Multiple medal-winning event rider Laura Collett and experienced judge and breeder Edwin Prosser will judge the supreme horse and pony championships at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) 2026.

HOYS organiser Grandstand Media announced this week that the pair will “have the honour of selecting this year’s supreme champions from some of the finest horses and ponies in the country”, on the final night of the show (11 October).

European champion Laura, who also won world team gold and individual bronze this year, won the supreme pony title at HOYS in 2003 with Welsh section A Penwayne Ryan.

“Horse of the Year Show holds very special memories for me,” she said. “Winning the supreme pony championship when I was just 13 was an incredible moment and one I’ll never forget.

HOYS supreme judges 2026: ‘A tremendous honour’

“I know how much it means to qualify for HOYS and to stand in that arena on the final evening. To return all these years later as a supreme championship judge is a real honour, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Edwin, of Mintfield Stud, is a highly experienced judge of Welsh ponies and cobs.

“It is a great honour to be invited to judge the supreme horse and pony championship at Horse of the Year Show,” he said. “I have very fond memories of judging the Price family supreme in-hand championship in 2022, so to be asked to return four years later to judge the supreme is a tremendous honour.

“It means a great deal to me and everyone at Mintfield Stud, and I’m very much looking forward to being part of such a prestigious championship.”

● To stay up to date with the latest equestrian news in the run-up to and throughout HOYS, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

The young horse CCI4*-S “kingmaker” class at Agria Blenheim Horse Trials is always one of the highlights of the eventing calendar and this year’s batch of rising stars look set for a bright future.

The list of former champions from this eight- and nine-year-old class is bejewelled with five-star winners and medallists. London 52, Cooley Rosalent, Faerie Dianimo and Oslo are just a few of the winning graduates who have gone on to top-level success.

Cases could be made for any of the 105 entries in this year’s class, sponsored by GFS Saddles, to be on a list of ones to watch, such was the wealth of impressive young talent. H&H has already covered those who finished towards the top end of the leaderboard, plus many who were in with good chances during the week and a sprinkle of others with nice stories, through our Blenheim coverage on this website and in the magazine.

But there were many others who put in impressive performances and who had interesting stories. Here are five others who stood out at Blenheim last week...

Blenheim Horse Trials eight- and nine-year-old CCI4*-S: who else caught our eye?

Rosa’s Party (10th)

Australia’s Sammi Birch and this lovely eight-year-old chestnut mare, who is by the late Party Trick, scored 28.3 in the first phase and jumped double clear with 10.8 cross-country time-faults to finish 10th. Rosa’s Party is owned by the Party Horses Club and was bred by Nick Gauntlett.

“She’s just a joy to work with,” said Sammi, after the pair’s dressage test. “She is just something else – she has the most incredible brain. She hasn't done a lot. She's only been eventing for two years, but she just loves it. It’s exciting.”

Faerie Good Golly (16th)

This royally bred mare is out of Badminton winner Classic Moet and by the late advanced eventing stallion Upsilon. The eight-year-old, born by embryo transfer, is ridden by Jonelle Price and looked a double for her famous dam as she soared across the country.

Faerie Good Golly is bred by Tim and Jonelle Price and is owned by her rider, Maggie and Mark Woolhouse, Colin Reece and Ines Wagner.

Kilcoltrim Cooley (18th)

Kitty King’s ride in this young horse championship looked class in every phase. The eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse is owned by Marshall and Sarah Riley and is the reigning British novice champion.

The Plot Blue son, bred by Aileen Doyle, joined Kitty from Clare Abbott in 2025 and the partnership has had a phenomenal 2026 season, jumping double clear on every start and stepping up to advanced.

The pair were sixth after the dressage on a score of 27.8, and Kitty told H&H at the time that it was a case of “taking each phase as it comes”.

“It’s about giving him a good experience for the future,” said Kitty.

The pair picked up 17.6 cross-country time-faults to finish 18th.

La La Land D’Arville (30th)

This pint-sized grey is a half-sister to Hooney D’Arville, the home-bred mare with whom whom her rider Lara de Liedekerke-Meier won Luhmühlen CCI5* 2024 and has twice jumped clear across country at Badminton.

Lara told H&H that she had brought La La Land D’Arville to Blenheim to give her more exposure to this kind of atmosphere.

“She’s as fierce as she is small! Her heart is really big and she loves eventing, especially cross-country. She has the heart of a lion, she just loves it,” said Lara.

La La Land D’Arville, who is owned by Five Star Eventers and her breeder Larga Sprl, is by Herald 3 and out of Nooney Blue.

The Highlander (42nd)

The Diacontinus son, bred by Nicole Nehm, is already a two-time winner at four-star level. He hasn’t had a single jumping penalty this season (national or international), and has kept a flawless international jumping record throughout his career.

The big grey, ridden by Tim Price, was fourth in this class in 2025 and finished down the order in 2026 owing to a steady cross-country run, but looks a very exciting type for the future.

He is out of a Stakkato mare and is owned by Gillian and Stephen Brooker, Ginny Rusher and Glynn Norcutt.

• View full results from the CCI4*-S for eight- and nine-year-old horses at Blenheim Horse Trials

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Classic-winning Saffie Osborne is the latest in a long line of famous female jockeys to have broken the mould and make horse racing history.

The sport of kings is no longer just a man's world, as a succession of pioneering women have proved over the past 50 years.

So who are the most famous female jockeys in racing history? From Grand National hero Rachael Blackmore to multi-winning Hayley Turner, we celebrate the groundbreaking achievements of some of the women riders who have changed the shape of horse racing.

Famous female jockeys and the key milestones

• 1804: Alicia Thornton makes a groundbreaking debut for female jockeys, riding side-saddle in a race held at York
• 1967: Val Greaves becomes the first ever female jockey to ride in a Flat race under Rules and the pioneering rider would later become the first professional to win over jumps
• 1972: The first race for female jockeys takes place at Kempton, won by amateur Meriel Tufnell, Britain’s first female champion jockey

• 1976: Diana Thorne becomes the first female winner under National Hunt rules when she beat her father John in a photo finish for a hunter chase at Stratford.
• 1976: Jenny Stamp is the first woman to ride at the Cheltenham Festival, partnering 25-1 shot Fair Gleam in the National Hunt Chase
• 1977: Charlotte Brew finds fame as the first woman to ride in the Grand National, although it would take another five years before Geraldine Rees became the first to finish in the Aintree showpiece, finishing eighth on Cheers
• 1978: Karen Wiltshire makes history as the first female professional to ride a winner on the Flat, at Salisbury for her boss Bill Wightman. The same year, Lorna Vincent enjoys a breakthrough first female victory against fellow professionals over hurdles at Exeter racecourse
• 1983: Caroline Beasley is the first female jockey to ride a Cheltenham Festival winner, coming home first in the Foxhunter Chase. Three years later, the amateur then scored a pioneering victory over the Grand National fences with the same horse in the Fox Hunters’ Chase at Aintree.

• 1984: Linda Sheedy enters the record books aboard Foxbury as the first female jockey to ride in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, partnering Foxbury
• 1987: Gay Kelleway, who a year earlier became the first woman to ride in a British Classic, makes history as the first woman to win at Royal Ascot
• 1993: Julie Krone is the first female jockey to win an American Classic

• 1996: Alex Greaves, daughter of pioneering Val (above) becomes the first female jockey to ride in the Derby at Epsom, going on to become the first female Group One winner the following year riding Ya Malak, finishing in a dead-heat with Kevin Darley in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York.
• 2006: Nina Carberry is the first female jump jockey in Great Britain and Ireland to win a Grade One, taking the Champion Bumper at the Punchestown Festival on the Noel Meade-trained Leading Run. She became the leading female rider at the Cheltenham Festival with seven career winners.
• 2008: Debutante champion apprentice Hayley Turner goes on to become the first female jockey to ride 100 winners in a year. In 2011 she becomes the first to ride a Group One winner outright and earns her place in racing history as the first woman to ride 1,000 winners. The only other female jockey to do so is Hollie Doyle.
• 2012: Another famous female jockey is Katie Walsh, whose third-place finish in the Grand National on Seabass was a significant milestone as the highest ever finish for a female rider

• 2015: Jump jockey Lizzie Kelly becomes the first woman to win a Grade One over fences - aboard Tea For Two at Kempton – going on to become the first female professional to ride a winner at the Cheltenham Festival, landing the 2018 Ultima aboard Coo Star Sivola.
• 2015: Ascot’s Shergar Cup is won by an all-female team for the first time, with Sammy-Jo Bell earning the silver saddle award as the leading jockey at the race meeting.
• 2015: Michelle Payne is the first female jockey to win the famous Melbourne Cup in Australia, riding Prince Of Penzance to victory at odds of 100/1
• 2019: Bryony Frost earns a legion of new fans when becoming the first female jockey to win a Grade One at the Cheltenham Festival
• 2021: Rachael Blackmore makes global headlines as the first female rider to win the Grand National, followed by the Gold Cup the following season on A Plus Tard

• 2022: Hollie Doyle achieves the first placing in a British Classic then becomes the first woman to win a European Classic
• 2025: Aamilah Aswat makes her racing dream a reality as the first Black British female jump jockey, winning her first race a couple of months later
• 2026: Saffie Osborne becomes the first female jockey to win a British Classic, partnering the Joseph O’Brien-trained Highwayman to victory in the 250th running of the Doncaster race

Look out for other leading Flat jockeys riding at the moment, including Joanna Mason and Gina Mangan, while the likes of Izzi Ryder, Fern O'Brien and Gina Andrews – sister of Cheltenham Festival-winning Bridget Andrews – continue to pave the way in jump racing.

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Former racehorse Communion secured a surprise Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) pass in the Racehorse to Riding Horse at the British Show Horse Association (BSHA) Championships.

Known at home as Monkey, he is owned by Donna Bamonte, who produces him from home, and was ridden by chance on this occasion by Sophie Staveley.

Monkey had been lightly but successfully shown – he’d qualified for the Royal International Horse Show as a large hack – when Donna saw the Mattmu seven-year-old with former owner Amanda Picillo and snapped him up in March.

“Me and mum went up to North Yorkshire and loved him,” said Donna. “Monkey was beautifully schooled and we've spent lots of time since out hacking up the hills".

Donna already had one former racehorse – Hagar – HOYS-bound having qualified at Wiltshire Spring Show, so her aim here was to make it into an evening performance.

“As Hagar was already qualified for HOYS I wanted to get into the evening performance with her - which we did having taken second in the amateur owner rider class,” Donna explained. “I was rushed with Monkey as there wasn't much time after Hagar's class, when Sophie came along and was keen to have a spin on Monkey. He went like a dream for her and won the class. I can't believe we've got two through to HOYS

The horses are a welcome relief for Donna, who lost her husband Perry Bamonte – guitarist and keyboardist for The Cure – at Christmas last year. They provided a focus in spring and continue to bring comfort.

"It's still very raw,” she said. “I need the routine and focus that the horses give me, they are my pets and family. I said to Mum that Perry wouldn't have wanted yet another horse, but Mum said she didn't think he could have cared less if it helped me. I love the longevity of the relationship I have with my horses. Getting to go out to shows is the jam on top! They are truly home produced and I was delighted that Sophie was able to step in and help on the day.”

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Alex Hua Tian heads the provisional eventing standings at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya while Typhoon Dujuan has led to changes to the championship timetable in Japan.

The cyclone brought heavy rain and strong winds to the Tokyo region, and is now moving up the east coast. The equestrian events are being held at the Tokyo Equestrian Park (Baji Koen), home to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2021.

The timetable change meant dressage and showjumping both happened today (Tuesday) and the eventing competition will end with cross-country tomorrow, on a track designed by Poland’s Marcin Konarski.

The new timetable is a departure from the normal order of phases at major championships (dressage, cross-country, showjumping), but means officials have more time to prepare the cross-country track following the rain. The medal ceremony will be held an hour after cross-country.

“This unanimous adjustment is authorised under FEI rules, which permit schedule changes for force majeure and extreme weather to safeguard human and equine welfare, and allow officials to address unforeseen circumstances in the sporting spirit,” said an official announcement, issued by eventing technical delegate Alec Lochore on Monday (21 September).

British-based Chinese rider Alex, who is the defending Asian Games champion, is riding nine-year-old Manjushri at this year’s games. The pair led the dressage on a score of 26.9 and jumped a clear round in the showjumping.

“I've brought a very competitive horse,” said Alex. “He's only nine years old, but he's already competing at four-star level and he's always been very reliable.”

Alex and the Irish Sport Horse, owned by Adam, Angelina and Lin Guo and Qianru Yi, finished seventh at Bramham CCI4*-S in June and won the CCI3*-S at Burgham in July. They also headed the CCI3*-L at Hartpury in 2025 and were fourth at the FEI Asian Championships in Thailand..

“I'm here to win an individual medal. Whether it's gold, silver or bronze depends on what happens, but I hope we do a good job,” added Alex.

“I think Marcin has done an excellent and very interesting job. The time and technicality are going to be influential, and I think the ground could be very influential.

“All of those things coming together will put a lot of pressure on the athletes, especially the ones who want to win. I think it's an open competition and it will be interesting and exciting all the way to the end.”

Alex heads into Wednesday’s cross-country with a 3.2 penalty buffer ahead of Thailand’s Woraphat Sittiju and 18-year-old gelding Uster De Chanay.

Japan’s Ryo Murata and the 18-year-old CCI4*-S winner Brookpark Vikenti hold third on 30.4. The home side is also leading the team competition.

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A grand prix being won by a member of the Whitaker family isn’t an uncommon occurrence but the 1.40m major grand prix at the recent Arena UK Major Showjumping Championships (15-20 September) yielded a far more extraordinary result when cousins Jack Whitaker and Robert Whitaker divided the spoils with identical 31.69sec clears.

With £6,000 on the table for the winner there was stiff competition, and some particularly eye-catching younger horses were among the seven to make the jump-off.

Jack Whitaker sets the target

Jack Whitaker almost buried Sunday’s class with his opening round on the relatively inexperienced nine-year-old Annyalla Silverado (Diarado x Harlequin Du Carel). He set such a tight target, it could be equalled only by Robert Whitaker’s bid, two horses later, on his ride of just two months, the eight-year-old mare Secret Touch JW Van’t Meulenhof.

Although one rider did better the time, by just 0.05sec – Emma Stoker and the tall and striking nine-year-old Priskada – the big-striding 18hh mare covered so much distance on the run to the last that she got a little close, adding an unlucky four penalties.

A second shot by Rob on the nine-year-old gelding Strike A Pose II almost made it a Whitaker top three, but a late bid by Guy Williams and the lovely eight-year-old stallion Kazandor Hero Z, who had won Tuesday night’s masters, overtook him by 0.77sec.

“I don’t think I could have gone much quicker,” Jack said. “That horse is quite fast but doesn’t have that much experience of going fast at that level. I was just hoping the others were slower than me.”

Jack and his father Michael, who are based less than half an hour from Arena UK, have been producing the horse steadily for the past year.

