Latest from Horse & Hound in David-broome

David Broome’s Hickstead Derby memories: ‘I swear blind the bank disappeared back underneath you’

Jennifer Donald — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 11:29:58 +0000

Ahead of the 61st running of the world-famous Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby on Sunday 25 June, we’ve been chatting to some of the past winners to hear their stand-out memories of the class.

Here is what the legendary David Broome, who won the Hickstead Derby in 1966 riding Mister Softee, had to say…

First Hickstead Derby memory

“Hearing that there was going to be a new showground at Hickstead in 1960 was exciting anyway, but very few, if any, of us had ever ridden in a Derby at that point so when we heard about the Hickstead Derby we were all looking forward to it,” says David. “It was a new challenge to all of us.”

First Hickstead Derby experience

“I was pretty lucky that first year because my horse Discutido had been round the Hamburg Derby and we just had the dyke down – there was only one clear, from the winner Seamus Hayes,” says David of the inaugural event in 1961.

“What I took away from that experience was just how daunting the bank was. It was in a different position in those early years – Douglas Bunn later moved it – and it looked big enough from the floor, but when you looked down from on top of a horse, I swear blind the bank disappeared back underneath you. It was quite a scary thing really and I think maybe one horse jumped off the top of the bank that year.”

The time it all went right in the Hickstead Derby

“I was a real jammy winner in 1966 with Mister Softee, who had already jumped round with David Barker, because he banked the privet hedge and kicked the middle of the three front poles out, but because he hadn’t dislodged the top one, we jumped clear,” recalls David.

“You always need a bit of luck to win a big class like that. Mister Softee was phenomenal, a real Irish stamp of a horse and he never took any notice of the fences. Everybody wanted to win the Hickstead Derby and in those days it carried substantial prize money – it’s the Grand National of showjumping. It still is a spectacular event and every year it has a story.”

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‘It makes me want to put my boots on again!’ Olympic medallist David Broome celebrates big news for showjumping

Lucy Elder — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 18:29:53 +0000

Welsh show boasts £100,000 prize pot for world ranking classes

The David Broome Event Centre will stage four Longines world ranking classes in 2023 worth £100,000 in total, having secured major sponsorship and significant financial backing.

The south Wales venue’s two CSI2* shows (April 28 to 1 May and 25 to 28 August) will each have two world ranking classes, with major sponsors in eVet secured for the spring international and Equestrian Surfaces for the August fixture. The Billy Stud and Equine America have also given significant financial backing.

“We have traditionally invested in facilities, but since Brexit there is such a need for this type of class in the UK,” said James Broome, of the event centre.

“This will offer riders that used to spend more time abroad additional opportunity to perform at this level in the UK.

“These classes are important for the entire sport, as these riders are inspirational to riders at the lower levels, and very often offer coaching, dealing and other services that the industry needs.

“We are extremely thankful to our sponsors, who have also recognised the need and have kindly offered their support.”

Double Olympic bronze medallist and former world champion David Broome added: “I often think how proud my father would be seeing the centre he started develop into the thriving enterprise that it has become.

“However, I think he would turn in his grave if he knew we were giving away £100,000 in four classes!

“It is funny to think that when I won the Calgary Grand Prix in 1978, it was considered the biggest class in the world. I got £8,000 for winning, the same as each of these ranking classes! It makes me want to put my boots on again.”

Major new deal for Hickstead

Agria UK has signed a major three-year sponsorship deal with The All England Jumping Course at Hickstead.

The firm’s support extends across showing and showjumping and includes key classes at the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting (22 to 25 June) and the Longines Royal International Horse Show (25 to 30 July).

Agria UK managing director Vicki Wentworth said the company is “very proud” to be sponsoring the classes.

“Agria’s ethos is all about supporting horses working at every level, for life, and helping them to achieve their goals with the reassurance that vet bills can be covered year after year for recurring injuries or repetitive or chronic conditions,” she said.

“Nothing could be more exciting than doing that at two of the greatest jumping and showing shows in the UK. We look forward to supporting Hickstead, and the riders from across the UK lucky enough to be there among the best in the world.”

Hickstead director Lizzie Bunn gave a “warm welcome” to the company.

“Sponsors are vital to the successful running of our showground, and we are very grateful to Agria for their support,” she said. “The Hickstead team is excited to be embarking on what will hopefully be a long and successful collaboration.”

Agria-sponsored rider Joe Stockdale will be aiming to compete at Hickstead this year and said he is “delighted” Agria is extending its support.

