The 2021 Dublin Horse Show has been cancelled, but plans for a national competition featuring a select number of showing and showjumping classes are in the pipeline.
The showing circuit never fails to provide its share of anecdotes and tales for the dinner table, but one show rider has gone a step further and has written his own novel exploring the inner-workings of horse showing and the people who make up the show scene.
Four-time Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) winner Bobby Bright’s recently released literary creation Sex, Drugs and Red Rosettes is a comedy novel about horse showing and the equestrian world.
The novel explores the lifestyle of equestrians and delves into the politics and corruption of equestrian competitions.
“Bobby is already an established author and has been working on the novel for a good year,” said Bobby’s father David. “The idea had been brewing in his head for years as he’s been massively involved in showing with his sister since he was young. I think anyone who competes in the show ring will be able to relate.”
The cover has been designed to mimic a first prize rosette and has been finished in vegan leather. The book has been handmade in Britain and bonded with a method of production which utilises a 200 million-year-old petrified wood pressing system.
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Here’s a snippet from the book, which was released on 3 September…
“Teddy returned to the hosepipe to find that the end had slipped out of the bucket and was watering the surrounding field. He picked up the end and put it in the bucket, only for it to instantly snake out the moment he dropped it. He grasped it once more, and angrily shoved it into the bucket. Again, the hosepipe refused to stay.“What the literal hell!?” Teddy exclaimed quietly as he grabbed the end of the hose and threw it in the bucket with a furious toss. The bucket filled for a few seconds and Teddy allowed his wrath to abate, until the hosepipe slowly moved due to the pressure of the water, and flicked out of the bucket. “Stay in the damn bucket!” Teddy yelled as he lurched for the hose and threw it in the container again, only for it to immediately backfire and shoot water in the air to soak his face. “ARGH!” he yelled as he grabbed it and wrestled it under control; water spraying upwards as Teddy could no longer control his ire. He held the hose as if he was choking it. “Yeah, you like that!? Huh!?” Teddy threaded it through the handle of the plastic water bucket and wrapped it tightly in a coil around the bottom of the container. He tried to calm himself but at that moment, the rage he felt for the hosepipe consumed him; he treated the inanimate object as if it was his worst enemy. His frustration wouldn’t subside as the hose gave the impression of having a will of its own. As the hosepipe threatened to move, Teddy decided to hold it in place, plunging his hands on the hosepipe as if he was drowning it, so it would stay in the bucket.”
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Former H&H showing editor and deputy features editor
Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 as showing editor, cementing its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK. She moved on in October 2024 to pursue other opportunities, but continues to write for us on a freelance basis.