“He jumped the newcomers final this time last year, he was brought to our place on the way home, and we bought him,” Jack said. “He looked like a good jumper but he’s been a bit green on his flatwork and took some time. It was a bit of an unexpected win for him really.”

Robert Whitaker: “I couldn’t have done more either”

Robert Whitaker hadn’t watched his cousin’s round, but said: “My dad [John] said he was quick. I don’t think I could have done much more either.”

Rob’s mare, who is owned by the Blatchfords, has been with him for only around five shows but has a “really good mentality”.

“She came from Gilbert De Roock in Belgium and was placed in the seven-year-old final in Lanaken last year. His rider told me about her, so I went and tried her,” he said.

“She’s been jumping really good. I’ve jumped a couple of rankings classes and she tries really hard, she’s really neat and quick. We’ll probably take her to Horse of the Year Show next and then try a few World Cup shows.”

Rob also picked up a win in the star of the future B&C grand prix with the eight-year-old Number One Van De Kale Vallei, edging just 0.17sec ahead of Alex Thompson and Opinacolada, in a competitive jump-off in which 0.90sec divided the top five.

The gelding has been with Rob for around a year and a half and is one of a few younger horses he has been quietly producing.

“He came from Jeroen Dubbeldam – he thought a lot of him but said he didn’t have much experience. We’ve spent a lot of time jumping 1.20m and 1.30m classes and the past three months we’ve stepped up and jumped a couple of rankings classes with him and a few 1.40m,” Rob said. “I have a few good young horses at the moment that I am hoping will make a team with Vermento.”

Nearly a Whitaker family hat-trick

There was another Whitaker victory – and very nearly a one-two – in the Trevor Burrows 1.30m grand prix. Joe Whitaker posted the winning clear with Daiquiri CC and the second-fastest round on Rosezella, who lowered the last for sixth, leaving Holly Smith (Wellview Luxigraaf) in the runner-up spot.

“I should have had a one-two, it was my mistake, I took the wrong line and went too much outside after the second-last. At least Daiquiri put it straight for me!” Joe said.

Joe has been riding 13-year-old Daiquiri, whom he co-owns with Alexandra Wheatman, since the summer.

“He was in Sweden originally and has jumped some bigger classes,” Joe said. “He has jumped 1.45m quite well before, so we’ll see if he can get back that ability. He’s careful and agile.

“He hasn’t had a fence down all week – he’s very consistent and it’s tough to get results here, especially to win a final, as there’s big numbers.”

• Read the full report from the Arena UK Major Showjumping Championships in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine, in shops Thursday 24 September.
• For all the latest equestrian news, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Tom McEwen and precocious talent Brookfield Danny De Muze blazed to glory across Blenheim’s turf to win the GFS Saddles CCI4*-S for eight- and nine-year-old horses.

Tom and the eight-year-old, who is owned by Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry, were the first combination down the centre line on Thursday morning and the last to leave the startbox as leaders on Sunday afternoon.

As was the case with Saturday’s CCI4*-L cross-country, time was a major player in who came up the leaderboard – and who went down.

He could afford a smattering of time-penalties to hold his lead. Nobody had made the time before he set off – Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy and Kilroe Tiger were the quickest at three seconds over the optimum time of 6min 54sec.

Tom put his foot on the gas and “Danny” responded. Their round was fast while never compromising on quality, the result was an electrifying performance and a new prince to add to the roll of honour in this “kingmaker” class.

“Every time I asked, he gave me a bit more,” said Tom, for whom this was the first of a record-breaking double of Blenheim Horse Trials wins today.

“I gave him a few breathers on the way round, then pressed him again, and he grew in confidence.

“It was a hard course to make the time, not only because Blenheim is renowned for its terrain. The time was tight – there’s the water crossings, but also the distances are a little bit on the tight side, so with that many gear changes, it was hard work. What a special horse to win the Le Lion seven-year-old world championship last year and come and win this as an eight-year-old.

“It was in the planning, but you never really know, and there were so many great horses out of the 100-odd that started.”

Burghley runner-up Katie Magee and Cushlas Indigo climbed to second from sixth after showjumping as a result of their silky smooth cross-country round.

“Hopefully the sky is the limit for him,” said Katie, who rides the nine-year-old for Sharon Parnaby. “His owner bought him as an unbroken three-year-old; she saw him in Ireland and he is one of those few horses who has ticked every box on the way up and made it feel easy, which is amazing considering what he has achieved.

“He has this lovely expression on his face, he is just so happy everywhere he goes and that’s why he has found it so easy.”

She added: “I thought it was a good course, that early water is always quite a big question, and is one that leads onto the next level for them. There’s the crowds, the huge expanse to jump into, and it’s so early on in the eight- and nine-year-old class. I watched a bit and it seemed to ride really well, both my rides had lovely trips round, and the ground felt good.”

Bubby Upton enjoyed clear cross-country rounds on all three of her rides in this class, two of which came home with rosettes.

Sancerre De Tiji, who Bubby owns with Caroline Owen, was the yard’s star this week, finishing third. His big galloping chestnut has a real ground-eating stride, and he devoured today’s course. His flashy friend Light Up E, owned by Lucy Hughes, rose from 31st place after dressage to ninth in the final standings, thanks to his great jumping performances.

“It’s been an amazing week,” said Bubby, who also finished 23rd with Auckland 7, and has stressed throughout the event that Blenheim this year was about building these horses for the future, rather than the result on paper.

“To have two in the top 10 is unbelievable. I like to really try to protect and preserve my young horses and they wouldn’t necessarily have as many wins or as much experience perhaps as others. But then when the time is right to go, and the feeling they gave me today when I did finally let them go, was just incredible. I’m so proud of them, and that their training and the whole system shines through on a day like today.”

Tom Jackson was fourth on My Star Turn, Yasmin Ingham finished fifth with Kinda Corvette, and Padraig grasped sixth aboard Kilroe Tiger.

• View results for the young horse CCI4*-S at Blenheim Horse Trials

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Tom McEwen scored a record-breaking double at Agria Blenheim Horse Trials, winning the CCI4*-L aboard The Fieldmaster an hour after soaring to victory in the GFS Saddles young horse CCI4*-S on Brookfield Danny De Muze.

When Tom cantered into the CCI4*-L showjumping on his overnight leader, The Fieldmaster, he knew he had already won.

His other ride, Brookfield Quality, was in second overnight and Tom had jumped him out of order earlier in the afternoon. Brookfield Quality (“Norris”) tipped the final part of the treble, but ultimately this did not lose him a place – and by Tom’s last round, the only horse that could finish above Norris was The Fieldmaster.

That rail meant The Fieldmaster (“Trev”) could also afford a pole and still win. He rattled the upright at fence three, which stayed in place, then cashed that in at the Agria oxer at 10. He jumped the remaining two fences beautifully to win by 0.1 of a penalty over his stablemate.

The last time a rider achieved a one-two in this class was William Fox-Pitt in 2000, who won aboard Stunning and was runner-up with Tamarillo. Nobody has ever won both the CCI4*-L and the CCI4*-S for eight- and nine-year-old horses in the same year.

“I brought five very special horses here, so I’m very lucky,” said Tom. “It’s nice for Tom Strawson, who brought ‘Trev’ around here last year as an eight-year-old, and for him then to come back again and win is amazing.

“He’s obviously called The Fieldmaster, Jo and James Lambert and Penny Barker own him, and Penny's late husband, Fred, was a master of the Quorn.

“When I saw the hunt outside, I thought that was probably an omen, a nice touch. He was so relaxed he could have probably done with them blowing the horn, I think!”

He added: “Both horses jumped brilliantly. I just had an easy rail coming out the treble on Norris, who jumped a superb round. Trev also jumped a super round – the pole was my fault, I knew I had to get a bit of jump back into him, so I gave him too big a shot. What a day!”

Tom knew he had a strong string coming into this week, each of the five had chances, but to dominate with this much style is a spectacular achievement.

“You come here with no expectations, and I gained a lot of understanding from Trev yesterday. I gave him a couple of presses, and he just absolutely accelerated,” said Tom.

Norris, who is owned by John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn, is an “elder statesman” of the four- and five-star eventing scene these days. Blenheim has long been his happy hunting ground, and at the age of 17, he has recorded his best ever finish at this event.

“Norris has been a superstar; although I'm delighted that Trev won, it’s a shame they couldn't share it, and I couldn’t have somehow found 0.1 somewhere else, because Norris is always a bridesmaid, and he’s just an absolute star. What a great old boy,” he said. “All my horses have been fantastic this week.”

Blenheim Horse Trials results: Sam Ecroyd enjoys a week to remember

Sam Ecroyd climbed from 19th after dressage to third aboard Stewart and Vicki Irlam’s Jackpot, who was previously ridden by his partner, Emily King.

“I was really hoping I had an outside chance of maybe a top 10, I’m just so thrilled with them both,” said Sam, who also finished fifth with Bloomfield Manuscript.

“Jackpot is such a good horse. Emily has ridden, produced and done everything with him. He’s so straight and easy. She just thought that he would really suit me, my weaknesses are his strengths, he is so smart on the flat and such a special jumper.

“He can get a tiny bit strong when you go really fast across country. There are not many people who would just give you their five-star horse, so thank you to her.

“Bloomfield Manuscript was in the lead at Millstreet in the CCI4*-L this year and I didn’t ride a very good round, I got a bit nervous. So I was just conscious to show that he can do it, he’s a good horse and he jumps really well. So my focus was to do better for him this time round.”

New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell and Speedwell lowered the first fence in an otherwise spotless round to finish fourth, in between Sam’s two horses.

“He was pretty perky this morning, he has certainly grown into himself – he’s getting stronger and stronger all the time. He’s a superstar,” said Jesse, who is now eyeing a trip to Kentucky with the 12-year-old gelding.

“Towards the back end of last year, we started to really develop and get to know each other pretty well. I’ve learnt to ride him across country in a slightly different way, he’s great. I love this horse.”

He added: “I thought it was a great showjumping course. It was technical, it took a lot to jump a clear round, we saw Sam move up quite significantly and there were quite a few problems. I think that’s the way it should be, it should be a challenge on the last day, it shouldn’t be a freebee – the more courses like that, the better.”

Gemma Stevens was sixth aboard Chilli’s Jester, the full brother to her Burghley-winning ride Chilli Knight. Tayla Mason was the most notable major climber at the business end of the leaderboard, rising 44 places from 51st after dressage to finish seventh on Joopiter.

• View full results from the CCI4*-L at Blenheim Horse Trials

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Two horses were withdrawn ahead of Sunday’s trot-up at Agria Blenheim Horse Trials and all those presented passed without a hitch.

Jaeger Master, one of Alex Bragg’s three rides in this Agria CCI4*-L class, was withdrawn before this morning’s horse inspection. He held 45th place overnight. Both of Alex’s other horses sailed through the trot-up.

Harry Dzenis’s Emerald Endeavour was also absent from the final trot-up. The 11-year-old was in 30th place after cross-country.

The trot-up itself, happily, was entirely uneventful. Horses looked to have come out of yesterday’s cross-country well, and appeared bright-eyed and glossy in the early morning sunshine.

Zara Tindall presented Classicals Euro Star out of order, before the rest of the starters, but that was the only minor deviation to proceedings.

Ground jury president Nikki Herbert, and fellow members Judy Hancock and James Rooney, gave the nod of approval to all 50 horses remaining in the CCI4*-L field.

Overnight leader The Fieldmaster (pictured, below), ridden by Tom McEwen, breezed through – as did his closest challengers, Brookfield Quality (also ridden by Tom), who is in provisional second, and Oliver Townend’s ride Sommersby, in provisional third.

The first session of CCI4*-L showjumping starts at 11.30am in the Palace Arena. The second session, for the horses at the business end of the standings, will start at 2.40pm.

• View start times and results for the CCI4*-L at Blenheim Horse Trials

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Oliver Townend spearheaded the leaderboard leapers on CCI4*-L cross-country day at Agria Blenheim Horse Trials, soaring onto the overnight podium with his fault-free round on new ride Sommersby.

Tom McEwen heads into tomorrow’s showjumping holding the top two places – provisional first with The Fieldmaster (30.4) and second on Brookfield Quality (30.5). Oliver and Sommersby have climbed from 32nd place after dressage to hold third overnight.

“I was having a beautiful ride, that was the most confident that I’ve felt him up until being held,” said Oliver, who rides the 14-year-old for owners Jennifer Caras and Jerry Hollis, and is on a score of 34 ahead of the showjumping.

“He’d had a great spin until then, but fair dues to him, he didn’t feel that confident once we got going as his blood had gone back down again, and every time I asked him a question, he answered it very well.”

The Olympic gold medallist was held on course for around 20 minutes before the HorseHage Roll Top (fence 13) – just ahead of the lake – while Tom Rowland’s horse, The Mail Man, was attended to following a fall further on course. Thankfully, Tom and The Mail Man both walked away.

Oliver has been riding Sommersby for around eight weeks and the pair have been in the ribbons at all four of their starts together.

“He’s a very talented horse and Jenny [Caras] has done a beautiful job producing him,” said Oliver, adding the 14-year-old gelding had lost his way a little and that he is in the saddle to help give the horse a confidence boost.

“The first part of the course for me was as beautiful a ride I’ve had here since I won the eight- and nine-year-old class on Cooley Rosalent. He really felt in the bridle and beautifully looking for the fences. Fair dues to him [for getting going again]; hopefully the more runs he gets under his belt where he gains confidence while he is going, the more positive it is.”

The cross-country time played a major role today. The dressage results were tightly bunched, meaning any faults were costly. It also meant that almost any competitor could earn a place in the top 10, right to the end of the class – the lowest dressage score of the CCI4*-L was 48.5, and the cut-off for the top 10 after cross-country is 43.6.

Sam Ecroyd powered up the standings with his two rides, Bloomfield Manuscript (35.7) and Jackpot (37.6). Bloomfield Manuscript was 17th after dressage, while his stablemate was in 19th. They now hold fifth and sixth respectively.

“Bloomfield Manuscript is such a cool cross-country horse,” said Sam, following the first of his two rounds. “It’s probably the biggest test we’ve had in terms of difficulty and fitness, and the course hasn’t ridden super smoothly – it’s proved troublesome for quite a few. So I was probably a fraction more cautious than I would have been on him on some of my previous runs, so we had a few time-faults, but time is hard to get here, so it’s great.”

Zara Tindall and Classicals Euro Star are in seventh (39.5), skipping up from 12th after dressage.

“He was very good everywhere. He’s a bit of a tricky one in the sense that he pretends he’s all brave, but actually I think he’s quite an anxious person, so this year has been a bit up and down,” she said. “I’m so pleased as he has stepped up; he’s a cool little horse and I hope he draws loads of confidence from this too.”

Jack Pinkney and Monbeg Stone Town are new faces at the business end of the standings, hiking 19 places from 27th to eighth (41.9).

New Zealand’s Tayla Mason and Joopiter are among the biggest climbers so far. They were 51st after dressage and rocketed into provisional 10th (43.6) thanks to their speedy cross-country clear, where they picked up just 5.2 time-penalties – that’s a rise of 41 places.

