Innehållsförteckning för 15-Jan-2026 från Horse & Hound

HATS off to the riding school owner raising money through posting content on social media to fund a number of free lessons at her approved centre (news, p4). Indeed, the utmost respect to all riding centres finding ways to be evermore inclusive in their offering. As the horse world looks at a challenging landscape that includes increasing costs and even threats to participation in certain areas, we would be foolish not to look for every opportunity to encourage anyone at the beginning of their equestrian journey. I hear stories all the time from people who were not born into equestrian families but fell in love with horses after a chance meeting at a local show, a school friend’s riding party, seeing a new country from the back of a horse,…

HELLO JEFFERSON Scott Brash and his 17-year-old Olympic team jumping gold medallist, owned by Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham, won the CSI5* 1.60m grand prix in Doha. Report, p48 DIALLO BB The 11-year-old rising star, ridden by German Olympic dressage champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, died on 6 January, following a sudden illness. CEVO SOCRATES Australian Olympic showjumper Edwina Tops-Alexander’s former grand prix horse has died in retirement, aged 31. They had wins across Europe, including at Olympia.…

▲ TACK Another designer has jumped on the year of the horse, advertising a boot in a stirrup. At least the heel’s down, shame it’s a rein instead of a stirrup leather… ▲ RECORDS A donkey now holds the Guinness record for the longest ears (16 inches), and a man’s tried to make the world’s biggest fake snowflake (5m). Good job they weren’t the other way round. ▲ WINTER The Princess of Wales says that “winter has a way of bringing us stillness, patience and quiet consideration”. We’re thinking more rage, tears and loud blasphemation. Close. ▼ JANUARY Never underestimate small moments of joy at this time, such as when one’s headtorch beam is refracted back into one’s eyes by thick sleet, so one doesn’t see the deep puddle until…

Email to hhletters@futurenet.com Name and address must be included. Letters may be edited. @horseandhound instagram.com/horseandhound facebook.com/horseandhound MISSING A TRICK THE current media interest in trail-hunting is constant and we are not winning the public vote. I feel really strongly we are missing a huge trick to connect with the public, and that is by showing off our wonderful hounds, not just at local shows and on Boxing Day. We can bang the drum about the hundreds of parliamentary hours wasted, the same arguments we have been using for years, which are valid but no one is listening. We need to showcase the hounds more and give more people the opportunity to engage with them. “We should showcase our wonderful hounds” SACHA WHEATLEY MFH How about walking the length of the country…

Need to know THE JUKEBOX MAN Age: eight Breeding: by Ask out of My Twist (by Flemensfirth) Jockey: Ben Jones, previously also Kielan Woods and Luca Morgan Breeder: Paul Cunningham Owner: Harry Redknapp Greatest achievements: 2022, first Turtulla point-to-point; 2023, first Ffos Las bumper, first Ffos Las maiden hurdle, third Newbury Challow Novices’ Hurdle; 2024, second Cheltenham Festival Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle, second Aintree Sefton Novices’ Hurdle, first Newbury Grade Two Novices’ Chase, first Kempton Kauto Star Novices’ Chase; 2025, first Haydock Graduation Chase, first Kempton King George VI Chase. TRAINER BEN PAULING “THE most wonderful thing about The Jukebox Man is that he is so versatile. You can make the running or you can drop in. He is not afraid of a battle. He has enough class and ability…

CHRIS BARTLE uses an exercise he calls “the rollercoaster” to help riders rely less on the rein and to keep their balance and line through their body position: ● build five fences on a curve and alternate between small cavaletti and a taller upright fence (around 90cm–1m). The jumps should be a bounce-distance apart (roughly 2.75m apart on the inside line and 4m on the outside line). ● set your canter, look at a point in the distance beyond where you are going. Always look down “the road” rather than at the road itself. Use your peripheral vision to see the poles in front of you. Let the horse’s nose out to encourage him to really use his eyes and his neck. In this exercise, your job as the rider…

Solihull RC, West Mids NANCY ROLLINGS cemented her partnership with MX El Emperador by securing a plus-70% novice silver double win. Having ridden the El Capone gelding when he was a youngster, Nancy picked up the reins again last summer. “He’s a lovely, laid-back character and very trainable, but he’s been brought on slowly,” said Nancy of the 11-year-old “Rodney”. “He has only been to a handful of venues in his life and he hasn’t seen much of the world,” she continued. “I’m really pleased with how he’s coming on.”…

