Weigh to Win…

I started in the film industry. I loved horses and intended to get one, but fell into casting and did that for six years, then I could afford a horse. So I bought Tao, but didn't realise he was a problem pony. Initially, no one else would really handle Tao, and working ridiculous hours meant I had to do him first and last thing. It was extremely stressful and I developed chronic fatigue. I had to choose: sell him and keep working, or get healthy, quit that life and stick by him? I loved him and realised he would end up in the wrong hands so I decided to keep him. I was the UK casting director for the 2015 thriller, San Andreas, my last big job and the one…

HODDERN FARMHOUSE Peacehaven, E Sussex For you: an imposing Georgian home with seven bedrooms. Highlights include a dual-aspect lounge with a feature brick inglenook fireplace, a secondary lounge with an open fireplace, a large kitchen with granite worktops and a breakfast area that leads to a rear walled garden. For your horse: 28 stables comprising a mixture of full-size and pony boxes housed in a brick block and internally within a barn. Sand school and 27 acres of fenced and well-maintained paddocks. The yard is operating as DIY livery. £2.5m Batcheller Monkhouse, 01444 453181, batchellermonkhouse.com ARNOLDS HALL Welwyn, Herts For you: a five-bed principal residence with six apartments fully let out. Highlights include exposed beams, sunroom, dining room and two staircases leading to the first floor. For your horse: 42…

SCOTT BRASH, 39 HORSE: Hello Folie, 10yo mare BREEDING: Luidam x Diamant De Semilly BREEDER: Claire Gouin OWNERS: Lady Pauline Harris and Lady Pauline Kirkham GROOM: David Honnet ABOUT: Scott has been core to British team success for 15 years, but this is a first championship for newcomer Hello Folie. After a debut five-star grand prix success at the start of the year, the pair made a team debut in the Nations Cup of La Baule last month. BEN MAHER, 42 HORSE: Point Break, 11yo stallion BREEDING: Action-Breaker x Balou Du Rouet BREEDER: Nya Äppelvikens Ridskola OWNERS: Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright ABOUT: This stallion has been talked about as a future superstar for the past six years and he's now on the cusp of fulfilling his medal potential. A…

BERTRAM ALLEN, 29 HORSE: Qonquest De Rigo, 9yo gelding BREEDING: Fantomas De Muze x Indoctro BREEDER: U Goossens OWNER: Ballywater Stables GROOM: Lovisa Munter ABOUT: Bertram brings one of the youngest horses. The nine-year-old gelding stepped up to five-star level this year and has established himself as a real talent, helping Ireland triumph in the Nations Cup of La Baule. DANIEL COYLE, 30 HORSE: Legacy, 15yo mare BREEDING: Chippendale Z x Bon Ami BREEDER: Zangersheide OWNER: Ariel Grange GROOM: Francesca Garavelli ABOUT: US-based Daniel is ranked 13th in the world. He made his championship debut at the 2021 Europeans and reached the individual final at the Paris Olympics with this 15-year-old mega mare, for whom no track is too big. SEAMUS HUGHES KENNEDY, 22 HORSE: ESI Rocky, 10yo gelding BREEDING:…

WHERE IS IT TAKING PLACE? Casas Novas Equestrian Centre is a major hub of equestrian sport in A Coruña, Spain, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary. It hosts the world's top riders at its annual CSI5* show including a Longines FEI World Cup qualifier. WHO ARE THE COURSE-DESIGNERS? Renowned Spanish coursebuilder Santiago Varela, one of the designers at the Paris Olympics, will be responsible for the courses in A Coruña. CAN I BUY TICKETS? Entry to the European Showjumping Championships 2025 is free but you must submit an event invitation request via the official website: • Visit casasnovasfeijumping2025.com…

SWAPPING SPORTS RACEHORSE trainer Oliver Greenall dipped his toe into the world of showjumping with a solid international debut in Bolesworth's amateur classes, aboard O'Balou De Bourguignon (pictured). Oliver holds a joint training licence with Josh Guerriero and the pair saddled Iroko to finish fourth in the 2025 Grand National. Oliver acquired O'Balou De Bourguignon via Irish showjumper Anthony Condon, to enjoy as a riding horse. Following some nudging by Anthony and Bolesworth managing director Nina Barbour, who has been riding out at the Greenall-Guerriero operation to prepare for the Magnolia Cup charity race, he decided to go for it. “It's something I've always wanted to do,” he said. BACK TO THE TOP BOLESWORTH made a welcome return to four-star level for the first time since 2019. “It's been amazing…