“He is very fast up the hills – he’s kind of a one-pace man, he’s just as fast up a hill as he is across one,” said Tayla. “I don’t know where I could have gone faster, he was totally galloping the whole way around. He is really rideable, he’s about 17.2hh and goes in a snaffle. He is the absolute gentleman and that is his biggest quality. He’s such a trier, all he wants is to do the right thing.”

Other notable gains outside the top 10 include Izzy Cook and Cymoon “F” Z powering from 30th to 12th (44.9), Samuel Jeffree and Santorro from 34th to 16th (46.2), Alice Casburn and LSS Ile De Re from 38th to 18th, plus Izzy Taylor and Barrington Revelation rising an enormous 42 places from 61st to 19th.

• Read the report on Tom McEwen’s leading performances in the CCI4*-L on Blenheim Horse Trials cross-country day

• View start times and results for the CCI4*-L at Blenheim Horse Trials

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Tom McEwen swept Agria Blenheim Horse Trials in his run of blazing form to head both classes overnight – plus a runner-up spot for good measure.

Tom started his day with a clear showjumping round at the crack of dawn to regain his lead in the GFS Saddles young horse CCI4*-S. By teatime, he had completed two belting cross-country rounds in the Agria CCI4*-L, climbing into provisional first with The Fieldmaster (“Trevor”) on 30.4 and second on Brookfield Quality (30.5). A good day at the office.

“Trevor was awesome,” said Tom. “He reacted, listened, got the positive distances when he went, listened to me when I really had to hang on and say, ‘That stride really isn’t there’. I honestly couldn’t be happier with him. He really answered every question.

“When I got to the top of the hill for the last few fences, I asked him to press and he just opened up. I’m absolutely delighted.”

Blenheim has been a happy hunting ground for Brookfield Quality (“Norris”). The now 17-year-old has great course form, finished fourth here in 2023 with Tom and fifth in 2021 with Piggy March. This quirky talent has developed into one of the real stalwarts of top-level eventing, and showed his class again today to join his stablemate on the provisional podium.

“Norris was amazing. He had a super smooth start to his round and relaxed him into it, then we tried to make up as much time as we could towards the end,” said Tom. “He’s a phenomenal horse. He’s an elder statesman and he’s as straight as a die.”

The time was tight, opening the door for those further down the leaderboard to climb if they could get close to the optimum of 10 minutes and eight seconds.

Of the 72 starters, 33 jumped clear across country – a smidge under 46% of the field. Only Oliver Townend and Somersby finished the day on their dressage score, finishing bang on the optimum, and leaping 29 places from 32nd after the first phase to hold third overnight.

Blenheim Horse Trials cross-country: ‘I hope people appreciated that this is a classy horse’

New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell and Speedwell, second after dressage, delivered one of the smoothest rounds of the day, cruising through the parkland to add 8.4 time-penalties to their dressage score. They’ve dropped a couple of places to fourth, but are just 4.2 penalties off the leader.

“I’m over the moon. He hasn't had the easiest season, we had a great run earlier in the year at Strzegom, then I made a stupid mistake at Bramham, and then things haven’t gone to plan through the rest of his year,” said Jesse. “I was hoping to get him to the worlds, then we went to Hartpury and we had a muck-up there. I was feeling it today; I was quite apprehensive about how today would go. I was confident in my plan and he came out and was just fantastic.”

After Hartpury, Jesse took the gelding cross-country schooling with Jonelle Price for a tune-up.

“She said, ‘There’s nothing really to do – he’s jumped all the tough stuff’, so that was really good,” he said.

“In the past, if it hasn’t gone quite right, I would feed-back on that and think, ‘Oh that last combination wasn’t good’, or I look for inspiration. Actually, just staying in the moment and just jumping each jump has been my motto over the last few weeks. I did that at Burghley, and it worked really well for me, so that was what I was hoping for today.”

He added: “It’s a huge thing for me riding this horse, because Georgie really felt that he would be an absolute superstar, and it’s a lovely responsibility for me to take on. I want to show the world that he is a superstar. So for him to put in a performance like that… and I think the round itself, while it wasn’t super speedy, it was speedy enough and it was smooth, and I hope people appreciated that this is a classy horse.”

Provided Speedwell comes out of Blenheim well, a trip to the US for Kentucky CCI5* could be on the cards.

Blenheim Horse Trials cross-country: how did the dressage leaders fare?

Sam Ecroyd enjoyed a super day, sailing into the top 10 with Bloomfield Manuscript (35.7) and Jackpot (37.6), who are in fifth and sixth respectively.

Dressage leaders Oliver Barrett and Sandhills Briar enjoyed a great spin across country. They picked up 19.2 penalties and are just outside the top 10 (11th) ahead of the showjumping on 44.8.

“It was hard work, he was pretty keen – he really wanted to take me, but he jumped everything great,” said Oliver. “Not once did I think he wasn’t going to jump something. Ideally, I would have liked to have been a bit faster, but I’m just happy that we got round clear.”

Australia-based Oliver extended his Europe trip to divert to Blenheim after the disappointment of parting company across country at the eventing World Championships in Aachen.

“Whatever I do this week is never going to change what happened in Aachen, that’s something I have to live with, but it’s nice for me personally to come here and know that the horse and I can still be good enough,” he said.

Faults were generally well spread. The corners and treasure chest question (9abc) on the palace lawn, GFS Saddles Water (16abc), oxer-corner-brush combination at the furthest point on the course (18abc) and rail-ditch-arrowhead Cross Country App question (20abc) were the most influential fences.

Several of the riders mentioned they had to work quite hard on this year’s course, including Tom, who mentioned that there could have been more flow in places. Course-designer Jay Hambly said he was pleased with the overall picture of cross-country day. He also named a couple of spots that perhaps didn’t ride as smoothly as he had anticipated, for example 9abc in front of the palace, and already has ideas about possible positive tweaks for future Blenheims.

Looking ahead to the final phase, Tom does not have a rail in hand, on either horse, but does have the luxury of being ahead of the rest of the field with two horses.

The trot-up is scheduled for 8am tomorrow (20 September). The first showjumping session is set to start around 11am, and the final at around 2.30pm.

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Tom McEwen and Brookfield Danny De Muze are back in pole position in the GFS Saddles CCI4*-S for eight- and nine-year-old horses after a text-book clear showjumping round at Agria Blenheim Horse Trials today (19 September).

The pathfinding pair were first into the arena before 8am this morning and have regained the lead they held for much of the dressage.

The eight-year-old gelding, owned by Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry, is effortlessly scopey. The quality he showed in the first phase was replicated over the coloured poles – his record in this phase, in all phases, is excellent. He has only ever had two rails in his eventing career, one in April 2025 and one in March 2024.

Overnight leaders Astier Nicholas and Hitchqote Du Coudray started the day on their superb dressage score of 23.5, but dropped 28 places after tipping three rails. After rolling poles at the first, the second and the fourth fence, their round improved.

Bubby Upton and Sancerre De Tiji held on to their provisional runner-up spot. The flashy eight-year-old chestnut, who Bubby owns with Caroline Owen, has an enormous jump. He finished a second over the optimum time, a buffer he could afford, and is now 0.1 of a penalty ahead of leaderboard climbers Izzy Taylor and Barrington Boy.

One of Bubby’s other rides Auckland 7, who shared second place overnight with his stablemate Sancerre De Tiji, toppled a couple of rails and collected 0.8 of a time-penalty, meaning that he will head into cross-country in 31st place.

Bubby had said after her dressage tests that the jumping phases are “building blocks” for these promising young horses.

“It’s not about the result they pull off this weekend. It's all about what they’ve shown in terms of promise for the future,” she said on Friday (18 September).

Australia’s Sammi Birch and Rosa’s Party (28.2) have climbed from seventh to fifth by virtue of their classy showjumping clear. Katie Magee and Cushlas Indigo (28.4) have also risen a couple of places, from eighth to sixth.

Time was relatively tight and the red British Horse Society upright at fence nine caught out a couple, as did the second part of the multicoloured double at 10ab. But on the whole, the course rode well.

The tightly packed leaderboard has loosened a fraction – the top 14 horses after dressage all held sub-30 scores. After showjumping, only the top 10 remain on scores in the 20s. But as less than 10 penalties separate the first 40 placings, any jumping or time-penalties across country tomorrow will be influential.

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New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell and Speedwell delivered the best test of the day in the CCI4*-L at Agria Blenheim Horse Trials on Friday, while reigning Adelaide champions Oliver Barrett and Sandhills Briar have maintained their overnight lead.

Jesse and Speedwell’s test sheet was richly seasoned with eights, plus a sprinkling of nines for their canter work and mid-test halt.

“He’s a very special boy, he loves it in there and he is just a delight to ride,” said Jesse, who owns the 12-year-old with Karen Coumbe, Colin Graves, Deborah Strang and Hannah Caven.

“I was just trying to stay in the moment. It felt pretty good to me, there were no major blots or boo-boos, so I’m very happy.”

He added: “He is very diligent and he tries incredibly hard. He's very sensitive, so if he makes a mistake, he really takes that quite personally.”

Jesse headed up to the arena yesterday to get a feel for what the ground jury were rewarding this year.

“I watched Oliver Barrett’s test last night, and that was quite a good thing to go away with and really take on board,” he said. “We have a variety of ground juries that we ride in front of, and they all are looking for certain things, and different things. So it was important for me just to have a bit of an understanding of what they were going for.”

Tom McEwen, who finished Thursday in second place with The Fieldmaster, remains on the provisional podium – but with a different ride. The 17-year-old Brookfield Quality, who has been placed in this class twice – with Piggy March and with Tom, now holds third on 26.5.

“I’m delighted with him,” said Tom, whose test with Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry’s gelding coincided with a chilly breeze arriving to rustle around the arena.

“There were a few little mistakes, but he was fantastic. For Norris, wind isn't the perfect thing to come along. Like all the microphone muffs on the side are all now blowing in the wind, and that spooks him every single time he goes past one.

“I get on with him so well, and I absolutely love him. Nowadays we keep him quite fresh before a test – I went out for a little hack this morning, because he’s so well behaved in there – I just wasn't quite expecting the wind. But I wouldn't have changed anything even if I knew it was coming.”

Tom and The Fieldmaster are now in fourth (29.2), with Gemma Stevens and Chilli’s Jester – who held second after the first day of dressage – are in fifth (29.6).

Today’s new entrants to the upper end of the scoreboard include New Zealand’s Clarke Johnstone on thoroughbred Sparky Lad in provisional sixth on a score of 30, and Sarah Hedges with Igna (30.1) who holds equal seventh with Alex Bragg (Jaeger Master).

Sarah said that the 13-year-old gelding, who she owns with Susan McCance, has shifted from not being a fan of the first phase to a horse who now “loves showing off”.

“I’m really proud of him and he’s getting more and more rideable,” said Sarah, crediting working on the basics and “good advice from good people at the right moments” for helping their progress.

“I think there’s more to come from him – I’m not very experienced, so we muddle through together. It’s taken a long time; we’ve got a real partnership now and he actually understands his job and wants to work with me.

“I train with Hannah Moody a little bit, whenever I can, and I ran through my test last week with Sarah Higgins and she just gave me a few little tweaks, which was really helpful.”

Cross-country starts at 11.45am tomorrow (Saturday) and the Clarke will be pathfinder aboard his first ride, Cooley Stirling.

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French Olympic medallist Astier Nicolas and Hitchqote Du Coudray collected a perfect 10 as they soared to the top of the dressage standings in the GFS Saddles CCI4*-S young horse championship at Agria Blenheim Horse Trials.

Astier and the nine-year-old, known as “Alfred” by his friends as a nod to the play on spelling on Hitchcock that inspired his official name, were among the last to go in this huge kingmaker class.

Their score of 23.5 featured a 10 for their excellent mid-test halt, a smattering of nines for their canter work, plus plenty of eights. Only once did their numbers dip below a seven, a rogue 6.5 for an early piece of trot-work, which is testament to the overall quality of their performance.

“He gave me a very good feeling,” said Astier, who has been riding the gelding for four years.

“He’s a very gentle horse. He’s one of these very serious ones. He always tries to please. He got quite worried when he got in, but I had the time to do two laps around the arena, which was good, and then he was focusing more on me than on his own stress, which is his quality, and the quality of the very good horses. It's brilliant.”

Hitchqote Du Coudray, who is owned by Etienne Grivot, Mathilde Grivot, S.A.R.L. Ecurie Brillantissime and his rider, has an exemplary international record and is stepping up to four-star for the first time at Blenheim.

“I’m not used to these scores – I’ve been I’ve been running after them all my life, and sometimes I get one, but not often!” said Astier.

“I’ve been working with Holly Woodhead, and I must say that she's done great work in telling me off, and it's going well.”

Holly stepped up to play an even bigger role this week in the pair’s preparation for Blenheim.

“I've had a funny week,” said Astier. “I travelled over on Saturday, arrived Saturday night with Holly and James [Avery, Holly’s fiancé. They are good friends and I stayed with them at the beginning of the week. The horse had Sunday off, I rode on Monday, and the day after I had a very bad back – I couldn’t get out of bed – so Holly rode him. I managed to jump him on the Wednesday, and I feel better today.”

The fact that a sub-30 mark was not enough for riders to guarantee their place in the provisional top 10 reflects the quality of this 104-strong class. A total of 14 competitors broke the 30 barrier, and less than 10 penalties separate the top 36 places at this stage.

Friday’s competitors gave the CCI4*-S leaderboard a good shake. Thursday’s overnight leaders Tom McEwen and Brookfield Danny De Muze now hold fourth place, with Bubby Upton now filling second with two of her three rides.

Blenheim Horse Trials dressage: lightening strikes twice for Bubby Upton

Bubby’s first ride today, Auckland 7, was the first to topple Tom from his lofty perch. The pair sprang into the lead after the first coffee break on a score of 26.9. Remarkably, Bubby then earned the exact same score for her second test of the day, piloting Sancerre De Tiji into equal second with his stablemate. Bubby owns both horses with long-term supporter Caroline Owen.

Bubby, who trains with Amy Woodhead – Holly’s sister, said today’s result is “too special for words”.

Reflecting on her test with Auckland, she said: “I’m just so pleased that hr was able to pull it off today in the arena. Saturday and Sunday are another day, and there’ll be big challenges for him. This time last year, he was doing his first two-star at Belsay, so we've come a long way,” she said.

“We went and found him in Germany from a lovely family who'd bred him, and it's been quite the process really finding the right tool for him, because he's a real internaliser and worries, but doesn’t necessarily feel like that. But with the help of my amazing dressage coach, I feel like today we nailed it and did her proud.”

She added: “I think his changes were unbelievable; I felt like I actually rode them and did him justice in them. I was actually saying to someone earlier that I’ve never come out of that test and thought, ‘Damn, I crushed it’. And today, I think it's the first time, on the most inexperienced horse, that I actually think I rode it okay!”

