Latest from Horse & Hound in Equestrian-sports

Farewell to passionate advocate for wildlife management in the British countryside, aged 85

Becky Murray — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 15:12:48 +0000

By David Renney

Lewis Hartland Thomas, the co-founder of Vets for Hunting, later the Veterinary Association for Wildlife Management (VAWM), has died aged 85.

Lewis was born in Bath, where his mother, Alex, was an evacuee from London during the war. His father, Mark Hartland Thomas, was an architect.

He attended Westminster School in London, then Trinity College, Dublin, briefly to read classics. Questioned by his father, whom he greatly respected, on what he planned to do with his degree, he changed his course at Trinity to zoology, then gained a place at Cambridge to read veterinary medicine.

The family moved to Kent while he was a teenager, where he met Rosemary, who became his wife of 60 years. He and Rosemary spent the early part of their marriage in Cambridge, where Lewis rowed for his college.

After graduation, Thomas went into mixed practice, briefly joining Messrs Gilbert, Kirkwood and Gale in Newbury. He soon switched to an academic career, taking a position at the Institute for the Research on Animal Diseases, at Compton, Berkshire. There, he worked on bovine conditions, earning his doctorate and becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists.

It was one of his many published letters, in this case to The Times, that was the catalyst for the formation of Vets for Hunting. William “Twink” Allen read it and thought it so articulate he made contact to arrange the first vets’ meeting.

In retirement, Thomas threw himself into the work of Vets for Hunting and the VAWM. The name change was intended to show that the remit was not limited to wildlife management by hunting, particularly important when an informed veterinary voice was needed on the subject of badger culling. It was also intended to show that the association’s interest was not limited to hunting but extended to its purpose.

Lewis organised two successful conferences on wildlife management, attracting eminent speakers and delegates, putting on show the intellectual ballast that supports the case for hunting with hounds.

He was an indefatigable writer of letters to newspapers and politicians, making the case that hunting with hounds was better for the welfare of the quarry species than any other method of management. No VAWM committee meeting was complete without a report of his most recent correspondence with the secretary of state.

He was a keen fly fisher and sang in his church choir. He did not ride, but was an enthusiastic follower of hounds and his son, Charlie, went into hunt service. Having started as professional whipper-in at the Vine and Craven Hunt, last year he was made a joint-master. Lewis and Rosemary gave a lawn meet for Charlie’s hounds last season.

It was only his responsibility for caring for Rosemary and his own failing health that finally began to limit him. He felt cheated that in old age he did not reap the benefit of a daily 15-mile round commute on his bicycle for almost all his working life. But he never lost his fighting spirit.

He leaves Rosemary, his son Charlie, an estate agent, and daughter Lucy, a vet.

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10 experts reveal the products they can’t live without at a horse show

Bethan Simons — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:30:33 +0000

After a busy first half of the season, it’s likely your grooming kit or stripping basket are in need of a refresh – this could be true whether your next stop is an area show or you’re prepping for a week at the Royal International.

From emergency saviours to cheap hacks, we asked some top producers what they can’t live without on show days.

Show kit essentials

Hannah Horton: “I wouldn’t contemplate going showing without good old baby wipes – they can be used for anything. We also make sure we have drinks for humans in the stripping basket.”

Emma Burrows: “For me, I need a good mane and tail detangler, coat gloss and a bit of baby oil gel [like this one] to smooth the hair.”

Danielle Heath: “We love Smart Grooming Super Shine; it’s fantastic on faces and gives a mega shine on bodies, too, especially in an evening performance.”

Having products you can rely on in your basket will make things easier on show day. (Image credit: Elli Birch)

Joe Watson: “This olive oil sheen spray is brilliant on our natives’ manes and tails especially,” he says, “and we use it as a coat gloss and highlighter, too. It’s not very expensive, which is great as we go through tons of the stuff.”

Leon King: “It has to be this Got2b hair gel for plaiting. We always have Leovet’s Power Phaser fly spray and this Cowboy Magic shampoo as well as their Detangler and Shine on tails; it’s incredible – like nothing else I have tried.”

Sara Parrott: “If I had to choose one product that I couldn’t be without it would have to be Supreme Products’ Sparkle Spray for those last minute finishing touches, manes, coats and tails – and even hooves and rider’s boots at a push!”

Sue-Helen Shuttleworth: “On the lorry we always have a good shampoo to quickly wash and dry if horses need it after travelling or working in. Personally I use Equioils Super Soap, Equioils Whitening Wood Flour and towels.

“In the strip basket there’s always a good, clean damp sponge for wiping away saddle marks before the conformation phase, and a good mane and tail brush.

And there’s always full fat Coke and sweets to keep us going.”

Harrison Taylor: “We use glycerine mixed in water for a sponge over, then Arena Products’ Show Shine spray on top. I also use Arena Products’ Clear Highlighter, which contains SPF for eyes and muzzle, black make up, Brylcreem, hair spray and baby wipes.”

Edward Young: “We always have tea, sugar and milk on the lorry. We also have a portable shower to wash any plaiting gel out of the manes and condition them when we unplait; it must be more comfortable for them, and it stops the mane getting too brittle. In my stripping bucket I carry fly spray, Brylcreem as long as it’s not too hot and sunny, hoof-stain, a good brush and a cloth [like this one].”

Simon Reynolds: “Our basket is like Mary Poppins’ bag; we carry everything we could possibly need as there’s nothing worse than having to go back to the lorry if you have forgotten something. But essentials include wet wipes and plaiting bands, plus electrical tape [like this] can be a great save in an emergency. And I’m diabetic so we always have fizzy sweets, too.”

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From Yorkshire hill hacking to interval training: how Becky Moody trains Jagerbomb to be a dressage champion

Martha Terry — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:07:04 +0000

What goes into training a World Cup Dressage Finals champion? Becky Moody talks us through how she primes Jagerbomb to perform at his peak while enjoying the balance of turnout, hacking, fitness with perfecting his grand prix moves.

Becky doesn’t drill Jagerbomb (Bomb) in the school. He typically works specifically on dressage training two to three times a week.

These sessions are usually 40–45min, always starting with “an easy warm-up”.

“It’s less than I used to do because it’s not about how much I want to do, it’s about the horse,” she says.

“One of the most important things I do is transitions, hundreds of transitions. It doesn’t matter whether you’re riding a baby or a grand prix horse, transitions are key to good training, for adjustability and rideability.

“That fancy trot Bomb can do comes from a good walk–halt transition.”

It’s rare that Becky would ride all the grand prix moves in training; it’s more about working on the adjustability, suppleness and straightness.

“For instance, rather than riding my test pirouettes, I’d do a lot more working pirouettes, training the adjustability within it, on a bigger shape,” she explains.

“So I would make him more collected, then more forward – and ride only a couple of test ones. I also practise zig-zags a lot as they’re our weak point.”

To hone the flying changes, Becky has another tip.

“I do a lot of changes up the wall to really help me to be aware of my straightness – I wouldn’t so often do them across the school on the diagonal,” she says.

Becky estimates she’d put all the moves together to ride the full test every other week in the six-week run-up to an event.

Becky Moody on Jagerbomb’s non-schooling days

Other days are spent hacking, doing fitness work and stretching.

“Sometimes in the school, he would be in a snaffle, doing basic stretching and transitions,” says Becky, who says Bomb wears a snaffle “half the time”.

“He loves hacking so he does a lot of that. The girls hack him, but I also love hacking him, so sometimes I go off on a wander because he’s such a good boy.”

Although Bomb’s hacks involve hillwork, stomping up and down the Yorkshire hills, their location means they are limited to roadwork so he does additional fitness sessions in the outdoor school.

“He’s so big and he has to watch his weight, so we have to be really conscious of the fitness side to keep him at a good weight, fit and strong enough,” Becky says.

“There’s nowhere we can go fast on a hack, so he does his fast work in the outdoor school. We do interval training round our 20x60m.”

The large outdoor school where Jagerbomb does his interval training. (Image credit: Steve Dawe / Real Time Imaging)

Becky uses her voice as a training aid, and welcomes the change in British Dressage ruling that riders can use their voice within reason.

“With young horses I always use my voice,” she says. “Especially in my downward transitions, saying ‘woah’, anything that makes it easier for them to understand without having to use as much rein. It’s a useful tool.”

“My bad habit is that I click,” she adds. “I train with Carl Hester and he says, ‘you’re not training b****y dolphins’, in his terrible Yorkshire accent!”

Stable management

In summertime, Bomb enjoy time in the field every day.

“In winter, as we live on clay it’s horrific ground so we don’t turn out on the grass,” Becky explains. “We have four sand paddocks and a horse walker, so all the horses are out of their stable three times a day.”

At over 17.3hh, Bomb is entitled to the biggest stable in the yard.

Jagerbomb has the biggest stable on the yard. (Image credit: Steve Dawe / Real Time Imaging)

Feeding-wise, Bomb’s diet is quite simple. He’s on Saracen’s Competition Fit Mix, with alfalfa. He also has a basic joint supplement and electrolytes when he’s in work, plus salt.

At shows, Bomb “goes on hunger strike” – “it’s quite tricky when you’re away for two weeks,” says Becky.

“He likes a veteran mash – more than a recovery mash – and so has that to help him eat up,” she adds. “He’s getting better the more he does.”

And not just in terms of appetite, because when it comes to results in the ring, Becky Moody and Jagerbomb are still on an upward trajectory.

Enjoyed reading this? For more exclusive insight from top riders and coaches, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Top horses move to new rider as three-time Olympian bows out, aged 61

Becky Murray — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:49:03 +0000

Three-time Olympic showjumper Dirk Demeersman has announced his retirement from the sport, aged 61.

The Belgian rider’s career spans decades; he competed at the European Championships on ponies aged 10 in and rode at his first Olympics, the 1992 Barcelona Games, aged 28.

Dirk represented his country at the 2004 Athens Olympics, finishing fourth individually with Clinton, and in 2012 he rode at the London Games aboard Befureo Van Het Panishof. In 2006 he helped the Belgian team to seventh at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) in Aachen, and in 2010 he was part of the bronze medal-winning WEG team at Kentucky.

This week Dirk announced his top stallion Cote D’Or, whom he bred and owns with his wife Kelly Pieck under their business Cavallini Horses, will make his competition debut with Olivier Philippaerts at the Chantilly CSI4*. Dirk’s last international competition with him was the CSIO3* Martofte Nations Cup in May.

“After 10 years together, Dirk has decided to hand over the reins of Cote D’Or Z to Olivier Philippaerts. Although his passion for the sport remains as strong as ever, he feels that, in the horse’s best interest, this is the right moment for Cote D’Or Z to continue his sporting career with a rider who can help him reach his full international potential,” said a Cavallini Horses spokesperson.

“At the same time, our home-bred horses Carrasco Z and Little Fellow Z have also joined Team Philippaerts. With this decision, Dirk officially brings his sporting career to a close.”

The spokesperson added that Kelly and Dirk “made this decision together, with the horses’ best interests always at heart”.

“They firmly believe this is the right time for each of them to begin a new chapter and wish Team Philippaerts every success and happiness with these exceptional horses,” he said.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2026, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Aachen 2026: every dressage nominated entry confirmed, as definite teams begin to emerge, with Team U.S. the latest to announce

Oscar Williams — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:19:42 +0000

If you’re wondering which horses and riders will make the final cut for the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 dressage teams, H&H is here to keep you across all the selection news as it happens. I’ll be updating this page every time a nation announces its entries, so check back for the latest.

Each nation can enter a maximum of four horse and rider combinations for the 2026 FEI World Championships. Nations first name a longer list of nominated entries (due 6 July), then confirm their final four – the definite entries – by 27 July. The definite entries must be drawn from the nominated list, so any combination not nominated by the July deadline can’t be added later. Some nations have gone straight to naming their definite teams, while others are still at the nominated or longlist stage, so the lists below sit at different stages of confirmation.

At this stage, it’s not yet clear exactly how many teams and individual entries will compete in Aachen. Germany, the European team gold medallists, will start as favourites, with reigning world champions Denmark and a British side chasing a first-ever world team title also expected to be in the hunt.

Teams are listed below alphabetically by nation and will be updated as they’re confirmed, so keep checking back for the latest. All nations have now submitted their nominated entries. Attention has now turned to definite entries which are beginning to trickle through, with the U.S. the latest to announce its Aachen-bound team.

Dressage teams at Aachen 2026

Australia

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Jayden Brown with 12-year-old gelding Quincy B (Quaterback x Desperados FRH)
Mary Hanna with 13-year-old gelding Ivanhoe (Desperado x Jazz)
Jemma Heran with 14-year-old gelding Total Recall (Totilas x Sandro Hit)
William Matthew with 11-year-old mare Faye 43 (Fürst Wilhelm x Aljano 2)
Warwick McLean and 10-year-old gelding Le Special (Grey Flanell x Sir Oldenburg)
Simone Pearce and 10-year-old stallion Will Marq (Rio Marq x Lanciano)

Austria

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Florian Bacher with 11-year-old gelding Da Vinci (De Niro x Donnerhall)
Peter Gmoser with 12-year-old mare Dante’s Daiquiri (Dante Weltino x Avagon)
Katharina Haas with 16-year-old mare Let It Be NRW (Lissaro Van De Helle x Florestan)
Bettina Kendlbacher with 13-year-old gelding Broadmoars Don Alfredo AWO (Destano x His Highness)
Stefan Lehfellner with 11-year-old gelding L’Espoir (Rubin Royal x Landim SSC)
Ulrike Prunthaller with 14-year-old mare Fleur TSF (Kentucky x Birkhof’s Grafenstolz TSF)
Christian Schumach with 14-year-old gelding Dedale De Hus OLD (Don Juan De Hus x Fürst Heinrich)
Felicita Simoncic with 16-year-old stallion Four Legends (Wynton x Ferro)

Belgium

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Jeroen Devroe with 10-year-old gelding Lestor (Ghandi x Painted Black)
Larissa Pauluis with 16-year-old gelding Flambeau (Ampere x Zeoliet)
Amandine Prevost with 16-year-old stallion Quaterdance (Quaterback x Expose 5)
Justin Verboomen with 10-year-old stallion Zonik Plus (Glock’s Zonik x Hohenstein 4)
Wim Verwimp with 12-year-old gelding Jedai De Massa (Don Juan De Hus x Galopin De La Font)
Tommie Visser with 11-year-old mare Karma Begijnhoeve (Desperado x Negro)

Brazil

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Murilo Augusto Machado with 12-year-old stallion Jorge VO
Nuno Chaves de Almeida with 11-year-old stallion Lizarran (Zaire x Xaquiro CIP) and nine-year-old stallion Noga
João Victor Marcari Olivia with 14-year-old gelding Feel Good VO NRW (Franziskus FRH x Dimension)
Pedro Manuel Tavares de Almeida with 14-year-old gelding Hermes (Rico x Noitibó)

Canada

Definite entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Camille Carier Bergeron with 16-year-old mare Finnlanderin (Fidertanz x Donnerhall)
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu with 12-year-old gelding Jaccardo (Desperado x Jazz)
Denielle Gallagher with 14-year-old gelding Come Back De Massa (Galopin De La Font x Quixote SDS)
Chris von Martels with 13-year-old mare Londoncrown (Londontime x San Amour)

Cyprus

Individual

Gabriele H.-Kiefer with 16-year-old mare Cyprus Ophelia (Blue Hors Rosoff x Ragazzo)

Denmark

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Daniel Bachmann Andersen with 12-year-old gelding Flash Gordon 37 (Fiderbach x Don Romantic)
Carina Cassøe Krüth with 15-year-old mare Heline’s Danciera (Fürstenball x De Niro)
Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour with 17-year-old mare Mount St John Freestyle (Fidermark x Donnerhall)
Karoline Rohmann with 17-year-old stallion Jakas Don Louvre (Blue Hors Don Romantic x Lauries Crusador)
Nadja Aaboe Sloth with 13-year-old gelding Favour Gersdorf (Foundation x Leandro)
Anna Zibrandtsen with 15-year-old gelding Quel Filou (Quaterback x Stedinger)

Dominican Republic

Individual

Yvonne Losos de Muñiz with 13-year-old mare Idwinaretto (Everdale x Glock’s Johnson)

Ecuador

Individual

Julio Mendoza Loor with 15-year-old gelding Jewel’s Goldstrike (Bretton Woods x Scandic)

Finland

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Stella Hagelstam with nine-year-old gelding Hagels Prince Nassak (by Pin Rock’s Black Velvet) and nine-year-old stallion MSJ Disney Fairytale (Danone I x Fürst Heinrich)
Henri Ruoste with 14-year-old mare Tiffany’s Diamond (Tailormade Temptation x His Highness 2) and 10-year-old gelding Delaurentis FRH (by Delorean)
Anu Sironen with 15-year-old gelding Ypäjän Fioretto (Fürst Romancier x Sir Donnerhall)
Ville Vaurio with 13-year-old gelding Dante NL (De Niro x Alantas)

France

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Alexandre Ayache with 12-year-old mare Ruling Olivia (Olivi x Aletto)
Pauline Basquin with 16-year-old gelding Sertorius de Rima Z (Sandro Hit x Voltaire)
Rachel Bastady with 14-year-old mare Quintesse (Quaterback x Silvio)
Bertrand Liegard with 15-year-old mare Ginger (Glock’s Tango x Don Primaire)
Alizee Roussel with 14-year-old stallion Bel Amour (Bretton Woods x Donnerhall 11)
Pierre Volla with 10-year-old stallion Malcolm X De Massa (Galopin De La Font x San Amour)

Germany

Definite entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Katharina Hemmer with 14-year-old gelding Denoix PCH (Destano x Pik Noir)
Raphael Netz with 15-year-old gelding Great Escape Camelot (Glock’s Johnson x Turbo Magic)
Frederic Wandres with 16-year-old gelding Bluetooth OLD (Bordeaux x GB Riccione)
Isabell Werth with 12-year-old mare Wendy De Fontaine (Sezuan x Blue Hors Soprano)

For more insight on the Germans, here’s what you need to know about the German dressage team heading to Aachen.

Great Britain

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Fiona Bigwood with 10-year-old mare Donna Bella (Don Juan de Hus x Gribaldi)
Charlotte Dujardin with 12-year-old gelding Brave Heart (Bordeaux x Blue Hors Zack)
Lottie Fry with 15-year-old stallion Glamourdale (Lord Leatherdale x Negro)
Carl Hester with 16-year-old stallion Fame (Bordeaux x Rhodium)
Gareth Hughes with 9-year-old gelding Mowgli-Olympia MC (Rousseau x Rubin Royal)
Becky Moody with 12-year-old gelding Jagerbomb (Dante Weltino x Jazz)
Susan Pape with 15-year-old mare Harmony’s Giulilanta (Jazz x Flemmingh)
Sadie Smith with 11-year-old mare Swanmore Dantina (Dante Weltino x Charatan W)

For more insight on the Brits, here’s what you need to know about the British dressage team entered for Aachen.

Greece

Individual

Theodora Livanos with 19-year-old gelding Robinvale (Rubinero 2 x Wittinger)

Hungary

Individuals

Diana Porsche with 13-year-old gelding Imhotep (Everdale x Vivaldi)
Pavlina Révész with 12-year-old gelding Jiodinus PP (El Primero x Burggraaf)

Indonesia

Individual

Dara Ninggar Prameswari with 10-year-old gelding Miestral D’Ferraria (by Escorial)

Ireland

Definite entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Kevin Acres with 15-year-old gelding Ganesh (Jazz x Partout)
Alex Baker with 14-year-old stallion Top Gear (Totilas x Don Frederico)
James Connor with 13-year-old gelding Vanotti (Vitalis x Florestan)
Jessica Dunn with 13-year-old gelding Dan Its Carston (Durable x Clearway)

Israel

Individual

Micah Deligdish with 14-year-old stallion Carpe Diem De Massa (Maestro JGB x Violino SDS)

Lithuania

Individual

Justina Vanagaite-Samuile with 13-year-old gelding Nabab (Sir Donovan x Krack C)

Luxembourg

Individual

Nicolas Wagner Ehlinger with 17-year-old gelding Quater Back Junior FRH (Quaterback x Bonheur)

Mexico

Individuals

Carolina Cordoba with 17-year-old mare Isabella (Gribaldi x Don Schufro)
Santiago Ortiz Diez with 15-year-old gelding Waitoni (Wynton x Weltmeyer)

Morocco

Individual

Yessin Rahmouni with 11-year-old gelding Kind Of Magic (All At Once x Jazz)

New Zealand

Individual

Wendi Williamson with 13-year-old gelding Don Vito MH (Don Frederico x Anamour)

Norway

Individual

Isabel Freese with 14-year-old stallion Total Hope (Totilas x Blue Hors Don Schufro)

Poland

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Roy First with 11-year-old gelding Ecstasy F (Elton John x Hotline) and 13-year-old gelding Infinity Win T (Everdale x Jazz)
Hubert Jankowski with 15-year-old mare Guerlain (Blue Hors Hotline x Painted Black)
Susanne Krohn with 14-year-old stallion Titolas (Totilas x Stedinger)
Katarzyna Milczarek with 15-year-old stallion Guapo (Xarme x Quebec)
Aleksandra Poplawska-Slazak with 16-year-old gelding Sambalito (Samba Hit II x Classic Dance)
Sandra Sysojeva with 10-year-old mare Maxima Bella (Millennium x Christ 3)

Portugal

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Maria Caetano with 14-year-old gelding Hit Plus (Bretton Woods x Peralta Pinha)
Vasco Mira Godinho with 10-year-old stallion Marques Dos Cedros (Disturbio x Rubi)
Jeannette Jenny with 12-year-old stallion Jairo D Alem (Estribo x Riopele)
João Pedro Moreira with 11-year-old stallion Drosa Fürst Kennedy (Fürsten-Look x Don Kennedy)
Nuno Palmo Santos with 11-year-old gelding Fortunity S FRH (Franziskus FRH x Weltmeyer)
Rita Ralao Duarte with 13-year-old gelding Irao (Rubi x Xaquiro CIP)
João Miguel Torrao with 11-year-old stallion Lirio MVL (Zeus Do Lis x El-Negro)

Singapore

Individual

Caroline Chew with 17-year-old stallion Blue Hors Zatchmo (Blue Hors Zack x Donnerhall)

Spain

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Fransisco Benitez Sanchez with 10-year-old gelding Lord Platinum (Ferguson x Bretton Woods)
Borja Carrascosa with 11-year-old stallion Frizzantino FRH (Finest x Quaterback)
Claudio Castilla Ruiz with 12-year-old gelding Jota Das Figueiras (Epico Das Figueiras x Peralta Pinha)
Lucia Gallardo with 14-year-old stallion Hip By Johnson (Glock’s Johnson x Negro)
José Antonio García Mena with 15-year-old stallion Gladiador Do Lis (Peralta Pinha x Spartacus)
Pablo Gomez Molina with 16-year-old gelding Ulises De Ymas (Seni Indio x Superior II)
Juan Antonio Jimenez Cobo with 12-year-old gelding Quartar (Quantensprung 3 x Laurentio 3)
Severo Jurado López with 12-year-old mare Flaconi W (Foundation x Breitling W)

Sweeden

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Cecilia Bergåkra with 15-year-old mare My Friend (Friendship x Troll)
Caroline Darcourt with 13-year-old gelding Bournonville (Bon Bravour x Loudini) and 16-year-old gelding Lord Django (Stalypso x Londonderry)
Patrik Kittel with 14-year-old gelding Touchdown (Quaterback x Sack)
Rebecca Mauléon with 12-year-old gelding Johnnie Walker BCN (Glock’s Johnson x Dayano)
Therese Nilshagen with 10-year-old stallion Navarro (Negro x San Remo OLD)
Beata Söderberg with 13-year-old gelding Talento 4 (Totilas x Breitling W)
Maria von Essen with 14-year-old gelding Invoice (Jazz x Olympic Ferro)

Swizerland

Definite entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Delia Eggenberger with 11-year-old mare Santa Maria (by Sandro Marinero)
Charlotte Lenherr with 13-year-old stallion Dettori (Desperado x De Niro)
Charlotta Rogerson with 14-year-old gelding Bonheur De La Vie (Bordeaux x Blue Hors Zack)
Estelle Wettstein with 16-year-old gelding Quaterboy (Quaterback x Rubinstern Noir)

Thailand

Definite entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Pakjira Thongpakdi with 14-year-old gelding Definitely (De Kooning x San Schufro)
Suphakamol Vuntanadit with 18-year-old gelding Dreamboat BCN (Glock’s Voice x Metall)
Suphajit Vuntanadit with 19-year-old gelding Wall Street JV (Wie Weltmeyer x Starway)

The Netherlands

Definite entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Dinja van Liere with nine-year-old stallion Mauro Turfhorst NOP (Glock’s Zonik x Negro)
Marieke van der Putten with 12-year-old mare Zantana RS2 NOP (Glock’s Zonik x Sir Donnerhall)
Rowena Weggelaar with 18-year-old gelding Don Quichot (United x Gribaldi)
Thamar Zweistra with nine-year-old stallion Hexagons Mr Magnum NOP (Expression x Valdez)

Turkey

Individual

Rotem Jale Ibrahimzadeh with 18-year-old stallion Hexagon’s Double Dutch (Glock’s Johnson x Hexagon’s Rubiquil)

United States

Definite entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Ashley Holzer with 14-year-old mare Hawtins San Floriana (San Amour I x Florestan I)
Jordan LaPlaca with 11-year-old gelding Gold Play (Grey Flanell x Sir Donnerhall II)
Christian Simonson with 16-year-old stallion Fleau de Baian (Broere Jazz x Ulft)
Geñay Vaughn with 15-year-old gelding Gino (Bretton Woods x Haarlem)

When are the final Aachen 2026 dressage teams announced?