Bury Farm, Bucks EMMA-JO SLATER partnered a rising star for Kim Barzilay's stable, six-year-old Kimba Luidun, to a win in the newcomers second round by a margin of almost three seconds. The home-bred chestnut began quietly making her mark last year, winning the Scope pathfinders championship, and going on to finish runner-up in the Walwyn novice in May. She took a confident ticket on her second attempt at qualifying for HOYS, jumping the quickest of three double clears to beat James Ingham (Altesse 2 VN Z). “Two had already jumped clear, which was better than one as it makes you more decisive about what you need to do to qualify,” Kim said. “Emma hadn't seen them go and I didn't want to tell her not to go too fast, I…

THE national young pony finals took centre stage on the penultimate day, with the highest score going to Lucy Goodman and Daria LGD (Cosmopolitan D NRW x Trendsetter; pictured, above), who won the five-year-old title on 78.2%. Michelle Wakefield and MM Sweet Gucci (Woodlander Sir Gorgeous x Champion De Luxe) claimed the four-year-old championship on 76.2%, while Evie Head and Little Beanie (Littledale Bright Star x Diamond Hit) topped the six-year-olds with 74.6%. “I know how good she is so I was secretly hopeful,” Lucy said. “She's a natural competitor – she just goes in and does her job. Her canter is her highlight, she likes to show off, but she's also level-headed – I'd like to produce her as an FEI pony and hopefully, she can have a good…

HIGHLIGHTS 23–29 June Netherton Equestrian, Perthshire & Kinross RIDING to a medley from The Beatles, Rhoda McVey and her registered Connemara gelding Trimragh Jacob III enjoyed a 75.83% prelim freestyle victory. “He likes the music, it seems to lift him,” said Rhoda, who “downsized” to 14.1hh “Jack” two years ago. “Our trot is to When I'm 64, which is the age I turned last month. “He's a sweetheart but a boss in the field,” added Rhoda. “He missed nine months of last year with field injuries, so we're now very careful about who he's turned out with. But he's a delight – he loves hacking and a fortnight ago was in the Connemaras at the Royal Highland Show.” Sannabays Miami scored elementary freestyle silver and overall wins, for owner Jennifer…

ASTON-LE-WALLS 2–6 July Aston-le-Walls, sponsored by Project Pony, Northants MAX WARBURTON led throughout the Project Pony CCI4*-S to claim top spot on The Paske Syndicate's smart grey, Deerpairc Revelry. The 11-year-old scored 24.2 in the dressage, then added 1.2 time-faults in the showjumping and finished just one second inside the 6min 7sec optimum time over Mark Phillips’ cross-country track. “He did a cracking test and we thought we might give winning the class a go,” said Max. “He's still young and has improved loads, getting stronger. The showjumping is always big here and quite technical, which suited us. The time was tight – I thought I'd gone quick enough, so was surprised when I picked up the time-faults. The cross-country was fast, twisty and tight and the ground was fantastic.”…

ZOE BOYLES and Sam (pictured) chalked up their first win at novice level when capturing the ON at Kingston Maurward, in Dorset, on a score of 32.7. “I bought him when he was a five-year-old to sell on – he's 13 now,” explained Zoe, who works full-time in a dog boarding kennels. “When he started to make BE100s feel easy and took me round my first novice, I decided he wasn't going anywhere. He absolutely loves the cross-country and doesn't need a countdown – he knows exactly what to do when he gets in the start box.” The pair are due to step up to intermediate next time out at Dauntsey.…

NORTH OF ENGLAND SUMMER 28–29 June Edited by Bethan Simons bethan.simons@futurenet.com North of England Summer, Warren Farm EC, Cheshire ONE of the most coveted prizes on the showing circuit, the £1,000 Ellena Thomas supreme Pretty Polly ridden championship, was claimed in style by Victoria Taylor and the striking nine-year-old Fell stallion Birkettbank Master John (Jay). The pair delivered a flawless performance, impressing judges and spectators alike with their polished presentation and undeniable presence. But the win very nearly didn't happen: “We almost missed it completely,” said Victoria. “We got stuck in traffic on the way in and as we pulled into the showground, I saw the class before had already started. It was a case of tack up, brush over and straight into the ring.” Victoria and reigning London International…