Onley Grounds EC, Warks AN animated performance by For Reflection TF won the seven-year-old gelding the novice 6 outright, with more than 75%. “He’s so chill and easy on the ground, with his bottom lip hanging in the wind, but under saddle, he comes to life, and there’s quite a bit about him,” said Louise Gallavan-Gelder, who bought the British-bred Foundation gelding as a foal. “He’s been very slow to develop, so we’ve not rushed him. “Now he’s starting to mature and really find his strength, it’s exciting,” added Louise, who produces her own youngsters and also rides horses for clients. “I knew his mother [Rose Noir], who had a lot of talent for piaffe and passage; he’s the spitting image of her.”…

Swallowfield Equestrian, Warks TRICOLOURED gelding Eleanor’s Ahh Bisto dominated at prelim, winning the bronze sections and overall in both classes. The nine-year-old Welsh part-bred, who stands at 14.3hh, made his British Dressage debut a month ago at Stourpourt Riding Centre, where he got off to a flying start with two plus-67% scores. “We have done lots of unaffiliated and riding club dressage,” said his owner and rider Sue Knight, who bought Bisto as a foal and has produced him with the help of her trainer Jade Clark and massage practitioner Donna Cooksey. “He wasn’t backed until he was five years old, when he was mentally and physically ready. He can be scared of his own shadow, but he loves to please. I’m so proud of how far he has come.”…

Share your news story Call 0330 390 6386 Email eleanor.jones@futurenet.com @ jones_eleanor_ THE owner of a riding school is using the power of social media to make money – to offer free riding and fulfil a dream. Chloe Tinson, of family-run, British Horse Society (BHS) and Association of British Riding Schools-approved Barnwell Equestrian Centre in Cornwall, has raised hundreds of pounds by sharing content -and this is just the start. "CHLOE IN CORNWALL" MS TINSON told H&H the idea came to her last year, after she had completed her BHS business manager’s exam and was looking for a project. “It’s like a pipe dream,” she said. “People don’t realise you can earn so much money from social media, and I feel there’s so much good to get from that. “I…

TO SUBMIT AN OBITUARY Visit horseandhound.co.uk/obits IAN BALDING LVO THE trainer of the great Mill Reef, remembered for his “towering legacy”, died aged 87 on 2 January. He was born in the USA, in 1938, and the family returned to Britain in 1945. He studied at Cambridge, achieving a blue for rugby in 1961, and had success as an amateur jockey, winning the National Hunt Chase at the 1963 Cheltenham Festival. He established his training career the next year; he had been asked to help Peter Hastings-Bass at Kingsclere in March and took on the licence when the trainer died in June. In 1969, he married Peter’s daughter, Emma HastingsBass, with whom he had two children; broadcaster Clare and Classic-winning trainer Andrew. From Park House Stables, Mr Balding trained numerous…

Showjumper Joe Stockdale won his first five-star grand prix, the President’s Cup in Abu Dhabi, with mother Laura and Barbara Hester’s Ebanking. Report, p48. Top German showjumper Marcus Ehning has been sidelined with a knee injury and is expected to be out of action for “several weeks” while he recovers. Dutch Olympic eventer Andrew Heffernan has been named the Burgham CCI4*-S cross-country course-designer. The track will have a new layout for 2026. British former chief executive of Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event Molly Day is director of the FEI’s new eventing and driving department. Showjumper Sandy McLean, 23, won his first CSI5*, a 1.50m ranking class, with Breen Equestrian and Annabel Vere Nicoll’s Calixte Heartbreaker Z, in Abu Dhabi.…

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald IT’S that brief, magical time between the last mince pie of 2025 and the first show of 2026. The tack room is spotless, rugs are clean and for a few glorious days, we actually go to the gym. We’re also approaching the date when most of us will abandon our New Year’s resolutions. The grey skies and freezing temperatures don’t make it easy, but we must remember that the habits we form today will shape the success we enjoy tomorrow. Studies have shown we have an autobiographical memory and that we reflect on our lives as a story – one that features chapter breaks of varying sizes. The fresh-start effect makes us more motivated to make a change at the beginning of each chapter. New year is a…

By the time I’ve even had my first cup of coffee, I’ve already swapped hats at least twice. There’s the day-job hat, the mum hat and, somewhere in between, the Pony Club district commissioner hat. Some days it feels like I’m wearing all three at once – usually before the school run is even done. My own Pony Club journey started by accident rather than design. I loved ponies, but came from a non-horsey family. My parents were farmers who diversified their farm into a riding school in the 1980s, which eventually grew into a large operation with more than 100 horses at its peak. By virtue of having horses on the doorstep, I finally got my first pony at nine and started attending Pony Club whenever I could. Those…