“With their focus on lifetime cover and animal welfare, this feels an ideal fit for a family-run showground like Hickstead that hosts competitions for horses at so many levels, and across a range of disciplines. I always look forward to Hickstead,” he said.

The company will sponsor the following classes at the Derby meeting: the Agria Derby Trial, the Agria Derby Two Phase, the Agria Hickstead Master’s Trophy, the Agria Supreme Coloured Horse Ridden Championship and the Agria Supreme Hack Championship.

At the Royal International, it will sponsor the Agria Royal International Stakes and will also be title sponsor of Hickstead’s ring five for the Derby meeting, Royal International and the All England September Tour.

Laura Tomlinson Joins Jessie May as ambassador

Olympic medal-winning dressage rider Laura Tomlinson has joined charity Jessie May as an ambassador.

Jessie May is a hospice at home service for children with life-limiting conditions in the southwest of England. It was established by parents Chris and Phillipa Purrington following the death of their baby daughter, Jessie May, in 1994.

Laura heard about the work Jessie May carries out, and as a mother of four young children, wanted to help raise awareness for the charity that helps so many young children and their families.

“I am so delighted to be an ambassador for Jessie May and to support the incredibly important work they do,” said Laura. “The support they provide to children and their families through such difficult times is invaluable. I hope that with this partnership, I can help widen Jessie May’s audience so that more people can see and support their wonderful work.”

New partner for Badminton

Bloomfields Horseboxes Ltd is announced as the official horsebox partner of Badminton Horse Trials, presented by Mars Equestrian (4 to 8 May).

Reigning Badminton champion Laura Collett, a Bloomfields ambassador, recently took delivery of her Bloomfields Professional box.

“The team at Bloomfields have been brilliant to work with,” she said. “Nothing has been too much trouble for them. The quality of my new lorry is exceptional and I can’t wait to get out competing in it.”

Two-time Badminton winner William Fox-Pitt will take delivery of his new lorry during Badminton. Both William and Laura will also be visiting the Bloomfields Horseboxes stand for autographs and photos.

Helen Moody, director of Bloomfields Horseboxes Ltd, said: “We are very excited to be launching one of our new models at the show, along with showcasing a range of our smaller horseboxes from 3.5 – 5T. We have always aspired to be sponsors at Badminton Horse Trials, and could not be happier to be a part of the show for 2023.”

Badminton director Jane Tuckwell said the five-star is “delighted” to welcome Bloomfields.

“They already have connections with some of the top riders and should be in for a great weekend,” she added.

British Eventing reveals new deal

British Eventing (BE) has signed new partnership deals with equine biosecurity specialist Equine Bio Genie and online sales The Sovereign Auctions.

“We are trusted by many of the top equestrian professionals in the country – from racing, breeding, eventing, showjumping and top veterinary practice,” said Equine Bio Genie director Helen Tuckley.

“The commitment to environmental health and infection control are at the forefront of everything we do – and we are extremely pleased to be able to share this with British Eventing members so they can benefit from our research, development and delivery too.”

Maria Haig, BE’s head of commercial and marketing, added: “Biosecurity will no doubt be at the forefront of our members’ minds when ensuring equine welfare and to have Equine Bio Genie on hand to assist with this will prove highly valuable.”

The Sovereign Auctions will support BE’s youth squads by donating 5% of the net profit for every lot sold at its four auctions this year towards the cost of sending youth teams to their respective European Championships.

“We are delighted to be assisting support BE’s most talented youth riders at this pivotal point in their careers and believe that in investing in them at this stage it is also an investment in Great Britain’s CCI5* and championship riders of the future,” said Steve Revell, director of The Sovereign Auctions.

Ms Haig added: “When we met with Steve and his team to discuss how they could support British Eventing, it became immediately apparent that their passion lay with the supporting of younger riders in their sporting ambitions.

“Talking through the concept of potentially supporting the sending of youth teams to their European Championships it was immediately felt as ideal for them and they very quickly came back with the proposal of supporting the teams via their auctions.

“Their solution couldn’t have been better positioned and we look forward to working alongside them in promoting their selection of top-quality British-bred embryos and youngstock; many of which we hope to see competing successfully on home soil in the future.”

Caunton Manor Stud in new deal with eventing organiser

Nottinghamshire-based Caunton Manor Stud is sponsoring the owners’ and members’ facilities at organiser Bede Events’ international fixtures.Bede Events commercial manager Georgie Dickinson said: “Having a local business on board with Bede Events, who are so passionate about the future of eventing, is really import to us all.

