Category: horse News

2019 LGCT and GCL Season Officially Declared Open at Qatar’s AL SHAQAB The 2019 Longines Global Champions Tour and GCL series was officially launched today in a pre-season press conference, with the Championship declared ‘one of the best events in the world’ by local organisers. This year AL SHAQAB is the launchpad for the 14th season of LGCT and 4th year of GCL, with over 50 riders from 17 different countries heading to Qatar’s capital city to take part in this weekend’s competition. LGCT President and Founder, and GCL Co-Founder…

BEF Calls On Equestrian Coaches’ Help To “Shape The Future of Coaching” The British Equestrian Federation has launched a survey, to “shape the future of coaching” across equestrian sport. The BEF have called for help from a wide range of equestrian coaches. The organisation request coaches help, aiming to develop the sport to “deliver what you need”. Information from the survey will be used by all the member bodies of the BEF, including British Dressage, British Eventing, British Showjumping, The Pony Club, British Horse Society, Riding for Disabled Association, British…

Team Germany Scoops the Honours in Abu Dhabi written by Louise Parkes On a day of high drama in Abu Dhabi, Team Germany pipped Ireland to win the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of the United Arab Emirates. The hosts, and Saudi Arabia, claimed the two qualifying spots on offer for the 2019 series Final in Barcelona (ESP) next October. It was a convincing German victory as Mario Stevens (36), Sven Schlüsselburg (37), Miriam Schneider (38) and Philipp Weishaupt (33) took a firm grip on the leaderboard with just a…

RSPCA Highlights Concern For Tethered Horses A recent statement by the RSPCA has highlighted concern for the welfare of tethered horses, in the UK. The statement comes as the issue was discussed in the House of Commons on the 20th February. Additionally, the RSPCA received over 5000 complaints about tethered horses in 2018, hoping the political discussion will lead to actions which will “safeguard hundreds of horses in the future”. The charity has seen numerous cases were tethering has been detrimental to horse health. Reports of wounds, horses becoming tangled…

GRP acquires Shearwater Insurance Services Global Risk Partners (GRP) has acquired Shearwater Insurance Services (Shearwater), one of the country’s leading equestrian insurance brokers, based in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire. The deal has been approved by the regulator and the consideration is undisclosed. Shearwater, which was founded in 1992 by Jeremy Lawton (managing director), specialises in equine and related business. The business has developed a number of targeted schemes to serve its loyal client base.  Jeremy Lawton, who will continue to run the business post completion, and all the team, will stay with…

New Strain of Equine Influenza Responsible for Outbreak The Animal Health Trust (AHT) has confirmed that the current equine influenza outbreak has been caused by a new strain of the virus, Florida Clade 1 H3N8. The increasing numbers of those diagnosed with equine influenza, follows the identification of the disease at a a yard in Cheshire, in the beginning of February. Despite best efforts to control the disease, there are currently 29 reported flu outbreaks, in 17 counties across England and Scotland. Equine influenza is an endemic in the UK,…

Life is Beautiful, and he’s heading home to Gothenburg….. by Louise Parkes And he’ll be meeting Dennis the Menace! It’s not every day that a skewbald horse who spent many years harness-racing qualifies for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final, but dreams do come true. And the 16-year-old gelding, Life is Beautiful, can expect a very warm welcome when he enters the Scandinavium Arena in Gothenburg, Sweden as the Longines 2019 Final begins next April, because he is coming home to the city where he was born. Ridden by 35-year-old…

Jump 4 Joy Announce Support of Three Future Stars as Part of their Ambassador Programme The UK’s leading show jump manufacturer Jump 4 Joy has announced that as part of their Ambassador programme, they are sponsoring 3 “up-and-coming” riders in showjumping and eventing. Paul Gaff, Millie Dumas and Georgie Spence have all been selected to receive sponsorship from the company as part of their initiative to assist riders rising through the ranks in their chosen specialism. Paul Gaff, who came from a non-horsey background started riding in his local Pony…