Nations must submit their nominated entries to the FEI by Monday 6 July 2026, and their definite entries – the final combinations that will compete in Aachen – by Monday 27 July 2026.

Some federations, such as Switzerland and the Netherlands, confirmed their four-strong teams earlier, while others named longer lists of nominated entries first and will trim these to their final squads closer to the deadline.

When is the dressage at the 2026 World Championships?

The dressage takes place from 11-16 August 2026, within the wider FEI World Championships in Aachen, Germany, which run from 11-23 August. The grand prix opens the competition on 11 and 12 August and decides the team medals, with the grand prix special (14 August) and grand prix freestyle (15 August) settling the individual medals.

How many riders can each nation enter?

Each nation can enter a maximum of four horse and rider combinations. Nations without a full team can send riders as individuals instead.

Why do the 2026 World Championships matter for the Olympics?

Aachen is the first and biggest qualifying event for the team competition at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The six highest-ranked teams (excluding the host nation, the USA) will secure their Olympic team quota places in Aachen – more than at any other single qualifier in the cycle.

Remaining team places are then decided across 2027 through the European Championships and regional events. A strong result here is therefore the most direct route to booking a nation’s place at the Games.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from the World Championships and other major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘We loved him so much’: farewell to HOYS winner aged 28, now buried at his lifelong home, under his favourite tree

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 11:32:14 +0000

The owner of a home-bred, home-produced first ridden who won at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) has paid tribute to the pony who made dreams come true, after his death aged 28.

Devon Raindance had enjoyed years of happy retirement with Betty Butcher, whose mother Betty Skeet bred him, but his age finally caught up with him and Betty had to let him go.

“I miss him so much,” Betty told H&H. “He was part of the family.”

Dance was a 12hh superstar, by Welsh B Thornbury Gamekeeper and out of third-generation riding pony Devon Elite.

“He was stunning,” Betty said. “My mother bred him and we showed him in hand, then we took him under saddle. The things he won for us were absolutely unbelievable and he was produced entirely from home. My mother died 10 years ago and he’s been with me ever since, a family pet.”

Dance came second at HOYS in 2004 and won the first ridden championship, with Jessica Niven, the following year. He also won at Royal Windsor, the Royal Welsh, Ponies UK and the National Pony Society.

“His trot was absolutely amazing and he had a rocking horse canter,” Betty said. “ He loved dressage lessons and because he was grey and turned white, he really was like a little rocking horse.

“When he won HOYS, Robert Parker Jones judged, and he said ‘When the Devon pony did its show, he was out there on his own, he was like a little clockwork toy’ and that is what he was like.

“He wasn’t a little tinkling pony, he had such an extravagant movement, but he also covered a lot of ground in his canter, which is very unusual for a first ridden. He had enough substance to be quality – he was out on his own.”

Betty said Dance was a strong character, who “knew he was good”.

“He was a show-off and had his own ways, and that stayed with him,” she said. “He was a one-off, he had something about him. One of the first shows we went to, Mrs Gilbert-Scott said ‘He’s going to be a star’, she said ‘I love him’. That was the biggest compliment, the ponies the Gilbert-Scotts have had, for them to say he was lovely. And he was.”

Betty added that not many home-produced ponies win at HOYS.

“We didn’t think we’d do better than second, but then he went back and won, which was a dream come true,” she said.

“He retired aged 11 and has had a lovely time, a really nice retirement, which is no more than he deserved. We did everything we could [to keep him happy and healthy], but in the end it was old age.

“He was so loved, and he was with us his whole life; we couldn’t have parted with him. Now he’s buried here, underneath his favourite tree. We loved him so much.”

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‘We must adapt to face new challenges,’ says top showing producer Vicky Smith

Bethan Simons — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:45:45 +0000

Top show horse producer Vicky Smith on travelling horses, bitless bridles and hot competitions

With the county shows in full swing it seems busier than ever. Still, on my team we try to take just one or two horses to the busier shows, making it easier to manage for both us humans and for the horses.

Traditionally, county shows fit around the agricultural calendar, explaining perhaps why so many are crammed into such a small space of time. Any date clashes were irrelevant, as on the whole, they were attended by local people showcasing their produce and livestock.

But in this day and age, as so many hold Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifiers, having so many crammed into a short period of time – including several into just one week – poses problems.

A quick scroll on social media alone reveals that this super-busy run of fixtures has people and horses on the road up and down the country chasing qualification tickets.

At Lincolnshire Show, I chatted to John Killingbeck, who was the team vet for the British eventing team for 20 years. Before the Atlanta Olympics, he was involved in the research around transporting horses to the Games. It was concluded that broadly speaking, horses used the same energy and strain for every mile travelled as they would if they were walking there.

This is food for thought as we travel our horses.

It’s particularly worrying in the case of young animals presumably chasing in-hand tickets. For me, such youngsters should be shown a handful of times for education, and qualifying is a bonus. They should not be on a lorry week in, week out.

It’s not just a case of it posing an immediate welfare risk. Showing youngsters excessively also runs the risk of having them grow sick of showing before their ridden careers have even begun.

Welfare first

Without doubt, welfare has rightly become a more pressing issue in equestrian sport and as a result, there’s a rise in the use of bitless bridles. I recently saw footage from the UK’s first bridleless competition with both dressage and showjumping classes. The venue – Merrist Wood – was full to capacity with spectators and the event went viral on social media.

Meanwhile next month, Iverk Show in Ireland plan to host their first bitless showing class. With a prize pot of €350 (£300), it will be interesting to see how it plays out. Is there an appetite for such classes in the broader showing circuit?

I believe that the trend for using driving and strong bits is lessening its grip. But with research suggesting that around 27% of horses have mouths that are unsuitable for even a snaffle bit, I have to ask, is it time for showing to hold stricter rules on harsh bitting?

I know it has been mentioned in previous columns, but I feel I have to remind competitors that we hold full responsibility for showing’s social licence. We must be mindful of how our discipline is portrayed to the public at shows themselves and on social media. A readiness to question practice shows a willingness to prioritise welfare.

In a similar vein, is it time for professionals to question their use of gadgets at home and at competition? This is particularly the case when posted on social media, a space young riders use for inspiration and as a learning tool.

On a more positive note, it has been great to see county shows bending over backwards to ensure equine welfare at their venues during very hot recent weather conditions.

There have been extra hydration points and plenty of guidance for those competing on caring for themselves and their exhibits. Well done to them for adapting in the face of new challenges. We must do the same.

● How and where would you introduce bitless competition to the showing circuit? Let us know at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

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You might also enjoy reading:

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

A competitor’s guide to the 2026 HOYS showing qualifiers

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘Encouraging welfare conversations and celebrating good horsemanship’ as agricultural show announces bitless showing class

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

‘This is a worrying time indeed,’ says top show horse producer Katie Jerram-Hunnable

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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If your horse thinks ditches are full of monsters, this expert advice will help build their confidence

Ellie Hughes — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:15:47 +0000

Of all the obstacles on a cross-country course, ditches – in their various forms – often cause the most angst. Some horses tackle them with aplomb from the get-go, but most need plenty of quiet repetition to develop their confidence. Olympians and top coaches Nicola Wilson, Chris Bartle and Andrew Heffernan share their tips in this article exclusive to H&H subscribers

Quiet, slow repetition is the key to how to solve your horse’s fear of ditches. To build – or rebuild – confidence in jumping ditches, it’s vital to start this part of his eventing training from scratch, says British team performance coach Chris Bartle. He explains that it is a mistake to ask a horse to tackle a ditch without giving him the opportunity to look at it first.

“With a young horse, or a horse that is nervous, I will always take them to the ditch with no intention of jumping it,” he says. “I will let them stand beside it and walk around it until they are comfortable in the environment.

“Only when I know they are happy about being there – they will stretch their head down and have a sniff – will I ask them to step over the ditch.

“The important thing to remember is that the horse must never be pressurised from behind, either by the rider or someone on the ground, because all that’s doing is encouraging him to think backwards rather than forwards.”

Initially, at least, ditches should be small enough so that human legs can easily step over them.

“I measure a ditch by whether I need to stretch over it on foot,” says Chris. “It doesn’t matter whether the horse is four, seven or 14, my approach will be the same. If a horse is hesitant I will spend all my cross-country schooling time walking quietly over tiny ditches.”

Chris argues that it’s not necessary to school over big ditches.

“If you’ve built solid foundations, these can be saved for competition when your adrenaline’s up,” he says.

How to solve your horse’s fear of ditches: “trust is everything”

When working on how to solve your horse’s fear of ditches, “confidence and trust is everything” says former European champion-turned-top coach, Nicola Wilson.

This starts with laying the right foundations and revisiting the basics on a regular basis.

“When you introduce a ditch for the first time make sure you’ve got a confident horse to give you a lead and choose an inviting ditch to start with,” she says.

Nicola also emphasises the importance of rider position.

“It’s important that you look in the right place – up, not down into the ditch,” she says. “A young or inexperienced horse will often look down into the ditch and dither on the edge. This is fine so long as you stay up in your body and have a nice, supportive leg on them and a long rein so they can stretch down, use their head and neck and safely pop over.

“It’s a really good idea to use a neck strap so you can hold the strap together with your reins in one hand,” she continues. “If your horse jumps bigger than you’re expecting you won’t lose balance and inadvertently catch him in the mouth, which can turn it into a negative experience.”

Nicola agrees that repetition is key.

“If your horse lacks confidence jumping ditches it’s important to keep revisiting them on a regular basis so that walking up to them and popping over becomes second nature,” says Nicola. “There are plenty of five-star horses who will do just this on the lead-up to a big competition, so it’s not something you should be worried about. The key is to be as prepared as possible.”

Nicola also extols the value of praise and patience.

“Tell your horse when he has done well because this helps build trust and solid foundations,” she says. “And always give ditch training time. Never start something that you don’t feel you can see through the end.”

Once your homework is done, testing your training in a competition environment is the next step.

“When you’re out on the course, make sure you stay in a good rhythm and balance, and in the correct tempo for the ditch fence you’re tackling,” says Nicola.

Icelandic ponies queueing up to jump a ditch in the wild – it comes quite naturally to most. (Image credit: Alamy)

When ditches are your friend

Once you have ironed out how to solve your horse’s fear of ditches and they are confidently moving up the eventing levels, most ditches will become a help rather than a hindrance.

“Where a ditch has a fence over it or behind it, the ditch itself acts as a useful ground rail, defining the take-off point,” explains Chris. “Big ditch-brushes, trakheners, and anything like that where the ditch ledge is on the take-off side, makes for a horse-friendly profile.”

Even though this four-star fence is daunting, the ditch provides a helpful groundline. (Image credit: Martin Dokoupil/ZUMA Wire/Alamy)

Chris explains that when riding this type of fence, you should resist the temptation to spend too much time much setting up.

“When I was a jockey, before I started eventing, a trainer once told me that you should always increase your speed into a ditch,” he says. “You will never get the wrong stride because there is a groundline. I always remind riders of this when I walk courses with them as it saves a lot of time.”

Ditches through a course-designer’s eyes

Course-designers use ditches in different ways. Olympic event rider, trainer and Bramham course-designer Andrew Heffernan explains that as well as the size of the ditch size, where it is sited will determine the level of the test.

“Part of my job as course-designer is to ensure there is a logical progression in difficulty as you go up the grades,” he explains. “For example, on a B80 course I might include a small open ditch followed three strides later by a rails fence, at BE90 this might change to a rail followed three strides later by a ditch. By the time you get to BE100 I might be asking horses to jump a simple rail-ditch-rail on flat terrain, and then at novice level you can start expecting to see a ditch with a bit of terrain either side.”

At the lower levels, ditches tend to be inviting, to encourage the horse to progress. (Image credit: Alamy)

This logical progression has obvious connotations for a horse who is a bit “ditchy”.

“Even if a horse is solid with every other type of cross-country question, he needs to be completely confident jumping ditches at one level before moving on to the next,” says Andrew. “The questions asked of him — and therefore the trust he needs in his rider — will be tested to a greater degree every time you step up.”

“We dug a ditch at home and that was the turning point”

Event rider Ivy Fisher’s talented three-star mare, Balief De Reve (Bali), only has one chink in her armour – ditches.

“When I bought her as a young horse she had only ever showjumped and although she quickly took to jumping solid fences, she’s always been suspicious of holes in the ground,” explained Ivy, who grew up in Norfolk but has been based with Dassett Eventing in Warwickshire.

“A few years ago, when I was on the brink of giving up with her, my dad dug me a ditch at home and that was the turning point. It was a case of repetition, repetition, repetition. The penny dropped in the middle of the 2024 season and she started to take them in her stride.”

The pair won the under-21 open intermediate at Kelsall Hill in September that year.

At her current base, Ivy has access to three different ditches and incorporates them into almost every training session.

“Last season I was even including them in our fitness work, popping over a ditch mid-canter,” she says. “We still have the odd wobble, but she’s getting better all the time. Bali’s taught me so much about perseverance, getting the basics right and about not running before you can walk.”

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‘He lived outside our living room window’: farewell to much-loved stallion following seven-year retirement

Becky Murray — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 08:42:45 +0000

Top British dressage rider Laura Tomlinson has paid tribute to her much-loved stallion Duval’s Capri Sonne Jr, who has died aged 19 following a happy seven-year retirement at home.

The KWPN Rhodium son competed at international grand prix but his career was cut short in 2019 aged 12, when he was found to have a heart murmur.

“He was still really fit and well, but he stopped competing on the vet’s advice having the heart murmur grade that he did,” Laura told H&H.

“He has had a lovely time living in the field outside our horse, enjoying a very unstressful life, with lots of attention from the kids.”

Capri Sonne was campaigned as a young horse by Dinja van Liere in the Netherlands. He was bought by Laura’s parents, the Bechtolsheimers, in 2015 and Laura produced him from small tour up to grand prix.

“He was as comfy as a sofa and he was my dad’s favourite to ride,” said Laura.

“He was wonderful to train and had a really good brain. I’m not a stallion rider, but you could hack him, travel him with mares, he turned out easily – he was just a really easy horse with an amazing temperament.”

During their four years of competition together, Laura Tomlinson and Capri Sonne contested CDIs in Aachen, Rotterdam, Hagen and Hickstead. In 2019 the pair were posting +70% at grand prix.

“He had some good competitions, but I think there was potential for a lot more,” said Laura.

“He was super talented, but not every horse is made for high level competition. We recognised that and didn’t push it, and he had an amazing life at home with us. He was just as important to us like that as he was a competition horse.”

Laura said Capri Sonne remained “extremely well” until his death in the field a few weeks ago, believed to be related to his heart condition.

“It’s very sad. He lived literally outside our living room window and on the drive, so he’s left a bit of a hole,” she said.

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‘The thirst for the sport is there’: hopes efforts to promote para showjumping will encourage more riders

Becky Murray — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 08:15:00 +0000

Efforts are being made to promote and grow para showjumping, as concerns are raised by riders that there has been a decline in opportunities since the pandemic.

British Showjumping (BS) said para showjumping has had “a significant boost this year with the introduction of a revised competition structure and dedicated calendar”. This includes five multi-day competitions, culminating in the BS national championships at Stoneleigh and a season finale at Arena UK in September.

Open sections have been introduced alongside existing graded classes. BS said this provides “greater flexibility” by enabling riders to compete within their grades – in which they accumulate points towards the para leagues – and in open sections at different heights.

A two-day camp was held last month at the national training centre in Leicestershire, aimed at introducing riders to the sport.

“The training provides a great opportunity for riders to get together socially as well as benefiting from training sessions and unmounted workshops on a variety of topics,” said coach Sarah Tubbs.

Para competitors have welcomed the opportunities and hope more riders will become involved – but have raised concerns over whether more can still be done.

Rider Claire Pope told H&H that since the pandemic there has been an overall decline in para showjumping opportunities.

“Since Covid some riders have stopped competing or have lost horses, and we’ve just not been able to get more people involved,” she said.

“We’ve lost shows like Bramham, which was a big showcase for us. We’ve asked for more shows and we understand that we’re a very small minority, but the communication needs to be better.”

Anna Hilton did not know about para showjumping until after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

“I was trying to hammer myself around able-bodied classes, but it just wasn’t working because I don’t have the strength any more. I started Googling and that’s when I discovered para showjumping. I hadn’t seen it advertised anywhere, so I think that’s been the problem, that people just don’t know it’s an option,” she told H&H.

“Unfortunately, because there’s only a few of us in each class, some places don’t want to run para – and you can see it from their point of view. But we need more venues to get on board with putting the shows on and publicising it.

“We all joke that you have to be a little bonkers to jump with a disability, but we just love it – and that’s why we don’t want to lose it.”

Deena Webster once competed in para shows abroad through BS – but said in recent years opportunities have dropped off. She believes BS joining the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network, as British Dressage has, could be a way to get more riders involved. Dressage riders can wear a sunflower armband or lanyard, which aims to raise awareness that they have a non-visible disability.

“The thirst for the sport is there. I’m pleased to see there are more opportunities this year but I think the whole para structure needs looking at to give people more,” Deena told H&H.

BS national director of sport Stephanie Toogood told H&H para showjumping “continues to go from strength to strength with increasing opportunities for riders to train, compete and be part of a supportive community”.

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Complete Pony Club Camp packing checklist for child and pony

Bethany Stone — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:04:05 +0000

Struggling to work out what to pack for Pony Club camp? You don’t want your child to be missing anything, but you don’t want to send them with everything but the kitchen sink, either. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time to prepare and plug any gaps in your kit.

Your Pony Club may have a specific list tailored to their camp, but between the team at H&H, we’ve got many Pony Club camps under our belt – both as children and as parents – so we’re here with plenty of advice and ideas. Our top tip – make sure absolutely everything is named.

Pony Club camp packing list

Because the quintessential Pony Club camp packing list is rather long, we’re going to break it down into categories. We’ll start with the thing you definitely don’t want to leave at home – your pony!

Tack and horsewear

saddle
bridle
neck strap
martingale (if using)
girth
stirrups and leathers
saddle cloths or numnahs in your branch or centre’s permitted colours – take more than one in case they get dirty or sweaty
any legwear your pony uses, such as overreach boots, brushing boots or tendon boots
stud kit (if used)
headcollar and leadrope
tail and stable bandages
tack cleaning equipment, like saddle soap and a sponge
all your travel kit, to get your pony there in the first place

Pony care

First and foremost, check with your branch or centre about whether they will provide bedding that is suitable for your pony. If not, make sure to pack your own.

Also, check what your pony’s living arrangements will be. Will he be living out, and do you need to bring some electric fencing? Will you have access to a stable? Find out in advance so you can prepare.

You’ll want your own of most things, but you might be able to team up with other campers when it comes to the big items, such as wheelbarrows.

enough of your pony’s hay/haylage, feed and supplements to last the duration of camp
feed bin (like this one)
buckets for water and feed
haynets
wheelbarrow, large trug or garden bag (like this one) for mucking out
mucking out tools
grooming kit with all your brushes
sweat scraper and sponge
stud kit, if needed
your best horse shampoo
fly spray
horse sun cream, if needed
other grooming sprays if you use them, like mane and tail detangler or stain remover
rugs, such as a cooler or fly rug and fly mask if needed

Pony Club camp is as much about time off the ponies, so make sure you’ve got non-riding clothes packed, too. (Image credit: Emma Herrod Photography)

Rider kit

If you plan to stay overnight, pack accordingly for your accommodation. You may want a warm layer or two if you are camping!

Pony Club sweatshirt
Pony Club tie
white shirts
a few pairs of jodhpurs or riding tights (usually beige, black or navy, check your branch or centre’s rules)
tweed or show jacket (if needed)
plenty of riding socks and underwear
riding boots, either long or short with jodhpur clips or chaps/gaiters
hairnet and scrunchie (if needed)
riding gloves
whip
up-to-standard and tagged riding hat
up-to-standard body protector
casual tops and bottoms for off-horse activities
coveralls or waterproof trousers for mucking out
stout boots or wellies for the yard
trainers or comfy shoes for off the yard
sun hat
waterproof coat
pyjamas

Other essentials

toiletries
sun lotion
insect repellent
prescription medication (if used)
pillow and sleeping bag
camp bed (like this one, if needed) or airbed
towels
plate, mug and cutlery for mealtimes (if needed)
boot cleaning equipment
notebook and pen
Pony Club Manual of Horsemanship
water bottle
small personal first aid kit
torch
watch or alarm clock

Extras

pack of cards
book to read (check out the best horse books for kids)
torch
small amount of money for tuck
hand sanitiser
hair bobbles
swimming kit, if required
portable fan, for you or your pony if it’s hot
portable power bank (like this one)

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Horse racing set to return to historic venue following £2m revamp

Lucy Elder — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:44:39 +0000

Horse racing is set to return to Towcester racecourse next year following a £2m revamp – nearly a decade after it hosted its final meeting.

Bookmaker Betway announced a new partnership with Towcester racecourse owners Orchestrate to bring the return of National Hunt racing to the Northamptonshire track in time for the 2027/28 jumps season.

As part of the deal, the venue will be renamed Betway Towcester Racecourse. Betway will be principal strategic partner of the racecourse and exclusive betting partner across all fixtures.

Towcester racecourse, where AP McCoy rode his 4,000th winner in 2013, hosted its last horse racing fixture in May 2018; administrators were called in on 29 August that year and it officially closed as a horse racing venue in 2019. Greyhound racing has continued at Towcester over recent years.

Orchestrate chairman Mike Davis said the company is “thrilled to welcome Betway as principal strategic partner of the refurbished racecourse”.

“It has always been our ambition to bring horse racing back to Towcester for the local community and fans of the sport. This partnership turns that vision into a reality,” he said.

“We are now working with the BHA [British Horseracing Authority] to secure the necessary racecourse licences, to enable us to race in the autumn of 2027. Positive conversations are also underway to finalise fixtures for that period, and it is amazing to see the racing community all working together to promote the sport.”

Extensive course and facility refurbishment, worth more than £2m, is already underway. Top jockey Paul Townend will also be involved, focusing on jockey welfare, course layout and weighing room facilities. The racecourse’s revival will be documented in a fly-on-the-wall series, which is scheduled for release in 2027.

Betway PR manager Lewis Knowles said: “Towcester has such a rich history within British racing, and we’re delighted to be partnering with the team there to bring horse racing back to what is such an iconic racecourse.

“As principal strategic partners, we plan to offer a truly unique experience for racegoers, owners, trainers, and jockeys at Betway Towcester Racecourse. The hard work is already well underway as the team prepares the track and facilities for racing’s return.

“We’re also looking forward to documenting this journey through a fly-on-the-wall series to be released in 2027.

“Our thanks go to the team at Orchestrate for all their hard work in making this partnership possible, and we can’t wait to play our part in this exciting new chapter for the racecourse.”

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‘Who gets the Aachen call-up for Britain?’ H&H eventing editor Pippa Roome shares her thoughts on the final five

Pippa Roome — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:32:18 +0000

H&H’s eventing editor and Aachen World Championships reporter Pippa Roome assesses the line-up for British selection

If you could be a fly on any wall for a day, where would you go? I’d head to a meeting of the British selectors as they pick the World Championships eventing team for Aachen. As expected with such a wealth of strong combinations, Britain has nominated the maximum 15 entries, with the squad of five to come.

Three pairs – Ros Canter with Lordships Graffalo, Laura Collett on London 52, Tom McEwen riding JL Dublin – are surely guaranteed a spot in the British eventing team. The Paris gold medallists all have a back catalogue of excellent form, combining individual medal potential with consistency.

Tom has Brookfield Quality also listed and despite his good results, I think his pattern of missing the time on his long-format runs pushes him down the list.