Following her test with Sancerre De Tiji, a horse she has had from a four-year-old, Bubby said: “Obviously, this is only the first phase, but I'm so aware that the next two phases are just building blocks for them. It's not about the result they pull off this weekend. It's all about what they've shown in terms of promise for the future.

“I think the absolute world of this little guy, Sancerre De Tiji, he is an absolute superstar. I’ve always believed in him so much, and he thinks he's a champ. So we had to just kind of try and control that ego in a way that doesn’t ever get rid of it because it makes him a star, but to try and get him to listen to me a bit more than maybe he would like to most of the time.”

Izzy Taylor now holds fifth with Johnny Hornby’s Barrington Boy (27.4) and Kitty King is in sixth on British novice champion Kilcotrim Cooley, who is owned by Marshall and Sarah Riley.

Showjumping starts at 7.50am tomorrow morning (Saturday) and the class concludes with the cross-country on Sunday.

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Young British rider Tom Woodward has retired Low Moor Lucky, the horse who gave him his first international win and first start at five-star, at the age of 19.

Tom admitted he had been putting off making the announcement, but decided to release the news to coincide with the five-year anniversary of the pair’s first international win, at Cornbury in the young rider CCI3*-S in 2021.

“We have to listen to him – he went to Bramham Horse Trials for the under-25 national championships in the hope he’d go on to under-25 World Championships at Millstreet and tied up after the showjumping,” said Tom, 24.

“We always said this year we weren’t sure whether we’d carry on eventing him at all, but he came out of the winter so well and felt so good and fresh in the spring we thought, ‘He wants to keep doing his job’.

“We said pre-Bramham if he was not selected for the under-25 worlds we’d finish at Bramham and when he tied up, it felt like him telling me he’s a bit old.”

Tom said he also thought about what the horse has done for him.

“He’s given me so much more than we ever imagined and I don’t want to push him for any more. He’s done Bramham multiple times, Blenheim multiple times, went to Badminton – ok it wasn’t the fairly tale but we followed on to win the under-25 national title that year,” said Tom, who pulled up Lucky across country at Mars Badminton Horse Trials 2025 after some jumping faults, following a super dressage test.

“He’s done pretty much every big event and I didn’t want to push him for more when I owe him everything and he owes me nothing.”

Low Moor Lucky retired: a cheap purchase

Low Moor Lucky was bred by Richard Dennis, a family friend of the Woodwards. Given to Cherry Coward, he was at her yard when Tom and his mother went to try another horse. He wasn’t really for sale, but they offered Tom the chance to sit on him to give him a feel of another horse as he was just moving off ponies. Tom loved him, so they said to make an offer for him.

The family ended up buying Lucky and another horse also bred by Richard, in one deal. He wasn’t expensive as he hadn’t done brilliantly in his early career – he was only backed aged nine “and was called Lucky because he was a nutcase as a young horse and was nearly disposed of”.

With Tom, he won twice at CCI3*-S, at Cornbury 2021 and Somerford 2022, was under-25 national champion at Bramham in 2025, started on a Nations Cup team and finished eight four-stars (including finishing 13th at Blenheim Horse Trials CCI4*-L in 2024), giving the young rider hugely valuable experience.

“Make sure you put in how much I love him,” said Tom. “He’s been wicked and I don’t quite know what eventing is going to be like without him. He’s been my whole career and been amazing.

“He was never meant to be as good as he turned out. He was bought for us to learn the ropes together and has gone way further than we ever imagined.

“I have learnt everything I know from him – patience, resilience, to enjoy the good times. He has been that stalwart horse for me at this point in my career.

“I wish I could just knock a few years off him, now I know a bit more from what I’ve done with him and others. If I could use the knowledge with him a bit longer I think I’d have a world-class horse.”

Tom added that Lucky has been a dream to ride and train, with “the most wonderful attitude”.

He said: “He has an incredible work ethic. He wants to work with you, always has, and also from a competition point of view, I’ve always said he wants to win as much as I do. He is a very shy horse, not cuddly, and likes to keep himself to himself. He used to be headshy and still hates being clipped.

“He has his cheeky, quirky side, after his early years when he was a bit feral, but he’s an amazing horse to have around and part of the family. He’s quite introverted and happy to suit himself – he doesn’t love getting patted over the stable door – but out competing he would turn into a different beast, with a big flashy trot and scopey jump. He lit up in the ring.”

Low More Lucky may have been retired from competition, but he is still in work and enjoying life. Tom’s father, former amateur jockey David Woodward, has been hacking him out and his younger sister Milly rides him. He may do some low-level eventing with Milly next year.

“He is just enjoying life and after everything he’s given me and my family, we will make sure he has best retirement we can give him,” said Tom.

“He’s living out and is happy. He’s always been really bad to catch and he’s still giving us the runaround – the other day he wouldn’t let us catch him to go on a hack so he stayed in the field another couple of days!”

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Beltane’s Prince Chilli has won hearts at Agria Blenheim Horse Trials where he is making his four-star debut with 2026 Burghley runner-up Katie Magee.

Eye-catching is widely overused when it comes to describing horses – but this gorgeous big skewbald is the exception.

The British-bred nine-year-old, who is owned by Ann and Valerie Robson, is out of Nicola Wilson’s former advanced mare Beltane Queen and by Badminton winner Chilli Morning. Beltane Queen’s CV boasted numerous podium places at four-star, plus 19th place at Badminton 2015.

“He has a real pedigree for the sport,” said Katie, adding that they haven’t measured him to know just how tall he is – after all, a number, really, would be just that.

“He is obviously a very tall chap, he’s here to do his first CCI4*-S, so it’s all learning for him this week.

“He is a lovely horse. He tries so hard, he’s very big and still has a lot of strengthening to do, but he’s incredibly genuine and lovely.”

Beltane’s Prince Chilli has had a solid season so far, including many top 10 placings at intermediate and a cross-country jumping clear in his first advanced. This week, he is competing in the GFS Saddles CCI4*-S for eight- and nine-year-old horses and is in mid-division after the opening day of dressage, on a score of 40.6.

“He did his lateral work really nicely, it was just a shame that we got an extra change and then missed a change, but he did some lovely work as well so there’s lots to be excited about,” said Katie.

“He has a brilliant temperament, he moves really well and he has a huge scopey jump. His only real downside is his size and it’s just a case of trying to look after him, making sure that we keep him happy, and building for the future.”

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Tom McEwen held the lead he set at 9am this morning in the GFS Saddles CCI4*-S young horse championship with Brookfield Danny De Muze to end the opening day of dressage in the top spot at Agria Blenheim Horse Trials.

The eight-year-old, by I’m Special De Muze, won the seven-year-old world champion title in Le Lion last year and comes to Blenheim following a run of excellent 2026 form. He has jumped double clear in all nine starts this season and is rarely the wrong side 30 in the dressage.

The pathfinding pair set the standard and their score of 27.2 remained out of reach for the 48 competitors that followed into the arena.

“He’s had a nice year getting prepped with this being his main target,” said Tom, who rides the gelding for owners Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry.

“This test is an unbelievably difficult test, especially for eight- and nine-year-olds – the flying changes on the centre line, it’s very tight, and it’s obviously setting horses up for the Olympic and five-star tests and, for example. That’s fantastic, but for eight nine-year-olds, it's a tough test when they’re learning.

“So I was absolutely delighted with how he went about things, and he was nice and relaxed.

“He has had a nice quiet year, popping round, getting a bit of experience quietly at four-star to hopefully come here and go nicely.”

He added: “He’s very easy and a great jumper, he does it in his own style. If you saw him in the stable, you’d think he was really quite impassive, but he’s got plenty about him. Fingers crossed he’s one to go up the grades.”

The business end of this young horse championship class has a real international flavour, with riders from five different nations filling the top five places.

Sweden’s Therese Viklund and Sella, who Therese owns with Lena Nystrom, have also held fast to the provisional runner-up spot they bagged before lunch on a score of 29.1.

“She doesn’t have any weaknesses really,” said Therese. “She really loves her job.”

This flashy chestnut mare is so light on her feet over the ground, their trot work flowed and their first change was a particular highlight.

“She was very rideable, she doesn’t really care about atmosphere, she went in and did her job, which she loves,” she said.

“I’ve known her since she was a foal. I collaborate with her breeder, so I’ve had her since she was five, so we’ve done the whole journey together.”

New Zealand’s Samantha Lissington and Cooley Corpello, owned by Jeanne and Mark Swallow, were the third combination to break the 30 barrier and have slotted into provisional third on 29.4.

Germany rider Ben Leuwer and gorgeous dapple grey Zuccini MN, a nine-year-old owned by Staade von Paepcke Eventing Horses GbR, earned a nine for their entry and sailed into provisional fourth (30.1).

“We’ve had him in our stables since he was four years old, so we’ve educated him all the way through,” said Ben. “It’s always long journey, but we are happy – he does a super job, he’s a very big horse, so it’s not too easy for him on 20m and to get him properly into the corners, which is absolutely necessary in that kind of test. But we are so pleased, that was a very nice test.

“He had a very nice second flying change and all in all, his bend was better.”

Australia’s Isabel English is in fifth on home-bred Cil Dara Bombay S (30.2).

Blenheim Horse Trials dressage: Adelaide winners lead the way

Oliver Barrett and Sandhills Briar, who produced the best test of the morning, remain at the top of the standings in the Agria CCI4*-L, but they have been joined on the provisional podium by a new face.

Tom McEwen, probably Blenheim’s busiest rider with five horses across the two classes this week, inched into second late this afternoon with The Fieldmaster on 29.2. The nine-year-old gelding is owned by James and Jo Lambert and Penny Barker, and was bought from Tom Strawson for Tom McEwen to ride ahead of this season.

“Tom Strawson rode him here last year in the eight- and nine-year-olds, and he went very well across country,” said Tom.

“We’ve just been getting to know each other all summer with the aim of coming here.

“I might have just overdone it a little bit with the work outside, but he’s fantastic – every time he comes out he delivers a ‘clear round’ and works really hard in there. He really listens, really tries and that’s all you can ask.”

He said that the horse’s attitude is one of his real qualities, and added: “He’s very laidback, but there’s plenty about him at the same time, and he is a very kind person. He’s so good across country, he’s quick, sharp, nifty and looks for flags. And his showjumping has been coming on all year. I’m delighted with him.”

Gemma Stevens and Chilli’s Jester are now in provisional third (29.6). Burghley re-routers Alex Bragg and Jaeger Master also delivered a smart test this afternoon to hold fourth (30.1).

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Adelaide winners Oliver Barrett and Sandhills Briar lead the Agria Blenheim Horse Trials dressage standings at Thursday’s CCI4*-L lunchbreak, after rerouting from the eventing World Championships in Aachen.

Oliver, 22, and the 10-year-old, who is owned and bred by Oliver’s family, scored a huge new international personal best of 25.6 and soared to the top of the leaderboard shortly before lunch on the opening day of dressage at Blenheim.

The duo glided through the early trot work and scored a nine for their mid-test halt, continuing to earn lofty marks from the ground jury for their quality canter work.

“I thought during the middle of the test that it was going pretty well,” said Oliver. “We got the trot work out of the way and his walk felt really good. Usually the walk is a good testament as to how the rest of the test might go, and he walked super. Then I was able to really ride him in the canter.”

He added: “One of the biggest things is that he has a fair bit of presence about him. He is a beautiful horse in general. He can be a little bit high octane on the ground – he wants to know what’s going on everywhere around him, but as soon as I get in the saddle, he is always there with me. I think that’s probably his greatest trait: when I ride him, he’s always tuned into me.”

Oliver and his team made a quick decision to re-route to Blenheim Horse Trials after he and “Briar” parted company on the cross-country at Aachen. The pair had a solid prep run in the CCI3*-S at Cornbury last week, their eventing debut on British soil, before coming for their first tilt at Blenheim.

“Our first event [in the northern hemisphere] was Aachen and that didn’t quite go to plan, and we had to decide quickly whether or not to stay over and do something else. On the Sunday of the showjumping at Aachen, we had to put all of this into place,” he said.

“I’m really fortunate to have been at Sammi Birch’s for the last couple of weeks. It’s been amazing. She’s a great friend and I’m really grateful that she’s welcomed Briar and me. It’s been a little bit wet, everyone’s been telling me how dry it’s been, but nothing to frighten me away just yet!”

Gemma Stevens and Chilli’s Jester, a full-brother to her Burghley-winning ride Chilli Knight (“Alfie”), hold second on a score of 29.6 in the Blenheim Horse Trials CCI4*-L dressage results at this stage.

The 10-year-old, owned by Chris and Clare Mathias and Christopher and Lisa Stone, finished on the podium at Scone CCI4*-S last month, and cut an elegant picture in Blenheim’s Palace Arena this morning.

“I’m absolutely thrilled with him, he’s still really green. He might be 10, but he has been a slow developer and has had to have some time off in his life, so I’m thrilled with the way he went in there and that he produced the best work for where he is at the moment,” said Gemma, adding that her highlights were his relaxation and that his lateral work felt “more stable and much more connected”.

“That’s the first time he’s scored in the 20s at a four-star.”

Chilli’s Jester is a talented, beautiful horse in his own right. Given his famous brother’s recent glory at Defender Burghley Horse Trials, there will of course be interest in whether there are similarities between the two.

“There are for sure similar traits,” said Gemma. “Their work ethic is amazing, and his gallop is amazing too. He actually moves much better than Alfie, he’s much straighter and he has more scope on the flat for the dressage. But whereas Alfie never lacks confidence, Chilli’s Jester would lack a bit of confidence. So it’s funny how he has the attributes to be better, but he has to believe it first.

“It’s all about confidence with him. He’s quite a tall horse and it’s taken a bit of time to get him to believe that he can hold his neck up and be in that frame without losing his balance.”

Gemma credited her “amazing team” for keeping Chilli’s Jester, and all her horses, going at home while she’s been away at events this season.

“I couldn’t do any of this without them,” she said, naming Georgie Driver, April Kitchener, Hannah Lavender, Leah Clarke, and her two apprentices Molly and Georgia.

“They are all amazing, we work really well as a team and communicate. That’s what makes it possible.”

New Zealand’s Ginny Thomasen is in provisional third with her own, Phillippa Levy and Ross Milne’s Katchafire.

Blenheim Horse Trials dressage: early bird catches the worm

Tom McEwen is one of the busiest riders at Blenheim this week, so was always going to be pathfinder in at least one class on at least one horse.

He was first to go in the GFS Saddles CCI4*-S for eight- and nine-year-old horses with Brookfield Danny De Muze, owned by Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Perry.

The 2025 seven-year-old world champion set a so far unassailable lead of 27.2. Sweden’s Therese Viklund and Sella are their closest rivals at this stage (29.1), while Australia’s Isabel English completes the international top three on home-bred Cil Dara Bombay S (30.2).

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How to sum up the Agria Blenheim Horse Trials cross-country course in three words? Angles, bumps, water.

Jay Hambly is the new cross-country course designer at Blenheim Horse Trials this year. The CCI4*-L course features 26 numbered fences and horses will get their feet wet four times.

The track follows the same route as previous years at Blenheim Horse Trials and while many questions are in the same places as past events, the overall course has a slightly different feel to the European Championships track from 2025.