“We hope that the new Caunton Clubhouse for members and owners will make the perfect middle-grade hospitality option for those attending our international fixtures.”

The Caunton Clubhouse will be open at the Eventing Spring Carnival at Thoresby Park (31 March to 2 April) and refreshments will be provided in its restaurant and a British Polo Gin bar.

One of the world’s greatest sportsmen wins 2022 Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 23:01:45 +0000

The 2022 Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award went to a true equestrian legend – and one of the greatest sportsmen in the world.

In an outstanding career more than three decades long, showjumper David Broome represented Great Britain at five Olympic Games and won five world and seven European championship medals. He also claimed six King George titles on six different horses, the Hickstead Derby and numerous grands prix on a string of horses who became household names alongside their rider – Sunsalve, Mr Softee, Countryman, Sportsman and Philco to name just a few.

The farmer’s son from Cardiff became a national hero; he was flag-bearer at the 1972 Olympics, the first Brit to become showjumping world champion and a three-time European champion.

He was only 20 when he was voted sports personality of the year in 1960, when Sunsalve was brought into the TV studio, and in 2007 he received a “national treasure” award from Alan Titchmarsh’s ITV show. For his outstanding contribution to the sport, David was appointed OBE in 1970, and CBE in 1995.

“This year’s Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement Award winner competed in a golden age for showjumping, and he acquired so much of the silverware on offer during those incredible three decades,” said H&H editor-in-chief Sarah Jenkins.

“With a list of achievements as long as your arm, and a public following any of today’s riders would envy, could there be a more appropriate winner of this accolade? David has always been a wonderful supporter of Horse & Hound, as well as to those coming up through the ranks of showjumping. He is a true legend of the sport and we are honoured to give him this award.”

David Broome receiving the Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award from Sarah Jenkins at the Horse & Hound Awards 2022, in partnership with NAF. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

David retired from competition in the early 1990s but has remained involved in the sport; serving as British Showjumping president, and his family runs the David Broome Event Centre, a superb competition venue opened in 1968 at their Mount Ballan Manor estate in Crick, Monmouthshire.

The fact he remains one of the world’s best known and successful showjumpers is testimony to his extraordinary talent and heroic achievements in the saddle, as well as the fact he is a thoroughly lovely person, always generous with his time and valued opinions. David Broome, a true legend.

Don’t miss next week’s edition of H&H magazine (8 December) for the full report on all the winners.

David Broome recalls the great Mister Softee: ‘the thrill of riding him is still with me’

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 11:51:45 +0000

The tremendous partnership between David Broome and Mister Softee began with a “right place, right time” moment at White City in the early 1960s and David’s impressions of the flashy chestnut were very promising from the start.

“What a Christian of a horse,” David says, speaking in an interview on episode 43 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, currently supported by NAF.

“I don’t think he ever had an evil move in him. He was as straight as a gun-barrel and he had a lovely technique. He had a very poor confirmation though and his back-end was very cow-hocked. If you’d been buying him in the fair or whatever as a four-year-old, I don’t think you’d have touched him with a barge pole because you’d never have thought his back-end would stand up to the wear and tear. But lo and behold it did!”

In 1966, the pair really started making headlines, winning the Hickstead Derby and the King George V Gold Cup.

“He was a horse for the big occasion,” says David. “It was 50-odd years ago now, but the thrill of riding him is still with me.”

Looking back to the 1967 European Championships at which he and Mister Softee won the first of their back-to-back individual gold medals, David says: “I remember walking the course with Harvey Smith and there was an oxer between two trees going directly away from the collecting ring and Harvey stretched his arms out between the fence and he needed about another two foot on the end of his arms to touch both poles, that’s how wide it was! It was planks on the front, planks on the back, in cups. If you made a mistake at that you went head over heels.

“But Mister Softee jumped it terribly well and for the rest of my life, whenever we came across a big oxer in the ring when we were walking the course, Harvey and I used to say to each other: ‘Is it as big as jackpot?’ Jackpot was that fence in Rotterdam.

“But not only did Mister Softee win those Europeans, three days later he won the grand prix as well.”

Continued below…

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Describing the types of tracks that showjumpers used to jump in those days, David explains: “A lot of the challenge in the course was in a horse’s bravery, let alone being careful. There was a lot more variety of jumps – big walls, oxers with bushes in the middle, and you needed a courageous horse to take them on, not just a careful one.

“The course Mister Softee jumped at the Olympic Games at Mexico I think was the biggest course that was ever built, ever in the world really. Nobody’s ever jumped fences like that since I don’t think.”