Gemma Stevens and Flash Cooley have a strong claim, with a bank of sparkling four-star form over the past two years, bar a rider fall at NAF Hartpury last season. The chink in their armour is lack of five-star form and that their long format win this year came at an event where the cross-country time was easy to achieve.

What does the British team selection policy say?

The selection policy places qualification for the LA28 Olympics – so a top-seven team finish, excluding the USA, who qualify as hosts – as Britain’s primary aim at this championship, followed (in no particular order) by winning medals and giving championship experience.

This might play into the hands of Harry Meade and Cavalier Crystal, who have been top-four finishers four times at five-star and should offer reliability – a priority for that team finish – over a seriously low score (more important for winning medals). Harry’s fall at Mars Badminton, when the mare stood on herself, was unfortunate and the selectors may be willing to forgive it.

Harry’s other top mare, Annaghmore Valoner, who finished third at Badminton, was a surprise absence from the list – she has sadly had a setback which means she will miss the autumn season.

David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed offered a similar profile of reliable five-star form, without stellar dressage, until their two five-star falls last year. Despite Pau and Defender Kentucky success since, those two errors may be harder to overlook than Cavalier Crystal’s mistake.

Bubby Upton (Its Cooley Time) and Caroline Harris (D. Day) fell on their championship debuts at the Europeans last year. Both have come back with wins, at Defender Bramham and Longines Luhmühlen, and they are well-supported professionals with other horses coming through, so they fit the selection criteria of giving championship experience.

Although Bubby has had two other falls besides the Blenheim one, I think she may be given the individual berth, because her dressage scores make her a potential medallist.

The four 10-year-old horses named are all very promising potential future team players, but may benefit from another year or two. They are United 36 (Tom Jackson), Corimiro (Sarah Bullimore), Gypsie Du Loir (Yasmin Ingham) and Cooley Park Muze (Gemma Stevens).

Finally Katie Magee (Treworra, fifth at Badminton) and Selina Milnes (Cooley Snapchat, second at Bramham) both have other decent results too, but also blips. Neither rider is on the World Class Programme (nor is David Doel currently, although he has been in the past) and while that’s not essential, it’s a measure of who’s on the high performance radar.

Kudos to them for making the 15, but I don’t expect to see them in the final five selected for the British eventing team.

Plenty of choices on worlds’ cross-country track

The top line takeaways from my interview with course-designer Giuseppe della Chiesa about the World Championship cross-country track are as follows.

There are 42 jumping efforts via the straight routes, but 74 fences on the track, indicating the number of alternatives available. In places, Giuseppe has given riders choices that are only two to seven seconds more time-consuming, so they are not true direct and long routes, but genuine alternatives.

The optimum time of around 10 minutes should be tight.

“If you go all the direct routes, you will have jumped a ‘four-star plus’, but you can also find a ‘three-and-a-half-star’ to get around,” says Giuseppe.

● How would you pick the squad? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major events, as well as exclusive insights from top names, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

How to watch Newmarket’s July Festival 2026 live from anywhere in the world

Georgia Guerin — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 08:25:07 +0000

Watch The July Festival live this week and witness the finest horses and jockeys take centre stage in a celebration of speed, style and atmosphere at Newmarket.

At a glance

The July Festival date: 9–11 July 2026
Watch July Festival on TV: ITV (FREE), Racing TV
Watch July Festival from anywhere: Use this NordVPN deal – 75% Off

How to watch The July Festival on TV

ITV will screen some of the action from The Debenhams July Festival live and for free on ITV and ITVX across the three days, while Racing TV (Sky channel 424/Virgin Media 536) will broadcast via its subscription-based service.

ITV Racing will broadcast the first four races on Thursday and Friday, as well as the first six on Saturday, while Racing TV will cover every race.

You don’t need an ITVX subscription to watch live racing – just an email address and a valid TV license. You can register for a free account or download the app to your mobile device.

If you’re away from home, you can use NordVPN to secure your stream of the action from anywhere in the world.

What time is the July Cup?

The Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup will run at 4.35pm and will be the sixth of eight races at Newmarket on Saturday 11 July.

How to watch The July Festival from anywhere

If you’re away from home and your normal coverage is geo-blocked, a VPN will get you your usual coverage from anywhere in the world.

There are many VPN providers out there, with some more reliable and safe than others. We’d suggest using a paid-for service such as NordVPN, where you can get an exclusive 75% off, which offers a 100% risk-free money back guarantee. If you’re not happy with the service any time within the first 30-days, then you can cancel with no penalties at all.

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The July Festival race times

Races in bold will be shown on ITV.

Thursday 9 July: Ladies’ Day

Start time	Race	Distance
1.50pm	The Bahrain Trophy	13f
2.25pm	The Kingdom of Bahrain July Stakes	6f
3pm	The Bet Boost at bet365 Handicap Stakes (Heritage Handicap)	6f
3.35pm	The Princess of Wales’ Stakes sponsored by The Kingdom of Bahrain	12f
4.10pm	The British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes	6f
4.45pm	The Edmondson Hall Solicitors Sir Henry Cecil Stakes	8f
5.20pm	Federation of Bloodstock Agents Handicap Stakes	8f

Friday 10 July: Festival Friday

Start time	Race	Distance
1.50pm	The Handicap Stakes	10f
2.25pm	The Duchess of Cambridge Stakes (sponsored by bet365)	6f
3pm	The bet365 Trophy	14f
3.35pm	The Tattersalls Sceptre Sessions Falmouth Stakes	8f
4.10pm	The Weatherbys British EBF Maiden Stakes	7f
4.45pm	The Handicap Stakes	5f
5.20pm	The Handicap Stakes	7f

Saturday 11 July: July Cup Day

Start time	Race	Distance
1.40pm	The Fillies’ Handicap Stakes	7f
2.15pm	The Duchess of Cambridge Stakes (sponsored by bet365)	7f
2.50pm	The bet365 Mile Handicap	8f
3.25pm	The bet365 Superlative Stakes	7f
4pm	The bet365 Bunbury Cup (Heritage Handicap)	7f
4.35pm	The Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup	6f
5.10pm	The Handicap Stakes	12f
5.45pm	The Handicap Stakes	6f

What is The July Festival?

Newmarket is the home of British horseracing and The July Meeting dates back to 1765. The July Course itself is known for its intimate, relaxed, and picturesque summer garden-party feel, in contrast to the more formal spring Rowley Mile events.

The pinnacle of the three days is the July Cup, which is recognised as one of the most prestigious sprint races in the world and a highlight of the British racing calendar. The Group 1 Flat race is open to horses aged three years or older and run over 6f.

Many future classic and Group 1 winners first make their mark in juvenile races during the festival.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news at major events throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

How to ride the perfect flying change

Horse & Hound — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:43:24 +0000

US dressage rider, trainer and author Jane Savoie, who passed away in December 2020, explains how to ride the flying change and what skills the horse needs to have established before you to introduce the movement

In order to learn how to ride a flying change, it is important to understand what the movement is. In the flying change the horse remains in canter, but changes the canter lead during the moment of suspension, when all four feet are off the ground. When competing in dressage it is important that changes are made cleanly, with both front and hind legs changing during the same moment of suspension.

A commonly seen mistake is when the horse changes in front in one stride and then behind in the following stride. This is less important when jumping, but the sooner the change is completed, the less balance in the canter will be lost. Cantering disunited to a fence is not giving the horse the best possible chance of cleaning that obstacle without incurring faults.

Preparing for flying changes

Before trying to teach a flying change the horse must be able to:

Produce a good simple change of lead (canter/walk/canter). The downward transition should be a clear transition to the walk, with no dribbly trot steps. Shorten the canter with collecting half halts before you ask for the transition. If the horse is travelling too fast he will lose his balance on to the forehand in the downward transition. The upwards transition should be quick off the leg without being rushed or explosive.
Be balanced in counter canter. Develop the counter canter until the horse can comfortably maintain it without tension on circles and lines. To test the horse’s balance ensure you can extend and collect in the counter canter without the horse switching leads.
Be comfortable in collected canter. As the flying change is another canter stride the quality of the canter is vital to its success. The canter should have big, round, expressive, “off the ground” strides. Any tendency towards a canter that is four-time or flat will not give the horse time to change his legs in the air. Develop and maintain the quality of the collected canter by working on exercises that increase collection such as shoulder-in, travers, frequent simple changes of lead (five strides of walk and five strides of canter), and collecting half halts.

Understanding the collecting half halt

During a collecting half halt the rider should close their legs, push with their seat and close their outside hand for a moment. This engages the horse’s hind quarters and encourages them to wait and “sit” on their hocks.

Ride three collecting half halts in the canter, while thinking about reducing the amount of ground your horse covers with each stride by about 50% but maintain the same rhythm and tempo. During the short, engaged strides, pick a spot on the ground and imagine that you’re cantering on top of it for three strides. Then, go forward for several strides, and ask him to collect again for three strides.

How to ride a flying change

The timing of the aids is very important in riding a successful flying change. Give the aids as the horse’s leading front leg is coming forward. You need to give the aid before the period of suspension because it takes your horse a moment to ‘hear’ your request and another moment to carry it out.

You can practice the correct timing of the aids in the walk and then the canter by watching when the horse’s inside front leg comes forward. Each time you see it coming forward, say out loud, “Now, now, now”. In this way, you learn to coordinate your voice with the inside front leg coming forward.

For a flying change from left to right:

Seat: Push your right seat bone forward toward your horse’s right ear.
Right leg: Close your right leg on the girth to ask your horse to go forward during the change.
Left leg: Swing your left leg behind the girth to signal the new outside hind leg to strike off into the new lead. (Don’t hold this leg back. Pretend your leg is spring-loaded so you give a quick aid.)
Left rein: Close your left hand in a fist to keep the left hind leg on the ground and maintain uphill balance. Imagine that you’re closing and opening your hand so fast that you can snatch a fly out of the air.
Right rein: Soften your right rein so you don’t block the new inside front leg from coming forward.

I like to introduce flying changes on a 10-meter figure of eight. Ride simple changes of lead in the centre of the figure of eight. Repeat until the horse understands and anticipates that he’s going to change leads. When you feel him anticipating, give the aids for the flying change instead of doing the simple change. If he changes, praise him a lot. If he doesn’t then stay calm and repeat the process.

Now you know how to perfect your flying changes, why not sign up to Horse & Hound’s eight-week e-training plan to give your training focus and perfect your flatwork basics?

Flying changes explained: what they are, how to ride one and how to teach your horse

Oscar Williams — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:43:24 +0000

Flying changes are unavoidably cool. I can still remember attempting my first – getting a friend to film me on their pixelated flip phone, beaming a stupid grin at the camera as my little pony leapt into her change and promptly bombed off. We’ll ignore, for now, that she was two strides late behind.

But there’s no doubt they can feel like a mystery until you get that “aha” moment where it finally clicks. And because every horse is different, there’s no single foolproof way to teach them.

The good news is there’s nothing magic about them. A flying change is a natural movement – your horse already does them loose in the field – and with the right foundations, most horses can learn to do them to order (making you look suitably cool in the process).

Here’s what a flying change actually is, how to ride one, and how to start teaching your horse – without flinging your entire bodyweight to one side as I did.

What is a flying change?

A flying change is when your horse switches their leading leg in canter, in one smooth motion, without breaking to trot or walk in between.

A quick step back, in case it’s useful: in canter, your horse leads with one front leg – it reaches further forward than the other, and you’ll feel that shoulder come through underneath you. On a left lead, the left foreleg leads; on a right lead, the right. Which lead you’re on matters for balance, especially on turns and circles, where you normally want the inside leg leading – so on the right rein, going clockwise, you’ll be on the right lead most of the time, and on the left rein, the left.

Canter has a three-beat rhythm, and after the third beat there’s a brief moment of suspension – a split second where all four feet are off the ground, and your horse is, fleetingly, airborne. A flying change happens in that instant. Your horse rearranges their legs mid-air and lands on the opposite lead, so instead of leading with the left foreleg, they’re now leading with the right. Done well, there’s no stumble and no change of rhythm – just a clean skip from one lead to the other, as if your horse has hopped across in the air.

You’ll come across flying changes in pretty much every discipline:

Dressage: they appear from advanced medium level upwards, ridden on straight lines and, higher up, in sequences down to one change every stride (tempi changes).
Showjumping: essential for jumping a course smoothly. A horse that lands on the correct lead – or changes to it – can balance through turns and meet the next fence in rhythm, without losing time or scrambling.
Eventing, showing, and general riding: anywhere you’re cantering, turning and needing your horse balanced, a change keeps things tidy and comfortable.

For a lower-level rider, it’s less about the wow factor – although that’s cool, too – and more about control. A horse that changes lead on request is one you can balance and steer through anything, whether that’s a jump-off turn, a dressage centre line, or just staying upright out hunting.

How to ride a flying change

Assuming your horse already knows how to change (see the next section for teaching it), here’s the sequence of aids. The key thing is that a change is prepared, not just thrown in – you set your horse up, then ask.

1. Establish a good canter first. Balanced, active and collected enough that you feel you could ride a few steps smaller at any moment. A flat, strung-out canter has nowhere to change from.

2. Prepare on the approach to the change. Sit tall, half-halt to gather and balance the canter, and make sure your horse is straight – not falling in or out through the shoulder.

3. Change your leg position. Say you’re on the left lead (left foreleg leading) and want to change to the right. Your left leg, which has been at the girth, moves back behind the girth, and your right leg comes to the girth. This new leg position tells your horse which lead you now want.

4. Change your weight and hips. As you swap your legs, allow your seat and hips to follow – so your weight shifts subtly to the new leading side. Keep it quiet; it’s just a rebalancing, not throwing yourself across the saddle.

5. Ask in that moment of suspension. Apply the new outside leg (the left, now behind the girth) with a clear but light aid, ideally timed to the moment your horse is about to spring into the next stride. That’s when your horse can swing their legs through to the new lead.

6. Keep riding forward. Ride positively out of the change on the new lead. The most common mistake is to ask and then freeze or pull back on the reins – we’ve all done it, but both stop your horse jumping through cleanly.

The rhythm to aim for is almost “prepare… now go!” A change asked for in one flat motion tends to come late or flat; a change that’s set up first has time to jump through the body.

How to teach a flying change

Before you teach the change itself, the foundations have to be solid – it’s not as exciting, but this is the most important part. Rushing to the change before these are in place is the single most common reason changes go wrong. Your horse should be able to:

Pick up either canter lead promptly, from a clear aid, on a straight line.
Ride balanced walk-to-canter and canter-to-walk transitions without falling onto the forehand. (“On the forehand” just means your horse is carrying too much weight on their front end, rather than pushing from behind. You’ll feel it as heaviness in your hands, your horse tipping downhill or leaning on the reins for balance. What you want instead is your horse staying light in front and stepping their hindlegs underneath themselves – think uphill, not downhill.)
Hold a counter-canter (cantering on the “outside” or “wrong” lead) in balance. This teaches your horse to stay on the lead you’ve asked for rather than swapping whenever they fancy.

Once those are established, here’s a simple and reliable way to introduce the change:

1. Use a change of direction. Ride a shallow loop, a figure-of-eight, or come across the diagonal – anywhere your horse is naturally changing bend and direction, so a change of lead makes sense to them.

2. Establish a clean canter, then rebalance. As you approach the point where you’ll change direction, half-halt and collect the canter, so your horse is balanced and listening.

3. Ask as you cross the line. At the moment you change direction, change your leg and seat position and apply the new aid. Because your horse is already changing direction, switching lead feels logical.

4. Reward the attempt. Even a scrappy first change – or one that’s “late behind” (the front legs change but the hind legs lag a stride) – is worth rewarding. You’re building understanding first; the cleanliness comes with practice and strength.

5. Keep it occasional at first. Ask for one, make a fuss of your horse, and move on. Drilling changes over and over tends to make horses tense or anticipatory. A few good attempts in a session are plenty.

If your horse finds it genuinely confusing, some riders use a raised pole or cavaletti on the change line to encourage your horse to jump through and swap behind – but I’d say use it sparingly at first, and only if plain riding isn’t getting there.

Above all, don’t panic if the first attempts are messy. Late, flat or over-excited changes are completely normal early on. They clean up as your horse’s balance and confidence improve – which, as any good trainer will tell you, is really where the whole thing lives.

Enjoyed reading this? For more expert training advice from top riders and coaches, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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(Image credit: Andrew Sydenham)

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How to nail the perfect half pass for training and competition

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‘He taught me what a true five-star horse is like’ – horse who took young rider from Europeans to Badminton put down, aged 22

Pippa Roome — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:54:22 +0000

Smart Time, who competed at the young rider Europeans and gave Dani Stewart-Richardson (née Evans) her first Badminton completions, has been put down, aged 22.

“He taught me what a true five-star horse is – it’s not all about the size of their movement and jump,” said Dani. “It’s what’s between the ears and the want to do it, the ability to be quick over the fences, reserve energy, be trainable and the will to get better.”

Dani’s uncle, horse agent and producer Tim Warren, bought “PJ” from Ireland and Dani rode him as a young horse when she worked for Tim.

“He was sold to his owner Luana Edge and Polly Williamson was his rider, but sadly she had an accident that stopped her riding. I was then asked to take the ride on him,” Dani told H&H.

“When I was riding him as a four-year-old he was tiny, narrow and sharp. But he never looked back, he only ever looked forward and was always going.

“He was a quiet, unassuming little horse, never made a fuss, just wanted to work and then sleep and eat.”

The pair won the under-25 CCI2* (now CCI3*-L) at Tattersalls in 2013 and finished 11th at the young rider Europeans in Jardy in the same year.

In 2015, they were second in the under-25 CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) at Bramham Horse Trials and were selected for the British squad for the senior Europeans at Blair Castle Horse Trials. However, Smart Time was withdrawn on the day of the trot-up as he “wasn’t quite himself”.

Dani Stewart-Richardson and Smart Time regrouped with a trip to Boekelo in the Netherlands that autumn, finishing fifth in the CCIO3*-L (now CCIO4*-L). They repeated that Boekelo placing in 2017.

“My rounds at Boekelo are my best memories with PJ – everything comes up quickly and you have to be fast from the first fence if you want to be competitive,” she said. “PJ was so good at reading the question and being quick to answer it, land and move onto the next. He always jumped so well the last day of a three-day, never tired and just went straight back to work.”

Dani Stewart-Richardson (née Evans) and Smart Time on the way to 17th at Badminton 2018. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Smart Time also completed Badminton Horse Trials twice, Dani’s first finishes at the British five-star, placing 17th in 2018, the final international run of his career. In addition, he was seventh at Blenheim Horse Trials CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) in 2016, fourth at Barbury CIC3* (now CCI4*-S) that year and sixth at Bramham CIC3* (now CCI4*-S) in 2014.

“He was the perfect horse to get me from young riders to seniors – he was on the young rider squad one year and selected for the senior team two years later. How lucky is that?” said Dani.

“Thank you to Luana for asking me to ride him at a young age and setting up my career as a professional event rider.”

Smart Time suffered an injury when he was 16.

“We decided to rehab him, but let him stay a low level. Lorren Chinnock had him and she treated him like a king until the very end. She did Pony Club Championships, hunting, fun rides and just hacking in the more recent years,” said Dani.

Smart Time was put down last month, in the field where he had been spending his retirement.

“PJ had deteriorated one night and wasn’t happy in the morning,” explained Dani.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Heavy-hitting German showjumping team named for Aachen worlds with Olympic champion on reserve list

Becky Murray — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:28:41 +0000

The German showjumping team has been revealed for the 2026 World Championships in Aachen (11-23 August) – as the home side boldly states “the goal is clear: a team medal”.

The team includes current European champions Richard Vogel riding United Touch S and former European champions Andre Thieme with DSP Chakaria. Olympic and European medallist Daniel Deusser will ride Otello De Guldenbloom and 2025 European bronze medallist Sophie Hinners has been named with Iron Dames Singclair. Both Daniel and Sophie’s horses are making their championship debut.

Marcus Ehning and Coolio 42, who were part of the 2025 Europeans team alongside Richard and Sophie, are first reserves. Perhaps more notably, 2024 Olympic champions Christian Kukuk and Checker 47 are second reserve.

A German federation spokesperson said national showjumping coach Otto Becker, who has led the home side to 13 senior medals during his 17-year tenureship, selected a team experienced in championships – and that “the goal is clear: a team medal for Germany”. Of course, the Germans will also be eyeing one of the seven 2028 LA Olympic spots up for grabs.

The pressure will be on Germany to deliver in front of the home crowd. In the past 10 years individual medals have come thick and fast, but team gold has eluded them. They won bronze at the 2025 Europeans, 2018 World Equestrian Games and 2016 Rio Olympics – and silver at the 2021 home Europeans in Reisenbeck.

With this in mind, some fans might be left scratching their heads over the omission of legendary performer Marcus Ehning and reigning Olympic champion Christian Kukuk from the core team – but looking at current form across the six combinations shows just how enviable a position the German selectors were in.

In February the federation said that there was not a fixed selection for the showjumping team, “but rather an individually agreed-upon selection route” with Otto.

The record of Richard Vogel and 14-year-old super stallion United Touch S speaks for itself; the formidable European gold medal-winning pair won the Rolex grand prix at the Dutch Masters in March and the World Cup leg in Basel at the start of the year.

Another key factor is likely to be Aachen’s big grass arena. Richard and United Touch won the CSI5* Rolex grand prix of Aachen in May, and Sophie Hinners was third with 11-year-old Iron Dames Singclair – proving these pairs can deliver there.

They don’t have championship experience together, but last month Sophie and Singclair posted a double clear to help Germany to the runner-up spot in the La Baule Nations Cup leg. This was alongside Richard, Daniel and Andre – all on their Aachen rides – showing the four already work well as a team. They were beaten by France by just 2.55 penalties.

Andre Thieme and DSP Chakaria have shown they are still at the top of their game five years after they won individual gold at the 2021 Europeans. The mare, now 16, had eight months out after picking up an injury in the summer of 2023 – but returned to win the Rolex grand prix of Aachen in July 2024. This year, they helped Germany to first place at the Ocala leg of the Longines League of Nations (LLN) in March and in May they won the Longines grand prix of Hamburg, another big grass arena.

Olympic team bronze medallist Daniel Deusser and 12-year-old Otello De Guldenboom, might not have a championship under their belt, but the pair are consistent at the top level. Among their multiple top placings this year, they were second in the World Cup Final in Fort Worth in April, and part of the Nations Cup squad at La Baule.

This isn’t to say Marcus Ehning and 13-year-old Coolio 42 or Christian Kukuk and 16-year-old Checker 47 are out of touch. Just last month Marcus and the 13-year-old gelding won the Longines grand prix of Switzerland – even while being chased by a loose dog.

Christian and Checker were part of that winning team at the LLN Ocala alongside Richard and Andre in March, having posted a vital double clear, and they have two recent Global Champions League team victories under their belt as part of Reisenbeck International.

Should Otto need to call on a reserve, he has two strong contenders waiting in the wings, who importantly, will be able to withstand the high pressure of being called upon at the 11th hour, if needed.

Under the showjumping rules, each national federation may enter a maximum of five athletes and five horses. The team will consist of four combinations (or three, for those countries that do not have four).

The substitution rules vary between disciplines. For showjumping, in the event of accident or illness of a horse or rider confirmed by medical certification, a substitution can be made up to one hour before the first horse inspection on 17 August.

The fifth horse and rider combination – in Germany’s case this is currently Marcus and Coolio – may participate in the training session on 18 August. The first competition session is on 19 August.

Chef d’equipes must declare in writing the members of the team by 5.15pm on 18 August. In cases of substitutions after this declaration, in the event of accident or illness, a substitution may be made until one hour before the first competition – with medical certification and approval of the president of the ground jury.

At the 2015 European Championships in Aachen the German team won silver, and at the 2006 Aachen World Equestrian Games the team won bronze. Could 2026 be the year they bag a team gold in front of the Aachen crowd?

The German showjumping team for the 2026 World Championships (in alphabetical order of surname):

Daniel Deusser with 12-year-old stallion Otello De Guldenboom

Owner: Stephex Stables

Breeder: H Versnick

Breeding: by Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z, out of a mare by Caretino

Sophie Hinners with 11-year-old gelding Iron Dames Singclair

Owner: Pegase Equestrian BV

Breeder: J AB Wannius

Breeding: by Singular Ls La Silla, out of a mare by VDL Cardento 933

Andre Thieme with 16-year-old mare DSP Chakaria

Owner: Pferdemanagement & Marketing GmbH

Breeder: Martin Juergens

Breeding: by CHAP 47, out of a mare by Askari 173

Richard Vogel with 14-year-old stallion United Touch S

Owner: Julius-Peter Sinnack

Breeder: Owner

Breeding: by Untouched, out of a mare by Lux Z Z

Reserves:

Marcus Ehning with 13-year-old gelding Coolio 42 (first reserve)

Owner: rider and Elmrok BV

Breeder: M Wirtz

Breeding: by Casalito, out of a mare by Quidam De Revel

Christian Kukuk with 16-year-old gelding Checker 47

Owner: H & Partner Gbr and Madeleine Winter-Schulze

Breeder: Wolfgang Kipp

Breeding: by Comme Il Faut 5, out of a mare by Loro Piana Come On

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2026, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 showjumping teams are taking shape – including the complete list of nominated entries from 59 nations

Jennifer Donald — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:04:53 +0000

As the countdown to the FEI World Championships continues, we now have the complete list of nominated entries from which nations’ selectors will decide on their Aachen 2026 showjumping teams – and it’s long! If you want to keep up to date with all the FEI World Championships final squad announcements in one place, Horse & Hound is here to help.