Five key questions on Blenheim Horse Trials cross-country

The Blenheim Water Dew Pond (6ab)

The Blenheim Water Dew Pond is the first serious question on course. It’s right by the shopping village and will be the first time that horses get their feet wet. The skinny bitty frangible arrowheads of 2025 are gone and have been replaced by brush fences. These look more inviting (to my eye!), while remaining a good accuracy question.

Competitors ride up a little mound and jump the first (6a), before running down and splashing through the dew pond, then heading out over an angled fence on dry land (6b).

There are longer alternatives at both elements here, which will take a few extra seconds.

Corner Treasure Chests to Corner (9abc)

There’s often a decent question on the lawn in front of Blenheim Palace. This year it is a test of rideability and accuracy. Riders will come to this with, hopefully, the benefit of having just had a good jump through similar looking fences (Hill Rise Treasure Chests, 8ab) in the Palace Arena.

There are a few different routes through this. On what I make out to be the most direct route, competitors jump a solid corner (9a) followed by a deep, solid chest fence (9b). They then face a choice on the direct line to 9c (another solid corner) – do they go the braveman’s route and slice inside the sculpture, or give themselves a fraction more space and go around it? There are alternatives at 9b and 9c, so riders could also mix and match a little and I think we might see a few different routes through this.

Murlac Hanging Brush (14abc) to Agria Water Crossing Question (15ab)

I was slightly torn in my mind about where this question actually starts. By this point on the course, riders will be starting to feel the cumulative effect of how all the previous fences have ridden. The ride that they have through the undulating ground of The Miele Roller Coaster (11ab) to Ha Ha Oxer (12), and then the HorseHage Roll Top (13) will all have a bearing – hopefully a positive one.

The direct route at the Murlac Hanging Brush (14abc) is just one jump, the skinny brush we saw at the 2025 Europeans. The longer option here is a loopy three-jumping effort that will take up a lot of time, and you cannot avoid jumping into the water.

After this, competitors gallop across the lake and come out over two skinny brush fences on a curving two strides. There are options at both of these.

The GFS Saddles Water (16abc)

There’s no time to dry off as the next question is another water fence. Competitors gallop up the hill to the GFS Saddles Water (16abc), which comprises a big log into water – riders can’t avoid this – followed by an angled brush-topped log in the water (16b), then onto dry land to a skinny arrowhead.

Oxer to Corner to Narrow Brush Oxer (18abc)

The furthest point on the course tends to have a decisive fence. This year, competitors on the direct route head up a mound to a frangible open oxer, then run down to an open corner (also on frangible devices). Like the fence in front of the house, Jay gives riders the choice of slicing in front of some decoration, or going round on a wider line. The final element is a big boxy brush on a related distance. Riders are committed to the ‘a’ and ‘c’ elements, but there is an option for ‘b’.

*Bonus extra* Cross-Country App Question (20abc)

The title says five key questions, but who doesn’t want just one more? We’ve seen similar here on many previous Blenheim courses, but there’s often one or two who want an extra little look at the ditch at this light-into-dark question, which is why it’s earned a spot among the key fences. The straight route here is over a rail (20a), followed by a ditch (20b), then an open arrowhead (20c).

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One horse was held and all were ultimately accepted at the Agria Blenheim Horse Trials first trot-up today (Wednesday, 16 September).

John The Bull, ridden by Ireland’s Susie Berry and owned by Helen Caton, was sent to the holding box. The 15-year-old gelding, who was third in this CCI4*-L class in 2021 and has competed at five-star with Susie, was given the nod of approval when re-presented before the ground jury of Nikki Herbert (president), Judy Hancock and James Rooney, and vet Caroline George.

Horses looked fit and, on the whole, relaxed in the balmy September sunshine at the first Blenheim Horse Trials trot-up, sponsored by British Horse Feeds – summer has not slipped through Britain’s fingers quite yet.

George Bartlett’s ride, Lukas, a 15-year-old gelding who is owned by Sir John Peace, Victoria Peace and Charlotte Cole, was asked to trot again after breaking into canter, and waved through on his second run.

John Wesmore’s ride Oughterard Quality, owned by Michael Westmore, enjoyed a good snort, while Alice Casburn’s exciting nine-year-old mare LSS Ile De Re, owned by Sally Witte and Alice’s mother Caroline, held it together during the trot up itself – before heading back to the stables with a spicy flourish.

Licence To Cooley, owned and ridden by John Tilly, won the British Horse Feeds Speedi-Beet prize for the horse in the best condition. The Worshipful Company of Farriers’ award for the best shod horse, judged by farrier Stephen Hill, went to Ed Eltham’s ride Indigo VIII, owned by Stewart and David Baker-Meadows.

Beautiful tailoring was a key theme on the fashion side. Structured jackets, paired with smart trousers, featured heavily, from elegant trench coats, to well-cut blazers, and stylish waistcoats in a wide range of styles and fabrics.

HiHo Silver awarded prizes for the best-dressed – Susie won the ladies’ prize for her embroidered jacket, paired with silver cowboy boots. Jack Pinkney won the men’s award for his three-piece checked suit. He rides Monbeg Stone Town in the CCI4*-L, a nine-year-old who he owns with Duchess Chica Norfolk and Lady Catherine Carleton-Smith.

Elsewhere there was a sprinkling of smart summery co-ords, such as Katey Cuthbertson’s pale pink patterned blazer with matching shorts, and flowing dresses – including the ballet pink dress and matching hair bow worn by Canada’s Shelby Brost.

All 77 horses presented will go forward to the dressage, which starts at around 10am tomorrow (Thursday) in the Palace Arena in front of the house. The CCI4*-S for eight- and nine-year-old horses starts around an hour earlier, also in the Palace Arena.

• Times, when available, will be posted on EventingScores

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In the week after she triumphed at Defender Burghley Horse Trials, Gemma Stevens led two more laps of honour at Hickstead – one with a horse she jumped for the first time days before.

Gemma and Coolnorran Cooley won the Stoner Jewellers 1.20m championship on the last weekend of the All England September tour, from fourth in an eight-strong jump-off. Gemma made the most of the nine-year-old’s big stride and catlike agility to win by almost two seconds.

Gemma said the I’m Special De Muze gelding is usually ridden by his owner Pru Dawes, whom she trains.

“Pru sadly hit her head so isn’t allowed to jump at the moment,” she said. “But I train her so I know him really well; he’s a wonderful horse in every way.”

Gemma paid tribute to Pru’s “amazing job” with Coolnorran Cooley, which has built up his confidence.

“I rode him a couple of times at home, jumped him here yesterday in the back ring and he won, so we said ‘Let’s do it – why not?’” she said. “And he was absolutely fabulous. He’s so easy to ride, so confident and careful, and so much fun.

“It was his first time jumping against the clock yesterday and he loved it, took to it like a duck to water.”

Gemma also won Friday's 1.40m open with nine-year-old Warrior Special, with whom she won the grade B and C final at the Royal International.

““We’re absolutely thrilled with him,” she said “He’s such a professional and, for a big horse, actually deceptively quick. He answered every question perfectly,”

Before she went in to jump her winning round with Chilli Knight at Burghley last week, Gemma’s husband Gary told her to “imagine you’re at Hickstead”. Asked this time if she had imagined herself back at Burghley, she said: “No, I did not!”

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Dan Watson has paid tribute to his “one in a million” mare Butterfly IV, the first horse he bred and with whom he went to the top level of dressage.

Dan had to make the call this month in the best interests of the 18-year-old mare, who was owned by the late Barbie Marceau, spent her life with Dan and left him with “so many special memories along the way”.

“She gave everything to me,” Dan told H&H. “We had such a lovely trust between us.”

Dan bred Butterfly, out of Daisy by Breitling W.

“She was the first horse I bred, and she was just phenomenal all the way through,” he said.

“Everything to do with that mare is precious to me. She was owned by my ‘second mum’ Barbie; she bought a horse for me years ago when I was 22, who I trained to inter II level, went internationally at small tour and did very well.

“Barbie bought Butterfly as a foal, and Butterfly stayed with me right the way through, so I was very close to Barbie, as much as I was to Butterfly. Barbie died four years ago from a stroke, so I lost Barbie, then I lost Butterfly. It’s the end of an era in a way.”

Butterfly IV was reserve champion five-year-old nationally with Daniel, then won internationally in France that year.

She won medium and prix st georges (PSG) regionals, was placed internationally at PSG and inter I, won national grands prix and represented Britain on a Nations Cup team.

Butterfly IV: an amazing 18 years

“I had a brilliant 18 years with her, she was amazing, just a lovely, lovely horse,” Dan said. “When she won in France as a five-year-old, that was fabulous as I never expected that, and she did very well internationally at small tour. It was an amazing journey.”

Dan said at home, Butterfly might take exception when, for example, someone tried to groom her.

“But then I went in and she’d be ‘Oh, it’s Dad now’,” he said. “That was just her, we had such an amazing bond between us.”

Dan and Craig Messenger run Aster Horses in Kent. In a separate tribute, they said:

“Thank you for everything, you wonderful, kind mare. You will always hold a very special place in our hearts and will never be forgotten.

“Run free now, Butterfly, and be reunited with your human mum, Barbie, in heaven. Thank you for all the wonderful memories. You truly were one in a million.”

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Alfie Bailey still has the rest of this year riding 128cms – but he came second, third and third again against adults in the International Arena at Hickstead on the second weekend of the All England September tour (12-13 September).

The 12-year-old came second and third in the 1m championship, with Barbara’s Dancer and Midnight Time respectively, and finished third in the 1.20m amateur final, won by Alana Collett on Rathbride Millie, with Gemmarco 16. He and Sandra Pavitt’s stallion clocked the fastest time in the 1.20m by some four seconds, but just clipped the very last fence.

Alfie said he enjoys riding the horses as much as the ponies – he has two 128cms qualified for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and one 138cm – adding that his plan is: “Just do what you’ve got to do!”

“I’m very proud of him,” dad Charlie said. “It’s a lot of work but worth it in the end, and it's a nice thing for your children to be into.”

Alfie’s mother Annie has owned Midnight, who is now 19, since he was four; he came ninth in the British speed Derby in 2022, and was placed second, fourth and ninth in the Douglas Bunn challenge at the September show in different years, with Darren Wise, and came third in the bronze league final at HOYS with Leah Lynch in 2023. Annie joked that she has had Midnight longer than she has her son.

Alfie Bailey wants to showjump professionally – and aims to get on a children-on-horses team next year.

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Dan Jocelyn has retired from top-level eventing after a career spanning more than 30 years.

The New Zealand rider is hanging up his boots after a career including one Olympics, two World Equestrian Games and multiple five-star completions.

“I’m 56, I’m riding around with my mates’ kids and I was the oldest rider at Badminton last year. All those things aren’t necessarily a reason to retire but I wanted to finish feeling good about how I was riding – not have people look at me and say, ‘That guy should retire,’” he told H&H.

“I feel like I’m starting to lose my competitiveness and sharpness. It’s a lot of work being at the top level of anything – mentally, in the gym, dealing with owners, keeping a horse at the top of its game – and I only wanted to do it at the highest level.

“I won’t be at the next Olympics in two years’ time or the next World Championships in four years, so why am I doing this? It was nice to ring our high performance manager Jock Paget and say I’d like to withdraw from the squad, not be thrown off.

“I felt like I was always carrying an injury, a bit of a pain somewhere and now all of a sudden I feel great – having taken that time to let myself get better.”

Dan has also retired his five-star horse, 17-year-old Blackthorn Cruise, who has been in the top 30 at Mars Badminton Horse Trials twice, saying: “In his mind he wanted to go to Burghley, but there were a few signs he’d lost his edge and with those horses we have to make the decision for them.

“He’s still with us and his owner Panda Christie comes and has dressage training on him. He’s hacking out and quietly winding down from five-star work, which is all he’s known for a long time.”

Although he is retiring from top-level competition, Dan Jocelyn will still produce young horses and compete up to novice level, and join his wife Emma in doing more showjumping and coaching.

“We have just taken on our first team to coach – the 90cm team for the VWH branch of the Pony Club – so that’s an exciting thing for us,” he said. “I enjoy doing things like course walks at Burghley, telling a few stories on the way round – it’s something a bit different to bring the cash in.”

Dan Jocelyn retires: favourite memories

Dan first came to England in 1995. He lent Andrew Nicholson a horse for the event at Puhinui in New Zealand and Andrew invited him to come to see the sport here.

“I came over and stayed with him for a season – he sent me off to people who’ve become my best friends, David Green, Mark Todd, and I went to three-days with them to watch,” said Dan, recalling how he rang his mother, Beverley, in disbelief at the number of events, as in New Zealand it was a case of two events and a three-day each spring and autumn.

Dan described going to the Athens Olympics in 2004 with Silence as the realisation of a boyhood dream.

“That was something special – I didn’t have a great placing as my strength was the cross-country and it was the easiest cross-country an Olympics has ever had, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was a fabulous experience,” he said.

Another highlight of his career was finishing third at Burghley Horse Trials in 2001 behind Andrew Nicholson and Blyth Tait.

“I was the only person to finish on my dressage score and to be there with Andrew and Blyth who, alongside Mark Todd, were my team-mates and mentors was special,” he said. “I loved riding with them, copying them.”

Dan also picked out some memorable Nations Cup wins at Boekelo and, more recently, finishing second in the CCI4*-L at Tattersalls in 2019 on Blackthorn Cruise.

“I enjoy competing in Ireland and it was nice to take him back to his roots as he came from Ireland,” he said.

“The last Badminton I did, I had a diverse group of people around me – friends, Panda Christie who’s owned Blackthorn Cruise through his whole career, the personal trainer who’s been helping me for the last few years – and I enjoyed every phase. The weather was beautiful, we took the competition seriously but did some socialising too and came out of it with a nice result. It was why we all started eventing.

“It felt very different to going round on Silence in the 1990s, when I was full of grit and determination, all I wanted to do was arrive there and then as soon as I was there, I wanted it done and to be home. I was full of nerves and hungry for it as a young rider. It’s amazing how my outlook has changed over 30 years.

“I have no regrets. Yes, there are parts of my career I’d do differently and parts I haven’t enjoyed, but that’s part of the whole thing.”

Dan Jocelyn’s biggest supporter

Dan said his mother Beverley has always been his biggest supporter and he was nervous about telling her he was retiring, but she completely understood.

“We reflected and told a few stories, going back to Pony Club,” he said, saying that she came over for a few events including the 2002 World Championships and increasingly, technology has allowed her to be part of Dan’s career, receiving videos and so on.

“She was never one of the mums that fuss around – she always let me and my brother and sister be independent and learn from doing the whole process. We’d do the early mornings and late nights around school and go off in the big lorry with three or four horses as young kids. Doing everything ourselves was a great way to understand horses and be horsemen,” he said.

“I loved Pony Club days, with bending races, popping balloons and jumping in a sack – perhaps it would have been better if I’d done the odd bit of dressage instead of flag races and bending, but then I might not have stayed on going into The Lake!”