Hear more about David’s thoughts and recollections of Mister Softee by tuning in to episode 43 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, or search “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your favourite podcast app.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find out more about getting the magazine delivered to your door every week.

Mister Softee: David Broome’s ‘freak’ with ‘bucketfuls of heart’ H&H Plus

Pippa Cuckson — Sat, 27 Mar 2021 15:00:49 +0000

The striking chestnut with a huge jump and celebrity status helped David Broome to his second Olympic accolade, writes Pippa Cuckson

Great riders win with dozens of wonderful horses, but there is usually only one so loved by fans he becomes part of the rider’s identity: in this case, David-and-Mister-Softee.

“Softee” was a gift for the early days of televised sport. He was named after the nation’s favourite ice-cream, and had a blaze and white bandages over his stockings all round which, says David Broome, made him look good on black and white TV. He became much in demand for personal appearances, and is probably the only sport horse to “visit” a coal mine.

But even without his celebrity status, the triple European champion and Olympic bronze medallist inspired awe.

“Softee had the most phenomenal technique – the front end just disappeared and you could keep riding forward at these big fences,” says David.

Mister Softee’s story really begins in 1864, with the arrival in Nottinghamshire of penniless Italian émigré Giovanni Massarella.

Within three generations the Massarellas built a vast food business, their new wealth funding their passion for horses.

Giovanni’s grandson – known as “Mr John” – became a successful owner at Almholme, South Yorkshire. In 1960 he acquired a 16.1hh chestnut called Foxhound for £300 from Dublin sales. He was assumed foaled around 1953.

“We’d just say the breeding was Irish magic,” says David.

The 1969 Wills Mens European Championship at the All England Jumping Course, Hickstead. Winner David Broome on Mr Softee (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Michael Massarella, John’s nephew, visited Almholme daily to ride show ponies.

“I well remember his arrival, for everyone remarked that horses with four white legs don’t usually jump!” said Michael.

Foxhound was renamed after the American ice cream franchise freshly acquired by Michael’s father Ronnie.

Stable jockey Bobbie Bealby produced Softee to grade B. In early 1961 he was offered to the late David Barker, Rome 1960 Olympian, show ring supremo and later legendary huntsman of the Meynell and South Staffs.

David Barker’s autobiography notes he was not overly impressed at first viewing, distrusting those white legs, and because calves had chewed Softee’s tail. But he proved a “willing fellow”, needing no schooling over parallels because he used quarters and shoulders “to the fullest”.

By 1962 David Barker and Softee were Nations Cup regulars, also winning fans on the North American fall tour.

The European Championships were initially staged annually, for individuals only. David Broome was the 1961 gold medallist with Sunsalve, but his champion died in the summer of 1962, and David Barker and Peter Robeson were chosen over Broome to defend the title at White City.

John Lanni aboard Mister Softee (taken from the book, The World of Showjumping) (Image credit: creditUnknown)

David Barker was in fact amazed that Softee qualified for the final, against legends Piero d’Inzeo, Hans Winkler and Alwin Schockemöhle. As the prospect of actually winning became real, he became very tense, later recalling: “Instead of sitting very quietly, as if it was just another competition, I drove Mister Softee into the 13th on a flattish stride, riding more like a madman than a contender. The poor horse, on this by now holding going, had no chance of jumping it well. We hit it very hard. To my dying day I shall hear the groan from the crowded stands.”

But Softee jumped two last parallels brilliantly to snatch the gold. David Barker’s wife Valerie, also an international rider, immersed herself in a crossword puzzle, too anxious to watch.

In 1963 Softee finished sixth in his title defence in Rome, and had another superb Nations Cup season.

But he wasn’t the easiest to keep sound. John Massarella vowed never to start Softee in another puissance after seeing his pastern flat to the ground when landing from 7ft 2in at Madison Square Gardens, New York, in 1962.

“He also had the worst hocks in the business, but he lived with it,” says David Broome.

Softee was grounded for much of 1964, Tokyo Olympic year. Early in 1965, David Barker was offered O’Malley and felt unable to do both horses justice, so John passed the ride to his nephew, John Lanni. Matt Lanni well remembers his late father saying that “Softee was long in the back and jumped like elastic, like a modern horse”.

They won three consecutive Area International Trials and were picked for a team, only to fall heavily at the Royal International, with John stretchered out of the arena, after which he was off for some while.