Each nation can enter up to five horse and rider combinations, but only four will take part in both the team and individual competition. If a nation is unable to enter a team of three or four riders, they can enter one or two riders to compete at individuals. The fifth rider can jump the warm-up round on Tuesday 18 August, although they will not be able to compete in the championships unless they are swapped in as a last-minute replacement.

With a massive 59 nations having entered, the list of showjumping entries for the FEI World Championships currently stretches to 188 horse and rider combinations. I’ll be updating this page every time a nation announces their final team or individual riders – so check back for the latest updates.

Showjumping teams at Aachen 2026

Argentina

Nominated entries listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Luis Pedro Biraben and Vasco 109
Martin Dopazo and Chris
Jeronimo Gimenez Herrera and Con Ti Boy
José María (Jr) Larocca and Finn Lente
Matias Larocca and Patron Van De Dweerhoeve
Ignacio Maurin and Conchado
Leandro Moschini and Abril Iconthon
Juan Bautista Pidutti Hortas and Ninvaro Ps

Australia

Nominated entries listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Thaisa Erwin and Hialita B
Tom McDermott and Oaks Ventriloquist
Billy Raymont and Caprino
Billy Raymont and Blue Balou PS
Hilary Scott and Lola
Hilary Scott and Oaks Milky Way
Edwina Tops-Alexander and Caetlin VD Heffinck Z
Edwina Tops-Alexander and Cydello
Edwina Tops-Alexander and Fellow Castlefield
Rowan Willis and Handsome
Jamie Winning-Kermond and Tulara Wat Colblensky

Austria

Nominated entries listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Bianca Babanitz and Dakato
Bianca Babanitz and I Will Be Famous
Dominik Juffinger and Neugschwents Diamant
Fritz Kogelnig Jun. and Bg Rio Van De Groenhoeve
Felix Koller and Cossinelle
Max Kühner and Eic Cooley Jump The Q
Max Kühner and Eic Daloubet
Max Kühner and Elektric Blue P
Max Kühner and Greece 5
Christoph Obernauer and Kleons Renegade
Katharina Rhomberg and Colestus Cambridge
Katharina Rhomberg and Cuma 5
Josef Schwarz Jr and Lor Jdv

Belgium

Nominated entries listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Niels Bruynseels and Origi Vd Vosberg
Emilie Conter and Portobella Van De Fruitkorf
Pieter Devos and Casual Dv Z
Nicola Philippaerts and Katanga V/H Dingeshof
Abdel Said and Wathnan Quaker Brimbelles Z
Thibeau Spits and Impress-K Van’T Kattenheye Z
Gilles Thomas and Ermitage Kalone
Roy Van Beek and Cavoiro-Hold
Annelies Vorsselmans and Trezeguet
Gregory Wathelet and Bond Jamesbond De Hay

Brazil

Selected riders listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Stephan Barcha with Dinozo Império Egípcio and Chevaux Primavera Império Egípcio
Luciana Diniz with Vertigo du Desert
Yuri Mansur with QH Alfons Santo Antonio
Marlon Modolo Zanotelli with Dorette Old and Ilex
Rodrigo Pessoa with Major Tom and Prins Van’t Eigenlo

Reserve riders

Eduardo Pereira de Menezes with H5 London Time
Pedro Muylaert with Gemme Villers

Canada

Team riders listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Erynn Ballard with De Flor 111 Z Santa Rosa or Fave D’Authuit
Kyle King with Kayenne Z
Amy Millar with Gaiete D’Elle or Jagger HX
Chris Pratt with Ideaal ES or Lollypop
Kyle Timm with Casino Calvin or Glamour Du Chanu

Chile

Jorge Matte Capdevila riding Kinmar Bespoke or Levi Noesar or Winning Good

Colombia

Team riders listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Ilan Bluman and Acajou
Rodrigo Diaz and Cochiloco PS
Rene Lopez Lizarazo and Casa Lady Love Ps Old
Rene Lopez Lizarazo and Kheros Van’T Hoogeinde
Rene Lopez Lizarazo and Londina
Roberto Teran Tafur and Dez’ Ooktoff

Croatia

Lea Djelmic riding Dukat

Cyprus

Alexa Stais and Cornflake CR

Czech Republic

Team riders listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Nikola Bielikova and Carison
Ales Opatrny and Kapsones W.
Vaclav Stanek and Quintin
Sara Vingralkova and Rock’N Roll MXL

Denmark

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

Rikke Belinda Barker and Tabalou PS
Laura Baaring Kjaergaard and Qarisma Van’T Roosakker
Zascha Nygaard and Charino PS
Zascha Nygaard and Com’On Drako De Maugre
Caroline Rehoff Pedersen and Polonis L
Soren Moeller Rohde and Evolution Ask DWB
Soren Moeller Rohde and Grace Ask
Andreas Schou and Billy Matador
Andreas Schou and Darc De Lux
Andreas Schou and Napoli Vh Nederassenthof
Andreas Schou and Uriga VA

Dominican Republic

Maria Gabriela Brugal Gasso and J’Adore Flamenco

Egypt

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

Ismail Osama El Borai and Lidante 2
Sameh El Dahan and Oscar-A
Ahmed Naser Elnaggar and Kennedy HX
Nayel Nassar and Esi Ali
Zain Shady Samir and Kardesh
Mouda Zeyada and If Looks Could Kill O.H.

Finland

Annina Nordström and Fuzhou

France

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

Simon Delestre and Golden Boy DK
Marc Dilasser and Arioto Du Gevres
Julien Epaillard and Donatello D’Auge
Julien Epaillard and Fringan De Vesquerie
Julien Epaillard and Le Coultre De Muze
Antoine Ermann and Floyd Des Pres
Nina Mallevaey and Dynastie De Beaufour
Nina Mallevaey and Nikka Vd Bisschop
Megane Moissonnier and Crooner Tame
Olivier Perreau and Gl Events Dorai D’Aiguilly
Olivier Robert and Iglesias D.V.
Jeanne Sadran and Dexter De Kerglenn
Nicolas Sers and Eleven De Riverland
Kevin Staut and Exquis RB
Kevin Staut and Feline De Hus HDC

Germany

Team riders listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Daniel Deußer and Otello de Guldenboom
Sophie Hinners and Iron Dames Singclair
André Thieme and DSP Chakaria
Richard Vogel and United Touch S

Reserve riders

First reserve: Marcus Ehning and Coolio
Second reserve: Christian Kukuk and Checker

For more insight, here’s what you need to know about the German showjumping team entered for Aachen.

Great Britain

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

Scott Brash with Hello Folie
Scott Brash with Hello Jefferson
Scott Brash with Hello Mango
Harry Charles with Holst Freda
Sienna Charles with Chawton
Tim Gredley with Medoc de Toxandria
Jodie Hall McAteer with La Gupardie
Ben Maher with Catelly
Ben Maher with Enjeu De Grisien
Ben Maher with Point Break
Jessica Mendoza with Summerhouse
Matt Sampson with Un Secreto Z
Joe Stockdale with Ebanking
Jack Whitaker with Jack JL
Adrian Whiteway with Chacco Volo

For more insight, here’s what you need to know about the British showjumping team entered for Aachen.

Greece

Ioli Mytilineou with either L’Artiste De Toxandra or La Perla Vd Heffinck

Hong Kong

Patrick Lam and Lopez One

Hungary

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

András Jun. Kövy and Egano Van ‘T Wingerdhof Z
Tamás Mráz and Viva Cent
Anna Simicska and Kansas Vl
Ferenc Szentirmai and Quandro Blue Ps
Péter Szuhai and Corbluecenta
Gyula Szuhai Jr. and Lawisangos

Iran

Ali Aziznia and Aonia Domain

Ireland

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

Bertram Allen and Qonquest De Rigo
Trevor Breen and Highland President
Daniel Coyle and Gisborne Vdl
Jordan Coyle and Chaccolino
Darragh Kenny and Eddy Blue
Denis Lynch and Vistogrand
Cian O’Connor and Chatolinue Ps
Cian O’Connor and Kentucky Tn
Conor Swail and Clonterm Obolensky
Shane Sweetnam and Coriaan Van Klapscheut Z
Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz

Israel

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

Daniel Bluman and Corbie V.V.
Mark Bluman and Genial De B’Neville
Mark Bluman and Landon De Nyze
Theodore Boris and Cazan Z
Vanessa Hood and Clitschko 17
Robin Muhr and Foud’Joie De Stel
Robin Muhr and Galaxy Hm
Isabella Russekoff and C Vier 2
Stella Wasserman and Precious Dwerse Hagen

Italy

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

Fabio Brotto and Doha Delle Roane
Piergiorgio Bucci and Hantano
Piergiorgio Bucci and Pallieter Vd N.Ranch
Emanuele Camilli and Chacareno Ps
Emanuele Camilli and Chacco’S Girlstar
Giacomo Casadei and Marbella Du Chabli
Giampiero Garofalo and Querido Van’T Ruytershof
Emanuele Gaudiano and Chalou’S Love Ps
Giulia Martinengo Marquet and Delta Del’Isle
Riccardo Pisani and Chacco’S Lawito Ps
Roberto Previtali and Quirinus 27

Jordan

Ibrahim Barazi and Joie De Vigo R.T.
Ibrahim Hani Bisharat and either Happyness or Lesther

Japan

Team riders listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Takashi Haase Shibayama and Karamell M & M
Koki Saito and Elliot De Gineau Jra
Eiken Sato and Campai 3 or Chadellano Jra
Taizo Sugitani and Quincy 194

Kyrgyzstan

Valeria Sokolova and Jackpot Tn

Kuwait

Ali Al Khorafi and Inshallah

Latvia

Kristaps Neretnieks and Corlansky-Pro or Valour

Lebanon

Roger Chammas and Glondon Di San Giovanni

Liechtenstein

Jennifer Hochstaedter and Golden Lady or Moeboetoe V/D Roshoeve or Winnetou De La Hamente Z
Vanessa-Joy Nagele and Codex S

Lithuania

Matas Petraitis and Nicko P

Luxembourg

Victor Bettendorf with Atchoum De La Roque Z or Doha De Riverland or Gibbs Un Prince or Qwando Van De Rispen

Morocco

Abdeslam Bennani Smires and Mister D’Eclipse
Abdelkebir Ouaddar and Larsino

Mexico

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

Paola Amilibia and I’M A Star
Andres Azcarraga and Contendros 2
Jose Antonio Chedraui Eguia and Con-Cor
Jose Antonio Chedraui Prom and H-Lucky Retto
Federico Fernandez and Romeo
Eugenio Garza Perez and Contago
Carlos Hank Guerreiro and H5 Origi Horta
Carlos Hank Guerreiro and H5 Shaq Attack
Fernando Martinez Sommer and High Five
Fernando Martinez Sommer and Joep
Arturo Parada Vallejo and Laretto
Patricio Pasquel and Chakkalou PS
Nicolas Pizarro and Pia Contra
Luis Alejandro Plascencia O. and Enzo BJX
Luis Alejandro Plascencia O. and Huberth B

North Macedonia

Luka Zaloznik and Stakkatol Blue PSZ

Monaco

Iñigo Lopez De La Osa Franco with Nacco Blue Dnl or Nascar Van ‘T Siamshof
Anastasia Nielsen with Action Man or Esi Rocky

Netherlands

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

Roelof Bril and Iberico
Kim Emmen and Hellix Du Seigneur
Kim Emmen and Imagine N.O.P.
Michael Greeve and Denver
Willem Greve and Grandorado Tn N.O.P.
Willem Greve and Pretty Woman Van’T Paradijs N.O.P.
Roel Holthuizen and Carlson W3
Bas Moerings and Ipsthar
Bas Moerings and Kivinia
Lisa Nooren Garofalo and Scuderia 1918 Grand Prix
Harrie Smolders and Mr. Tac
Sanne Thijssen and Cupcake Z
Leopold Van Asten and Vdl Groep Nino Du Roton
Mathijs Van Asten and Cassina Dior
Maikel Van Der Vleuten and Quastor Vd Heffinck

Neutral Individual Athletes

Ksenia Khairulina and Zwarovski Z
Sergey Petrov and Nero Van’T Prinsenveld

Norway

Team riders listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Geir Gulliksen and Island VG
Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen and Equine America Harwich VDL
Cecilie Hatteland and Que Pasa JW – LVM
Marit Haarr Skollerud and Nelson Van ‘T Roosakker

New Zealand

Team riders listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Luke Dee and Gangster WW
Katie Laurie and Django 11
Uma O’Neill and Luigi D’Eclipse
Sophie Scott and Normandy GHP

Palestine

Egor Shchibrik and Crack HV

Poland

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

Dawid Kubiak and Flash Blue B
Marek Lewicki and Quaid Casio
Hubert Polowczyk and M Blue’s Boy Z
Jaroslaw Skrzyczynski and Komboy
Michal Tyszko and Colinero
Wojciech Wojcianiec and Aliean Zin’Galeriani
Michal Ziebicki and Balou’s Batman

Portugal

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida and Karonia.L
Ricardo Benzinho Karle Da Costa and Kirocco
Mario Wilson Fernandes and Krachtpatser
Luis Sabino Gonçalves and Scoop De Septon Z
Rodrigo Sampaio Peixoto and Orion AS
Duarte Seabra and Dourados 2

Qatar

Faleh Suwead Al Ajami and Wathnan Quatro
Bassem Mohammed and Wathnan Issem or Wathnan Rocket Man

Saudi Arabia

Team riders listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Ramzy Al Duhami and Cayadino or Untouchable 32
Khaled Almobty and Davenport Vdl or Diana Du Plevau Z
Abdulrahman Alrajhi and Heartbeat W or Lorenzo ES or Ventago
Abdullah Alsharbatly and Boeckmanns Lord Pezi Junior or Diriyah or Valentino

Slovakia

Dominika Gaalova and Quarz Du Coeur Des Collines
Radovan Sillo and Quadrosson Ask

Slovenia

Nina Jovovic and Diamant’s Dream

South Africa

Team riders listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Charlie Bays and Ninety Stone Pullman
Ronnie Healy and Cornet’s Mandarino
Oliver Lazarus and Conbalthago PS
Tamara Rueda and Callaho Liantos
Alexandra Ruiz-Carter and Calvarole VG Z

Spain

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

Julio Arias Cueva and Filou Du Manoir
Carlos Bosch Cebrian and Jolie Van Der Berghoeve Kar
Pilar Lucrecia Cordon and Actiongrace Ps
Pilar Lucrecia Cordon and Pica Pica Z
Manuel Fernandez Saro and Baloys Ps
Jesus Garmendia Echevarria and Caramel Blue Ps
Álvaro González De Zarate Fernandez and Conthargo-Blue
Francisco Goyoaga Mollet and Stakato Cornet
Carlos Lopez-Fanjul Tartiere and Jourdain Vdl
Alberto Marquez Galobardes and Kelly
Sira Martinez Cullell and Pipper Des Vergers Z
Imma Roquet Autonell and Irivola Del Maset
Laura Roquet Puignero and Nina Puigroq
Iván Serrano Sáez and Rain Man
Armando Trapote and Tornado Vs

Sweden

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

Petronella Andersson and Odina Van Klapscheut
Petronella Andersson and Opaline De W&S
Carl-Walter Fox and Eka First Navy Jack
Jens Fredricson and Diarado’S Rose Elith
Peder Fredricson and Alcapone Des Carmille
Peder Fredricson and Sv Vroom De La Pomme Z
Amanda Landeblad and Springfield 21
Wilma Mcmahon and Cicci Bjn
Thomas Ryan and Jezebeau Bc
Henrik Von Eckermann and Minute Man
Henrik Von Eckermann and Qasirah Van De Reistenhoek
Angelie Von Essen and Voila Dk Z
Marcus Westergren and Airco De L Esprit Z

For more insight, here’s what you need to know about the Swedish showjumping team entered for Aachen.

Switzerland

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

Martin Fuchs and Conner Jei
Martin Fuchs and Fortjump Du Beaumenil
Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei
Martin Fuchs and Lorde
Steve Guerdat and Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte
Steve Guerdat and Dynamix De Belheme
Steve Guerdat and Venard De Cerisy
Gaëtan Joliat and Chelsea Z
Gaëtan Joliat and Just Special Vk
Alain Jufer and Chaccoo De L’Escant Mm
Alain Jufer and Dante Mm
Nadja Peter Steiner and Nice Van’T Zorgvliet
Barbara Schnieper and Canice
Jason Smith and Picobello Van’T Roosakker
Janika Sprunger and Orelie

Turkey

Team riders listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Alessia Arrigo Zazadze and Dawson
Derin Demirsoy and Csf Whipper Snapper Vdl
Necmi Eren and Pss Levilensky
Hasan Senturk and No-Comment De Septon

United Arab Emirates

Nominated entries listed alphabetically by rider’s surname

Saeed Moh’d Al Maazmi and Passion Vd Donkhoeve
Abdullah Mohd Al Marri and Bbs Mcgregor
Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi and Chacco Bay
Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi and Enjoy De La Mure
Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi and Chacolu
Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi and Hudson De Vains
Humaid Abdulla Khalifa Al Muhairi and Foncetti Vd Heffinck
Shk. Ali Jmal Nasr Al Nuami and Cobalt Vd Bisschop Z
Salim Ahmed Al Suwaidi and Flonflon
Shaikha Latifah Ahmed Almaktoum and Cornet Xl

USA

Team riders listed in alphabetical order by rider’s surname.

Katie Dinan on Out of the Blue SCF
Lillie Keenan on Fasther
Laura Kraut on Bisquetta
Marilyn Little on La Contessa
McLain Ward on High Star Hero

Uzbekistan

Abdurakhmon Abdullaev and Caballone
Bekzod Kurbanov and Matts V.G.

Venezuela

Luis Fernando Larrazabal and Baroness

Zimbabwe

Charley Barford and Odiena Van Berimar

When are final team announcements for showjumping?

The deadline for definite entries – that is the final squads of up to five athletes per nation, bar injury or illness – is 27 July.

How are teams selected?

Each country follows its own selection process. The British selectors chose their showjumping team based on who is most likely to achieve the objectives; of qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and winning as many medals as possible. Their selections take into account combination results, including in five-star Nations Cup and grands prix, this year and last.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from the World Championships and other major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Who’s made the cut for the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 eventing teams? Now updated with nominated entries for every nation plus final squad for the USA

Pippa Roome — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:38:47 +0000

If you’re wondering which horses and riders will make the final cut for the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 eventing teams, then H&H is here to keep you abreast of all the selection news as it happens.

I’ll be updating this page every time we receive an update – most recently, I’ve used the nominated entries list to add all the information available at this stage, so every entered nation’s options are now covered below, and I’ve also added the final squad for the USA.

There will be approximately 90 starters in the eventing at this year’s FEI World Championships, with a maximum of five horse and rider combinations per nation.

Teams can consist of three or four athletes, with the best three scores to count. If a country has a team then they can also field one additional horse and rider competing as a individual. Countries that do not have a team can enter two combinations as individuals.

Eventing teams at Aachen 2026

Nations listed in alphabetical order

Australia

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Oliver Barrett with Sandhills Briar
Olivia Barton with APH Sodoku
Christine Bates with Bloomfield Findon
Andrew Cooper with Ocean Eight
Isabel English with Cil Dara Bombay S
Sophia Hill with Humble Glory
Sophia Hill with Tulara Baltango
Andrew Hoy with Vassily De Lassos
Sam Jeffree with Santoro
Ema Klugman with Chiraz
Kevin McNab with Faro Imp
Emma Mason with KPH Kingfisher
David Middleton with WEC In The Breeze
Kenya Wilson with Sandros Salute MW
Sam Woods with SS Eight Count

Austria

Team

Harald Ambros with Vitorio Du Montet
Daniel Dunst with Chevalier 97
Karin Khoddam-Hazrati with Renegade
Lea Siegl with Watermill Giorgio RS

Belgium

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Martin Boon with Gravin Van Cantos
Wouter de Cleene with Quintera
Wouter de Cleene with Ragdoll De Tamise
Lara de Liedekerke-Meier with Hooney D’Arville
Lara de Liedekerke-Meier with Kiarado D’Arville
Lara de Liedekerke-Meier with La La Land D’Arville
Lara de Liedekerke-Meier with Quintus
Karin Donckers with Leipheimer Van’t Verahof
Karin Donckers with Olympic De Muze
Senne Vervaecke with Google Van Alsingen
Kris Vervaecke with Questo Van Alsingen

Brazil

Team

Marcio Carvalho Jorge with Castle Howard Casanova, Linkin Park K or Royal Encounter
Rafael Mamprin Losano with Cooley And Co, Master Quality Imp or Withington
Carlos Parro with Safira

Canada

Individuals

Jessica Phoenix and Fluorescent Adolescent
Mike Winter and El Mundo

China

Individual

Alex Hua Tian with Chicko, with Chapel House as reserve horse

Czech Republic

Team

Pavel Brezina with Turin
Matej Sukdolak with Qaid
Miroslav Trunda with Mellevue Van Rechteren

Denmark

Individuals

Peter Flarup with Gamegirl Impe or H.Carald Z

Spain

Individual

Esteban Benitez Valle with Utrera AA 35 1

Finland

Individuals

Axel Lindberg with Quelle Bonne
Sanna Siltakorpi with Bofey Click

France

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Thomas Carlile with Golden De Béliard AA
Sébastien Cavaillon with Elipso De La Vigne
Luc Château with Cocorico De L’Ebat
Alexis Goury with Colorée De Poteau Z
Alexis Goury with Je’Vall
Karim Laghouag with Dream De Viève
Gaspard Maksud with Zaragoza
Benjamin Massié with Figaro Fonroy
Benjamin Massié with Filao De Perle
Benjamin Massié with Guess Star
Astier Nicolas with Alertamalib’Or
Astier Nicolas with Dirty Old Town
Nicolas Touzaint with Diabolo Menthe

Germany

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Antonia Baumgart with Ris De Talm
Arne Bergendahl with Bronco NRW
Vanessa Bölting with Ready To Go NRW
Malin Hansen-Hotopp with Carlitos Quidditch K
Michael Jung with FischerChipmunk FRH
Pauline Knorr with Aevolet MAF
Julia Krajewski with Uelzener’s Nickel
Julia Krajewski with Tullibard’s Platinum
Libussa Lübbeke with Caramia
Katharina Meyer with Aspen T
Christoph Wahler with D’Accord FRH

Great Britain

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Sarah Bullimore with Corimiro
Ros Canter with Lordships Graffalo
Laura Collett with London 52
David Doel with Galileo Nieuwmoed
Caroline Harris with D. Day
Yasmin Ingham with Gypsie Du Loir
Tom Jackson with United 36
Katie Magee with Treworra
Tom McEwen with Brookfield Quality
Tom McEwen with JL Dublin
Harry Meade with Cavalier Crystal
Selina Milnes with Cooley Snapchat
Gemma Stevens with Cooley Park Muze
Gemma Stevens with Flash Cooley
Bubby Upton with Its Cooley Time

For more insight, here’s what you need to know about the British eventing team entered for Aachen.