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HIGHLIGHTS 17 December–4 January oscar.williams@futurenet.com @oscnwilliams Bury Farm, Bucks “HE’S very much a showman,” said Jack Boarder of Bermuda WD, whose prix st georges (PSG) performance earned him a class win to end the year. “He finds all the work pretty easy and genuinely enjoys his job. “We dropped down from inter I after a short competition break and hope to step back up this season,” added Jack, who rides the 10-year-old Bordeaux gelding for Jill Graham. “He’s a confident horse and the talent comes with the occasional quirk, but I’m looking forward to what’s to come.” In the medium 5, Chloe Livesey scored a 68.33% bronze section win with Gilexio. After buying the jumping-bred gelding seven years ago, event rider Chloe had competed him up to two-star level –…

Newbold Verdon EC, Leics SECRET LORD stepped into the limelight at his second-ever show to win the novice 5 outright with 72.5%. Jane Critchley, who rides rising eight-year-old “Hush” for Susannah Maister-Gray, was impressed by his maturity. “He’s a delight and always has a smile on his face,” said Jane. “As he’s quite brave and trusting, it’s now a case of getting him out and about. “Hush leads a varied life, and his happiness and welfare have always been fundamental,” she added. “He’s ready to crack on a bit now.”…

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald HIGHLIGHTS 1–4 January Onley Grounds New Year Show, Warks JENNA PALMER-EVANS and her home-bred Ciasko Z put an unlucky spell behind them to take the Blue Chip Dynamic B&C championship qualifier. The pair claimed a Hickstead B&C ticket at Hartpury’s winter classic and proved their mettle in another competitive jump-off here, delivering the fastest of three double clears to edge ahead of Jasmin Clark (SLF Luxidor Mail). “He has been awesome,” Jenna said. “He had a field injury and was off for nearly two years – he only needed a year off but we took our time. “He had a really great summer season coming back and then I had some time off and had the horses away on fitness work. He somehow picked up equine Covid and…

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS 6–11 January CSI5* His Highness The Father Amir’s Prix, Al Shaqab, Doha, Qatar EVEN by Scott Brash’s lofty standards, winning two grands prix in one day is no mean feat. Having finished a narrow runner-up to team-mate Harry Charles (Casquo Blue) in the previous week’s CSI4* grand prix, the world number two exacted his revenge with a double. He first won the CSI3* grand prix with Hello Chadora Lady, before following up later the same evening with success in the CSI5* equivalent, riding 17-year-old Hello Jefferson. “I think that’s maybe a first!” said Scott of his groundbreaking achievement. Lady Pauline Harris and Lady Pauline Kirkham’s Hello Jefferson looked in flying form, as one of nine to jump clear in round one of the CSI5* grand prix. Drawn second-last against…

KEMPTON PARK 10 January jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald Kempton Park, Surrey WITH an unexpected return to top form, the Nicky Henderson-trained Iberico Lord stormed home to land the prestigious Coral Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle under James Bowen. Turning for home, there were scenes reminiscent of the King George, with the eye drawn in all directions to a blanket of horses seemingly in with a chance. But Bowen, carrying the green and gold silks of JP McManus, simply bolted clear, drawing 4½ lengths in front of Double Powerful (Conor O’Farrell) for the Neil Mulholland stable, with the favourite A Pai De Nom (Harry Skelton) a similar distance behind in third. Two seasons ago, Iberico Lord enjoyed life in the fast lane, landing the Greatwood and Betfair Hurdles, also running in the 2024 Champion Hurdle.…

BADMINTON PRIZE MONEY BOOSTED THE Mars Badminton Horse Trials (6–10 May) winner will take home £125,000 this year – the biggest first-place prize in eventing and £7,400 more than in 2025. The overall 2026 pot for the top 20 finishers has risen to £451,500, an increase of £48,300. In 2025, the overall fund was £403,200, which included £117,600 to the winner. Prize money for the British Eventing (BE) LeMieux Grassroots Championships is also increasing in 2026 – there will be £750 for the BE100 winner and £700 for the BE90 victor, up from £600 for first place in both classes last year. THREE FATALITIES AT KEMPTON PARK THREE racehorses died in separate incidents at Kempton Park on Saturday (10 January). Kalif Du Berlais, Wertpol and Peso sustained fatal injuries in…