Andrew Nicholson paid tribute to Dan’s career and achievement in moving up the levels after he first came to the UK to be based with him.

“The horse of Dan’s that springs to mind is Silence, the wee thoroughbred he brought over as a youngster and brought up to five-star,” he said.

“Dan has always been very reliable at the big competitions – he knew what he and his horses could do on the cross-country and outside competition he was a good team-mate to be around – he still is, good fun and very easy going.”

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Clearly feeling the effects of a thumping fall in the previous day’s BMO Nations Cup, Great Britain’s Ben Maher battled through three demanding rounds of 1.65m jumping to win his first ever showjumping major, the $5m CPKC International grand prix presented by Rolex, at Spruce Meadows, Canada, yesterday (13 September).

There were no double clears over the opening two rounds, so Ben Maher, carrying his four faults from round one riding 12-year-old Enjeu Du Grisien, faced five rivals in the high-calibre jump-off to determine the winner.

Out of the saddle, 43-year-old Ben was gingerly holding his right arm and his wife Sophie had advised him not to ride at all on Sunday. But although mounting proved difficult, and Enjeu is a keen, forward-going ride, there was little hint of the extent of his pain in the ring and he tackled Leopoldo Palacios’s taxing jump-off course with typical determination to post the winning time.

Ben Maher: “I came very close to not riding today”

“That’s the sport – one day we can be on the floor, the next day we can be winning,” said Ben, who fractured his shoulder in 2023.

“It was an unfortunate mistake yesterday [riding Catelly for Great Britain in round two of the BMO Nations Cup] and I paid for it. It was a long night and I came very close to not riding today but I persevered, we dug in and I’m very happy we won.”

Grand Slam dreams for Richard Vogel

The story coming into Sunday’s feature class at Spruce Meadows surrounded Rolex Grand Slam contender Richard Vogel, who brought uber-stallion United Touch S in his bid to become the first showjumper since Scott Brash at this venue in 2015 to secure the grand prix hat-trick.

The world number one kept his dream alive by jumping one of seven clears from 39 starters in round one. But as 12 were invited through to round two, Nayel Nassar’s one-fault round on ESI Ali and the fastest four four-faulters from round one also lined up for leg two.

Here, course-designer Leopoldo Palacios tightened the screws further, bringing in the famous double of Liverpools and a tricky double of CPKC oxers under the trees to a wall of planks, all of which caught out the vast majority of the field.

The only two clears second time around came from riders carrying four faults from round one, Ben Maher (Enjeu) and Steve Guerdat riding the athletic chestnut Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte.

German hero Richard Vogel may have considered his Grand Slam hopes dashed when toppling the second of the Liverpools in round two. But as none of his rivals could maintain their clean sheets he found himself back in contention as six competitors completing on four faults were called back for the jump-off.

A fully-loaded jump-off for $5m prize-money

Steve Guerdat's opening clear in increasingly wet conditions set the jump-off standard, but was immediately trumped by Ben, who pulled out all the stops with the Toulon gelding owned by Pamela Wright and Charlotte Rossetter. The in-form duo shaved time through the latter part of the course to finish 0.85sec quicker.

Young Belgian Roy van Beek (Cavoiro H OLD) produced a slower clear, then Calgary-based New Zealand contender Katie Laurie (Django II) added another four faults.

All eyes turned to Richard Vogel with the huge-striding United Touch, but their six-month journey towards the Rolex Grand Slam finally ended with a rail down at the second part of the tricky CPKC double. They received a standing ovation nevertheless from Spruce Meadows’ knowledgeable crowd.

Last to go, USA’s Lillie Keenan gave her all with the aptly named Fasther, but stopped the clock 0.45sec outside Ben’s time. This was enough for 29-year-old Lillie to claim the runner-up spot, with past winner Steve Guerdat finishing third.

A first showjumping Major for Ben Maher

“Enjeu has always loved this arena but I thought his chance had slipped away with the one down [in round one],” said Ben, whose sole error came in the triple combination after Enjeu lost a shoe at the preceding triple bar. “But it came back around and I got a second chance and he did everything for me.

“The time was tight in round one and he’s not the fastest horse so I was determined not to be too slow. That wasn’t a problem, we were flying around. It’s a different type of showjumping here – you have to be more attacking and that’s what the game plan was. If we hit a front rail from moving with extra pace, then that’s the risk you take, but I think it was the right plan,” added Ben, who collected a cheque for $1.5m but struggled to lift the sizeable silverware with his one “good” arm.

The triple Olympic gold medallist now heads to Geneva in December to continue his own Grand Slam journey.

“This is an incredible day,” he said of his first Major success. “I’ve been coming to Spruce Meadows for many years now and I’ve never had too much luck in the grand prix.”

• Read the full report from the Spruce Meadows Masters Tournament in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine, in the shops Thursday 17 September.
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Sadie Smith and River Rise Onassis (Glamourdale x Amsterdam) have completed a remarkable comeback, winning the KBIS young horse test for seven-year-olds on 81.17% at the 2026 National Dressage Championships – almost exactly a year on from a horsebox accident that very nearly claimed the mare’s life, on the journey home from these very championships.

Sue Garrard, “Sassy’s” owner, was driving her home from these championships last September when her horsebox was hit from behind on the M6 in atrocious weather – driving rain, squally gusts, standing water.

The impact sent the lorry fishtailing before it toppled over, skidding across all three lanes of the motorway. Sue escaped through the passenger window largely unhurt, but Sassy was left trapped inside, surrounded by sharp metal and broken fibreglass, panicking each time a passing car went past. “I thought she was dead,” Sue said at the time.

As no vet reached the scene for three hours, Sue spent that time dangling into the horse area, held by a firefighter, trying to keep the mare calm until she could finally be sedated and cut free.

Sadie remembers the agonising wait for news that night: “I got a call saying there’d been an accident, but nobody knew what had happened. I didn't find out until about 10 o'clock that night that they were okay – I didn’t really know the full extent until the next day. It was really awful, it took a long time for the vets to get there.”

A year on, River Rise Onassis was back at Somerford Park – and on top of the leaderboard.

Sadie added the mare’s remarkable temperament played no small part in the outcome that night: “I think the horse’s temperament saved her – she just stood there and didn’t rush around while Sue was with her.

“If she’d been throwing herself around with no vet there for that long, she’d have really damaged herself. She did herself good just by standing still.”

The road back to competition was a cautious one. “It was amazing that she survived,” Sadie said, “but she came away with quite deep cuts around her fetlock joints, and it took a long time to heal because it kept opening up every time she walked – it was proud flesh, it was horrible. It was quite emotional, to be honest, because it was so traumatising.”

River Rise Onassis had only been back in full work since around January or February this year, and today’s win was just her third competitive outing since the accident. “She’s hardly done any shows – I did one to qualify, at Hartpury, and this is only our third outing since. But she’s been great – he just gets on with it.

“She’s been fine with travelling again too – it’s like nothing had happened to her. She's so good, and she trusts us, and it just means the world to us.”

Now that River Rise Onassis is back in full swing, Sadie is optimistic about her future – and already rates her potential alongside her grand prix mare, Swanmore Dantina (Dia).

“Technically, she moves better than Dia – her natural ability is better, her canter and her hind leg are so strong, she’s just amazing to sit on,” Sadie said.

“But she’s a different type of horse – taller, longer, more angular, whereas Dia’s a lot shorter. She’s taking longer to strengthen, so I’m taking my time with her – I’ll train her over the winter and hopefully bring her out internationally at small tour level next year.”

Sue watched the test from the side, visibly moved. “She had tears in her eyes when I came out,” Sadie said. “I can’t imagine what it's been like for her.”

• To stay up to date with the latest news and reports throughout the LeMieux National Dressage Championships, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website and pick up a copy of Horse & Hound magazine, in shops from Thursday 17 September

Charlotte Dujardin has been crowned the national champion at the 2026 LeMieux National Dressage Championships, scoring 79.4% to win the Kudos freestyle on Brave Heart II – their first kür together.

It’s the third time she’s been crowned national champion after winning in 2015 on Barolo and 2020 on Mount St John Freestyle.

The overall national title is decided on the combined score of the grand prix and the freestyle – and Charlotte’s grand prix score alone, more than five percentage points clear of her nearest rival, had already put it within touching distance.

But perfectionist that she is, Charlotte was never going to play it safe and settle for that lead – she came out to win the freestyle outright too.

“That’s actually Gio’s music, from the Tokyo Olympics,” she explained. “All year I’ve been doing specials, focusing on that and the grand prix, and then I was thinking, ‘Oh no, I'm going to have to do a freestyle – what am I going to do?’

“I thought I’ll have to use one I’ve already got, so I thought this might work. He’d literally never done the floorplan before though – I just had to give it a go and see what happened.”

It was ambitious – with piaffe pirouettes and a curving in-and-out line of one-time changes – but she pulled it off with aplomb. As she entered the LeMieux Arena, a strange hush fell over the grandstands, just as it had yesterday for the grand prix.

The canter pirouettes were the standout technical movement, with one judge awarding as high as a 9 – the only real dip came in the transitions in and out of the piaffe, hardly a blemish on an otherwise exceptional test.

“He got a bit ahead of the music at the start, so I was a touch too far ahead waiting for it,” Charlotte admitted.

“But he gave everything a really good go, and I was so proud of him – it’s a very technical, difficult test, lots coming in and out of it, piaffe pirouettes, changes on the curves.

“The only thing I changed was the end and didn’t do another piaffe pirouette – because I think for him, he’s just done loads of it. But I was thrilled with him – no big mistake. It just felt like a really good experience for him as well.”

For all the technical elements of the test, it was Brave Heart's temperament that seemed to please Charlotte the most. Owned by Ellie McCarthy, the 12-year-old gelding stood unbothered after his lap of honour as vans and traffic dismantling the trade stands rumbled past around him, patiently posing while Charlotte stopped to take pictures with several young fans.

“He’s such a sweet horse, you can’t fault him – he comes out for the prize-giving and just stands there for everyone to pat him, have pictures, see him. The crowd, the spectators coming over for photos – it was very, very nice.

“It was a nice end to the show, and the sun was shining, which is even better – so we didn’t get wet!”

Final national championship standings:

• Charlotte Dujardin – Brave Heart II – grand prix 75.04%, freestyle 79.4% (154.444)
• Fiona Bigwood – Donna Bella – grand prix 70%, freestyle 75.05% (145.05)
• Gareth Hughes – Mowgli-Olympia MC – grand prix 70.46%, freestyle 73.95% (144.407)
• Alexander Harrison-West – Kickback – grand prix 68.17%, freestyle 72.93% (141.099)
• Ruby Hughes – Farrell – grand prix 69.59%, freestyle 67.83% (137.412)
• Kimberley Siddorn – Dutch Class – grand prix 66.44%, freestyle 70.18% (136.61)
• Olivia Oakeley – Full House – grand prix 67.33%, freestyle 68.90% (136.226)
• Darren Hicks – Tramontana Tiger Feet – grand prix 64.8%, freestyle 67.78% (132.579)
• Tom Goode – Furstenrausch PS – grand prix 64.74%, freestyle 67.35% (132.089)
• Anne-Marie Cowan – Woodcroft Royal Charter – grand prix 63.98%, freestyle 66.18% (130.153)

• To stay up to date with the latest news and reports throughout the LeMieux National Dressage Championships, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website and pick up a copy of Horse & Hound magazine, in shops from Thursday 17 September

A teenager who only started riding in lockdown because she couldn’t dance has qualified for the LeMieux Grassroots Championships at Badminton – with her “hairy, patchy cob”.

Hope Wilson and 14hh Charlie Girl (Poppy) came third in the Forgandenny BE90 regional final in August, earning their ticket to Mars Badminton 2027. This was the crowning achievement of their six years together, during which they have also competed up to elementary level dressage and won at the national side-saddle championships – not to mention welcoming Poppy’s unexpected BOGOF foal a few months into their journey.

They were also on the winning Scottish team at the Chillington Hall regional youth championships in 2024, and walked away with the individual BE80 title.

“I was just numb, when they won at Chillington,” Hope’s mother Hazel told H&H. “I think I just couldn’t believe it. People were coming up and saying ‘You must be so proud’ and I said yes but it was probably a week afterwards that I actually realised the extent of what she’d done.”

Hazel said she had always ridden, describing herself as a “happy hacker” and local competitor, but Hope had never really been interested. She preferred her ballet and dancing – “She wasn’t really that interested in getting her hands dirty!” Hazel said – but when lockdown was on, so dancing and school were off, she found herself at a loose end and needed something to do.

“She quickly formed a bond with the little 11h Welsh A I bought as a companion,” Hazel said. “The other companion pony I’d bought had bucked her off a couple of times so she was nervous of getting on Belle but finally we got there.”

Belle and Hope got on well together and progressed to winning their first 60cm showjumping class. After a few months, Hazel said, as Hope’s desire to ride and leg length increased at a similar rate, she decided to buy a pony she and her daughter could share and have fun on.

“This was a hairy 10-year-old cob; I thought we could share her, and if we came out of lockdown and she went back to her dancing, I could ride the cob and just tootle about,” Hazel said. “But the sharing lasted until we discovered Poppy was actually in foal!”

Hazel suspected Poppy’s extra weight might be an unexpected guest, and in March 2021, her vet confirmed she was due in a couple of weeks.

“Both Hope and I had the privilege of being there at the birth and it was amazing,” she said, adding that no one knows who the sire of the foal, now five and called Daisy, might be.

“I think she’s got more Welsh in her as she’s slightly finer-boned,” she said. “She’s about 15.1hh so she should hopefully be a good type for Hope to take up the levels.”

Once Poppy was brought back into work, there was no stopping her, and Hope, who had also recently been diagnosed with autism – but having the horses helped.

“We’ve found a balance, and the horses have held everything together,” Hazel said. “Hope started eventing at a low level, with the Pony Club. I’d never seen her do a dressage test till our first event with the Pony Club and everyone said ‘She’s good’. She got the highest dressage score of the whole thing.”

At the start of 2024, Hope said she wanted to be chosen for the Scotland team for the youth championships, and duly was.

“Hope never wants to know her dressage score until the whole thing’s over, but the other girls on the team said she was in the lead,” Hazel said. “She showjumped and I could see the nerves were beginning to take over.

“She was last to go across country and I think even the boy on the tannoy was astounded because there were some pretty horses there and this little piebald cob who I don’t think he’d been taking too much notice of until that point. He apologised over the tannoy and said ‘We’re actually looking at the individual winners here’. It was very emotional.”

At the start of this year, Hazel said, Hope put a list of her goals for 2026 in the tack room, and Badminton was on it. She and Poppy achieved their qualifying places, then went to Forgandenny in August.

“She was putting a hell of a lot of pressure on herself to do it; probably, unbeknown to me, a lot more pressure than she was showing,” Hazel said. “So I think she felt pure relief, joy that she had achieved this and a hell of a lot of satisfaction because her friends are all riding bigger horses than her, and she can’t help but feel sort of the underdog.”