Hungary

Individuals

Noémi Viola Doerfer with Piltown Harry
Balázs Kaizinger with Clover 15 or Herr Cooles Classico

India

Individuals

Ashish Limaye with D’Avril Du Pinier
Fouaad Mirza with Mokatoo

Ireland

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Susie Berry and John The Bull
Ian Cassells and Millridge Atlantis
Aoife Clark and Full Monty De Lacense
Sian Coleman and Carrowgar Je T’aime Max
Sarah Ennis and Dourough Ferro Class Act
Georgie Goss and Feloupe
Georgie Goss and Kojak
Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint
Padraig McCarthy and MGH Zabaione
Padraig McCarthy and Pomp n Circumstance
Padraig McCarthy and Lady Ophelia
Joseph Murphy and Calmaro
Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue
Austin O’Connor and Sixmilewater
Sam Watson and Ballyneety Rocketman

Italy

Squad

Francesco Aondio Bertero with It’s Athene
Andrea Cincinnati with Cecelia Lad
Vittoria Panizzon with DHI Jackpot
Paolo Torlonia with Zinny
Giovanni Ugolotti with Duke Of Champions

Japan

Team

Ryuzo Kitajima with Be My Daisy or Feroza Nieuwmoed
Kento Nagura with Vinci De La Vigne JRA
Toshiyuki Tanaka with Jefferson JRA

Morocco

Individual

Noor Slaoui with Cash In Hand or Legende P

Netherlands

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Splinter Bergsma with Vigo Key SR Z
Sanne de Jong with Enjoy
Jillian Giessen with Seattle Park
Florinoor Hoogland with Hontoni
Aliene Ruyter with Veloumani Tess Ly
Adriaan Smeulders with Ekow
Sterre Van Houte with Crossborder Radar Love
Jordy Wilken with Champ Van’t VHIJ

New Zealand

Squad

Clarke Johnstone with Rocket Man
Samantha Lissington with Lucas Stone
Jonelle Price with Senor Crocodillo
Tim Price with Falco
Monica Spencer with Artist

For more insight, including who is on the New Zealand reserves list, here’s what you need to know about the New Zealand eventing team entered for Aachen.

Poland

Individuals

Joanna Pawlak with Armin De Monsieur
Manuel Grave with Carat De Bremoy

Switzerland

Nominated entries in alphabetical order by rider’s surname

Angelika Dubach with Felin De Chignan
Robin Godel with Dealer De La Bride
Robin Godel with Grandeur De Lully CH
Mélody Johner with Erin
Nadja Minder with Toblerone
Nadja Minder with Top Job’s Jalisco
Desirée Schmidt with Fairy Tale B
Felix Vogg with Cartania
Felix Vogg with Colero
Felix Vogg with Frieda

Sweden

Squad

Frieda Anderson with Box Leo
Christoffer Forsberg with Hippo’s Sapporo TSF
Louise Romeike with Caspian 15
Sofia Sjöberg with Bryjamolga VH Marienshof Z or Govalent
Amanda Staam with Corpoubet AT

Thailand

Individuals

Weerapat Pitakanonda with B.Grimm Chateau De Versailles M2S
Korntawat Samran with B.Grimm Carouzo Bois Marotin

Turkey

Individual

Kumry Say with Balandin De L’Ocean LA

USA

Squad

Will Coleman with Diabolo
Phillip Dutton with Possante
Boyd Martin with Cooley Nutcracker
Caroline Pamukcu with HSH Blake
Tamie Smith with Lillet 3

For more insight into the US selection and the reserve list, here’s what you need to know about the US squad who will head to the eventing World Championships.

When are final team announcements for eventing?

The deadline for definite entries – that is the final squads of up to five athletes per nation, bar injury or illness – is 27 July.

How are teams selected?

Each country follows its own selection process. The British selectors take into account the results of horse and rider combinations at major competitions, as well as the difficulty of certain courses, how competitive a competition was and results at events with “field of play similarities” to a championships.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from the World Championships and other major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

British four-star ‘delighted’ to be new home for eventing Nations Cup qualifier

Lucy Elder — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:42:14 +0000

The British leg of the FEI eventing Nations Cup series is moving north to Defender Bramham Horse Trials in West Yorkshire next year (10 to 14 June 2027).

The news was revealed in the wrap-up report from last week’s FEI Board meeting (30 June to 1 July), which took place in Switzerland.

The eventing Nations Cup is a team event run at short-format four-star level, featuring qualifiers in different countries and culminating in a long-format final at Boekelo in the Netherlands in the autumn. A team ticket for the LA28 Olympics will also be up for grabs at the 2027 eventing Nations Cup final.

The rules were rejigged ahead of this season – each of the five legs now act as qualifiers for the final (based on points collected at each leg), where teams will start on a clean slate. Previously, the series ran solely on a points system, meaning it was possible for winners to be decided before the final started.

Britain’s leg of the Nations Cup has had several homes over the years, most recently at Bicton Horse Trials, in Devon, in May. Chatsworth, in Derbyshire, held the 2023 edition, and before that, it ran at Houghton Hall in Norfolk.

Bramham Horse Trials event director Nicholas Pritchard told H&H that the fixture was “delighted to receive the news from the FEI that we’d been selected to host a qualifier”.

“Bramham is renowned for being a discovery ground for horse and rider combinations with star potential and the Nations Cup will add further impact to those credentials,” said Mr Pritchard.

“Add to that being part of a route to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games makes it incredibly exciting. France, Ireland, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Sweden and Italy are all regular visitors, and we’d love to see more flags making the trip to Bramham in 2027.”

He added: “To be chosen by the FEI is testament to the incredible group we have at Bramham who deliver a world-class event – from the home team who do the organisation, infrastructure and our showpiece cross country courses to our army of volunteers and loyal sponsors and partners, everyone plays a huge part.”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Irish Olympic dressage rider withdraws from World Championships contention

Oscar Williams — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 12:16:35 +0000

Irish Olympic dressage rider Abi Lyle has withdrawn her top ride Giraldo (Arty) from selection for the Irish dressage team for this summer’s 2026 World Championships in Aachen, Germany (11–23 August).

In a statement, she said: “After much careful consideration, I have concluded that it would be best for me to withdraw from [World Championships] 2026 team contention.

“Although I am very privileged to have an amazing, fit horse and the opportunity to be selected, this is an incredibly personal decision to which I have given a lot of thought.

“This year, Team Ireland has a fabulous group of talented dressage riders, and I wish them all the luck in the world. In the meantime, I intend to keep training, competing and most importantly, enjoying my horses and giving them the best life possible.

“Thank you to everyone who has supported and continues to support me, especially Horse Sport Ireland, Caroline Clarry, my sponsors, Carl [Hester], Gareth [Hughes] and Mark [McVicar]. I really appreciate it.”

Abi Lyle withdraws from World Championships contention

Abi Lyle also took an extended break from competing between the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Speaking to H&H after announcing she was withdrawing from selection for the Aachen 2026 dressage team, she reassured readers that her decision wasn’t down to any single underlying issue.

“It was nothing in particular, but it was a culmination of things,” Abi explained: “For me, it’s always important to have at the forefront the reason why we do this sport. I’m fine, Arty is fine, there’s no drama, nothing has gone wrong, and the decision has brought me a huge amount of relief.”

The withdrawal comes at the end of a season in which Abi has been Ireland’s form leader: her 2026 international grand prix average of 68.39%, across four starts, is the highest of any Irish combination nominated for Aachen.

She was competing as recently as Hartpury (3-4 July) – the same show at which several of her prospective teammates secured their own qualifying scores – finishing 12th in the grand prix (67.41%) and 4th in the freestyle (71.57%).

Abi has represented Ireland at the past three major championships for which they have had dressage representation: as part of the team at the 2022 World Championships and 2023 Europeans, and as an individual at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

What does Abi Lyle’s withdrawal mean for Irish hopes?

But whereas in championship seasons past Abi was Ireland’s sole or leading hope, the Irish team goes into the worlds in as strong a position as it’s been in for a long time. With her withdrawal, the remaining four nominated riders – who will make up the team – are:

Kevin Acres with 15-year-old gelding Ganesh (Jazz x Partout)
Alex Baker with 14-year-old stallion Top Gear (Totilas x Don Frederico)
James Connor with 13-year-old gelding Vanotti (Vitalis x Florestan)
Jess Dunn with 13-year-old gelding Dan Its Carston (Durable x Clearway)

Kevin’s place had been riding on securing a second minimum eligibility result (MER), which he duly achieved at Hartpury CDI3* last week, scoring 66.96% in the grand prix to finish 14th – part of a season that has seen his scores climb steadily, culminating in his best grand prix and special results of the year at the same show.

James arrives with by far the busiest campaign of the four, having contested seven grands prix across four countries this season for a 67.05% average, the most tested form of any of Ireland’s remaining combinations. Jess Dunn (67.32% from three starts) and Alex Baker (64.80% from six) round out the side; Alex’s has been the most variable season of the four, ranging from the low 60s to a personal-best 67.48% at Hartpury just days ago.

It will be the first time Ireland has sent a dressage team to a major championship since the 2023 European Championships in Riesenbeck. Six team quota places for the LA 2028 Olympics will also be awarded to the highest-placed nations at Aachen (excluding hosts, the USA), so a strong showing here would put Ireland’s name into that conversation for the first time in years.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news on Aachen 2026 dressage teams, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

A five-star winner, a fall forgiven and an emotional story: US eventing squad selected for the World Championships

Pippa Roome — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 12:07:41 +0000

Defender Kentucky five-star winners Will Coleman and Diabolo will head up the US squad for the eventing World Championships at Aachen in August.

The US selection pathway for the Aachen 2026 eventing team is more straightforward than some others such as Britain’s – where riders have the pick of multiple events – in that the vast majority of US contenders head to Kentucky Three-Day Event for either the five-star or four-star short, so these two classes act as the major spring championship trial.

As such, the US squad includes the five-star winners in Will and Diabolo and runners-up Caroline Pamucku and HSH Blake, plus frequent team rider Phillip Dutton, who was eighth on Possante. Also included are Boyd Martin and Cooley Nutcracker (11th in the five-star) and Kentucky four-star winners Tamie Smith and Lillet 3. The four-star runner Very Dignified is one of two direct reserve mounts for Will.

There are no major surprises in the squad. Selectors obviously decided they could forgive Tamie her fall at Defender Bramham Horse Trials.

Perhaps the only real question mark is the absence of Boyd’s Commando 3 (sixth at Kentucky five-star after very good five-star form in 2025) from either the squad or reserve bench – one has to assume this smart horse is out of contention with some kind of setback. Boyd has a reserve listing for Shanroe Cooley, who was third at Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials.

The selection of Cooley Nutcracker has a particular emotional pull because he was ridden at Paris 2024 by Liz Halliday, before her life-changing injury in a fall, and is owned by a syndicate called Liz’s Nutcrackers, which includes Liz and her mother, Debby. Liz watched the horse in action at Kentucky in April, her first return to an event since her accident.

Of interest to British fans will be the inclusion on the reserve list of Wiltshire-based Tiana Coudray with her Bramham podium finisher D’Artagnan. Should she be called up, this would be Tiana’s first championship since the 2012 London Olympics.

Fellow reserve Hallie Coon (Kapriccio) is also based in Wiltshire, while Allie Knowles (Montpellier Scais) has been competing in Britain this season as part of the development tour and sealed her reserve listing with results at Bicton Horse Trials and Bramham.

The squad includes three riders from the US’s 2022 world silver medal-winning team (Will, Tamie and Boyd), but no horses – unless Will ends up riding his old favourite Off The Record (seventh individually at the 2022 worlds), who is one of his two direct reserve horses.

It will be decided nearer the time of the World Championships which four riders from the US squad make up the eventing team and which rides as an individual.

US eventing squad for the 2026 World Championships

The full squad, in alphabetical order by athlete surname, is:

Will Coleman with 14-year-old gelding Diabolo

Owner: Diabolo Group

Breeder: Fritz Maschmann

Breeding: by Diarado out of a mare by Aljano 2

Groom: Erin Jarboe

Phillip Dutton with 13-year-old gelding Possante

Owner: The Possante Group

Breeder: De Radstake B.V

Breeding: by Namelus R out of a mare by Otangelo

Groom: Emma Yanek

Boyd Martin with 12-year-old gelding Cooley Nutcracker

Owner: Liz’s Nutcrackers

Breeder: Gary Doherty

Breeding: by BMC Tolan R out of a mare by Cobra

Groom: Stephanie Simpson

Caroline Pamukcu with 11-year-old gelding HSH Blake

Owners: Mollie Hoff, rider’s mother Sherrie Martin, rider and her husband Deniz

Breeder: Justin Burke

Breeding: by BMC Tolan R out of a mare by Kannan

Groom: Chloe Teahan

Tamie Smith with 10-year-old mare Lillet 3

Owners: Molly and Jennifer Duda

Breeder: Morena Petersen

Breeding: SIEC Livello out of a mare by Calidio I

Groom: Savannah Gwin

Direct reserve horses for Will Coleman:

Seventeen-year-old gelding Off The Record

Owner: Off The Record Syndicate

Breeder: Peter G. Brady

Breeding: by VDL Arkansas out of a mare by ARD Ohio

Groom: Erin Jarboe

Eleven-year-old mare Very Dignified

Owners: Jerome Broussard, Gloria Callen and Elizabeth Lendrum

Breeder: Deirdre Bowler

Breeding: by Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet out of a mare by Ricardo Z

Groom: Erin Jarboe

The following combinations have been selected as alternates and are listed in alphabetical order (grooms have not been published for the reserves):

Jennie Brannigan with 16-year-old gelding FE Lifestyle

Owners: Tim and Nina Gardner

Breeder: Danny Arnold

Breeding: by Leo Von Faelz out of a mare by Brandenburger

Hallie Coon with 11-year-old gelding Kapriccio

Owners: rider and Helen Coon

Breeder: E. Van Hal

Breeding: by Dexter R out of mare by Carambo

Tiana Coudray with 12-year-old gelding D’Artagnan

Owners: Kyrle Arscott, Tiana Coudray, and Annabelle James

Breeder: unlisted

Breeding: by Diamant De Semilly out of a mare by Cassini II

Phillip Dutton with 11-year-old gelding Denim

Owners: Ann Jones, Ann Lapides, Caroline Moran, and Neill Sites

Breeder: Bachmann

Breeding: by Dinken out of a mare by Ibisco

Sydney Elliot with 16-year-old gelding QC Diamantaire

Owner: Carol Stephens

Breeder: Berthold Gerdes

Breeding: by Diarado out of a mare by Sandro Hit

Emily Hamel with 19-year-old gelding Corvett

Owner: Black Flag Option, LLC

Breeder: Doris Schimmer

Breeding: by Corrido out of a mare by Clearway

Allie Knowles with nine-year-old Montpellier Scais

Owner: Katherine O’Brien

Breeder: Ben Wentink

Breeding: by Quasimodo Van De Molendreef out of a mare by Indoctro

Boyd Martin with 11-year-old Shanroe Cooley

Owner: Dallas LLC

Breeder: Anthony Smyth

Breeding: by Dallas VDL out of a mare by Condios

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Germany looking strong with three core riders named for World Championships dressage bid

Oscar Williams — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:50:04 +0000

Hosts Germany have announced their dressage team for the 2026 World Championships in Aachen, Germany (11–23 August).

The core of the team that won team gold at the Europeans last summer – Isabell Werth (Wendy de Fontaine), Katharina Hemmer (Denoix PCH) and Frederic Wandres (Bluetooth OLD) – remains unchanged. The only difference is in the fourth spot, where Raphael Netz and Great Escape Camelot have stepped in to replace Ingrid Klimke and Vayron, who didn’t contest the first selection trial and withdrew from contention before the second.

That change shouldn’t derail Germany’s medal prospects at the World Championships. Raphael’s 2026 grand prix average of 73.72% is actually well clear of the level Ingrid carried into Crozet last summer, when she averaged 72.03% across her three pre-championship grands prix – before a rough day at the Europeans itself, where she managed just 69.35% in a test she later described as the “worst grand prix we’ve done”.

Raphael, by contrast, has been strikingly consistent all season, never straying more than half a point from his own average across four grands prix.

There had been some early-season talk of Isabell switching to her exciting young stallion Viva Gold OLD, but the pair have consistently campaigned at CDI3*/4* level, whereas Wendy has been favoured for the CDI5*/CDIO circuit – and Viva Gold’s scores haven’t yet closed that gap, even if he’s one to watch on the road to LA28.

The only real doubt in that core trio for Germany’s dressage team at Aachen 2026 was Katharina Hemmer and her American-owned Denoix, who’ve had a disrupted season.

The pair have competed at three internationals. First at Lier CDI4* in March, where they won both the grand prix (75.59%) and special (75.6%). They followed that up at Hagen CDI4* in April, winning the grand prix (77.26%) and finishing runner-up in the freestyle (77.7%).

Those results at Hagen came just weeks after her long-time coach, Hubertus Schmidt, was hospitalised following a serious riding accident – and more disruption was to follow.

Denoix was forced to withdraw from the German Dressage Championships last month, Germany’s first mandatory selection trial for the worlds, after suffering a bump in the stable that left the 14-year-old gelding with a swollen leg.

It wasn’t the first time injury had cost them a start, either: the pair also missed Frankfurt CDI in December for the same reason.

Losing Katharina would have been a hammer blow to German hopes of team gold – not just for her scores, but for her record under pressure. At last summer’s Europeans in Crozet, she was the only rider among either nation’s core trio to outperform her season’s grand prix average, posting 75.7% against a pre-championship average of 74.3% – a jump of 1.4 points at exactly the moment it mattered most, while her German teammates and all three of Britain’s trio dipped below theirs.

Germany’s eventual margin of victory over Britain was just 2.86 points across three scores; without Katharina’s uplift, that gap would have been far closer, if not reversed entirely.

Thankfully for the German dressage team at Aachen 2026, she made her comeback just in time for the second and final selection trial last week, at another CDI4* at Hagen (2–4 July), winning the grand prix (77.02%) and again finishing runner-up in the freestyle (77.36%).

Afterwards, she said she “never really had any doubts” about Denoix. “By now I know that if he’s physically able to do it, he’ll give everything for me. I trust him completely,” she added.

German dressage team for the 2026 Aachen World Championships

Katharina Hemmer with 14-year-old gelding Denoix PCH

Owner: Nancy Gooding and Hubertus Schmidt

Breeder: Friedrich Kuhlmann

Breeding: by Destano, out of a mare by Pik Noir

Raphael Netz with 15-year-old gelding Great Escape Camelot

Owner: Theres Boss and Sonja Kristina Krall

Breeder: C.C. Kerssens-Rademaker

Breeding: by Glock’s Johnson, out of a mare by Turbo Magic

Frederic Wandres with 16-year-old gelding Bluetooth OLD

Owner: Equitorus GmbH

Breeder: Gestüt Lewitz

Breeding: by Bordeaux, out of a mare by GB Riccione

Isabell Werth with 12-year-old mare Wendy De Fontaine

Owner: Château de Fontaine and Madeleine Winter-Schulze

Breeder: Kurt Gosmer

Breeding: by Sezuan, out of a mare by Blue Hors Soprano

To stay up to date with all the breaking news about Aachen 2026 dressage teams, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘Enjoy your retirement, you wonderful horse’: Hickstead Derby hero bows out to spend golden years with his old friends

Eleanor Jones — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 16:27:50 +0000

Robert Whitaker’s Hickstead Derby-winning hero Equine America Gentlemen VH Veldhof has retired aged 20 – to spend the rest of his life with old friends.

Robert, who triumphed with Caroline Blatchford’s superstar in 2025, paid tribute to his incredible career as it came to an end on a high.

“Gentlemen, thank you,” he said. “This special horse has done so many incredible things for so many people, including myself, Stephen and Caroline [Blatchford] – the highlight of those winning the 2025 Hickstead Derby.

“Gentlemen, you are a superstar and owe us nothing, go and enjoy your retirement, you wonderful horse.”

Robert took the ride on the Quite Easy stallion, previously ridden by Tim Gredley and with whom David Simpson won the Queen Elizabeth II Cup, in late 2024.

“It sounds madness to buy a horse at 18!” Mrs Blatchford told H&H. “But Rob knew Gentlemen had been around the Derby before and done quite well. He said right at the beginning, ‘I think I could win the Derby on Gentlemen,’ and we all looked at him like he was a bit mad.”

Gent and Robert were flying from the start; winning a six-bar at their first show, and they went on to other wins and good placings at top level.

“They clicked immediately,” Mrs Blatchford said. “When we get a new horse, we don’t expect anything particularly for the first few months while they settle and get to know each other but that wasn’t the case with Gentlemen.”

Gentlemen VH Veldhof: that Derby win

Mrs Blatchford said it was “wonderful” to watch her horse win the Derby, and that it felt as if the whole crowd was willing he and Rob on.

“Then in the prize-giving they put that gorgeous wreath round the horse’s neck and the pair of them looked so proud. I’ve never seen Rob look happier.”

Mrs Blatchford said the decision was taken to retire Gent on a high and keep him on livery, but the first rider who competed him internationally, Belgian Koen de Waele, stepped up.

“Rob said he was Gentlemen’s biggest fan,” she said. “He immediately said, ‘I want him to come home.’ He’d been following him; every time he jumped within a couple of hours, he’d travel to see him.

“He’s made an impact on a lot of people and he’s going to live out his days in comfort.”

Koen told H&H he took Gentlemen VH Veldhof on as a six-year-old – and there were some challenges at first.

“Everything was there, but he was a handful; a lot of work,” Koen said. “He was a good jumper but spooky. Not at the fences, they could have been on fire and he’d jump them, but everything else. It took me more than a year and a half to hack him in the woods, I fell off 1,000 times!

“He’d spook, turn back and I’d fall off. He never ran away but some rides, I fell off five times. But at a show, in the ring, he never let me down, ever. He was an abnormal horse.”

Koen said it took years of work but “one day he clicked, then he did everything”.

Tim Gredley (GBR) riding Gentlemen VH Veldhof during the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby. (Image credit: Sport In Pictures/Alamy Live News)

“At eight, he jumped a grand prix, it was all so easy for him,” he said. “He was lucky when we sold him to go into good hands; first David Simpson then Tim Gredley.

“I have to thank Tim, who’s a real horseman, and he was such a gentleman to Robert when he let him have Gentlemen to back up Vermento. They did a great job with him, then with Robert, I don’t have to tell the story, and Robert took such good care of him too.”

Koen said Gent will spend most of his summer relaxing in the field, or in his stable if it gets too hot, then in winter he will enjoy outings to the beach, where Koen likes to ride his horses. He added that he said immediately he would like to have Gent back when he heard he was to retire.

“They didn’t over-use him; he’s retiring sound, which gives me a lot of satisfaction,” he said. “He came straight to my stable from the plane and if you didn’t know, he looked like a three-year-old, fit and sound. It was good to see him back like that and he knew the place, he knew his stable. It was like he’d never left.”

Koen added that Gent will live with his old friend, another of his former competition rides.

“I went to a show last week and he wanted to go; he was waiting by the gate, like ‘I want to go too’,” he said. “It’s not the plan but he still would be able to. Now he can be with his old buddy, who he grew up with. I’m very happy to keep him and have him retire at my place.”

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Eventing hub

Pippa Roome — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 16:03:59 +0000

Whether you’re looking for the latest eventing news, exclusive interviews with top event riders or opinions from influential eventing names, Horse & Hound’s eventing hub is the place to be. Also get training tips to help improve your eventing performance and find out about the latest kit and clothing.

Showing hub

Bethan Simons — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 16:01:37 +0000

Whether you’re looking for the latest showing news, exclusive interviews with top showing producers or opinions from influential names, Horse & Hound’s showing hub is the place to be. Also check out our premium showing articles for H&H subscribers, which include a step-by-step guide to preparing your horse or pony for the season after their winter break, advice from top professionals on how to prepare for individual classes and how to tackle common problems, and a breakdown of all this year’s HOYS qualifiers.

Showjumping hub

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 15:58:38 +0000

Whether you’re looking for the latest showjumping news, exclusive interviews with top riders or opinions from influential showjumping names, Horse & Hound’s showjumping hub is the place to be. You can also get expert training tips and browse the latest jumping kit and clothing.

Dressage hub

Oscar Williams — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 14:46:45 +0000

Whether you’re looking for the latest dressage news, exclusive interviews with top dressage riders or opinions from influential names, Horse & Hound’s dressage hub is the place to be.

It’s also a place to keep in touch with dressage riders’ stories, get useful dressage training tips, find out about the latest kit and clothing you’ll want to buy, and watch our recent dressage videos.

Charlotte Dujardin throws fourth worlds spot wide open with stunning Hartpury double

Oscar Williams — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 10:27:26 +0000

Charlotte Dujardin and Brave Heart II put the cat among the pigeons in the pre-World Championships selection race, winning both the CDI3* grand prix and grand prix special at Hartpury, on 74.8% and 74.7% respectively – smashing their international personal bests in both tests.

The fourth British team spot for the worlds at Aachen has been the season’s big sub-plot. Selectors weigh grand prix scores most heavily, as this decides the team medals in Aachen – the special and freestyle, which determine individual medals, count too, but less.

Carl Hester on Fame, Lottie Fry on Glamourdale and Becky Moody on Jagerbomb have long looked nailed on for three of the four places, leaving one spot up for grabs.

Fiona Bigwood and Donna Bella had emerged as favourites on the back of the strongest form of the chasing pack, edging out Charlotte and Brave Heart in both of their head-to-heads this season: 73.13% to 72.8% at Hickstead CDI3* in May, then 74.6% to 71.87% at Wellington CDI3* in June, where Charlotte finished third behind winners Carl and Fame.