Pragmatically, David’s father Fred stepped forward. David recalls: “My father said, ‘The horse has had this awful crash, I’m sure David would give him a couple of confidence-giving pops in the warm-up.’ So I was called over.

“Mister Softee jumped very nicely, but I thought no more about it until Mr John phoned two weeks later and asked if I’d ride him. The chance of a horse like that was phenomenal.”

David Broom and Mister Softee — European Champion Rotterdam 1967 (Image credit: creditUnknown)

But by the end of 1965 an unsound Softee was back with top vet Jeffrey Brain. David therefore planned for 1966, only for swamp fever to prevent British horses competing abroad all season. To fans’ delight, the new partnership was consolidated entirely on home soil. Numerous wins included the 1966 King George V Cup, the Hickstead Derby (with the sole clear), the Olympic trial at British Timken, and the Horse of the Year Show championship.

So it was six years after David Broome’s first European title and five after Mister Softee’s that they paired up for a second gold each, at Rotterdam in 1967, also winning the grand prix there.

Softee was around 15 when he got his first Olympic shot, at the Mexico City Games in 1968. The format was not unlike the unpopular “new” system for Tokyo 2021, with the individual staged first, then teams of three with no drop score.

The big difference was the vastness of the Mexico tracks. One oxer in the individual had a 7ft 2in (2.2m) spread to a 5ft 7in (1.70m) back pole. Only two horses cleared it.

“Softee was third in the jump-off for individual bronze,” says David. “In the Nations Cup only four rounds were jumped without time-faults and Softee had two of them. I remember it exactly. The time allowed was 96 seconds. We had 95.6 in one and were bang on in the other.

“After the first round Britain was ahead by approximately 40 faults. In the second round Harvey [Smith] and Madison Time had jumped fantastic – we were walking it. Then Marion [Coakes] was eliminated [the first refusals of Stroller’s career] at the combination which was a right tricky one – dangerous, in fact; a round wall to an oxer and another oxer. You needed exceptional scope.

“Softee made the front pole of the second oxer but the back rail came down under his neck. In the second round he did the same thing, but still had the courage to throw his heart at it. It was the only time I ever asked him to jump something I knew he couldn’t.

“The horses had all jumped unbelievably, though Softee was the most outstanding horse of the whole Games. When we got home as bronze medallists the brilliance of his overall performance didn’t really register with the public, and I felt sad about that.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

There was, nonetheless, a hero’s welcome for Softee and David at Hickstead in 1969, at the next European Championship. They began in sparkling form, having the fastest time in the opening speed leg despite five seconds added. The convoluted points system needed some working out, with David facing Hans Winkler and Alwin Schockemöhle in the finale.

David says these high-octane championships brought out the best in Softee.

“In the first round there were 18 numbered fences, the first six of a speed nature, the second six were puissance dimensions and the third a Nations Cup course. In the second round they took out the middle six.

“He didn’t put a foot wrong. I just had to sit on and steer. He had a natural flowing-on style, was always very neat and careful and would do everything he could to avoid hitting a fence.

“We all remember those great sporting moments, the fantastic goals and tries. That last round at Hickstead was Mister Softee’s. I’ve always felt that anyone able to see him that day was very lucky.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

One such spectator was a 17-year-old Linda Briggs, also present at White City in 1962. Linda went on to be a founding member of the Showjumping Supporters’ Club.

“Softee appealed to me straight away because of his sheer consistency,” she recalls. “He seemed to give it his absolute all. He was also a complete sweetie in his box – in those halcyon days when members of the public were allowed in the stables at major shows!”

Mister Softee was briefly ridden by Malcolm Pyrah before returning to David Broome in Wales.

Softee always had a long winter holiday at Almholme. In hindsight, David feels it unwise to have completely let-down an aging horse, for Softee found the opening show of his final planned season a more noticeable struggle.

“So I phoned Mr John and said, ‘Look, he was second today, but it was the hardest money he’s ever won. Shall we retire him?’ He replied, ‘I’d love to.’”

Winners of the 1968 Olympic showjumping competition. In the centre is William Steinkraus of the USA, on Snowbound the gold medalist, on the left is British Silver medal winner Marion Coakes on Stroller and to the right is third placed David Broome on Mister Softee — 23 October 1968 (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Mister Softee lived out his days with his donkey friend, Jenny, in John Massarella’s field by a footpath, still enjoying visits from fans.

In the 1960s, the FEI endlessly rejigged championship format. Often the winner might have been different had the previous year’s system applied.

