Category: News

Valegro’s retirement confirmed Valegro’s retirement has been confirmed along with the news that he won’t compete again. His official retirement ceremony will take place at the London Olympia Horse Show during December (2016) which will be no doubt be a highly emotive time for all. The good news is that Valegro will still be seen in public, in fact the Superstar and his rider, Charlotte Dujadin are currently over in the States at the Central Park Horse Show to wow spectators with a demonstration before returning home. The Dutch Warmblood…

LeMieux National Dressage Championships Concludes for Another Year Held at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire 15 – 18 September 2016, the LeMieux National Dressage Championships is the ultimate competition in domestic dressage. With almost 400 tests ridden over four days of competition, 24 titles are given across levels from Preliminary to Grand Prix, including the overall LeMieux National Champion. This year competitors and spectators were able to see Dujadin, following her Rio success, ride fresh talent and witness the joy of some unexpected wins … Olympic gold medallist dominates Championships Fresh from…

Games to remember for Great Britain’s equestrian team It was a Paralympic Games to remember for the British para-equestrian dressage team, accruing seven Gold medals within their total medal haul of eleven. The final day of competition at Deodoro brought with it the Freestyle event, with all five British athletes in action, and after some amazing competition all five brought home more Individual medals, with three Golds and two Silvers secured for ParalympicsGB. With the team medal confirmed yesterday, the quartet received their Golds this afternoon as the final action…

Horse and Country Deliver the National Dressage Championships 2016 Horse & Country TV and British Dressage announce extensive coverage of the Lemieux National Dressage Championships 2016 The LeMieux National Dressage Championships will feature in a one-hour special coming soon to Horse & Country TV, Sky Channel 253. Additionally, all of the tests from the Horse Health Grand Prix Freestyle and the LeMieux Grand Prix will be available in full and on-demand on H&C Play, H&C’s online and app-based service. The one-hour programme will feature highlights of the Grand Prix Freestyle…

Great day for Great Britain as three golds pour in By Rob Howell Following superb wins by British riders in the grades II and Ia individual tests at the Olympic equestrian Centre in Deodoro on Thursday (15 September), Great Britain have won the overall team championships of the Rio 2016 para dressage competition. The team have won every Paralympic team competition since the sport was introduced to the Games in Atlanta 1996 and remain undefeated in European and World championships too – a total of 18 team titles.   “I’m…

It’s a Gold for Wells and Silver for Pearson It was a day for celebrations in the British equestrian camp after two medals were secured for ParalympicsGB in yesterday’s Individual Championship events in Rio. The first day of the Individual competition saw Sophie Wells secure Gold in the Grade IV class, twenty years after the first Gold medal in the Grade was won for GB in Atlanta. ParalympicsGB flag bearer Lee Pearson took his Games medal tally to thirteen after an impressive performance secured Silver in the Grade Ib test.…

Ride for Retraining Campaign to Raise Funds for Ex-Racehorses To celebrate the British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre’s (BTRC) 25th anniversary, the charity has launched – Ride for Retraining and the campaign is underway to raise money by riding around the equivalent of the United Kingdom coastline! The initiative, to raise £100,000 to help retrain and rehome ex-racehorses, is now underway and the British Thoroughbred Retraining Centre has put out a call for riders to get involved in this fantastic idea. BTRC is the UK’s leading charity wholly dedicated to ex-racehorse welfare.…

Rolex Central Park Horse Show Promises Yet Another Spectacular Event THE ICONIC ROLEX CENTRAL PARK HORSE SHOW ATTRACTS WORLD CLASS EQUESTRIAN ATHLETES The third edition of the Rolex Central Park Horse show returns in September to the world famous Wollman Rink. Since its inception in 2014, the show has quickly developed into a highlight on the global equestrian and New York social calendar and for the second year running Rolex is proud to be title sponsor of the show, continuing its long-standing commitment to equestrian sport. With New York’s breath-taking…

Horse enthusiasts travel from down under for “The World’s Most Famous Horse Show” HOYS. This year Horse of the Year Show has attracted visitors from all over the UK, Europe, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and even from as far away as Australia! Olivia Cakebread and her fiancé Dave live in a small town called Lara, which is approximately 60km from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They have both planned their trip to the UK to combine each of their passions; whilst Olivia is coming for Horse of the Year Show, partner Dave is…

Great Britain leading the para-equestrian dressage team competition at the half-way stage At the half-way stage in the para-equestrian dressage team competition the current Paralympic champions, Great Britain, are leading the standings with two more days of competition to go until the team medals are confirmed. The final team rider for Great Britain, Natasha Baker with Cabral, owned by Christian Landolt and Phil and Lorraine Baker, were the last combination for GB in the Deodoro arena earlier this morning getting their Paralympics underway with the Grade II Team test. After…