Charlotte’s international average had rested on just those two grands prix this season – the smallest sample size of any on the British dressage squad shortlist for Aachen 2026. And as the team is due to be confirmed this month, Hartpury was billed as the last chance for either combination to move the needle before selectors make their call.

Why Hartpury was a key moment in the Aachen worlds selection race

Fiona and Donna Bella were not competing at Hartpury – and although they have beaten Charlotte and Brave Heart on both occasions the pair have faced each other this season, Charlotte’s bumper score has lifted her grand prix average from 72.34% to 73.16%, above Fiona’s 72.9%. Charlotte’s Hartpury score is now also the highest posted by either combination all season, just eclipsing Fiona’s previous best of 74.61%.

Fiona still boasts the bigger sample size having competed at four internationals this season, including in the championship-like atmosphere of the Fontainebleau Nations Cup, where she rode alongside Carl and Lottie on the British team.

But the raw numbers have swung in Charlotte’s favour – a reversal I wouldn’t have predicted after Wellington, when I’d have put money on Fiona and Donna Bella completing the team alongside Fame, Glamourdale and Jagerbomb. Charlotte and Brave Heart had one shot left – and what a time to pull out a personal best.

“I’m so pleased with Brave Heart,” Charlotte said. “His confidence is really growing in the arena, and I know there is so much more to come.”

Her grand prix score did come with a notable spread across the panel, although she was the unanimous winner. Judge at B, Susan Hoevenaars, marked her at 71.85%, more than five points shy of Eduard de Wolff van Westerrode at M’s 77.17% – which selectors will no doubt weigh up. Despite that, her overall marks were remarkably consistent between the two tests, the special just 0.1% off the grand prix.

With averages, sample sizes, head-to-heads and now a scoring spread all in the mix, selectors Judy Harvey, Jenny Ward and Anne Keen have a genuinely tight call to make. I don’t envy them.

Sadie Smith and Swanmore Dantina – also among the nominated entries for Aachen – finished runners-up in the grand prix on their own personal best of 72.65%.

American rider Ashley Holzer completed the podium on 71.96% aboard Hawtins San Floriana, one of several of Charlotte’s former rides now competing at the highest level. Gareth Hughes and Mowgli-Olympia MC, the only other nominated combination in action, finished fourth on 70.98%. Sadie and Dantina went on to win Saturday evening’s freestyle gala, scoring 76.94%.

Susan Pape and Harmony’s Giulilanta were also in action this weekend, competing in Germany at Hagen CDI4*. Going into the competition, their grand prix average of 72.13% was just 0.2% behind Charlotte’s, leaving them an outside chance too. Among a stacked field, they scored 70.17% in the grand prix, finishing ninth, but bumping their grand prix average down to 71.64%.

International grand prix average scores for top British riders

Here’s how the season’s international grand prix averages now stand across the eight nominated combinations:

Lottie Fry and Glamourdale – 79.62%
Carl Hester and Fame – 76.75%
Becky Moody and Jagerbomb – 76.43%
Charlotte Dujardin and Brave Heart – 73.16%
Fiona Bigwood and Donna Bella – 72.90%
Sadie Smith and Swanmore Dantina – 71.74%
Susan Pape and Harmony’s Giulilanta – 71.64%
Gareth Hughes and Mowgli-Olympia MC – 70.42%

The top three didn’t compete this weekend, and their places remain untouched. But for the fourth spot, the picture could hardly be tighter: just 0.26 of a percentage point now separates Charlotte and Fiona – though, as ever, averages alone won’t be what decides it.

A couple of weeks ago, this looked like Fiona’s spot to lose. Now, with the door firmly back open, it’s genuinely anyone’s guess which name the selectors will read out – and as the British entries are not expected to compete again before the announcement, this is the picture they’ll have to work with.

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‘I can’t be more grateful to have him’: young Whitaker lands fabulous grand prix

Becky Murray — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 20:31:22 +0000

Jack Whitaker stole the show when he topped the Bolesworth International (2-6 July) CSI4* Al Shira’aa grand prix with the superb 17-year-old stallion D&H Valmy De La Lande.

“I can’t put into words how happy I am for Valmy,” said 24-year-old Jack.

“He’s been in our stable since he was five years old. He’s been an absolute trooper for me and kept my career on the road for the last few years.

“I can’t be more grateful to have him. He just keeps surprising me and pulling it out of the bag every time I jump him.”

Rafael Suarez’s first-round track made use of colour, big bold oxers and delicate uprights to whittle 42 starters – including eight former winners – down to a 13-rider jump-off.

Jack was eighth to go against the clock, straight after his uncle John Whitaker and Equine America Unick Du Francport who had four faults when they tapped the top rail of a tall green upright – and with five still to go he left nothing on the table.

“I thought I had no chance. Even when I went into the lead I was completely shocked,” said Jack.

“I feel like I’m almost playing second fiddle sometimes. Last year I had the fastest time in the jump-off but had the second-last fence down; you always feel like you’re knocking on the door but never winning it. Thank God we could win it.”

Jack credited the Whitaker dynasty and his father Michael for his success.

“Obviously I’ve had an unbelievable start from my father, and an unbelievable leg up in the sport. If I wasn’t any good there would be a problem,” he joked.

“I’ve got to thank my family, I’m very lucky.”

Ireland’s David Simpson and Pjotr Van De Kruishoeve had to settle again for the runner-up spot, in a repeat of his result last year. As third to go in the jump-off David had a large task of keeping the next 10 combinations at bay, and a fast 42.55sec round was the time to beat, but it wasn’t to be.

“It’s a bit like ground hog day at the minute, every time I think I’m going to win something, a Whitaker appears!” said David, who was runner-up to Jack’s cousin William Whitaker in the Hickstead Derby a fortnight ago.

“I’ve owned Pjotr since he was a two-year-old. He’s a real soldier and a very, very quick horse. He and my team of horses are in amazing form; credit to the whole team at Breen Equestrian, the grooms and the guys at home. Without them, we’re not sitting here.”

Holly Smith concluded another brilliant week of Bolesworth results, landing a grand prix podium with Nike Van Het Singraven, who stopped the clock on 42.68sec for third.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2026, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘I was very nervous – you don’t get to ride that kind of horse every day’: the day Jack Whitaker rode dressage star Jagerbomb

Martha Terry — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 11:10:26 +0000

What happens when you pair a world-class showjumper with a top-flight dressage horse? Martha Terry finds out as Jack Whitaker picks up the reins on Jagerbomb

The Whitakers have ice in their veins. They’ll gallop at a 7ft wall, jump-off for their country in front of a 50,000-strong crowd and shimmy down the Hickstead bank. But when it came to the coveted offer of riding on Olympic dressage bronze medallist and reigning World Cup Final winner Jagerbomb – arguably the sweetest, kindest horse in the world – Jack Whitaker admits he was “nervous, very nervous”.

He was given the opportunity to “have a sit” on Jagerbomb as part of a demo at Sheffield Equine Clinic’s opening day. Jack was doing a showjumping session, Becky Moody a dressage display.

When Becky finishes showing off “Bomb’s” moves, she calls over to Jack: “Let’s do this!”

“I didn’t know I was going to be riding him until just before,” says Jack. “He’s such a famous dressage horse, he’s just won the World Cup Finals and suddenly I’m stood next to him and he’s so big! So impressive.

“I was very nervous,” Jack adds. “You don’t get to ride that kind of horse every day and it’s a completely different way of riding and feeling to what I’m used to – so I just didn’t want to mess him up. Luckily, Becky is so laid-back – I couldn’t believe it.”

Jack Whitaker riding Jagerbomb: “It’s a really cool feeling”

Jack is legged up into Becky’s Childéric dressage saddle, a very different sitting position to his usual CWD jump saddle. This proves the least of his concerns.

“The saddle actually felt a lot comfier – it’s a lot bigger,” he says. “Apart from when you set off and you’re doing sitting trot and then everything’s uncomfortable!”

Jack’s day-to-day training involves plenty of sitting trot, but Bomb’s movement presents an unfamiliar challenge.

“We’d do a lot of riding without stirrups as it’s just good training for everything,” he says. “But when I tried to sit to Bomb’s trot and then his extended trot, it was like riding a different animal – he gave a completely different feeling. Even though I’m used to doing sitting trot, I was feeling it after one lap round.”

Once Jack has trotted through a few changes of rein and checked out Bomb’s extended trot – with a big smile – Becky suggests he try passage, a movement that would not feature in a showjumper’s regular vocabulary. Within five minutes of being legged up, Jack is performing a pretty impressive passage.

“That thing where you go up and down on the spot?” Jack laughs. “That was the easiest! Bomb just did it. I kept half-halting with my leg on and he trotted on the spot and it felt seriously cool. That’s not something my horses can do.

“It feels like you’re floating, but hopping and floating. You don’t move, but everything happens underneath you – it’s a really cool feeling.”

Jack checks out passage. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Becky is impressed, too.

“Cracking passage, brilliant, way better than I was riding him,” she laughs. “I love watching other people ride Bomb. It does make me really proud of him – he’s such a diamond, such a legend and it’s good for people to see that.

“All my girls hack him out at home and if I want someone to feel a change or passage, it’s Bomb they get on because he’s very good for people to learn on.

“I try not to be too precious about my horses, which some people would say is mad, but it’s good for them. And sometimes I learn things about what I need to make better. It tells me how good my training is. If other people can get on and it’s easy, that tells me I’m doing a good job. If they can’t get that easy feeling, that tells me there’s still a missing link in that horse’s education and I need to keep working on it.”

Jack Whitaker: “It’s a different kind of power”

Passage nailed, Becky tells Jack to “play with the canter”.

“This is where you really see the crossover,” she says. “In dressage, we want the same adjustability in our horses as a showjumper does. Yes, you’re in a slightly different frame and balance, but when training any horse, it comes back to transitions, adjustability and rideability.

“It doesn’t matter whether Jack’s shortening or lengthening the pace to come into a jump, or I’m shortening for a pirouette, you still need your horse on the aid and listening. That’s cool.”

Bomb looks to be having a lovely time cantering freely down the long side and Becky shouts out, “shorten your reins! No chance of you ever being done for rollkur!”

Jack “plays with the canter” on Jagerbomb. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Says Jack: “The canter actually didn’t feel very different to what I’m used to. We ride very powerful animals, but it’s a different kind of power.

“The dressage horses have to be so strong in their core and body to move and hold themselves in the way they do, whereas our horses are probably lighter and more agile to be able to turn so quickly on the spot – less pure muscle and power.”

Jack’s next challenge is to tackle flying changes. This would be his bread-and-butter as a showjumper, but Bomb’s mighty movement complicates matters. It takes a few goes until they click into place.

“The hardest thing was the flying changes,” Jack says. “I felt like an idiot not to be able to do a flying change on a horse who’s a total professional, known for his changes! I didn’t think that would feel so different. If it’s not actually a different language, maybe it’s a different accent.”

For Becky, this is important insight.

“Jack’s incredibly experienced and monumentally skilled at what he does – but he found the changes one way much easier than the other, so that made me think, ‘OK, I need to work more on that alignment and straightness,’ even if I can get them both ways,” she says.

“There’s obviously something there that made it harder for him. It’s a learning curve for me as well.”

True horsemanship

The session is short albeit sweet, with Jack needing to wrap up before his showjumping demo, leaving us wondering how much more Bomb could teach him.

It highlights true horsemanship – both on Becky’s part in training her world-class champion to perform with a totally new rider, and Jack’s soft hands and natural seat translating instantly to whatever discipline he turns to.

Will more dressage be on the cards?

“Probably should do, after that performance!” he jokes. “Though at home we are mainly doing flatwork training at home; we don’t jump much at all. But although you’d call it dressage, it’s not that kind of dressage – it’s ‘showjumping dressage’.

“Bomb felt like riding a completely different animal to what I’m used to,” he adds. “You can feel the muscle he has. Even when he first set off in walk, I could feel every movement – right from that first step from behind, the power was incredible. It was an amazing feeling and I’m very thankful I got to have a go.”

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Teach your horse to canter on the correct lead – and improve the transition – with this leg-yield exercise

Bethany Stone — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 07:21:46 +0000

Young, weak or unbalanced horses sometimes pick up canter on the incorrect lead. Over time, this has potential to become a habit.

Thankfully, there’s a simple flatwork exercise that requires you to ride a few steps of leg-yield to help your horse pick up the correct canter lead.

Aims

Correct your horse’s flexion
Connect the horse into the outside rein
Improve the canter transition

The setup

You need: a 20x40m or 20x60m arena

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

How to ride the exercise

Once warmed up, turn onto the three-quarter line in trot.
As you pass X, begin to leg-yield to the track. You can sit or rise, depending on what’s best for your horse. Aim to hit the track just after the corner marker.
Ask for canter as you reach the track going into the corner.

Things to note

1. Avoid over-flexing

When ridden correctly, your horse should show slight flexion away from the direction of travel. Too much flexion often leads to the shoulders leading, and often means the horse drifts rather than crossing the legs.

However, ensure you maintain the flexion, and the connection into the outside rein, into the corner. Alongside balancing him, this is what helps set your horse up to lead with the inside leg in the canter.

2. Ensure your horse’s body is straight

While the shoulders should be slightly in advance of the quarters, they should not be dramatically so. Likewise, the hindquarters should not lead.

3. Maintain the rhythm

Look to maintain the same trot you had while riding large up the three-quarter line and throughout the leg-yield.

Some horses lose their engine in leg-yield, dropping behind the bit, while others might rush forward and away from your inside leg aid.

Ultimately, the contact and rhythm should be consistent. You may need to adjust your aids to help maintain them, or remain in a rising trot to help keep to a regular rhythm.

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‘It was hot hot hot at Bolesworth,’ says Carmen Edwards, who thanks the show for their efforts to keep horses cool

Carmen Edwards — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 09:30:38 +0000

Successful British showjumper Carmen Edwards praises organisers of Bolesworth International for upping their game in the heatwave

The recent heatwave, which coincided with the start of week one of the Al Shira’aa Bolesworth International, reminded us of the massive difference between what is required to run an agricultural show and an international horse show.

At the former, much of the livestock involved just needs a bit of shade, but at a dedicated horse show, you need a proper infrastructure.

Bolesworth’s organisation team did a really good job of accommodating for the heat. There were misting stations, large barrels of water available near the rings and the water pressure was decent, which is important when the first thing you want to be able to do is wash the horses off.

The stables were opened up early, so there was time to get things done out of the heat. Everyone had to bring their own fans but the show did everything they possibly could to optimise the horses’ welfare.

Bolesworth is a show that has continued to up its game and people’s confidence showed with only a small percentage changing their plans because of the extreme weather forecast.

Why back-to-back dates don’t work

If there is a downside to Bolesworth’s two-week tour, it’s that it runs back-to-back with another highlight of the summer calendar, Hickstead.

It’s not fair on competitors who have a horse to jump bigger classes, but can’t afford to go abroad, to compress the opportunity into three weeks. I don’t know why the dates can’t be allocated better.

Course-builders Colm Quinn and Raf Suarez did an excellent job with Sunday’s grand prix, it was a great watch. The two jumps that took the most jumping were the two that came down.

I was relaying information back to one of my best pals, Ollie Tuff, in the jump-off. I told him he needed to make sure he was careful jumping the double and the rollback – a lot of people were getting flat or dead shots off the turn to the vertical, and it was right in front of the crowd, so horses didn’t have their eye on the fence.

It was nice to see both Trevor and Shane Breen do so well, with Trevor taking the win and for him and for his brother to finish runner-up. It’s a position my brother Will and I would definitely like to be in!

A 1.35M puissance wall to start

I also watched the puissance at Bolesworth on Saturday night and thought the show did a good job encouraging entries. There weren’t many originally; it takes a certain type of horse and sometimes there’s a flurry of them, while in other years it’s quieter.

I don’t know if they needed to start the wall as low as they did – at 1.35m – but it worked out well. The puissance is always an opportunity for people to bring along their mum or dad or boyfriend or girlfriend who doesn’t understand the sport, and still be able to enjoy their evening.

I was watching the big classes from the sidelines this year as I don’t have a grand prix ride since selling Happy Valerie last year. I am building up a team of young horses at the moment and had three at the show. Like everyone, I’m working hard hoping that something like Val comes along again.

I have three of her babies at home – Happy Hour, Happy Valentino and Happy Valentina – so hopefully one of those will grow up to fill her shoes. With a bit of luck, one the magic number three will be our next superstar.

● Do you have any tips for dealing with your horses during soaring temperatures? Send your horsey hacks to hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

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‘Type is so important’: Royal International judge Leon King offers his advice for competitors

Bethan Simons — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 07:30:03 +0000

A quality and jolly cob is always a pleasure to watch going about its work in the ring; this year, Jackie Beatham and Leon King have the tough task of sorting through the lightweight and heavyweight combinations at the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS).

Jackie will assess each horse’s conformation, and Leon will put each one through its paces in the saddle. So who is Leon King, and what are his preferences when judging?

Leon’s background in horses

Leon isn’t from a horsey background, but started riding aged six.

“I was very lucky to have opportunities when I was younger,” says Leon. “I showjumped in junior classes up to JA level with ponies that we had bought from Reading Market.

“Then at 12 years old, I was lucky to have the opportunity to help and ride for a lady called Vicki McRae. She had vast experience and she taught me an ‘old-school’ way of doing horses.”

Vicki introduced Leon to showing, too.

“She had bred some lovely young horses that I was fortunate enough to ride, two of which got me a ride at Wembley when I was 16; one in the working hunter pony section and one in the riding horses.”

From there, Leon spent 14 years producing show horses for the Underwood family, with a host of wins and championships at the country’s most prestigious shows.

Leon knows how a good cob should ride as he has ridden champions over the years. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

These days, you can find Leon working for Yorkshire-based Susan Tennant and the Tennant family, where he produces show horses from their home.

“Susan breeds full and part-bred Irish Draughts,” he explains. “We have four home-breds out this season.”

With a career that’s reached enviable heights in showing, Leon thinks hard on his showing highlights.

“I’m lucky there are so many to mention, but I would have to say winning hunter champion and riding horse champion in the same year at Horse of the Year Show on Loch Royal and Tattigare Watch This Space owned by the lovely Underwood family.”

Leon’s judging experience

Leon sits on the British Show Horse Association (BSHA), Sports Horse Breeding (GB), the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) and the Retraining of Racehorses judging panels and has a broad range of experience judging.

“I have been lucky enough to have judged some lovely shows,” he says, “and I have judged in Australia three times; I judged their Horse of the Year Show, which was an experience I will never forget. But judging the Royal International Horse Show is a highlight; it’s one of the best shows in the UK for horses.”

How to impress Leon King in the ring

“When I judge, I love a horse that walks with a free step, relaxed outlook and stays in a balanced and rhythmic outline,” says Leon. “A show horse should have the ‘look at me’ attitude, and type is so important – the horse must match its category.

“As a ride judge, I think a good, fitting saddle that doesn’t move with leathers that aren’t new and stretch as you rise up in trot. You also need big enough stirrup irons and worn in reins with some thickness.

“If I’m judging a show, I like to see a well thought out show with flow. Part of the show must show some walk and of course, a good show of lengthening.

“Pet hates of mine are when competitors push their horses or ponies out of their natural rhythm. Going faster doesn’t make the animal move better; it looks untidy. I also dislike short jackets and massive scrunchie! These aren’t going to lose you the class, but it’s just my preference.”

Leon’s advice for Hickstead first-timers

“The work is done at home; prepare properly. Know your horse – how much work they need and so on, so you have plenty of time to plait, turn out and get everything perfect for your class. Write a check list so nothing is forgotten. Stud holes are a must in my experience.

“Do this and you will enjoy yourself.”

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Five-star campaigners and gold medallists among British squad for first under-25 eventing World Championships

Becky Murray — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 15:52:23 +0000

The British squad for the under-25 eventing World Championships at Millstreet has been announced.

The inaugural event gets under way in Ireland on 22 July. British Eventing (BE) selectors have now confirmed which Brits will be in action.

The young squad features plenty of scope and talent. Newly crowned U25 national champions Alice Casburn and Topspin bring forward a wealth of five-star experience, with an enviable nine completions and five finishes in the top 10. Alice and her mother Caroline’s home-bred gelding were part of the gold medal-winning young rider squad at the 2022 Europeans, where they won individual bronze.

Tom Bird is another seasoned five-star campaigner, though on different horses to the young Lenny. This nine-year-old mare, who competed in the Blenheim eight- and nine-year-olds last autumn, is yet to have a jumping fault across country.

Cerys Macaulay finished 15th in the Bramham CCI4*-S last month with her boyfriend Richard Coney’s Kananaskis. This 18-year-old gelding completed Pau with Richard in 2020 and was part of the team at the young rider Europeans in 2019. Cerys took over the reins in 2024.

Jasmine Underwood is the world number two young rider. She and Indian Girl G have five championships under their belt; including individual and team gold at the 2024 young rider Europeans. The pair were ninth at Royal Jump CCI4*-L in May and runners-up in the Ballindenisk CCI4*-S in April.

Jess Rimmer took over the reins of The Spice Merchant from Alexandra Munn in March last year. The pair are another to have a blemish-free international cross-country jumping record. They have completed three four-star shorts this spring; at Thoresby Park, Belsay and Bramham.

The British squad for the under-25 eventing World Championships is:

Tom Bird, 24, with nine-year-old mare Lenny

Owner: rider and his mother Frances, and Helen Kerry

Barnie Brotherton, 23, with 11-year-old gelding DHI King Nelson

Owner: Naomi Brotherton

Alice Casburn, 24, with 18-year-old gelding Topspin

Owner: Alice and her mother Caroline

Cerys Macaulay, 24, with 18-year-old gelding Kananaskis

Owner: Richard and Wendy Coney

Jess Rimmer, 24, with 14-year-old gelding The Spice Merchant

Owner: The Portman Ladies Syndicate

Jasmine Underwood, 21, with 13-year-old mare Indian Girl G

Owner: rider

Reserves:

Alice Casburn with nine-year-old mare LSS Ile De Re (direct reserve for Topsin)

Owner: Sally Witte and Carline Casburn

Finn Healy with nine-year-old gelding Greannanstown Monbeg Joe

Owner: rider

Lucy Stimson with 16-year-old Tynan Cooley

Owner: rider

“We are delighted to announce the combinations selected to represent Great Britain at the under-25 World Eventing Championships in Millstreet. The selectors have chosen riders and horses who they believe are best prepared to perform on this stage and represent BE with pride,” said chef d’equipe David Sheerin.

“We have two strong squads heading to Ireland, and it is fantastic to see the talent, dedication and hard work within the under-25 programme. The whole British Eventing youth programme is behind them, and we wish all the riders and their teams the very best of luck for the championships.”

A BE spokesperson thanked the governing body’s official safety partner Charles Owen, which as part of its long-term support of BE, is supplying each rider with a new Kontor body protector and custom team covers.

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You may also be interested in:’

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

$1m prize pot per show confirmed as new showjumping league gets FEI approval

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 15:43:24 +0000

More than $1m (£85.7m) prize money will be up for the winning at each Premier Jumping League (PJL) fixture, series organisers have confirmed, as the series has been approved to launch next year.

The PJL was granted series approval by the FEI at its board meeting this week (30 June-1 July), which organisers have hailed as a “major milestone in the league’s development”.

The approval formally sanctions the PJL format, rules, team structure, rider selection process and prize money.

PJL chief executive Neil Moffitt said: “This approval is a result of a collaborative and constructive dialogue with the FEI, and we are delighted with the outcome.

“The PJL is not seeking to reinvent jumping, nor to disrupt the existing ecosystem. Our objective is to present the sport in a way that protects its integrity, respects its heritage, and creates greater opportunities for everyone involved.”

H&H reported that the $300m series, due to launch next March, is the brainchild of and backed by Frank McCourt and McCourt Global. The first team was also sold this week, for $50m.

The PJL venues are yet to be confirmed but organisers have told H&H fixtures will not interfere with riders’ other events and that the series will follow their natural routes around the world to avoid extra travel. A major aim of the league is to celebrate human and equine athletes and attract new fans to showjumping.

“This is about positioning jumping alongside other elite sports – not as a niche pursuit, but as a premium international sporting product capable of attracting major audiences, sponsors, broadcasters and commercial partners,” Mr Moffitt said.

“I am incredibly proud of the professionalism and dedication shown by the entire PJL team throughout this process, and I would like to thank the FEI for its positive engagement. We are excited to begin the next chapter and deliver a competition series that benefits the sport for generations to come.”

PJL format: how it will work

Each PJL fixture will start with a “seeding” class on day one; individual results will be combined to determine team standings.