PREPARATIONS for the 2025 Agria FEI European Eventing Championships at Blenheim Palace (18–21 September) are in full swing as Britain gets ready to host its first senior championship in a decade. Grandstand tickets for Sunday's showjumping final have sold out, the number of tradestands is up on previous years and there will be lakeside hospitality lodges, as organisers plan for bumper crowds. The BBC will broadcast some of the competition on iPlayer, Eurosport has plans to show highlights and the action will be streamed on FEI TV, powered by ClipMyHorse.tv. “Britain is a very strong eventing nation and I think a lot of other nations look to us, so it's really important that we deliver a gold-standard event,” event director Katrina Midgley of Stable Events told H&H. “It's immensely important…

THE British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is considering new conditions to Oisin Murphy's licence, after he pleaded guilty to drink-driving. The 29-year-old, four-time champion Flat jockey was fined £70,000 and banned from driving for 20 months, at Reading Magistrates’ Court on 3 July. The bench heard he gave a reading of 66mcg alcohol in 100ml breath – nearly twice the legal limit of 35mcg – seven hours after the accident in which the Mercedes he was driving hit a tree. The prosecutor said police arrived shortly after midnight on 27 April, to find Oisin on a phone and a passenger, the car's owner, on the ground. “He accepts it was a grave error on his part” DEFENCE COUNSEL “He admitted he was the driver at the time of the collision,” the…

GAME, set, eventing gold? Sharp-eyed tennis fans may have spotted Britain's victorious Paris 2024 eventers among the Olympic medallists and other sporting legends in the royal box at Wimbledon on Middle Sunday (6 July). Ros Canter (pictured), Tom McEwen and Laura Collett watched two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz secure his place in Tuesday's quarter final, by beating Andrey Rublev on Centre Court. “What a treat it was,” said Laura, adding that it “was the most incredible day”. Tom said it was an “absolute privilege” to be invited. The eventing heroes, who won the first British gold of last summer's Olympics, rubbed shoulders with sporting royalty including cricketer Brian Lara, top wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewett, nine-time Paralympic wheelchair racing champion Hannah Cockroft and triple Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Tom Dean.…

RACE meetings and international competitions have two groups of vets present. The first is treating vets, who are there to deal with any injuries or illnesses that may arise. The second, on which we are focusing here, are regulatory vets who work on behalf of the regulator: that is the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) or the FEI. The regulatory vets’ roles are two-fold: ● to safeguard the health and welfare of the horses ● to maintain sporting integrity and ensure an ethical and sustainable future for equestrian sports, including Olympic participation They are responsible for a number of functions within these competitions: pre-event checks, veterinary controls, injury prevention, and injury and heat monitoring. PRE-EVENT CHECKS INTERNATIONAL travel is a feature of upper-level horse sports and this means that health checks…

THE competition runs from Wednesday, 16 July to Sunday, 20 July, with the vet check and a warmup for all competitors on the Tuesday. The sport begins with the 1.50–1.55m first round against the clock for all competitors (team and individual), from which scores and times are converted to penalties. There then follows two rounds of team competition on Thursday and Friday. Only the top 10 teams progress to Friday's medal decider. The championships conclude with two rounds of individual jumping on Sunday afternoon. The top 25 combinations will have qualified for round one, with just 12 going on to round two, after which the final medals will be presented. Also running alongside the championship all week will be CSI3* classes with a grand prix on Saturday's “rest day”. The…

THE WONDERFUL ONE-EYED HORSE SWEDEN'S Wilma Hellström returns to the championship arena with her wonderful one-eyed Cicci BJN. The pair were part of the 2023 gold medal-winning team and are the only combination from that side to return in 2025. The 14-year-old Swedish warmblood lost her eye in a freak accident in a competition stable several years ago and is described as “spicy” and “the boss” by her rider. THE YOUNG SUPERSTAR FRENCH sensation Nina Mallevaey is only 25 but has been turning heads with a sensational rise to the top of the sport, earning her first senior call-up in Spain. In Nikka VD Bisschop she has a brilliant partner who is already a veteran of Olympics, World Championships and PanAm Games. Nina is a serious talent to have on…

“WE ARE GOING TO BURN THOSE PLANKS” COURSE-DESIGNER Frank Rothenberger said he was going to take revenge on a fence that caused huge problems in Friday's feature class. A double of verticals topped with thin planks caught out many in the RWE Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia, in which Ben Maher and Point Break (pictured) triumphed with the only double clear. Only Ben and Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright's stallion, and Ioli Mytilineou with La Perla VD Heffinck, were clear in the first round, and Ioli picked up eight faults in the jump-off. Ben was delighted with his “incredible athlete”, adding: “The course didn't ride comfortably, but Point Break was totally with me and attentive.” Frank was less delighted with the double, declaring after the competition: “We are going to burn…

