Horse & Hound

JUST days after Gatcombe announced its cancellation of the Festival of British Eventing, we learned the Blair Castle team will host the venue’s last horse trials this year (news, p5). It is little wonder, but these losses do beg the question as to wh

John Fairley’s home-bred, trained by John Quinn, who was 2022 European champion sprinter, has died aged seven owing to a fracture sustained in a stable accident. West Kington Stud’s stallion has died at 24. He evented to intermediate level, has offsp

A SURVEY on horse welfare outside of competition has been designed to help stamp out unacceptable practices. The European Equestrian Federation (EEF) survey, designed with the support of World Horse Welfare, is aimed at all in the industry. EEF presi

Event rider Lissa Green and Giorgio Audino welcomed a baby girl, Emilia Rose, on 20 March. Lissa said it is “our most exciting and important journey yet”. Showjumper Donald Whitaker and Millfield Colette won the CSI3* 1.50m grand prix at Oliva Nova.

Who’s ready to roll their fields? In our annual service, we predict this year’s 15-minute window between swamp and concrete will (or won’t) be from 1.34pm on 12 April. You’re most welcome. A church that had hoped to welcome a donkey for Palm Sunday h

SHOWJUMPERS Jack Whitaker and Joe Stockdale weighed up the relative merits of flour and baking powder as they had a bash at creating an English afternoon tea. The Royal Windsor Horse Show ambassadors took on the bake-off challenge with the event’s ap

EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Sarah Jenkins Magazine Editor/Eventing/Pony Club Pippa Roome (07815 442555) Website Editor Carol Phillips (0330 390 6598) News Editor Eleanor Jones (0330 390 6386) Features Editor/Polo/Riding Clubs Martha Terry (0330 390 632

jennifer.donald@futurenet.com @jen_donald IT is hard to explain how important a Cheltenham Festival winner is to a racing yard, trainer, and owner. It is why we all are in this great sport of jump racing. The Cheltenham Festival is the mecca of our s

When I got my MBE for services to horseracing in the new year honours list, I initially thought it was just another circular. I’d had a few from the Conservative party and the envelope said “Cabinet Office”. It was a great surprise and I’m very honou

Generally, geldings are much easier than stallions to handle, particularly around mares. Unless the plan is to breed from a proven stallion with a good performance record, it is best to consider castration. There are enough unwanted horses already an

UNFORTUNATELY, some people are allergic to horses. Just as some humans sneeze and wheeze and itch and have watery eyes when they come into contact with cats, others have the same reaction to horses. The allergy can be quite severe, even debilitating.

• THE choice of surgical method may be based on cost rather than lowest risk. This is often true with ponies, where the cost of castration can exceed the monetary value of the animal, particularly if there are complications. Some vet clinics have spe

ANYONE can train to become a dressage judge. There are six levels in British Dressage (BD), referred to as “lists”, starting from six and rising to one. A list six judge can judge up to and including preliminary competitions whereas list one judges c

MALVERN RIDING SCHOOL proprietor Julie Davies-Bennett has been a list six judge since 1986 and competes up to prix saint georges (PSG). She is now training to be a list five judge. “Previously, I couldn’t afford the time or money to upgrade and thoug

catherine.austen@futurenet.com @cfausten123 COLOURED pennants fly above white tents at the Duke of Beaufort’s recent point-to-point at Didmarton. Rugged-up horses parade in the brisk March air in a landscape of pastured green fields and small stone w

ROSIE SMITH made a winning debut in the children-on-horses classes with her mother Holly’s familiar rides Azolette (pictured, right) and Fruselli, taking a one-two on the opener before repeating the feat in the championship. Thirteen-year-old Rosie h

LIZZIE WALKER took a first intermediate win at Lincolnshire with her mother Tina Walker’s 14-year-old KEC Landstriker. “He hates mud, so I was in two minds about running him, but he felt really good,” said Lizzie, who is based at Northallerton Equest

HIGHLIGHTS 15-17 March pippa.roome@futurenet.com @pipparoomeorkyle Lincolnshire FINAL-YEAR pharmacology student Lewis McLean beat Olympians and five-star winners with his mother Una’s 15-year-old Lissyegan Mikie Lou, claiming an open intermediate (OI

IT was mission accomplished for Bill Levett at Montelibretti, Italy, when the Australian bagged an all-important Olympic qualification with Sligo Candy Cane - and headed the CCI4*-L. “It was never my plan to go for the time, but Sligo Candy Cane is a

BACK in action this year after time on the sidelines with injury, Fulgencio notched up another win to take the advanced 102 at Burrows Court Farm, Gloucestershire. “It’s like being in an old armchair,” said Florence Human of her return to competition

“HE’S an absolute saint,” said Nina Parish of Dido Van Het Galgenveld, the veteran gelding she loans from Tori Page. After several years out of competition, Nina has scored six consecutive prelim silver section wins with 21-year-old “Dino” so far thi

LAURA SCHROTER and her former top event horse Willem Van Wup burst onto the scene in their new dressage career with a convincing double medium win at Dressage at Hascombe, East Sussex. “Willem is dressage-bred and was always beautiful on the flat,” s

AFTER a career racing over hurdles and on the Flat, Midtech Star is shining in the dressage arena, claiming the prelim 17 qualifier at Hunters Equestrian. Bought from the track by Leah James five years ago, the Kodiac gelding went lame soon afterward

THE luck of the Irish certainly held on St Patrick’s Day when Co Kildare-based Amira Curran and her family travelled over to compete their coloured plaited pony Tidkin Talisman at the UKPH Spring Classic. Having won the open class and stood champion

WHEN renowned Irish rider Ciara Mullen had a serious rotational fall in the jumping ring at Royal Dublin six years ago, she thought her jumping career was over. “My nerves went completely,” she admits. However, she persevered and plucked up courage t

WINNING jockey Cieren Fallon (centre) remained totally cool throughout Doncaster’s William Hill Cammidge Trophy Stakes, bursting through a gap and powering to the front on the William Haggas-trained Montassib. “The gap came, I gave him a squeeze and

4 wins for trainer Venetia Williams and jockey Charlie Deutsch across Bangor and Ascot. They scored with Martator, Hunter Legend, Montgomery and The Famous Five. CATCH-RIDE WINNER FOR JJ SLEVIN ABOARD I LOVE MY BAIE FOR TRAINER STUART CRAWFORD AT NEW

THE Paul Nicholls-trained Regent’s Stroll, a five-year-old son of Walk In The Park, out of Snurge mare Pretty Puttens, a daughter of Polly Puttens - the dam of Gold Cup winner Denman - looks set to give owner Chris Giles plenty more success. Already

Lamerton, Kilworthy, Devon DEAN SUMMERSBY’S string hit red-hot form on Sunday after an inauspicious start to the year, to deliver a four-timer for the West Country trainer. “It’s brilliant,” said Dean, crediting the team and jockeys for the success.