Latest from Horse & Hound in Di-cornish

Showjumping yard shocked by birth of ‘white’ mule

Hannah Lemieux — Fri, 27 May 2016 12:00:58 +0000

A rare white-coloured mule foal has been born at the Hertfordshire-based Greenacres Equestrian much to the surprise of the yard’s owners Di and Pennie Cornish.

One-week-old Daisy made her appearance into the world rather unexpectedly after Pennie had purchased her dam, a 13.2hh Connemara, for their riding school — not knowing she was in foal.

“I bought the mare in February from friends who had got her from Ireland, we had no idea and nor did they,” said Pennie, who owns the showjumping yard and riding school with her mother Di. “We only found out in the later stages of the pregnancy and then out popped this funny looking thing, with huge ears. I’ve bred quite a few horses and had some surprises but nothing like this.”

The exact colouring of the filly is not known and Pennie is also in the dark about who the sire is.

“I know white horses are so rare, she hasn’t got blue eyes but does have pink around them. I’d say she’s nearly albino, but she has got some spots appearing on her rear so maybe she will be an appaloosa,” added Pennie. “Even the vet can’t tell us. Also when she was first born, she had bad eyesight and couldn’t see anything.”

However, it sounds like Daisy has made her mark at the yard and won’t be going anywhere soon.

“The kids love her so she has to stay now and I am thinking of keeping her as a yard mascot. If she’s well behaved enough I may take her around county shows next year and raise some money for charity,” added Pennie, who co-owns the Hickstead Derby-winning Caritiar Z with her mother and Nigel Eccles.

“My seven-year-old daughter Chloe has fallen in love with her. She’s a sweet filly and very brave — if you call her name in the field she comes cantering over.

“If I was paid a pound for every person at the riding school who has come and visited her, I would be a millionaire,” she said.

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Showjumping: the state of the sport

Horse & Hound — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:27:52 +0000

It’s likely that British Showjumping (BS) would term the past 12 months its annus horribilis.

The sudden departure of chief executive Diana Cornish (news, 25 March, 2010) was followed by a stormy annual general meeting and an equally unsettled extraordinary general meeting, where plans to reduce the number of board members were scuppered.

As Iain Graham stepped up to the plate as chief executive, changes included the appointment of regional development officers (RDOs) and the reduction of the association’s regions from seven to six.

In his efforts to explain the proposed changes, Mr Graham toured the country, telling members at regional meetings why they were necessary to take BS forward. From the outside, it all seemed fairly positive, but some meetings proved quite volatile — all was not well in British showjumping.

Add to this the worst winter on record and rapidly rising costs putting immense pressure on competitors’ finances and the result was many centres reporting a decrease in entries, particularly at pony level, and a slide in BS membership numbers.

So how do we resuscitate the sport?

Work in progress — new initiatives

BS is exploring the possibility of a grass-roots membership, with league points and a championship at the lower level. Funding from Sport England should help bring in more members and will provide discounted training for non-members by BS-accredited trainers at recognised venues
Subsidised “Get back into training”, courtesy of County Sports Partnerships’ funding, is being looked at to increase the confidence of past members to rejoin the association
A five-star award scheme, supported by NAF to promote rider proficiency
Development officer Gill Perkins and area representatives from Wales are running a mini-major series, where Pony Club members are paired with a showjumper. There will be nine qualifying rounds and a final at Pembroke Show
Non-members can attend three junior training academies before becoming BS members
The main remit of the development officers is to increase membership, often by giving out free tickets to ride worth £6 at unaffiliated fixtures, ensuring training opportunities for all members and working with centresFor the full article on the state of showjumping, see the current issue of Horse & Hound (31 March, 2011)

British Showjumping executive board to stand down

Lucy Higginson — Fri, 28 May 2010 12:02:26 +0000

In what could be the most radical shake-up in showjumping for years, the executive board of British Showjumping (BS) has agreed to stand down en masse so a new, streamlined board can be elected.

The move follows the resignation of chief executive Di Cornish (news, 25 March), who hinted that the “governance by committee” ethos prompted her decision.

The BS board was 22 members strong, despite recommendations in 2003 that it should be “a maximum of five to 10”.

“After Di’s resignation, the executive board asked if she, along with other members of the remuneration committee, would look at the structure of the board,” said BS board chairman Michael Mac.

“Their ideas will be put to the members at an EGM. There should be a better approach to the everyday running of BS.”