Hope Wilson’s double win

Hope also rides 16.2hh Irish-bred Ballygriffen Cooper for a friend – she won one BE90 with him at Scone last month and another with Poppy – but the plan was not to aim him for Badminton as he is still quite green, but also, Hazel said, to give Poppy her chance to shine.

“I want her to have her moment of glory,” she said. “She’s a cake-loving cob; 11am or 11.30 she hears the kettle coming on and makes her way to the tack room as she knows the cake tin is coming out! She’s absolutely amazing, she’s got a heart of gold and I swear in some way she’s trying to repair for us keeping her and her foal together.

“I think she’s had quite a few foals but has been parted from them; I think in her way she’s trying to give back a bit for the home she’s got. It may be nonsense but she looks after Hope and takes it all in her stride, she’s almost like a second mother to her.

“When we bought her, I just wanted to see my daughter happy, I had no expectations. When we go out, we just give it our best shot and it’s not about winning, it’s about the horses and their welfare, and seeing what we can do together.

“I’m not made of money and can’t afford to buy Hope everything maybe others have; she has to make do and make the best of what she’s got and by god, she’s certainly doing that.”

Hope is due to start studying business at university this month, but with her sights firmly set on Badminton 2027. And Hazel said she wanted to take this chance to celebrate her daughter and Poppy’s achievements.

“The aim as always will be to do our best but more importantly enjoy the experience and have fun,” she said. “As long as the pair of them come home safely that’s all I care about. I hope Badminton is ready for a patchy cob!”

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The chance to watch “the next generation of grand prix prospects” completes a “bumper year for dressage” at the 2026 London International Horse Show (16-21 December).

As well as the FEI dressage World Cup leg, this year’s event will feature new national classes, which will “showcase the rising talent of seven-year-old and nine- to 11-year-old dressage stars”.

The programme for the Thursday and Friday of the show will feature the World Cup grand prix and freestyle, the new classes, dressage sessions in the live zone and the Richard Davison masterclass.

“Further strengthening the show’s commitment to developing future champions, 2026 welcomes the introduction of new national classes in collaboration with British Dressage,” a London International spokesperson said.

“Designed to showcase the next generation of grand prix prospects, the classes will provide a prestigious platform for talented young horses to compete in front of an international audience. Spectators will have the opportunity to witness emerging equine stars perform at a pivotal stage in their careers, offering a fascinating glimpse into the future of top-level sport.”

The four national classes, one on each day for each age group, “promise to be a fascinating insight into up-and-coming talent in the dressage world and will provide the audience with another thrilling competition to enjoy during their visit”.

The World Cup competition starts on the Thursday with the grand prix, followed by the freestyle on the Friday

Show director Simon Brooks-Ward said: “As our British dressage riders continue to go from strength to strength on the world stage it is natural that we would grow the sport on offer at London, where we have a long history of top-flight competition.

“We are particularly excited about the Rising Talent competitions and giving our audiences the chance to see the equine stars of the future. The FEI Dressage World Cup qualifier, the highest level dressage competition in the UK, is always a huge show highlight and we are delighted that so many of the world's top riders choose to compete at London each year.”

The Richard Davison masterclass returns on the Thursday, “giving fans an unparalleled opportunity to gain insight into the training and development of elite dressage horses”.

London International Horse Show dressage classes

Thursday

National dressage seven-year-old horse competition

National dressage grand prix horses of the future

Dressage masterclass

The FEI dressage World Cup grand prix

Friday

National dressage seven-year-old horse competition

National dressage grand prix horses of the future

The FEI dressage World Cup grand prix freestyle

We witnessed a glorious moment in racing history at Doncaster Racecourse on Saturday (12 September) when 24-year-old Saffie Osborne became the first female jockey to win a British Classic race.

While nearly every glass ceiling has been smashed in jumps racing, Flat racing has so far been unable to emulate the showpiece successes earned by the likes of Rachael Blackmore.

Hollie Doyle had come closest, finishing fourth in the 2021 St Leger becoming the first female rider to be placed in a Classic race on the Flat.

But on day three of the 2026 Betfred St Leger Festival at Doncaster, history was made on a hugely significant day for the sport of horseracing.

Former gold medal-winning eventer Saffie Osborne, a daughter of Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey turned trainer Jamie Osborne, rewrote the script to win the 250th running of the Betfred St Leger Stakes, the fifth and final British Classic of the Flat season after the 1000 and 2000 Guineas, Oaks and Derby.

Riding the relatively unfancied Highwayman for trainer Joseph O’Brien, she surged to the front in the 1m6½f contest to post a milestone victory in Britain's oldest Classic race.

“This won’t change Joseph’s life, but it’s changed mine,” said a tearful Saffie, who received a rapturous reception from the Yorkshire crowd as she returned to the winner's enclosure. “Any jockey wants to win a Classic, whether you’re male or female.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been speechless in my life. I definitely didn’t have this on the bingo card for this week - I didn’t even have a ride in the St Leger on Monday morning, let alone one with a chance.”

Saffie Osborne: British Classic winner

Saffie Osborne switched from eventing to race riding in 2020 and landed her first Group race success in 2022. She became the first female jockey to ride a winner at Meydan, before taking the reins in her first Classic race in 2024.

This year, Saffie has enjoyed a tremendous breakthrough season, riding a winning treble at Ascot Racecourse’s King George meeting in July as well as a double at Glorious Goodwood.

This St Leger success will undoubtedly prove pivotal for the established new star of the weighing room, as we celebrate another long overdue milestone in the sport.

“I can't thank Joseph and his team enough for putting their faith in me,” said Saffie. “This means the absolute world and I'm in shock.”

A one-two in the St Leger for trainer Joseph O'Brien

Joseph O’Brien trained the first two home in the 2026 St Leger, with Highwayman’s stablemate Enceladus a length and three quarters behind in second. Amelia Earheart, trained by Joseph’s father Aidan O’Brien, finished back in third.

You can read the full report from the Betfred St Leger Festival at Doncaster with further insight from Saffie Osborne in next week’s Horse & Hound, in the shops Thursday 17 September.

Charlotte Dujardin claimed the LeMieux grand prix in some style at the 2026 National Dressage Championships, riding Ellie McCarthy’s Brave Heart II to a personal best – if pick-your-own tests are excluded – of 75.04%, more than five percentage points clear of the rest of the field.

Gareth Hughes took second on Mowgli-Olympia MC (70.46%), with Fiona Bigwood third on Donna Bella (70%).

“I haven’t had him that long, I think I’ve done about six or seven shows now, so not a great deal,” Charlotte said. “At home, he’s always felt really impressive, really exciting to go, and then I get to a show, and he goes into himself a bit – he goes a little shy on me.

“It’s just been about building his confidence to grow into himself and be a performer. Today, as I went through the test, it got bigger and better, and I feel like he’s getting better and better every show we do."

The LeMieux Arena is notoriously tricky, with stands close on both sides and wind whipping through all the bits not strapped down, but Charlotte said the 12-year-old gelding took it in his stride: “It’s a tricky arena – in the warm-up you’ve got the stands with people sat behind you and you can hear them getting up and down, which makes them a little tense.

“Then when you go in, there’s lots of flapping, everything’s quite close. But he doesn’t look at anything – I didn’t even do the arena walk – he just went in and gave it a good go. I couldn’t be happier with him.”

Heading into this summer’s World Championships, Charlotte and Brave Heart II were locked in a tight race with Fiona and Donna Bella for the fourth and final British team spot for Aachen.

A stunning double at Hartpury in July – personal bests in both the grand prix and special – swung Charlotte’s international grand prix average ahead of Fiona’s, with just a fraction of a percentage point separating them. In the end, though, it was Fiona and Donna Bella who got the selectors’ call, going on to win team silver.

“He was so, so close to selection,” Charlotte said. “I just needed a few more runs, and then I think, for sure, he would’ve been there. But it was what it was – how could I be disappointed? I felt like I’d done everything there was to do. There will always be another time.”

Charlotte Dujardin on her national championships winner’s future

Brave Heart’s future with Charlotte beyond this season isn’t fully settled: “I think potentially he might be one that Ellie either rides herself or sells. I only ever had him for a bit, I never really expected to keep him this long. But he gets better and better each show, and he almost needs to just keep going now.”

The win puts Charlotte in pole position heading into tomorrow’s freestyle, where the overall national champion title will be decided on the combination of grand prix and freestyle scores.

Charlotte, though, was characteristically unfussed about the prospect: “I don’t even think about it. I wouldn’t even know [how many titles I have] – I never really count.”

For the record, she’s been crowned national champion twice before – in 2015 on Barolo, and in 2020 on Mount St John Freestyle.

Asked what fuels her famous competitiveness if not the titles, she said: “I don’t compare myself to anybody – I just do my own thing. My goal is to beat myself – always asking what I did in that competition, what I could have done better, what I need to go away and work on.

“My mindset is to always become better, try and be a better version of myself throughout. I am very, very competitive, though.”

That drive extends beyond her competition rides, too – she lit up just as much talking about her up-and-coming star Secret Agent, and his progress at home: “I literally got 12 ones on him yesterday, so I was super happy.”

Final grand prix results:

1. Charlotte Dujardin – Braveheart II (75.04%)
2. Gareth Hughes – Mowgli-Olympia MC (70.46%)
3. Fiona Bigwood – Donna Bella (70%)
4. Ruby Hughes – Farrell (69.59%)
5. Alexander Harrison-West – Kickback (68.17%)
6. Olivia Oakeley – Full House (67.33%)
7. Spencer Wilton – Woodcroft Django Mon Ami (66.57%)
8. Kimberley Siddorn – Dutch Class (66.44%)
9. Laura Tomlinson – Forest Hill (65.52%)
10. Daniel Bremner – Houston V (64.89%)
11. Daniel Sherriff – I’m Bayford Hall Incognito (64.87%)
12. Darren Hicks – Tramontana Tiger Feet (64.8%)
13. Tom Goode – Furstenrausch PS (64.74%)
14. Anne-Marie Cowan – Woodcroft Royal Charter (63.98%)
15. Laura Tomlinson – Full Moon II (63.5%)
16. Matt Frost – Kerouac (63.37%)
17. Jonny Clarke-West – Goomong Zinfandel (63.02%)
18. Alice Oppenheimer – Headmore Bella Ruby (62.61%)
19. Greg Sims – Waverley Fellini (61.74%)
20. Becky Edwards – Dita Von Teese (60.74%)

• To stay up to date with the latest news and reports throughout the LeMieux National Dressage Championships, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website and pick up a copy of Horse & Hound magazine, in shops from Thursday 17 September

Laura Tomlinson won two titles at the 2026 LeMieux National Dressage Championships this week – the Fairfax Saddles PSG gold and the D&H gold inter I – on her latest star, Ostmarks Digal (Grand Galaxy x De Noir), an eight-year-old gelding who’s arrived on the domestic scene in some style.

Digal has been with Laura since December, coming over from the same German yard as her former top ride, Rose of Bavaria, who retired in 2024. “The first couple of times I rode him at a show, I wasn’t overly impressed – he was quite challenging to get on,” Laura admits.

“He was a bit fidgety here, too. But the more we get to know him, the easier he is – he’s known at home as Smeagol sometimes when he’s being naughty. But he knows his job, and he enjoys it.”

She rates Digal as more talented than her two current grand prix horses, Full Moon and Forest Hill, albeit in different ways: “Full Moon’s got incredible suppleness I haven’t felt on many horses, but he’s got a bit of an ADHD brain that struggles to focus the whole time, whereas Digal and Forest find it easier to focus long enough for a good test.

“Digal’s not as naturally supple as Full Moon, and he’s so tall and leggy that he brings a lot of exuberance – I need to make sure the athleticism is there to match it.”

At home, the foundations for grand prix work are being laid: “He’s got pretty good changes at home, hasn’t done 15 ones yet, but he’s well on his way.

“We’re plugging away at his confidence in the piaffe-passage – the pieces of the puzzle are already there; it’s just starting to put them together now.”

Digal opened his account at Somerford Park with victory in the Fairfax Saddles PSG gold on Thursday, scoring 71.79%. “There was a moment in the first half-pass where he could have gone either way, felt like he could get a little spicy, but he came back very good, made a very grown-up decision and stayed with me,” Laura said. He followed up with the D&H gold inter I on Friday, improving to 71.97%.

“I do have high hopes for him,” Laura added. “I think he’s very talented. The more advanced movements, the more confident he is in the ring with me, the more will come.

“I think he’ll be a horse that takes a moment to feel comfortable doing it all in the ring, but when he does, I think he’ll do everything without a problem.”

Along with Forest Hill and Full Moon II – who was longlisted for the World Championships in Aachen this summer – Laura looks to have a talented up-and-coming string.

But she revealed that former grand prix ride Soegaards Bon Royal – who stood out at the London International Horse Show in 2024 but hasn’t competed since – has retired aged 12 after failing to recover from an old check ligament injury: “He won’t be coming back to competition, really. I was hoping Tyla Schou, who’s based with me, could have a couple of little national shows on him to get a feel for that level, but his scans just don’t hold up to the work, sadly.

“He’s very happy in the stable, very happy in the field, but we’re not going to be able to compete him again. His welfare is absolutely the most important part."

Sven Rothenberger, judging at the nationals for the first time, picked Digal out unprompted when asked which horses had caught his eye this week. “I have to say the horse of Laura Tomlinson seems to be a talent to take the weight and make the difficult movements later,” he said.

“I had the feeling that after every extended movement, she was able to do a very collected movement too – that showed me the horse really took the weight onto the hind legs, with the shoulders coming up, so it always had an uphill tendency.”

• To stay up to date with the latest news and reports throughout the LeMieux National Dressage Championships, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website and pick up a copy of Horse & Hound magazine, in shops from Thursday 17 September

There’s no better way to inspire a child than for them to see their heroes encouraging them. And for 100-odd budding jockeys competing on a landmark day of Pony Club racing at Newbury, some of the very biggest names in the sport were cheering them home.

“A fantastic initiative and a brilliant way to encourage young people into the sport,” summed up 20-time champion jump jockey Sir AP McCoy, after attending the Pony Club meeting staged at Newbury Racecourse for the first time.

The Vine branch of the Pony Club organised the raceday, on the Bank Holiday weekend, with nearly 100 children between the ages of nine and 16 competing. There were six Pony Club races, an a further three Pony Racing Authority races.

Besides AP, several other top jockeys and trainers were at Newbury to support this landmark event at the Group One track, as well as event rider William Fox-Pitt, whose daughter Chloe has enjoyed a great deal of success in pony races this year.

“Competing in such a professional environment helps children learn, improve and develop the desire to succeed,” added AP. “It was wonderful to see so many leading figures from racing supporting the day, and I thoroughly enjoyed being there.”

Nicky Henderson, six-time champion jumps trainer, was involved on a personal basis, with members of his family competing – on different levels.

“We had a fantastic family day out, my grandson competing in one of the races and my granddaughter sporting one of her mother’s best hats and winning a prize in the ‘best turned out’ awards,” Nicky said.

“So beautifully organised, nice and local and so great to see so many young really getting involved in this wonderful sport at such a young age.”

