The weekend saw the first and only five star horse trial eventing take place in 2020 in France at Pau, won by Laura Collett. There was also top class racing around the globe, on what was mainly atrocious heavy ground. To make a change, there were also World Cup qualifiers in the USA, the first
As European racing comes to an end for the year in Europe, the Champions Day at Ascot was another race meeting where further records were broken. It was the tenth anniversary of the ‘Champions’ meeting. There were also two dressage World Cup qualifiers over the weekend. At Ascot, the racing provided the first ever double
In a rare feat for this year, Keysoe Equestrian managed to complete its second FEI dressage competition on schedule. It was doubles all round for Charlotte Dujardin in the dressage and The O’Brien trainers also completed a double in The Fillies Mile and Dewhurst. Britain’s Scott Brash has been away for so long now, one
Over the years, Isabell Werth has personified the German code for excellence in dressage – “to combine the leg and the seat into the hands to form a connection with the horse”. She is the most decorated equestrian Olympic rider of all time with ten Olympic medals to her name. She has had a plethora
The main equestrian news of the week again involved racing. With the autumn coming on apace, juvenile Group 1 races are being run around the globe. In St Tropez, showjumping put on its 5 star Grand Prix; and a rare Dressage World Cup qualifier did actually take place in Hungary. Ireland held the main horse
While most equestrian competition has been decimated this year, a new competition in the UK finished yesterday – The Nexgen Young Horse series which has been open to young horses of four, five and six years old for dressage, showjumping and eventing. There have been nine qualifying rounds around the UK with the final at
In recent days, Hickstead managed to stage its scheduled national showjumping behind closed doors, the world rankings were published for September, racing of the classics, The Kentucky Derby and Oaks at Churchill Downs finally took place and in dressage, one of the few National Championships took place in Sweden. Showjumping Yesterday saw the final day
With the flourish of top racing around the world following lock down things are slowly returning to normal with less top races being run as the catch-up has abated somewhat. In dressage, a couple of CDI’s and the first FEI 5 star CSI took place in France for the showjumpers. Eventing This weekend saw the
This week was to have been the start of the sixteenth Paralympic Games in Tokyo, but like everything else this year has been re-arranged due to the Covid 19. In recent years, quite rightly so, media interest has increased in the Paralympics. It is rather the same syndrome as football, media were only interested in
Dressage, showjumping, eventing and Group 1 racing were all in evidence of the last week. Oliver Townend broke a world record, the young riders performed in Hungary and Group 1 races in France, Great Britain and Australia kept the betting fraternity on their toes. Eventing News broke this weekend that Tattersalls will no longer be
The Dutch Warmblood Sport horse is one of the more modern breeds of horse, specifically for dressage and show jumping. There’s not much history to these rather elegant horses, but they have had spectacular international success over recent years. At the end of World War Two, there were two main breeds of horse in the
In a relatively quiet week, Isabell Werth continues to win Grand Prix after Grand Prix, there were a smattering of Group 1 races and there was the sad news of the passing of Sir Michael Stoute’s long-time partner Carol Pritchard-Gordon. On the world stage, this weekend saw muted but still very poignant ceremonies remembering and
At last sport horse competition is gathering momentum. In the UK the last week, and it’s still continuing, British Showjumping have been staging their annual but greatly enlarged National Championships. In dressage, there have been a handful of FEI 3 star CDIs. Racing has quietened down a touch with fewer major races throughout the world.
With sport horse competitions still in wind up mode and all being conducted behind closed doors, significant news is rather thin. Racing has continued over the weekend, again behind closed doors, but with three months lost earlier in the season, the big races have been concertinaed together with a continual run of Group 1 races
Throughout history, the Germans have long been associated with their horses. Over the centuries, they have brought together differing breeds throughout Europe and developed breeds such as the Hanoverians. They have always had prolific and famous riders. In more recent times, Dr Reiner and his daughter, Ingrid Klimke, Paul Schockemohle, Michael Jung, Isabell Werth, Ludger