While a smaller “skills-based” board of around eight people is elected, a new sporting council will be formed in parallel.

“This will comprise up to 40 people who will not be directors, but whose areas of expertise can help inform working parties,” said BS president Lis Astall.

Former executive board members will automatically join the sporting council and may apply to serve on the new board.

Mrs Astall said she did not imagine sporting council members would be paid.

BS members will be urged to ratify the decision at a future meeting.

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (27 May, ’10)

Iain Graham to be new British Showjumping chief executive

Horse & Hound — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:27:01 +0000

Former British Showjumping (BS) head of sport and performance Iain Graham will take over from Diana Cornish as chief executive of the sport on 1 May.

Mr Graham joined BS in August 2009 from British Eventing (BE), where he had been a technical advisor and then BE regional director for Scotland and the North of England.

He said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have been offered this position and am looking forward to continuing with the progression of our sport during such an instrumental period in the lead up to London 2012 and beyond.

“British Showjumping is going through a period of change at the moment and I feel fortunate to be accepting the post at this time.”

BS chairman Michael Mac added: “We are extremely pleased that Iain has accepted the position.

“Iain’s commitment and focus on delivery is second to none as is his innovative and structured approach to change.”

In a surprise move Mrs Cornish, who took over from Jacky Wood in 2008 (news, 10 July 2008), gave three months’ notice on 1 March.

She cited the differences between her previous roles as chief executive of recruitment company Brook Street Bureau and a board member of a number of FTSE 250-listed companies and being chief executive of a organisation governed by committee as her reason for standing down.

British Showjumping chief executive Di Cornish steps down

Amy Mathieson — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:40:10 +0000

British Showjumping (BS) chief executive Diana Cornish is to step down after only 18 months in the role.

Diana, a leading owner and producer of top showjumpers, joined BS in September 2008, succeeding Jacky Wood, who retired in 2008 after dedicating 40 years of her life to British showjumping. Diana was previously chief executive of recruitment companies Brook Street Bureau and Blue Arrow.

“Much of my time here has been extremely interesting and enjoyable, but the role as chief executive of a membership organisation governed by committee is very different to the three chief executive positions I held in public companies prior to my current appointment,” she said.

“It is for this reason that I feel it right for someone else to take on the role and continue to move the sport forward. Showjumping has always been my passion and I will continue to participate in the sport with my daughter, as international owners, breeders and producers of young horses.”

BS chairman Michael Mac: “Working with Diana has been a pleasure and she will be sorely missed. I do not just speak for myself when I say that the results she has achieved in a relatively small timeframe have been instrumental in making us much more commercially viable and appealing as a sport.

“We will continue liaising with Diana and would like to thank her for her knowledge and expertise during her time with us.”

BSJA appoints Di Cornish as new chief executive

Horse & Hound — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:58:01 +0000

The British Show Jumping Association (BSJA) has appointed Di Cornish, a successful executive from the commercial world, to succeed Jacky Wood as chief executive later this year.

Di, a leading owner and producer of top show jumpers, will join the BSJA on 1 September and will take over from Jacky after an appropriate handover period.

The new chief executive is a passionate advocate of show jumping and for many years supported and worked closely with Harvey Smith and later with his sons Robert and Steven. She has also built up a successful riding school and livery yard in Hertfordshire, is a former BSJA executive board member and committee member of the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and through her company Brook Street, was one of the first people to provide major corporate sponsorship of HOYS.

In the commercial world, Di has been a board member of FTSE 250 listed companies and has a successful track record in personnel and recruitment services. She was CEO at Brook Street Bureau and later became executive chairman at Blue Arrow Ltd.

Jacky Wood will be retiring at the end of this year after devoting over 40 years of her life to British show jumping. Jacky rose from head of the BSJA’s shows department to chief executive. She was awarded an OBE in 2007, thee British Equestrian Federation’s medal of honour in 1986 and, this year, the First Women Tourism and Leisure award for her services to the sport.

BSJA chaiman Michael Mac said:

“I know I speak for everyone at the BSJA when I say that it has been a pleasure to work with Jacky — her knowledge, dedication, and meticulous attention to detail has always been second to none, earning her respect from everyone she knows.

“As sad as we are to see Jacky taking retirement, we are absolutely delighted that we have found such a strong successor in Di Cornish and we warmly welcome her to this key role.”