Great Britain take command of para-equestrian team competition  By Rob Howell Great Britain took control of the team competition at the Rio 2016 para-dressage on Monday, with London 2012 double gold medallist Sophie Christiansen winning the grade Ia team test with a massive 77.522%. Riding Athene Lindebjerg, Christiansen scored the highest marks of the entire competition so far to beat team mate Anne Dunham into second place, with Germany’s Elke Philip in third. “For her to go in that loud, atmospheric arena I was over the moon with her,” Christiansen…

Tottie Search for the Next #SELECT Girls Tottie have launched their next #SELECT campaign to find six new female brand ambassadors/sponsored riders for 2017. The #SELECT17 campaign is all about girl power! You’ll be needed to trial new products (awful isn’t it), shout from the roof tops about the fabulous Tottie brand, write a monthly blog and involve yourself in all things social media. To be in with a chance you must be; Over 13 years of age A resident of the UK Love Tottie To enter please visit www.tottie.co.uk/select17 and fill…

Living legends Nick Skelton and Big Star to appear at Horse of the Year Show this October Horse of the Year Show are offering visitors at this year’s Show a not to be missed opportunity to meet their Olympic hero, Nick Skelton and Big Star. As a guest Nick will be doing rider signings in the retail village during the daytime performances on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th October. So, anyone with a weekend ticket for any performance will be able to go along and meet the man himself –…

SCOTT BRASH WINS BACK TO BACK TITLES AT THE SPRUCE MEADOWS ‘MASTERS’, THE SECOND EQUESTRIAN MAJOR OF 2016 Scott Brash has become only the second rider to achieve back to back Grand Prix victories at the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ by winning the CP ‘International’, presented by Rolex, in consecutive years. Riding his mare Ursula XII, Brash won the richest Grand Prix on the equestrian circuit following a two way jump off against McLain Ward riding HH Azur from the USA. He not only takes home a winners’ cheque of $1,000,000…

BEF Teams up with Society of Master Saddlers The British Equestrian Federation’s (BEF) Equine Bridge Programme for four-year-old Futurity graduates has joined forces with the Society of Master Saddlers (SMS) to provide a saddle and bridle fitting voucher scheme. SMS vouchers will be redeemable against saddle fitting services supplied by members of the Society of Master Saddlers. Futurity graduates eligible for the Bridge will receive vouchers for their first saddle fitting and those accepted on to the Equine Bridge will receive additional support. Said Hazel Morley, CEO of SMS: “We…

Rio 2016 Paralympics: Lubbe and Pearson lead on day one of para-equestrian By Rob Howells Rio 2016 Paralympics progress update On a sweltering day in Deodoro, Norway’s Ann Cathrin Lubbe was the first to take the lead in the Rio 2016 para-equestrian dressage competition on Sunday (11 September), earning the top spot in the grade III team test. Riding Donatello at the Olympic Equestrian Centre, the double Athens 2004 gold medallist scored 72.237% to finish ahead of The Netherlands’ Sanne Voets in second, and Denmark’s Susanne Sunesen in third.  …

Terrifying Attack at Calais on Equestrian Vaulter and Family An equestrian vaulter was on her way home from the world championships in France when her wagon was attacked, on the approach to the Calais port, by migrants. Lucy Phillips, sixth on the FEI sports ranking list for vaulting, and her family were ambushed in their horse box whilst they approached the port. Tree debris had been used to block the road where the migrants waited during the early hours of Monday [29 August] morning. Lucy’s father was driving the horsebox and began sounding…

Avebury Rests in Peace News released today has rocked the world of eventing, Andrew Nicholson’s ride Avebury has been put to sleep. Avebury, the horse Nicholson successfully campaigned over many a four star circuit, was diagnosed a couple of weeks ago with a malignant tumour in his jaw. The tumour rapidly progressed as he received appropriate care to make sure he was comfortable. Sadly news has broke that he was put to sleep earlier today. Nicholson announced the 16-year-old’s retirement earlier in 2016, since then he has enjoyed a quieter life…

Paralympic Legend Lee Pearson selected to fly the flag for ParalympicsGB as Rio 2016 prepares for Opening Ceremony With just one day to go until the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games open, ParalympicsGB has confirmed that Lee Pearson CBE, one of the team’s most decorated and experienced athletes to compete in Brazil, will carry the flag for Great Britain in the Opening Ceremony. Pearson has won 12 Paralympic medals including 10 gold since he made his Paralympic debut at Sydney 2000. He won a hat-trick of gold medals in the team,…