BGA Launch Investigation Into Working Pupil Positions The British Grooms Association (BGA) have launched an investigation into issues surrounding ‘working pupil’ positions on yards across the country. Launching a new survey, the BGA has already begun contacting those who are currently in the ‘working pupil’ bracket, additionally opening the survey for a nationwide response. The equine industry has a long history with working pupil employment, supplying a teaching element in return for yard work. The survey aims to “uncover the truth” behind working pupil employment and to find out whether…

Isabell Werth Takes Ninth Win in Penultimate Leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup By Louise Parkes The undeniable queen of Dressage, Isabell Werth (49), won today’s ninth and penultimate leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2018/2019 Western European League on home ground at Neumünster (GER) with her multi-medalled mare Weihegold. On a day when the German star and her accomplished compatriots claimed six of the top seven places in a super-hot competition however, Ireland’s Judy Reynolds (37) lifted the hopes and dreams of enthusiasts around the world when…

New Members’ Upgrade at Bolesworth International This year’s Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show will see a new exclusive members’ upgrade at the prestigious event. The five-day event takes place in the stunning grounds of Bolesworth Castle near Tattenhall, Cheshire from June 12 to June 16, 2019 and the new members’ package includes an area within Club Boles with fantastic facilities and ringside seating and viewing. Said Show President, Nina Barbour: “We are always looking at new ideas and ways to improve the event and really feel that the upgrade option…

The animal welfare charity say the incident highlights the difficult and challenging conditions their officers must deal with on a regular basis. An RSPCA officer arrived to their van after tending to horse welfare issues – only to find their windscreen had been smashed in broad daylight. RSPCA inspector Christine McNeil returned to her van on Wentloog Avenue in Cardiff, last Thursday (7 February), to find the act of vandalism had been committed. The windscreen was smashed between 5pm and 5.30pm. The animal welfare charity say the incident underlines the…

The British Equestrian Federation (BEF) have announced further identification of Equine Influenza cases, in the UK. Today (13 February), the BEF reported an update from the Animal Health Trust (AHT) that identified three further positive tests for equine influenza. The cases are located in Kent, Derbyshire and central Scotland. The AHT noted that the three positive tests were from horses who were recently imported from Ireland, or had been in contact with horse’s who had been recently imported. With additional cases being reported across European countries, It has been asked…

New FEI Jumping Nations Cup 2019 Series Bursts into Action at Wellington, Florida Next Weekend! All roads lead to Barcelona where final team ticket to Tokyo will be up for grabs! Written by Louise Deeridge Farm in Wellington (USA) is already buzzing with anticipation ahead of the first major team clash of the year when the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup 2019 series gets underway at the charming Florida venue next Sunday (17 February). And the host nation is putting down a marker right away, calling up three of the four riders…

Jordan Coyle and Eristov top two-horse jump-off for Longines victory in Leon By Catie Staszak Jordan Coyle (IRL) recorded the biggest win of his career when he topped a two-horse jump-off with Eristov to win the $1,910,000 (~$100,000 U.S.) Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Leon, the newest leg on the North American League. Watch Highlights Here Coyle, 25, and the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding had the disadvantageous position of having to jump first over Anderson Lima (BRA)’s shortened track at the Leon Equestrian Club. However, after crossing the timers in…

It’s a hat-trick for Germany’s Daniel Deusser with brilliant win in Bordeaux By Louise Parkes Daniel Deusser produced his third sensational win of the season at the 13th and last qualifier of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2018/2019 Western European League in Bordeaux, France tonight. The 37-year-old German cruised to victory with Calisto Blue at round 3 in Verona (ITA) last October, and then rocketed up the series leaderboard when winning again at round 6 in Madrid (ESP) the following month with Tobago Z. Already heading the WEL leaderboard…

Equine Flu Update from BEF Three further cases confirmed Veterinary experts confirm it’s not necessary to cancel equine events Owners advised to remain vigilant The British Equestrian Federation (BEF) has released notes of the latest update from the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) on Friday 8th February. The BHA has confirmed that there have been three further positive results for equine flu. The latest update brings the total number of positive results to six – all of which are in the same racing yard. The advice from our veterinary experts remains…