BOLESWORTH INTERNATIONAL Young horse classes PRECOCIOUS talent Leestone Emeresky continued her sparkling run of form to secure the NCS Equestrian Boutique five-year-old final, following flawless performances all week. The mare, ridden by Lee Williams, already has an astonishing CV that includes five-year-old titles from her trip to Spain earlier this year and now 10 young horse international wins. Lee rides the Emerald Van't Ruytershof daughter for Carrera Stud, a new partnership between the rider and Adam Deering. “She was good last week and even better this week,” said Lee, who also scooped Friday's Norton's Fencing 1.10m twophase class with the mare. “She felt much stronger and more confident this week.” He added that Leestone Emeresky will now have a few weeks’ rest, before picking up for the young horse championships…

ELLA SPENCER and the eight-year-old Rouet Rouge took back-to-back wins in the Blue Chip newcomers second round and Demolition Services Ltd leading pony showjumper qualifier at Chard's summer pony premier, to complete a hat-trick of HOYS tickets. Ella was one of eight from 17 to jump clear in the third round of the newcomers. She was fastest by exactly 1sec over Ella Kay (Madoghill Goronwy). She then jumped the sole first round clear of the pony showjumper qualifier, on Rouet Rouge's maiden attempt at the class. “He'd jumped three rounds and had to go quite fast in the newcomers, then only had 20 or 30 minutes before jumping the pony showjumper,” Ella's mother Emma said. “It was quite a big ask but he has scope coming out of his ears.…

HIGHLIGHTS 23–29 June Solihull EC, West Mids JONATHAN DUNKLEY'S Swedish-bred gelding In My Mind NRW cruised to two plus-70% medium wins. “So far, we've just tried to make sure he has an easy round,” said Jonathan of the eight-year-old Asgard's Ibiza son he bought four months ago from Helgstrand Dressage in Denmark. “He's only really in third gear. “He has a natural, uphill balance and a lot of power,” added Jonathan, who trains with Matt Frost. “We did have an incident when a pigeon flew in through the school window, and he went from 0-60, so he is reactive, but he's very rideable. Once he's in the arena and he goes down the centre line, he knows his job and locks on.” Abbey Smythe's mare ASA Mayadeaux, back in the…

ASHLENE BAGSHAW rode Damali III (pictured) to a bronze and outright novice 6 win at Elms Farm EC, Lincolnshire. The third of owner Alan Drane's four home-breds, nine-year-old “Roxy” has made a solid start to her dressage career. “She's wonderful,” said Ashlene of the Don Nobless daughter. “She has a lot of power, sometimes too much, and she's developing her confidence in the ring. ONES TO WATCH “We took it slowly with her through lockdown, but she's ready to go now,” added Ashlene, who trains with Alan's daughter Rebecca and also with Elspeth Day.…

Bradwall Manor, Cheshire GRADUATE rural surveyor Isabella Worthington scored her second BE90 victory in three outings riding her own Basingwerk Dream Works (Jonty). Isabella and the eight-year-old gelding recorded a personal best dressage score of 23.3, followed by an immaculate double jumping clear. “I used to compete mainly in showing and working hunters, but I fancied a change,” said the Harrogate-based rider, who works for estate agent Knight Frank and is due to sit her professional exams in the autumn. During the week, Isabella typically spends one day in the office, two or three days on-site and one or two days at home. “I share Jonty and my other horse, Jack, with my mum, who enjoys taking them to riding club clinics and going for long hacks with her friends,”…

AFTER three and a half years of being a partnership, 19-year-old Darcy Sproat has realised her ultimate ambition with Dinarthall Bomber (pictured), qualifying for HOYS in the hotly contested 153cm working hunter pony class. Eight-year-old Bomber has manners to die for on the ground but under saddle, he's never short of character. His quirks include an untimely squeal mid-show, a signature move that has kept Darcy on her toes and demanded her patience: “He's very vocal and definitely has his own idea. He can be quirky to ride, but his jump is phenomenal and I've always believed in him.” Their trainer and long-time coach Susie Gibson was especially pleased with what the pair have accomplished. “Darcy has been through more than most people in a lifetime,” said Susie. “I've trained…