On day two, teams will compete based on these standings, in a “multi-round format designed to “maximise suspense and audience engagement”. All riders jump in the first round, then each combination will jump one of the next three, over a shortened course, and teams will progress through elimination rounds.

Day three will culminate in a 1.60m class with $700,000 in prize money.

“Importantly, 1.60m competition is reserved exclusively for day three, limiting repeated jumping at maximum height and reinforcing the league’s commitment to horse welfare by reducing the cumulative demands placed on horses throughout the event,” a PJL spokesperson said.

There will be 16 teams competing in the season; each will have five salaried riders, three to compete at each event. The season will conclude with a final at which 12 teams will compete.

An FEI spokesperson confirmed the series’ approval, which also confirms the PJL rules and regulations.

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How to watch the Coral-Eclipse live from anywhere in the world

Georgia Guerin — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 15:22:05 +0000

Watch the Coral-Eclipse live this weekend and enjoy the action from Britain’s first Group 1 “generation clash” of the season at Sandown Park.

At a glance

Coral-Eclipse date: 4 July 2026
Watch Coral-Eclipse on TV: ITV (FREE), Racing TV
Watch Coral-Eclipse from anywhere: Use this NordVPN deal – 75% Off

How to watch the Coral-Eclipse on TV

ITV will screen some of the action on Coral-Eclipse Day live and for free on ITV4 and ITVX from 1.30pm to 4.05pm on Saturday 4 July, while Racing TV (Sky channel 424/Virgin Media 536) will broadcast via its subscription-based service.

ITV Racing will broadcast the first four races from Sandown Park (1.50pm, 2.25pm, 3pm and 3.35pm), which will include the Coral-Eclipse Stakes, while Racing TV will cover every race.

You don’t need an ITVX subscription to watch live racing – just an email address and a valid TV license. You can register for a free account or download the app to your mobile device.

If you’re away from home, you can use NordVPN to secure your stream of the action from anywhere in the world.

What time is the Coral-Eclipse?

The Coral-Eclipse Stakes will run at 3.35pm and will be the fourth of seven races at Sandown Park on Saturday 4 July.

How to watch the Coral-Eclipse from anywhere

If you’re away from home and your normal coverage is geo-blocked, a VPN will get you your usual coverage from anywhere in the world.

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Coral-Eclipse race times

Start time	Race	Distance
1.50pm	The Coral Charge (Group 3)	5f 10y
2.25pm	The Coral Challenge (Handicap)	1m
3pm	The Coral Distaff (Listed)	1m
3.35pm	The Coral-Eclipse (Group 1)	1m 1f 209y
4.12pm	The Coral Celebrating 50 Year Eclipse Sponsorship Handicap Stakes	7f
4.42pm	The Coral ‘Pipped-At-The-Post’ And Win Handicap Stakes	1m 1f 209y
5.15pm	The Coral Golden Rewards Shaker Handicap Stakes	1m 1f 209y

What is the Coral-Eclipse?

The Eclipse Stakes was first run in 1886 and is named after Eclipse, the legendary 18th-century racehorse who won all 18 of his starts and appears in the pedigrees of an estimated 95% of all male thoroughbreds alive today. It is raced over 1m 1f 209y, which is equivalent to 2.002km.

The race has been sponsored by Coral since 1976, making it the longest-running Group race sponsorship in the world. It is also one of the most valuable summer races of the British racing calendar and attracts the world’s finest middle-distance champions.

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How to watch the Coral-Eclipse 2025 live streams and TV coverage: your armchair viewing guide

Gemma Redrup — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 15:22:05 +0000

Flat racing fans who want to watch the live action from Coral-Eclipse day at Sandown Park (5 July) will need to tune into ITV or a free livestream. With two-and-a-half hours’ live footage on the main ITV channel, ITV Racing will be covering four races on the day of this Group One meeting, plus there are livestream options to choose from too.

The Coral-Eclipse is a Group One Flat race, run over a distance of 1m1f and 209 yards and is named after Eclipse, who was a top racehorse in the 18th Century.

Ombudsman, who was impressive when winning the Prince Of Wales’ Stakes at Royal Ascot last month is currently evens-priced favourite to take the 2025 Coral-Eclipse under William Buick for trainers John and Thady Gosden and owner, Godolphin.

Here’s our full TV guide so you don’t miss a moment of the action…

ITV and the ITVX streaming service will be showing four of the Coral-Eclipse day races races for free in the UK. If you’re abroad, and trying to watch ITVX like you normally would back in the UK, then you can use a VPN. Check out NordVPN, where you can get 76% off, four extra months free (which does not appear until you go to the check out) plus a £50 Amazon gift card and a 30-day money back guarantee, and follow the instructions below.

The Coral-Eclipse on TV: how to watch

ITV is the place for UK audiences to watch the Coral-Eclipse, with four of the races from this meeting being streamed for free on ITVX. There is also an ITVX app that works on almost all smart devices. Just search for the app on any device, phone or console you have.

Ed Chamberlin and Francesca Cumani will host the live TV coverage which runs from 1.30pm to 4pm on Saturday 5 July.

They will be joined by former jockey and expert Jason Weaver with Adele Mulrennan, plus other top racing names.

The Opening Show will be presented by Oli Bell on the morning of the Coral-Eclipse, previewing the day’s big races.

You can also watch the action live via the pay-for channel, Racing TV.

What time does the Coral-Eclipse start?

The ITV Racing Coral-Eclipse coverage will show racing between 1.30pm and 4pm on the main ITV channel.

ITV’s Opening Show will be shown between 9.30am and 10.30am on the morning of the meeting.

The full 2025 Coral-Eclipse day racecard is as follows.

Saturday 5 July

1.50pm: Coral Charge (Group Three)

2.25pm: Coral Challenge

3pm: Coral Distaff

3.35pm: Coral-Eclipse (Group One)

4.12pm: Coral Celebrating 50 Year Eclipse Sponsorship Handicap

4.45pm: Coral “Pipped-At-The-Post” And Win Handicap

5.15pm: Coral Golden Rewards Shaker Handicap

How to watch the Coral-Eclipse from anywhere

Not in the UK right now? You don’t have to miss out on any of the action from Coral-Eclipse day. ITVX is geo-restricted, meaning it doesn’t usually work outside of the UK, but a VPN is a simple and safe way around this.

A Virtual Private Network will alter your device’s IP address to make it appear to be in a different country, allowing you to access your usual streaming services from anywhere in the world. It’s great for watching racing on the move, and it’s also handy even if you’re watching at home. VPNs are designed with internet security in mind, creating encrypted connections that keep your data safe from third parties and improve streaming speeds by preventing bandwidth ‘throttling’ from your internet service provider.

There are many VPN providers out there, with some more reliable and safe than others. We’d suggest using a paid-for service such as NordVPN, which is the best VPN in the world according to our colleagues at TechRadar.

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How do I bet in the Coral-Eclipse?

Online betting companies will be clamouring for your custom during Coral-Eclipse day so look out for some of their promotional deals for new customers which include everything from a free bet to giving your money back if your horse loses. You’ll need to deposit some money into your betting account, choose a race, select your horse (you could study the form, or you could simply pick your lucky number of favourite colour from the jockeys’ silks) and the type of bet — then get ready to cheer!

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We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:

Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service)
Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad

We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Download and install the VPN of your choice. NordVPN is the one we recommend.

2. Open up the VPN app and choose the location of the service you wish to access – UK for ITV.

3. Then head over to your streaming service on your device and enjoy the live stream.

(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

If you fancy having a flutter on a horse race but don’t know where to start, we’re here to help.

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‘We love you and it’s ok to go now’: family bids farewell to former Gold Cup winner after long illness, aged 65

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 12:26:21 +0000

The family of Graham Bradley has paid tribute to a man who will be remembered for his kindness, humour and love.

The former Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning jockey died aged 65 after, his family said, a “courageous five-year battle” with neurodegenerative disorder semantic dementia.

“One of British racing’s most talented and respected jockeys, Graham will be remembered not only for his remarkable achievements on the racecourse but also for his kindness, humour, and love for his family and friends,” the Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF) said in a statement on behalf of Graham’s family.

“Graham passed away peacefully with his beloved wife, Bob, and cherished daughter, Georgia May Bradley, by his side. The last words he heard were: ‘We love you, and it’s OK to go now’.

“He fought his illness with courage and dignity, surrounded by the unwavering love and support of his family.”

Graham rode 686 winners in Britain, including the 1983 Cheltenham Gold Cup with Bregawn for trainer Michael Dickinson, who that year saddled the first five horses in the race.

He also won the 1996 Champion Hurdle (Collier Bay), the 1985 King George V Chase (Wayward Lad), the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, in 1982 also with Bregawn and in 1997 with Suny Bay, and the Irish Grand National in 1985 with Rhyme ‘N’ Reason, who won the Grand National three years later with Brendan Powell. He had seven other Cheltenham Festival wins, came second in the 1998 Grand National with Suny Bay and was champion conditional jockey in the 1981-1982 season.

There will be a private cremation on Friday, 10 July, in Poitiers, France, and a memorial service celebrating Graham’s life will be held in his home town of Wetherby; details to be announced.

“Bob and Georgia May would like to thank everyone for the kindness, love and support shown throughout Graham’s illness and ask that their privacy be respected during this difficult time,” the statement said.

“‘Live for today, tomorrow is promised to no one’.”

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Olympic medallist to become newest five-star cross-country course-designer

Lucy Elder — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 23:02:09 +0000

Olympic medallist Clayton Fredericks will design his first five-star cross-country course at next year’s Adelaide Equestrian Festival (15-18 April 2027).

Clayton was part of the Australian silver medal-winning eventing team at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and won individual silver and team bronze at the 2006 World Championships. In recent years, his focus has turned to designing cross-country courses and coaching.

Only a handful of people have designed at the highest level, so this appointment is significant news both for Clayton’s own course-designing career and in the context of the wider sport.

He will succeed Britain’s Mike Etherington-Smith; Mike will stay on in the role of course advisor, and Ewan Kellett will support Clayton as assistant course-designer. Mick Pineo will continue as cross-country lead at the fixture.

Clayton said he is “incredibly honoured” to accept the position.

“Adelaide is one of the world’s iconic eventing competitions, combining elite sport with a spectacular city setting,” he said.

“Having competed at Adelaide in the inaugural year of 1997, I have a deep appreciation for the event’s history and significance. My goal is to build on the outstanding work of Mike Etherington-Smith and the festival team by designing courses that are challenging, fair and, above all, safe for both horse and rider.”

Mike said he is “absolutely delighted to see Clayton take on this challenge”.

“Having worked closely with him at a number of venues around the world, I have seen first-hand his passion for the sport, his attention to detail and his understanding of what makes a great cross-country course,” he said.

“I have every confidence that he is the right person to design the Adelaide course.”

Clayton also holds other international course design and assistant designer roles. This includes serving as assistant to Burghley’s course-designer Derek di Grazia at this year’s event, alongside fellow assistant Andrew Heffernan. Clayton and Andrew are doing a masterclass on the Thursday (3 September) of Burghley.

Adelaide Equestrian Festival event director Kirsty Withers said Clayton’s appointment marks an exciting new chapter for the event.

“Clayton’s achievements as both an athlete and course designer have earned him enormous respect throughout the global eventing community,” she said.

“Together with Ewan, Mick and the best course-building team in the region, this exceptional group will continue to strengthen the Adelaide Equestrian Festival’s reputation as one of the world’s premier five-star events.”

She added: “I’m also delighted that Mike Etherington-Smith will continue his long-standing association in his new role as course advisor, ensuring his invaluable knowledge and experience remain part of Adelaide’s future.”

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‘Thank you for always fighting for me, my friend’: farewell to mare with ‘heart of gold’

Becky Murray — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:03:55 +0000

Irish showjumper Conor Swail has paid tribute to former top-level mare Flower, stating he has “yet to meet another horse like her”.

The Belgian warmblood Bon Ami daughter, who Conor bought with Vanessa Mannix in 2017, has died in retirement aged 22.

“It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to this special mare,” said Conor.

“Those who have been following me for some time will definitely remember this lady.”

Flower was produced up the ranks to five-star by her owner, Finnish rider Nina Fagerstrom. The pair had placings in 1.50m classes at venues including Wellington, Florida, and Spruce Meadows, Canada.

Conor bought Flower in January 2017 and the pair hit the ground running. They were runners-up in their first CSI5* 1.50m in Wellington, Florida, in February, and that summer they won a CSIO4* 1.60m class and a World Cup leg, both at Thunderbird Park in Vancouver, Canada.

Conor described Flower as an “absolute war horse” with a “heart of gold”.

“[It was] her way or no way – someone I could always count on,” he said.

A photo posted by on

In 2021 Ireland’s Jenny Rankin took over the reins for Flower’s last two years of competition.

Jenny said she was “grateful to have had the privilege” of competing Flower in her final shows, winning Jenny’s first ranking classes.

“To play a small part in your story was an honour,” she said.

“Thank you to Conor and Vanessa for allowing this special mare to have played a part in my career.”

Conor Swail said Flower “left a huge stamp on me and everyone who knew her, with so many great memories”.

“After a successful show career, Flower enjoyed her retirement in the fields of Ireland where she had two beautiful foals and was still stealing hearts at the age of 22,” he said.

“I have yet to meet another horse like her. Thank you for always fighting for me, my friend,”

Nina added that Flower was “one of the most challenging but also rewarding” horses she had worked with and that she loved following her career with Conor.

“Amazing mare and one definitely to remember forever,” she said.

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Olympic champion to miss World Championships: ‘Responsibility sometimes also means letting an opportunity pass’

Lucy Elder — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 12:05:09 +0000

Olympic dressage champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl is out of contention for the 2026 World Championships in Aachen (11 to 23 August).

On Sunday (28 June), Jessica shared the news that her current top ride, Times Kismet (“Kiss”), would not be contesting the selection trial for the German team in Hagen this week (1 to 5 July).

“I would have loved to take part in the second selection trial for the World Championships in Aachen next week, which makes the decision not to travel to Hagen an especially difficult one,” said Jessica.

“Together with Kiss’s owners, we have consciously decided to give her the time she needs. This is Kiss’s first grand prix season, and she has exceptional talent. Precisely because of that, it is important to us to develop her with patience and a long-term perspective.

“With every competition, we continue to grow and learn. Over the summer, we want to stay committed to this path, without added pressure, but with a clear focus on her long-term development.”

She added: “In competitive sport, it is often tempting to seize every opportunity. But responsibility sometimes also means letting an opportunity pass when you are convinced it is the right decision for the future.”

The 11-year-old mare is Jessica’s sole ride at international grand prix, so her withdrawal means Jessica is also out of the running for a place at her home world championships. Jessica’s former top ride TSF Dalera BB, with whom she was crowned Olympic champion in Tokyo and Paris, retired from competition in August 2024, and she sadly lost rising star Diallo BB to sudden illness at the start of the year. She has others coming up in her string, including Dancier Gold FRH, but none at this level yet.

Jessica and Times Kismet finished 10th in the grand prix at the German championships (3 to 7 June), but had to withdraw from the special and go into quarantine after the mare’s stable neighbour, Quick Decision FRH (ridden by Jessica’s brother, Benjamin Werndl), was diagnosed with a fever. Diagnostic tests came back negative for Quick Decision FRH, Times Kismet and Mondrian – Quick Decision’s other stable neighbour at the event, who was also taken into quarantine as a precaution.

Jessica posted on 5 June that Times Kismet and Mondrian were doing very well, and that Quick Decision was doing “pretty well” and his temperature was dropping. On 8 June, Benjamin said Quick Decision’s illness was “fortunately nothing serious”, that vets thought it was a minor viral infection that should pass as quickly as it came, and that the horse’s fever came down on its own.

Ingrid Klimke out of contention

Ingrid Klimke is also out of the running for the dressage World Championships.

Ingrid and Vayron NRW were part of the German side that won team gold at the 2025 Europeans, but on 18 June Ingrid said that the gelding “is not yet fit enough” to compete in Hagen.

The pair also missed the selection trial at the German Championships last month, and so are out of contention for the worlds squad.

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2RA9G9N Aachen, Germany. 02nd July, 2023. Equestrian sport, dressage, CHIO, Dressage Grand Prix of Aachen: Jessica von Bredow-Werndl from Germany on the horse Dalera is pleased. (to dpa Dressage rider von Bredow-Werndl wins in CHIO freestyle) Credit: Uwe Anspach/dpa/Alamy Live News (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

‘The potential is enormous’: Olympic champion and mare formerly competed by Charlotte Dujardin make international debut

How to ride a square halt: expert tips from Carl Hester and other top riders boost your dressage marks

Oscar Williams — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 11:15:43 +0000

A square halt is one of the most underrated movements in dressage – yet it features in virtually every test from intro to the highest levels of dressage, so knowing how to ride one is key. It’s usually the very first thing a judge sees as you turn down the centre line, and a tidy halt is one of the easiest ways to put marks on the board.

Get it wrong, and you hand the judge a poor first impression before you have ridden a single proper movement; get it right, and you set the tone for a lovely, flowing test.

Yet the halt is deceptively difficult. Standing four-square, immobile and on the aids takes a surprising amount of training – and, crucially, it is a skill you build over months rather than something you can drill in a single session. Here is how to teach a square halt from the ground up, how to ride it under pressure in the ring, and how to fix the faults that cost riders marks most often.

What makes a halt “square”?

Before you can train a good halt, it helps to know exactly what the judge is rewarding. Most rulebooks ask for the horse to stand attentive, engaged, motionless, straight and square, with their weight distributed evenly over all four legs, the poll as the highest point, and the nose just in front of the vertical. The horse should stay on the bit and be ready to move off at the slightest aid.

In practice, that means all four legs in two neat pairs, no leg trailing or resting, no creeping or fidgeting, and at least three seconds of genuine immobility when you salute. It’s worth remembering that a halt does not have to be flawless to score well – a soft, straight, immobile halt that is fractionally open behind will still earn a respectable mark, whereas a crooked horse jiggling on the centre line will not.

How to ride a square halt from scratch

The single biggest mistake riders make is chasing squareness before their horse is standing still. Make sure to nail the immobility first.

1. Start with stillness, not squareness

When you first introduce halts, the priority should be for the horse to stand calmly. “The most vital part of the movement is for the horse to stand still and be submissive,” says event rider Coral Keen.

“Don’t make too many adjustments early on trying to make it square, or the horse starts fidgeting, and it becomes an issue. Once they’re happy and immobile, then you think about the squareness.” Make too many corrections too early on, and you’ll teach your horse to fidget – which becomes a far harder habit to undo later on.

Always reward a good halt and never tell your horse off for an uneven one – squareness comes from repetition and praise, not punishment. (Image credit: Andrew Sydenham)

2. Build it progressively

Begin in walk and, at first, be content with the front legs square. Use the outside track and repeat walk-to-halt downward transitions, asking your horse to move forwards one small step at a time after the halt forwards until they’re level in front. Only when that is established should you move on to trot-to-halt, making the trot slower and smaller beforehand and allowing a few walk strides into the transition so your horse has time to organise themself.

“It’s fine for it to be a bit progressive to begin with – don’t expect it to be too direct,” Coral says. “Allowing your horse time in the movement helps them develop the feeling of positioning themselves into a square halt.”

3. Move on to asking them to square up behind

As your horse becomes more established, ask them to collect before the halt so their weight is back and their shoulders are light, allowing them to sit into it rather than fall onto the forehand.

International grand prix rider Samantha Thurman-Baker says the key to a square halt is your horse’s balance: “If he’s loading one shoulder or is slightly crooked, the chances are your halt won’t be square.”

Her advice from a faster gait is to bring the horse almost back to moving on the spot before you ask: “That ensures their weight is back and their shoulders are light, allowing him to sit into the halt.” A mirror or a pair of eyes on the ground is invaluable as you learn to feel it for yourself.

4. Remember the quality of the pace is everything

Whether you halt from walk, trot or canter, the transition is only as good as the gait before it. Keep your horse active and in front of the leg so the hindquarters stay engaged – if they drop behind the leg in the approach, the hind legs trail and the halt cannot be square. As with every downward transition, ride forwards into the halt, not backwards.

Riding a square halt in the test

Training at home is one thing; producing a square halt down the centre line with one or more judges watching is another. A few things make it more reliable under pressure.

Most horses are straighter on one rein than the other, so enter the arena on your horse’s better rein. Resist the temptation to ride too boldly at the halt transition – come in with enough collection that you can quietly drop down into a square halt rather than slamming the brakes on. But keep the principle of forward riding front of mind.

As Carl Hester puts it: “Dressage is about forward riding, so even a transition to halt means riding the horse forward, allowing with the hands to let him step under.”

If your horse anticipates the halt – stopping before you have asked, or jogging on the spot in expectation – school plenty of centre lines without halting at all, and practise your halts off the three-quarter line instead so the movement stops being predictable.

Carl Hester’s centre-line halt exercise

Carl has a go-to flatwork exercise to build straightness, responsiveness and a square halt all at once.

Ride down the centre line and halt; only when the horse is square, immobile and relaxed, move off in your chosen gait, immediately circle right, and return to the centre line to halt again. Repeat, this time circling left, and continue alternating left and right circles with a halt between each all the way up the centre line.

The turn before each halt does much of the work for you, helping to position the inside hindleg and encouraging your horse to step into a square halt rather than leaving a leg trailing behind. As an added discipline, train yourself to feel whether the halt is square without looking down: sit level in the middle of the saddle and notice whether both sides of the horse’s back push evenly up into your seat. If only one side does, the opposite hindleg is trailing.

Fixing the most common halt faults

1. The quarters swing left or right

If the hindquarters drift as you halt, think of riding a touch of leg-yield or shoulder-fore into the transition to keep them in line. Riding down the centre line in shoulder-fore, with a mirror or helper checking you are truly straight, is one of the best long-term cures, because a crooked approach almost always produces a crooked halt.

2. A hindleg trails behind

Correct the specific leg that is left out: if the left hind is trailing, use your left leg to ask for one small step, keeping a quiet contact on the rein, and ask your horse to bring it underneath. Reward even an imperfect response so they learn that coming into halt means organising their own legs into a square position.

3. Your horse won’t stand still

Keep your legs gently wrapped around your horse’s sides at the halt so they feel held rather than abandoned, and make sure they wait for you to move them on rather than deciding for themselves. Avoid over-correcting – often a halt the rider thinks is unacceptable is, in fact, perfectly respectable.

4. Whatever you do, correct forwards

Every adjustment within the halt should be made by walking the horse a step forward, never back, so they stay in front of the leg and thinking forwards into the next movement. That also sets up a positive, powerful move-off.

Top tips for a square halt

Practise, practise, practise. Halt squarely before you mount and dismount, and before every break in your schooling session – the more often your horse halts square, the more it becomes a habit
Sit up tall, step down into your heels and check that your own weight is even on both seat bones – a crooked rider produces a crooked halt
Always walk forwards to correct, never backwards
Reward generously and never tell the horse off for halting unevenly – squareness comes from repetition and positive associations, not punishment
Learn to feel the halt rather than look down for it – it keeps your test polished and your marks intact

Carl’s closing thoughts

Underpinning all of this is straightness, which Carl calls a lifetime’s work with every horse. One of the first lessons he says he learnt, going back some 35 years, was that whatever you are sitting on – pony, cob or warmblood – “there is no excuse not to ride straight lines and square halts.” Build the straightness, ride every transition forwards, and the square halt will follow.

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‘A relaxed expression, a quiet mouth, a swinging tail and a willing attitude say far more than the bridle a horse wears,’ says Anna Ross

Anna Ross — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:32:22 +0000

British grand prix dressage rider and trainer Anna Ross discusses brideless dressage, the stretch debate and two sad farewells

Ten years ago, the trend was clear: short reins won gold medals. Today, we can ride grand prix in a snaffle, we’re trialling a stretch movement at grand prix and the first bridleless dressage competition has generated enormous discussion. Whether these things represent progress is much debated – but the direction of travel has definitely changed.

Mention bridleless or bitless dressage, and you have a great way to blow up the internet. Some see it as the next step in improving horse welfare; others believe it has no place in the sport.

There is also a viewpoint that the double bridle is not a harsher piece of equipment, but a more refined one – capable of lighter, more nuanced communication in educated hands.

Grand prix rider Sam Whyley is among the sceptics.

“I’m struggling with the idea that this is a step forward and with the comments suggesting it’s the direction we should all take,” he says. “Are we going to get to a point where we can’t ride in breeches anymore, because a good rider shouldn’t need clothes to help keep their balance?”

He goes on: “I love the feeling of a horse working correctly and supplely through its body, engaging the hindquarters to take weight off the naturally weaker forehand. The better I am as a trainer, the healthier, happier, sounder life my horse will lead – something encouraged throughout the ascending levels, as I work towards the hardest test of all, the grand prix.