Following British Horseracing’s decision to cancel all racing today (7 February 2019) the British Equestrian Federation (BEF) is closely monitoring the situation. Veterinary experts have advised that it is not necessary to cancel other equine events at this time, but we will issue a further update once the full extent of the outbreak is known. In the meantime, they have recommended that ‘all owners follow the guidelines below as a precaution and ensure that all vaccinations are fully up to date’. ‘If your horse is currently vaccinated, we recommend a…

Image above, left to right: Virbacs’ Dr Rosie Naylor, William Funnell, Adele Fowler and Pippa Funnell. Image credit ©Virbac3DWorming 2018 Virbac 3D Worming BE80(T) Technical Merit winner receives £500 Training Bursary Adele Fowler, winner of the 2018 Virbac 3D Worming BE80(T) Technical Merit, was joined by Pippa and William Funnell at Olympia, The London International Horse Show in December to receive her fantastic prize – a £500 training bursary to spend on British Eventing training. The BE80(T) competition is the introductory level into the sport of eventing, with dedicated British Eventing Accredited…

Barbury International Welcomes New Event Management Barbury International has appointed a new event management team, Musketeer Event Management.  Already staging Burnham Market and Houghton International, as well as numerous One Day Events, the Musketeer EM team has taken over the reins at this prestigious fixture that takes place this year  from 4th – 7th July. Alec Lochore is arguably the most experienced Event Director in the field. His previous roles include Eventing Competition Manager at the London 2012 Olympic Games and the forthcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, as well as…

Kingsmead EC to Hold Special Event for Disabled Access Day Surry based Kingsmead Equestrian Centre will be celebrating Disabled Access Day by holding a special event which will take place on March 16, 2019.  Launched in 2015, Disabled Access Day offers disabled people opportunities to try something new. Kingsmead, an Accessibility Mark centre has joined forces with Disabled Access Day to encourage more disabled people to consider taking part in horse riding activities and learn about the benefits of spending time with horses. Free riding taster sessions will also be…

Jason Webb Offers Video Training through Huufe Leading horse trainer and YourHorsemanship.com founder, Jason Webb, has collaborated with Huffe to bring users training snippets and video tips. Members of Huufe, the App that ‘Rewards you for Riding’, will gain access to a variety of Jason’s videos, tips and short snippets designed to help overcome problems and enjoy more purposeful rides. “’Wet saddle blankets make good horses’ is a saying handed down to me from my father” says Jason, “and it has made a lasting impression on me and the way I approach…

New Strides in Eventing Safety New research, incorporating advanced simulations, is set to boost eventing safety and reduce the risk of rotational falls. The research is being carried out by the University of Kentucky, in collaboration with the United States Eventing Association (USEA). Their common goal was to develop simulations of rotational falls, in order to create new insights surrounding cause and prevention. The study developed simulations looking at a variety of situations the event horse and rider may encounter. In the simulated situations, the researchers observed results regarding current…

Experts have warned against canter and gallop work as the temperatures become the coldest yet, this winter. Dr. David Marlin, founder of Science Supplements and horse expert, took to Facebook to warn of the effects that strenuous work, in the cold weather, may have on your horse’s respiratory health. Humans and horses can be affected similarly, by the cold weather. Human asthma suffer’s symptoms become worse in the cold weather, Asthma UK estimating that 4 million people (approximately 75% of the UK’s asthma suffers) would be at risk of life-threatening…

Equestrian feed manufacturer, TopSpec have announced the winner of their latest competition. The Face of TopSpec for 2019 went to 19-year-old Rocket, owned by Hilary Bowerman and ridden by 12-year-old Holly Marsh from Leicestershire. Holly first set eyes on the 14.1hh, skewbald Cob x Arab gelding, Rocket in 2015 when she was just nine-years-old and has since had him on loan from Hilary who regularly supports the duo at competitions. Their prizes include £500 worth of TopSpec feed, nutritional support and advice, a professional photo-shoot and framed print, and a…