David says: “I recall sitting on a wall with Harvey the evening after the Mexico team competition, reminiscing how easily we could have been gold medallists, had the scoring worked a little differently. Softee was a star in his day, and should have been an Olympic star too. I feel sad for him that he never got that; he certainly deserved it.”

“Heart” in bucketfuls

Althea Roger-Smith and Havana Royale (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Althea Gifford (née Roger-Smith; pictured, on Havana Royale) competed alongside Mister Softee many times.

“What an amazing horse,” she says. “He had that thing we always look for in a competition horse, called ‘heart’, and he had that in bucketfuls. He never stopped trying to jump clear rounds.

“He was a bit of a freak, really, as he didn’t have the best conformation and certainly wasn’t a good mover, but he just wanted to please and over the big tracks he really had to try hard. He must have been a very intelligent horse too, as he always knew and rose to the big occasions. He was a great horse to have on a team.

“If he were human his school reports would have said, ‘This pupil will go far as he doesn’t know when to give up!’”

A showjumping dynasty

In the 19th century, four million people left Italy in search of a better life, mostly heading for America.

“But Italians are clannish and go where they already know someone – in our case, Nottinghamshire,” says Michael Massarella.

His great-grandfather Giovanni settled in South Yorkshire, and played barrel organs and sold ice cream around Doncaster. One son, Carmine, secured a farm tenancy and grew the food business from there. Michael vividly recalls the smell of ice cream boiling up in the cellar, before their state of the art plant churned out 6,000 gallons a day.

Softee the horse was responsible for the appointment of Ronnie Massarella (pictured above, second left, at the 1984 Olympics) as British showjumping team manager, presiding over the “golden age”.

“Uncle John didn’t like travelling, so whenever Softee competed abroad my father accompanied him,” says Michael. “Once in the US the British chef d’equipe was taken ill, so my father was asked to step in. He’d managed a football team but had to make up a lot of it on the hoof. After that he didn’t stop for the next 35 years.”

Giovanni’s other descendants John and Carmen Lanni also moved to England, later founding Arena UK, Moorhouse and Goostrey arenas, while sport horse breeding owes much to Louis Massarella’s pioneering Louella Stud. How different British equestrianism – and our love affair with ice-cream – might have been had their ancestors boarded the boat to New York…

This feature is also available to read in the Thursday 25 March issue of Horse & Hound magazine

The Horse & Hound Podcast 43: David Broome on Mister Softee | Competition horses living out | News round-up

Gemma Redrup — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 06:45:25 +0000

In our 43rd weekly episode of the first series of The Horse & Hound Podcast, currently supported by NAF, former top showjumper David Broome talks to H&H editor Pippa Roome about his Olympic ride Mister Softee. Moving on to the week’s top news stories, our senior news writer Lucy Elder, news writer Becky Murray and dressage editor Polly Bryan join Pippa to discuss the latest update on EHV-1 and concerns around Olympic qualification for some of Britain’s top riders. We also welcome back supergroom to Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin, Alan Davies, who shares advice on managing competition horses who live out. We hope you will find it useful.

Episode 43 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, currently supported by NAF, our popular audio service available exclusively every Thursday morning for our H&H Plus subscribers, is now live.

Each episode is available for all H&H fans to listen to 24hrs after its early release to our H&H Plus members. Search for “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your preferred podcast app and click subscribe to be notified about each new episode. This will allow more listeners to make The Horse & Hound Podcast an essential part of their week on Friday morning.

View all episodes of The Horse & Hound Podcast

In episode 43, former top showjumper David Broome talks to H&H editor Pippa Roome about his Olympic ride Mister Softee.

“My God, he was a horse for the big occasion. Looking back it was 50-odd years ago now but the thrill of riding him still lives with me” – David Broome on Mister Softee (pictured), with whom he won three European Championships in the 1960s

H&H podcast host Pippa Roome speaks to senior news writer Lucy Elder, news writer Becky Murray and dressage editor Polly Bryan to discuss the latest update on EHV-1 and concerns around Olympic qualification for some of Britain’s top riders.

“I was straight on the phone to Carl Hester because it hadn’t even occurred to me that he might not be qualified” – Polly Bryan on Olympic qualification for some of Britain’s top riders

In this week’s advice section we welcome back supergroom to Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin, Alan Davies, shares advice on managing competition horses who live out.

“It’s so good for them — they can be normal, be horses, they can get their heads down and it’s great for their minds” – Alan Davies

We hope you will enjoy our latest episode and would love to hear your feedback, so please do send your thoughts to pippa.roome@futurenet.com