BRITISH riders bagged a glittering medal haul at the student rider Nations Cup world finals in Belgium over the new year period. The Association Internationale des Étudiantes Cavaliers world finals consist of 15 teams competing in dressage and showjumping competitions on borrowed horses, at prix st georges and 1.20–1.30m level respectively, and feature team and individual medals. Gracie Catling scooped a hat-trick of individual titles, winning the individual dressage, showjumping and overall gold medals. She also helped the British team to gold league overall and showjumping team gold as well as dressage team silver, riding alongside Ellie Fredericks and Amy Stewart. Gracie told H&H she was lucky to share the “fantastic experience” with “amazing team-mates”. “To win as a team and individually in both disciplines was really unexpected, especially as…

FROM Burghley’s precipitous Leaf Pit to Pau’s rollercoaster mounds (and everything in-between) the principles of negotiating drops and fences where horses can’t immediately see the landing are the same – namely time rather than speed. Horses are well-equipped to hop up and down steps and negotiate mounds, so long as we let them use the tools that nature has given them. Badminton winner and British eventing performance coach Chris Bartle encourages us to think about a horse’s biomechanics. “The horse’s eyes are on the end of his neck and if we restrict the neck through our riding then the horse won’t be able to look forward and use his eyes to read the question,” he says. “Horses can lose confidence when they are denied the freedom to use their necks.”…

FORMER event horse Ballylahive Prince is excelling in the dressage arena. The 19-year-old scored bronze and outright prelim wins at Port Royal EC, East Yorkshire, just weeks after nailing his affiliated debut with a similar double at Vale View Equestrian, Leicestershire. Hannah Comery, who was 15 when she teamed up with “Pash” 11 years ago, said: “He’s my heart horse. He’d only hunted when we first bought him, but he has always liked dressage. ONES TO WATCH “He can be silly at home, but once at a competition, he gets his game face on,” added Hannah, who trains with Gill Liggins. “He loves to trot down the centre line and show off.”…

SIMON MIDDLETON celebrated a “seriously special” end to 2025 with Wodan III – a former five-star eventer owned by Sam Ecroyd. He and “Woody”, 23 this year, claimed two advanced medium wins in December at Cheshire venues Cockshot and Bold Heath EC to earn their silver qualification for the regionals at the level. “This new focus has been a brilliant test for both of us – and proof that it’s never too late to try something new and enjoy the journey along the way,” said Simon, who is managing director of Zebra Products. He teamed up with British-bred gelding Woody a few seasons ago and is more often seen out eventing. “Woody is a true legend – he looks, feels and behaves like a horse half his age. Our next…

Large pony premier, Morris EC, Ayrshire SCOTTISH 15-year-old Katie-Ellen Mellish claimed her first winter JA classic win when she delivered the sole clear from first draw with Dulk Du Thym. “It was quite a challenging track as the time was quite tight. I didn’t think some of the distances would suit him but he jumped it well,” said Katie-Ellen, who took the reins from reigning European pony champion Cian McMunn in 2024. “It was quite hard to follow in his footsteps. I did some shows in Ireland with him then jumped the 1.35m at Bolesworth, which is the biggest track he’d done, and we were eighth in the grand prix at Sentower last year.” Three jumped clear in day two’s winter JA classic. Only Charlie Barker completed the jump-off, picking…

UAE President’s Cup, Abu Dhabi THE celebrations continued for British riders across the Persian Gulf in Abu Dhabi, where Joe Stockdale landed his first-ever five-star grand prix. The 26-year-old rode the 12-year-old stallion Ebanking, owned by his mother Laura Stockdale and Barbara Hester, to victory in Sunday’s President’s Cup presented by Longines. “I’m chuffed to bits,” said Joe of the achievement. Five combinations lined up for the jump-off, but Joe triumphed as the sole double clear, with “Ebay” delivering a typically solid performance over the 1.60m track. “He’s feeling great and he’s been in really good form for a while now,” said Joe. “He’s really been due a result actually. He’s been very unlucky in the last few rounds and just not had the rub of the green. So it’s…

BOXING DAY, all over now for another year, is traditionally the time when hunts come to town. Market squares are reunited with their past as they resound with clattering hooves and wafts of hot horse poo on the cold air. Cars are reduced to walking pace, hounds are kept at close quarters to the huntsman, whippers-in are on high alert and horses that won’t stand, or those that kick, are best kept at home. For the Percy, 40 minutes south of here, the trip into town is shorter than most. Their hounds are kennelled on the edge of Alnwick down a cobbled lane that gives strong Diagon Alley vibes (for the Harry Potter fans) before you even get to the castle where part of the franchise was filmed. On New…