“What I’m seeing from the videos of the bridleless competition doesn’t embody this. I’m seeing horses moving hollowly, their backs like a canoe that the rider sits in rather than on; horses on the forehand, unable to lift their shoulders; pirouettes with no bend or even the wrong bend – examples of what, replicated consistently, will lead to forelimb injuries or sore backs.”

But welfare isn’t determined by bitting. I’ve seen horses ridden harshly in bitless bridles and beautifully in double bridles. A bit is a tool, and can be used well or badly. If a horse is genuinely softer and more confident without one, we shouldn’t dismiss that as “anti-tradition”, but nor should we pretend every horse is automatically better bitless.

Surely the pertinent question is: what equipment allows this horse, as an individual, to perform with the greatest confidence, relaxation and harmony?

Stretching at grand prix?

The same principle applies to the proposed stretch movement. A horse that can lengthen its neck, seek the contact and swing through its back is a joy to watch – it shows genuine throughness and trust, and could be one of the most revealing movements in the test.

Yet it has proved contentious. The much-decorated US Olympian Robert Dover has called it an “insult” to our stakeholders and too boring for spectators. But if spectators have watched a grand prix test that far without falling asleep, I think we can assume they’re pretty interested in dressage.

From a judging viewpoint, the stretch lets us reward the qualities we say we value: relaxation, harmony and correct training. At a time of increasing public scrutiny, that matters.

A relaxed expression, a quiet mouth, a swinging tail and a willing attitude say far more than the bridle a horse wears. The effectiveness of any tack depends far less on the equipment than on the hands holding the reins. If these debates encourage us to focus on those outcomes rather than defending tradition or chasing trends, the sport will be better for it.

Sad farewells

We lost an invaluable guiding hand recently. Horses and riders alike lost a friend in the late Stephen Clarke.

You always felt Stephen was on your side: ride well and you sensed it genuinely made him happy; ride poorly and you never resented his mark; you simply felt you’d let him down. Not because he was harsh, but because you knew he wanted everyone’s best.

He judged with honesty and integrity, but always with kindness.

Stephen Clarke laughing with Isabell Werth at the 2014 World Equestrian Games. Credit Alamy (Image credit: Zuma Press, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo)

Closer to home, we said goodbye to another great man: Andrew Goodwin Davies, father of grand prix rider Sally Bell, whose quiet warmth and wisdom touched so many.

We often talk of people “passing” – and the very best pass on their knowledge, kindness and values. Those left become custodians of that legacy. In that sense, they never really leave us.

● Where do you stand on bitless dressage? And should grand prix reward a stretch movement? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

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Five-star winners and medallists feature on New Zealand’s eventing squad for 2026 World Championships

Lucy Elder — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:54:53 +0000

The New Zealand eventing team for the Aachen 2026 World Championships has been confirmed, featuring the four Kiwi riders who won medals at the last worlds.

Five-star winners Tim Price and Falco spearheaded the New Zealand team to bronze four years ago, when they claimed an individual medal of the same colour – recording the same finishing score as Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, who came fourth. Falco is 17 years old now and a seasoned warhorse, so another brace of medals will likely be the aim again.

Falco has been a great friend to Tim over their decade of international competition together. He was hardly an ingénu at Pratoni 2022; he had already won Pau CCI5* and had a wealth of four-star form. Since those medals in Italy, he has come through an operation to remove a tumour, was sixth at the Paris Olympics, had his front teeth removed and finished second at two five-stars – most recently at Badminton 2026.

Tim has said he wants to be a “heavy contributor” to New Zealand’s quest for a team medal; an individual one would go nicely with that.

Monica Spencer and 15-year-old thoroughbred Artist were also on the bronze medal-winning squad in Italy and have contested seven CCI5*s since then, finishing in the top 10 at five including second at Maryland 2025. They have experience at Aachen, should be in the mix after the first phase and have a superb cross-country record. The final phase can be costly, but they can jump clear.

Clarke Johnstone and Jonelle Price were also on the team podium at Pratoni and are back again for Aachen with a pair of greys who look to be coming into their prime. Clarke is named with Rocket Man, an 11-year-old with solid four-star form, Jonelle with 12-year-old Senor Crocodillo, who has impressed at CCI4*-S and at Luhmühlen five-star in recent years.

Samantha Lissington will make her senior championship debut at the Aachen World Championships aboard the promising Lucas Stone, with whom she won a CCI4*-L at Strzegom in October. Samantha shared on Sunday that her top horse, Ricker Ridge Sooty GNZ, was out of contention for the squad owing to injury. Lucas Stone joined Sam’s string as a three-star horse with a view to his being a potential back-up ride for LA28 and Aachen will be the biggest stage the 10-year-old has experienced in his career. But his results at both long- and short-format four-star are excellent and he will be one to watch with interest both at these championships and beyond.

All riders, with the exception of Monica, also have horses on the reserve list.

It’s a strong squad, backed up by an impressive list of reserves – choosing who to leave on the bench will have been no easy task for selectors.

Could the New Zealand challenge for team gold? On paper, that tussle is likely to be between home side Germany and the Brits, neither of which have named their teams yet. At this stage of crystal ball gazing, they should start as favourites for a spot on the team podium, probably silver or bronze, and have some live individual chances for a medal of any colour. The countdown is on…

New Zealand eventing squad for the 2026 Aachen World Championships

The full squad, in alphabetical order by athlete surname, is:

Clarke Johnstone with 11-year-old gelding Rocket Man

Owner: Jean and Rob Johnstone

Breeder: Nicole Nehm

Breeding: by Diacontinus, out of a mare by For Pleasure

Samantha Lissington with 10-year-old Lucas Stone

Owner: Fiona Edwards, Neil Robertson, David Taylor, Claire and Andrew Dubowski, rider and her husband Brayden Lissington

Breeder: Kaisa Kiviniitty

Breeding: by Concreto

Jonelle Price with 12-year-old gelding Senor Crocodillo

Owner: Joe and Alexander Giannamore and Jonelle Price

Breeder: Utersum/Foehr

Breeding: by Connor 48, out of a mare by Exorbitant XX

Tim Price with 17-year-old gelding Falco

Owner: Sue Benson and rider

Breeder: Norbert Nowak

Breeding: by Cardenio 2, out of a mare by Weinberg

Monica Spencer with 15-year-old gelding Artist

Owner: Spencer Eventing

Breeder: Windsor Park Stud Ltd

Breeding: by Guillotine, out of a mare by Volksraad

New Zealand eventing squad reserves for Aachen 2026 World Championships:

James Avery with 12-year-old Dallas 13

Owner: David and Karie Thomson

Breeder: Amy Woodhouse

Breeding: by Dimaggio

Jesse Campbell with 12-year-old gelding Speedwell

Owner: Karen Marguerutte Coumbe, Hannah Caven, Colin Graves, Deborah Strang and rider

Breeder: Ronan Tynan

Breeding: by Cobra, out of a mare by Warrenstown You 2

Clarke Johnstone with 12-year-old gelding Sparky Lad

Owner: Waratah Equestrian PTY Ltd

Breeding: by Smart Missile

Caroline Powell with 14-year-old gelding High Time

Owner: Ruth Armstrong, Serena Greenwell, Jo West and rider

Breeder: Annie Allen

Breeding: by Hemmingway

Samantha Lissington with 12-year-old mare Delarado

Owner: Kate Maitland, Rachel Bessell, rider and her husband Brayden Lissington

Breeder: Kate Maitland

Breeding: by Diarado, out of a mare by Handsome Stranger

Tayla Mason with 15-year-old Centennial

Owner: Sue Rutter and Sonya, Kyle and Tayla Mason

Breeder: Sonya Mason

Breeding: by Euro Sport Centavos, out of a mare by Moonwalker

Jonelle Price with 14-year-old gelding Capitaine De Hus Z

Owner: David and Karie Thomson

Breeder: Haras de Hus

Breeding: by Cosinhus, out of a mare by Fergar Mail

Jonelle Price with 12-year-old gelding Chilli’s Midnight Star

Owner: Nikki Axon and Merrill Halstead

Breeder: Mrs N E Axon

Breeding: by Chilli Morning, out of a mare by Laban

Tim Price with 12-year-old Jarillo

Owner: Lucy Allison, Frances Stead, James and Rachel Good

Breeder: R.Vriend

Breeding: by Dantos, out of a mare by Alicante

Tim Price with 16-year-old Vitali

Owner: Alexander and Joe Giannamore and Tim Price

Breeder: Fielmann Guenther

Breeding: by Contender, out of a mare by Heraldik

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Racing driver backs showjumping league vision by buying first team for $50m

Eleanor Jones — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 12:56:21 +0000

The first Premier Jumping League (PJL) team has been sold to Jason McCarthy for $50m (£37.7m) in what organisers describe as a “powerful endorsement of the PJL’s vision and the future potential of jumping”.

Trader, investor, and competitive racing driver Mr McCarthy said he is a firm believer in the vision of the PJL.

H&H reported that the showjumping league, which will involve 16 teams of top riders and a $300m prize pot, has been launched and will kick off next year, backed by McCourt Global and its executive chairman Frank McCourt.

“The milestone investment represents an unprecedented valuation for a team in a newly established sports competition and underscores the confidence that sophisticated investors are placing in the PJL,” a spokesperson for the league said.

New PJL team owner Jason McCarthy is the founder and manager of a trading firm, and owns equestrian properties in New York and Florida. His daughter Natalia is a showjumping rider who hopes to compete at the top level.

“Like Frank McCourt, our family’s journey into this sport began with my wife, Newsha, whose lifelong love of horses first introduced us to the equestrian world,” Mr McCarthy said.

“Through her passion, we became fans of jumping and developed a deep appreciation for the extraordinary partnership between horse and rider.

We believe strongly in the PJL’s vision – a league committed to the highest ethical standards, meritocracy, and elite competition, underpinned by a sustainable commercial model that attracts the world’s best riders and delivers fan experiences on par with the greatest global sporting competitions.

“We see enormous potential for the sport to grow its global audience while remaining true to the values that make it so special. We are confident the PJL will help realise that potential and drive meaningful growth for the sport we have come to love.”

H&H reported that the aim of the PJL is to feature the best riders competing against each other, with horse welfare at the forefront, to secure new audiences and help the sport thrive. The 16 teams are owned by the PJL but are for sale or lease, and team owners will select riders and pay them salaries.

Mr McCourt said: “This investment is a powerful endorsement of the PJL’s vision and the future potential of jumping. From the outset, our ambition has been to attract new capital and new growth opportunities to the sport. Jason and his family embody the values and ethos we aim to uphold within the league, and we are delighted to welcome McCarthy Jumping Team as the PJL’s first ownership group.”

Riders are due to be selected for the PJL teams in November, via a “multi-layered rider selection process where only the top 250 ranked riders are eligible”, a PJL spokesperson told H&H.

Enjoyed reading this? For more expert training advice from top riders and coaches, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘He was sometimes sleeping five times what he normally would’: the insightful AI data behind Jagerbomb’s World Cup recovery

Oscar Williams — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:10:24 +0000

When Becky Moody and Jagerbomb flew home from their FEI Dressage World Cup final win in Fort Worth, Texas, the celebrated gelding looked, by every outward measure, completely fine. He had a week off in the field, a fortnight of gentle hacking, and was – as she told The Horse & Hound Podcast – “bright as a button and happy”. But the data picked up something his demeanour didn’t.

How does monitoring horse sleep work?

At home, Becky works with EquiConnect, a vet-built AI stable-camera system installed in 12 stables in one of her barns. The cameras monitor sleep patterns – distinguishing between sternal lying, where a horse rests upright, and lateral lying, when they are “flat out and actually getting proper sleep” – as well as how long each horse spends eating and how active they are through the night.

Horses sleep only a few hours a day, most of it standing, thanks to the stay apparatus – a system of tendons and ligaments that lets them doze upright without tiring.

But they can only reach REM (rapid eye-movement) sleep, the deep restorative stage, when lying fully flat in lateral recumbency, because that phase involves a complete loss of muscle tone.

Vets generally cite a need for around 30-60 minutes of lying down a day to get enough REM sleep, and horses that can’t, or won’t, lie down – whether through pain, stress or an unfamiliar environment – can become REM-sleep deprived.

For Jagerbomb, that data proved illuminating. “He only ever sleeps at night – he never lies down during the day,” Becky explains. “So you can’t really know what his sleeping is like unless you’re looking at the camera information.”

And what the information showed, once he was home from the States, was a horse working hard to recover from his travels across the Atlantic.

“It took him about 16 or 17 days to get back to his normal sleeping patterns at home,” Becky says. Across that recovery period, the cameras logged him catching up dramatically: “He was sometimes sleeping five times what he would normally have slept.”

It is the kind of insight that would be invisible to even the most attentive horseperson. Jagerbomb was away for close to two weeks in total – the same long journey out reversed on the way back, with overnight stops at Liège and Dover – and the after-effects on his rest ran far longer than his outward demeanour suggested.

Why over-competing concerns Becky Moody

For Becky, the data underlines something she already felt strongly about: the hidden toll of travel and competition, and the importance of not asking too much of a horse.

“When we talk about horse welfare, this is one of the things that I think is really relevant,” she says.

Even a relatively standard trip carries a significant load. Travelling to an international show such as Rotterdam – where Becky is speaking to us from – can mean a horse spending well over eight hours on the lorry in a single day, she points out, once ferry queues and French customs (“anything between 50 minutes and three hours”) are factored in.

“I can pretty much, even without the data, know that he doesn’t sleep at a show like he sleeps at home,” she says.

Her response has been to build in a more deliberate recovery. After a major effort, Jagerbomb is given an easy couple of weeks: time in the field, or a few days off, followed by gentle hacking.

Becky’s careful to say there is no single rule. Some horses benefit from a fuller calendar, gaining confidence and learning to settle in the competition environment.

But the difference between a local outing and several days of championship-level sport is, she stresses, enormous. “You have to know your horse and what you’re doing and what is best for them,” she says.

It’s a philosophy now backed by hard data – and one she sums up simply: she is “quite a big one for not over-competing”.

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Three European silver medallists top Ireland’s eventing entries for 2026 World Championships

Martha Terry — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 09:25:53 +0000

The Irish eventing squad entries shortlist for the 2026 World Championships in Aachen 2026 has been revealed, including three combinations from the silver medal-winning team at last season’s European Championships at Blenheim.

The 15-strong list of nominated entries features a mix of experienced pairs and potential championship debutants. The Blenheim trio that won Ireland’s first senior European eventing team medal for 30 years are Padraig McCarthy with Pomp N Circumstance, Aoife Clark with Full Monty De Lacense and Ian Cassells with Millridge Atlantis. Sadly, the fourth horse there – Robbie Kearns’ ride Chance Encounter — died a few weeks afterwards, owing to colic and sepsis.

Despite that historic medal, Ireland’s Aachen squad is wide open.

Millridge Atlantis looks most likely of the trio to regain his spot. The 12-year-old is capable of posting a sub-30 dressage mark and has a spotless cross-country record since 2021 as well as being a reliable showjumper. He has posted two solid double clears at four-star short this season and could bid to improve on individual 14th from Blenheim.

Padraig has three horses nominated. Pomp N Circumstance’s form is arguably the weakest having faulted cross-country on his two international runs since finishing 12th and best of the Irish at Blenheim. Padraig’s 10-year-old home-bred MGH Zabaione could get the nod thanks to his top-10 finish at Boekelo last autumn, though he had 20 penalties at Bramham last time out. Lady Ophelia finished in the top 20 at Badminton and is a reliable cross-country performer but is not strong in the dressage phase.

Aoife’s ride Full Monty De Lacense has done little wrong since his fall at Blenheim, securing an eye-catching fourth place at Bramham CCI4*-L on his dressage score last time out.

Sarah Ennis rode as an individual at Blenheim on Dourough Ferro Class Act, who turned heads with his breathtaking scope in both jumping phases. This shortlisted 11-year-old is surely a team horse in the making and has form. He was runner-up at Millstreet on his last international run, and has a clear cross-country round at Aachen in 2025 already on his CV.

Austin O’Connor and 17-year-old Colorado Blue (Salty) are the standout combination in the Irish shortlist as the 2023 Maryland winners with multiple five-star podiums on their CV. They have finished best of the Irish on both their Olympic appearances. Assuming the grey is back to full fitness following their withdrawal from Badminton and Kentucky owing to a “setback” this spring, they will likely spearhead Ireland’s challenge.

Austin is also nominated with Salty’s 12-year-old stablemate Sixmilewater, who jumped clear round Badminton in May.

Team stalwart Sam Watson is in the running to add another world medal to his collection, having been part of the silver medal-winning team in Tryon in 2018. Two of his team-mates there, Padraig and Sarah, are also shortlisted this time. Sam’s current ride Ballyneety Rocketman is a superb cross-country horse with a four-star long win to his name, but this rangy galloper may find Aachen’s twists and turns frustrating.

Georgie Goss has two horses in the mix to make her championship debut for Ireland. Her striking black gelding Kojak has an impressive record with several top-10 finishes at four-star. Their only blot on an almost unblemished cross-country record is a stumble in the water at the end of the Boekelo track last season, but they’ve been on form this year and are smart in all three phases.

The chasing pack includes Susie Berry (John The Bull), Sian Coleman (Carrowgar Je T’Aime Max), Lucy Latta (RCA Patron Saint) and Joseph Murphy (Calmaro).

Ireland’s high performance selection panel is made up of independent chair Brian Mangan and high performance manager Sam Griffiths, alongside selectors Gillian Kyle and Declan Cullen.

With more than six weeks until the World Championships kick off, some combinations may have a final run according to what suits each horse. Either way, it’s set to be a nail-biting countdown as final squads are revealed and Aachen draws near.

The next key date for all World Championship teams is 27 July, the deadline for definite entries – when the final squad (bar injury or illness) will be announced.

Irish eventing squad shortlist for the 2026 Aachen World Championships

The full list, in alphabetical order by athlete surname, is:

Susie Berry with 15-year-old gelding John The Bull

Owners: Nick & Helen Caton

Breeder: James Byrne

Breeding: by Luidam, out of a mare by Houmayoun

Ian Cassells with 12-year-old gelding Millridge Atlantis

Owners: Ber, Fiona and Gerry Leahy

Breeder: Sean O’Loughlin

Breeding: by Dinan Casscaletto (ISH) out of a mare by Warrenstown You 2

Aoife Clark with 11-year-old gelding Full Monty de Lacense

Owner: Ace of Spades Syndicate

Breeder: SCEA Du Noron

Breeding: by Quickly De Kreisker out of a mare by Vesontio Du Mesnil

Sian Coleman with 13-year-old gelding Carrowgar Je T’Aime Max

Owner-breeder: Gina Heaps

Breeding: by Je T’Aime Flamenco out of a mare by Coolcorron Cool Diamond

Sarah Ennis with 11-year-old gelding Dourough Ferro Class Act

Owners: James and Niki Potterton

Breeder: Gordon Dury

Breeding: by Creevagh Ferro out of a mare by OBOS Quality 004

Georgie Goss with 16-year-old mare Feloupe

Owners: Suzanne Doggett, Lucy Fleming, Kelly Holmes and rider

Breeder: MWK Gabriel

Breeding: by Ustinov out of a mare by Zapateado

Georgie Goss with 11-year-old gelding Kojak

Owners: Molly Fisher, Lucy Fleming, Samantha Wilson and rider

Breeder: H. Vos

Breeding: by Namelus R out of a mare by Contender

Lucy Latta with 15-year-old gelding RCA Patron Saint.

Owners: Alison, David and Lesley Crampton

Breeder: Richard Ames

Breeding: by Grafenstolz TSF

Padraig McCarthy with 10-year-old gelding MGH Zabaione

Owners: Peter Cattell and Diane Brunsden

Breeder: rider

Breeding: by Zavall VDL out of a mare by Acobat II

Padraig McCarthy with 12-year-old gelding Pomp N Circumstance

Owners: Rachel and Sarah Gough

Breeder: Sarah Gough

Breeding: by Pompadour xx out of a mare by Furisto

Padraig McCarthy with 14-year-old mare Lady Ophelia

Owners: Denis Hickey, Emma de Haan, and Pamela Idelson

Breeder: Denis Hickey

Breeding: sire not known; by a mare out of Over The River xx

Joseph Murphy with 15-year-old gelding Calmaro

Owners: Richard and Tanja Ames, Annette O’Callaghan and Alan Bell

Breeder: Hartmut Schack

Breeding: by Carpalano out of a mare by Elsurimo xx

Austin O’Connor with 17-year-old gelding Colorado Blue

Owner: The Salty Syndicate

Breeder: Mellon Stud

Breeding: by Jaguar Mail out of a mare by Rock King

Austin O’Connor with 12-year-old gelding Sixmilewater

Owner: Nicky Bennell

Breeder: Denis O’Riordan

Breeding: by OBOS Quality 004 out of a mare by Buster King xx

Sam Watson with 12-year-old gelding Ballyneety Rocketman

Owners: Hannah and Sam Watson

Breeder: James Hickey

Breeding: by Diamond Discovery xx out of a mare by Errigal Flight

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Joe Stockdale shares a simple exercise for training your horse to stay straight over a fence

Martha Terry — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 08:00:06 +0000

In this exclusive article for H&H subscribers, top British showjumper Joe Stockdale demonstrates a simple exercise with poles that he uses to teach his horses the leg aid can mean stay straight, not just go faster

Does your horse have a tendency to drift right or left over a fence? It’s a common problem, particularly with inexperienced horses that are still working out how best to use their body.

Joe Stockdale is riding Millfield Counterfeit (Cooper) for this jumping exercise. Cooper is a 12-year-old by Cooper VD Heffinck who is competing up to 1.50m classes. While Joe is demonstrating this exercise on a relatively experienced horse, he describes it as especially useful for young horses in teaching them what the leg aids mean in terms of keeping straight.

The setup consists of three canter poles 3.2m apart to an upright. On the take-off and landing side of the fence are “tramline” poles, creating a channel through which the horse must travel. He starts with the tramlines set at about two human strides apart, making it a narrower channel depending on the rideability of the horse.

Joe uses lightweight square poles for the tramlines: “If he did happen to jump left or right and step on a pole, they stay flat, it stops them rolling, so it’s a lot safer than using a round pole, particularly on the landing side, where there’s a chance they might step on it.”

Showjumping training for straightness with Joe Stockdale

How to set up the exercise. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

“This is a simple exercise, especially for a young horse, to teach them the aids to keep them straight,” says Joe. “They must take off and land without jumping to either side. Most horses tend to jump a little to one side, which doesn’t matter at this height, but once the jumps get big or wide it can be problematic.”

Joe starts with the planks at about 90cm high, popping through a few times so that the horse understands the exercise, before increasing the height. While Cooper stays straight through the set-up, he initially cuts the corner afterwards, so next time Joe asks for a couple of extra strides in a straight line before turning.

Both the canter poles and the tramlines serve a purpose in this exercise that encourages the horse to stay straight without rushing.

The role of the canter poles

“The canter poles are to help the rhythm, because I want to use the leg for support to keep the horse in the middle of the jump,” says Joe. “The poles prevent them from thinking that the leg only means go faster.

Joe approaches the fence in a good rhythm over the canter poles. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

“The poles stop them opening the stride, so they learn I’m supporting them to keep straight – not asking them to open up.”

Joe adds: “The line of poles makes it hard to fail. If it was an isolated fence, with the tramlines, when I put my leg on to support his straightness, the temptation for the horse would be just to go faster. The canter poles contain them.”

The role of the tramlines

“First I jump it with the tramlines nice and wide, making sure he’s confident, then slowly bring in the channel so he has to be really disciplined to stay straight,” Joe says.

At the start of the exercise, the tramlines are set wide on the landing side, but can gradually be brought closer together. (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

“Even though I have the tramlines to keep the horse straight visually, I’m giving instructions with my legs to back it up. The young horse will then learn what the aids mean. The answer’s there, I’m just showing him how to get there.”

Joe explains how his own position is paramount.

“I need to focus on my position, staying centred, tall and light. For straightness, the first thing that will make him go to one side is if I’m unbalanced, so my priority on the approach is to keep my body and head in the middle of the horse.”

The beauty of this exercise is in the mix of the two arrangements of poles.

“If I was to take this all away and put a load of right leg on to keep him from jumping right, that’s when he’d get quicker,” Joe explains. “But because we’ve got the canter poles and the tramlines, he’s naturally going to stay straight because he has to. On the approach to the tramline channel I’m going to give him the leg aid at the same time so he starts to associate my right leg with not jumping to the right, but staying straight instead.

“So it’s like I’m giving him the answer to the problem, and then showing the aid that I want to use.”

Enjoyed reading this? For more expert training advice from top riders and coaches, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

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