Five-time champion Flat jockey Oisin Murphy was also watching on, and presented prizes to the winners alongside fellow Flat star Hollie Doyle.

“Pony racing at Newbury was brilliantly organised and gave young riders a wonderful opportunity to gain valuable racecourse experience,” Oisin said.

“Huge credit must go to Lady Warren, Newbury Racecourse and everyone involved. I hope the event continues to go from strength to strength.” ‎

Do you know someone who might be interested in the sport? Find out how to get started in pony racing.

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The owner of a horse who brought an “enormous amount of joy to many people” has shared his story to thank his owners, give hope to others – and remind us all to cherish every moment.

Barbara and Ken Cooper’s Dreamaway II, who competed successfully up to four-star level with Tom McEwen, including winning the British intermediate championship in 2019 and coming second in the eight- and nine-year-olds’ class at Blenheim a few weeks later, has died aged 15 owing to colic.

The Irish-bred gelding sustained a significant tendon injury in 2021 but came back to eventing two years later with equine vet Joanna Gillingham, who told H&H she will always be grateful he came into her life.

“He was very laid back, a chilled gentleman, and I think deep down he did really care about me,” she said. “At the end, I worked that out. He was quite grumpy, not the cuddly type, but when he was unwell, it was me he wanted to be with. We definitely formed a great partnership, and a true gentleman is exactly what he was.”

Joanna said that when Dreamer first injured his superficial flexor tendon, there was some discussion over whether it might be in his best interests to put him down. But the Coopers wanted to try, and thanks to them, vets and the McEwens, as well as Jess Draper who took him on a year or so later, he came right.

Dreamaway II: his next home

Dreamer came to Joanna through mutual connections.

“I graduated from vet school and wanted to do more eventing, but don’t come from a horsey family,” she said. “The horse I’d had was on loan, he was 18 and would run across country if he fancied it! I had a real aspiration to go novice but wasn’t sure how I would afford a £40,000 horse on my own.

“It was a pretty fairytale story; I went to try him, sat on him and thought ‘I think I’ll learn loads from this horse’. There were murmurings about someone who wanted him for dressage, and I said ‘I am who I am, I don’t want to pay substantial money as we don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. But this is the home I’m going to be, I will love him forever, we’ll help each other, and see what happens’.

“They very kindly came back to me within a few hours and said ‘Let’s meet for lunch next week but you sound perfect, and we’ll just let you crack on’.”

Joanna praised the work Jess had put in; Dreamer was ready to start jumping and they completed some BE100s in 2023. They progressed, coming second in a novice in 2025 and showjumping clear at Osberton CCI2*-S – although the rest of the class was called off owing to torrential rain.

“He did a pretty good dressage and showjumped clear, which was an incredible feeling in that arena,” she said.

“That was gutting but he gave me the feeling. I’d never been to an international; I do everything on my own, so I turned up in the rain on my own, stabled there on my own, had to cycle off site to stay because I don’t have a big lorry.

“But he was a seasoned pro. He just turned up like ‘Yeah, I know what I’m doing’ and was totally chilled the whole time. I’m so grateful I got that experience, and Dreamer gave it to me, which was amazing.”

Joanna was able to have some lessons with Tom, which she said was an “incredible” help with understanding her horse.

“We always laughed as Dreamer was in Dreamerland, which was on another planet!” she said. “You had to be ‘Come on, let’s go’. Early on, we had a fall, and I think till then I’d been a bit star-struck, then I realised we had to be a partnership.

“But his jump was so amazing; you knew you were on something super-classy and clever, And you had to be together; he wasn’t just doing it for you, and that gave you such an accomplishment. I don’t think I understood about horses how much of it is about partnership, until I lost him.”

Joanna said she and Dreamer completed their first event this season, coming 10th in an intermediate, then the next day he colicked. This carried on and Joanna enlisted the help of a specialist but it was thought there were other issues going on, and the call was made in his best interests.

She said she very much wanted to thank the Coopers, who have been great supporters of eventing.

“With Dreamer, for example, they could have really pushed him to be back at the top level with Tom, or sold him to someone random and seen what had happened,” she said “I think it’s really nice they wanted to still follow the sport, but were happy to just do that at whatever level Dreamer wanted to do.

“At Cornbury, we didn’t even go cross-country but they said they’d had the best day. We were a team and it was really fun, and I want to thank them for giving me a chance when I’m not Tom McEwen, I’m a nobody but they were always so supportive, which I’m so grateful for.”

Joanna said another reason for sharing Dreamer’s story is to show that there can be hope after serious injury.

“It’s really hard as an owner, 10 different people can give you 10 opinions but there can be light at the end of the tunnel,” she said. “The fact he came back and enjoyed a few more years of the sport is, I think, a really nice story.”

But finally, Joanna said, the story of Dreamaway II reminds us to enjoy of what we have.

“Perhaps most importantly, his story is a reminder to cherish the everyday moments with our horses, because we never know how long we have with them,” she said.

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Five-star horses, 2026 world medallists and former winners head up the Agria Blenheim Horse Trials entries for next week’s event (17-20 September).

Tom McEwen’s experienced five-star ride Brookfield Quality leads the entries for the CCI4*-L, which has 74 listed to start plus an eight-strong wait list.

Tom also has Isa and The Fieldmaster in the class and his eventing World Championship team-mates Laura Collett and Gemma Stevens bring forward the promising Balancero and Chilli’s Jester respectively. Chilli’s Jester is a 10-year-old full brother to Chilli Knight, who won Defender Burghley Horse Trials last week with Gemma.

Up-and-coming stars are well represented in the class. Multi-medalled youth rider Isabelle Cook brings forward Cymoon “F” Z, with whom she was seventh in the CCI4*-S at Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event in the spring and second at Millstreet CCI4*-L in July.

Tom Bird will ride Lenny, the nine-year-old mare with whom he helped Britain to team gold at the inaugural under-25 World Championships at Millstreet, in her first CCI4*-S and US rider Olivia Dutton will make her Blenheim debut on her under-25 world individual bronze medallist Jewelent.

Others to keep an eye on include Jesse Campbell and Speedwell, who were among the New Zealand reserves for the worlds, 2024 Blenheim runners-up Daisy Berkeley and Diese Du Figuier and Sam Ecroyd with Blomfield Manuscript, who was third in the CCI4*-S at Bramham Horse Trials but was let down by his showjumping at Millstreet CCI4*-L.

Felicity Collins and RSH Contend Or are also ones to watch, having finished in the top seven in this class twice.

Zara Tindall is among the former Blenheim winners riding, with Classicals Euro Star in this class, and she is on good form after her recent British open win with Class Affair.

The CCI4*-L wait-list includes three horses their riders hope to re-route after they failed to finish at Burghley – John The Bull (Ireland’s Susie Berry), Jaeger Master (Alex Bragg) and Santoro (Australia’s Samuel Jeffree).

Blenheim Horse Trials entries: CCI4*-S

A bumper 108 horses have been accepted to start in the GFS Saddles eight- and nine-year-old CCI4*-S.

Two horses who have won at the young horse World Championships in Le Lion d’Angers will start among the favourites – last year’s seven-year-old winner Brookfield Danny De Muze for Tom McEwen, who also rides Shannondale Arnold, and the 2023 six-year-old champion Barrington Alice, under Izzy Taylor.

Izzy’s horses had a delayed start to the season because she broke her leg badly in March, but have returned on good form. Izzy also pilots Barrington Boy in this class, an eight-year-old who was national six-year-old champion two years ago and who recently won the CCI3*-L at Scone.

Ros Canter has a ride in this class in Armscote Explorer and Laura Collett will bring forward Romany Cricket, bred by her co-owner Nana Dalton, who rode his dam Romany Piper at Blenheim.

All four members of Britain’s gold medal-winning team ride in this class; Gemma Stevens is entered with Chilli Morning clone Chilli Morning IV, who was eighth in the class last year.

Cushlas Indigo will also be one to watch – he was British intermediate champion last year and is ridden by recent Burghley runner-up Katie Magee.

There are 14 nations represented in the Blenheim Horse Trials entries, and the new team competition, The Blenheim Challenge, adds interest.

Blenheim also has a new cross-country course-designer this year in Canadian Jay Hambly.

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Members of Britain’s world gold medal-winning team are among those who will take on a new arena eventing challenge at the London International Horse Show this year.

Ros Canter, Gemma Stevens and Tom McEwen have already been confirmed as competitors in the London International eventing challenge, which will be the highlight of the Friday evening performance (18 December).

“The challenge will bring together the speed, skill and excitement of eventing in an action-packed format designed especially for the unique indoor setting of London’s Excel venue,” a spokesperson for the show said. “The class has been developed in partnership with British Eventing, and will showcase one of equestrian sport’s most popular disciplines, while providing a spectacular platform for some of the sport’s leading riders and horses.”

The track, which will be at about three-star level, will comprise a mixture of coloured show jumps and cross-country obstacles, “creating a high-octane challenge that tests speed, accuracy and horsemanship in equal measure”.

The show has worked with British eventing performance manager Dickie Waygood and FEI level three course-designer Adrian Ditcham on the class, which will run in the main arena and part of the collecting ring.

Arena eventing at London International: “It’s about time!”

Announcing the new competition on her Talk Horse podcast, class ambassador Pippa Funnell said: “It’s about time!

“It’s brilliant as we’ll be bringing the eventing element to London International. I know we have great stars already signed up to it, including Ros, Gemma and Tom. I think it will be really, really exciting.”

More details on the format and entries will be confirmed in the run-up to the event.

Show director Simon Brooks-Ward said: “We are always looking for new ways to showcase the very best of equestrian sport to our audiences, and arena eventing is a fantastic addition to the programme.

“Bringing together the excitement of cross-country and showjumping in an indoor arena creates a truly engaging spectacle for spectators, whether they are long-time eventing fans or experiencing the discipline for the first time. We are delighted to be working with British Eventing and leading figures within the sport to make this happen.”

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Next week’s Agria Blenheim Horse Trials (17-20 September) will showcase the work of a course-designer who is leading on a major track in the UK for the first time, with Jay Hambly responsible for the course.

Canadian Jay, 52, says he is “super thrilled” to have the job at the Oxfordshire event, which hosts a CCI4*-L and an eight- and nine-year-old CCI4*-S.

“I have many friends in the UK and they’re super excited about it. I wouldn’t never downplay it – to come to Blenheim, to design in the UK, doesn’t happens for a lot of people outside of the UK,” he says, referencing US designer Derek di Grazia at Defender Burghley Horse Trials as one of the few other instances.

Jay says he isn’t one who’s good at pushing himself forward. His involvement at Blenheim has grown out of longstanding friendships with British designers and course-builders who have been, and still are, associated with Blenheim.

Like most course-designers, Jay rode up to advanced level.

“I went through Pony Club, got my A test and then I lived at a place called Checkmate, which in North America was a famous eventing facility in the late 80s and early 90s – before we really had star levels, there was Checkmate, Kentucky and Fair Hill,” he says.

“As a kid, to pay for riding horses and being a working student, I would work for Checkmate and help David Evans build. The designer was Mark Phillips and the technical delegate was always Mike Etherington-Smith. So that’s the group who taught me – David, Mike, Mark, and then also Mike Tucker, and later, Ian Stark and Derek.”

Looking for ways to pay for “his hobby and habit of riding”, Jay became a course-builder and then a designer. These days, he still competes but not at the top-level – typically his business is in producing ex-racehorses through the lower levels and selling them ono.

On the course side, he was on the build team for the Olympics in 2008 and 2020. He is the designer at events such as Bromont, Rebecca Farm, the grand prix eventing showcase at Bruce’s Field and the American Eventing Championships at Kentucky, as well as assisting Derek at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event.

Jay has been responsible for the track at several Central American and Caribbean Games and is lined up to do next year’s Pan American Games in Peru.

Blenheim cross-country course: a similar route to 2025

Jay assisted Mark Phillips in designing last year’s European Championships track at Blenheim and then – strongly encouraged by previous Blenheim designer David Evans, who is still the event’s course-builder – he went through the process of applying to take over as designer, with confirmation he had the job in the late spring of this year.

He says the permanent features of the site at Blenheim – the lake, the stabling, the arena and the tradestands – mean that the route is fairly constrained and for this year at least, people should not expect major changes to that, although he will look to make some more alterations in the future.

“In the four-star short for the eight- and nine-year-olds, you want to keep the jumps out in front of those horses so it’s not too complicated for them to pick up the lines – you’re trying to encourage those horses to get more confident, finish better than they started and become team horses in the future,” he says.

The Blenheim cross-country course for the CCI4*-L will be somewhat softened from the European Championships last year.

Jay explains: “I have added a combination earlier, because last year the Dew Pond was the first combination, so this year they have something to do before they get there. And I tried to spread the efforts out a little bit more, to have it feel a bit more balanced, as last year it was very intense from the ditch and wall at the start of the trade fair through to the rollercoaster piece of ground.”

Apart from the first and last fences, the two courses use pretty much completely different fences in order to ensure the best possible ground for the horses.

Jay says the organising team at Blenheim have been “amazing” and he’s actually done much of the work remotely rather than by being on-site.

He explains: “Because I know the venue and the fences, I did a lot of it on a computer. I would go back and forth with David – nobody knows the ground better or obstacles available better David.

“Yes, you have to go to the venues to finalise layouts, put the jumps in place, to see how the ground works and where the lumps and the bumps are. But you can get your distance, your track, your concept finished before you ever get there, when it’s a place you’ve been to before.”

When we spoke in late August, Jay had an onsite course walk with Mark Phillips planned, with enough time for tweaks to be made after that as necessary.

And what does Jay hope people will say about his Blenheim cross-country tracks?

He doesn’t want it to be a memory test, where riders end up eliminated by jumping the wrong fence because of the number of options, and he says he doesn’t have a particular trademark style.

“But I would hope that when it is all said and done, people feel it’s hard enough because it needs to be a competition,” he says.

“I think you can really reward people with time, so I hope the time is difficult and if you ride flawlessly, you get rewarded without time-penalties and then I hope that trickle down happens so people are appropriately rewarded with less time-penalties for riding well.

“And I would hope people feel like their horses are better for having done it at the end, that things were clear to them and their horse, and any mistake was what happens on cross-country.”

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Meet the horse bought for £1 who went from throwing people off to kissing spines surgery to the LeMieux National Dressage Championships – having recovered from a broken leg along the way.

Heather Bennett’s 10-year-old Hawtins Figaro is due to compete at elementary and medium level with Craig Messenger this week (10-13 September), and had also qualified for the para finals with Heather.

The competition comes two years after Heather bought him.

“I got him from another para rider; he’d had her off and injured her quite badly, and he had her trainer off too,” she told H&H. “She told me what had happened and I said it sounded like kissing spines.”

Heather had to wait until her vet Tim Booth was available, and he confirmed her suspicions.

“He said ‘Yes, kissing spines but it’s fixable’,” she said.

“My history has been that I’ve taken everyone’s cast-offs. I’m not a rich person so I’ve got to make good of what I ride. My friend had said he had the nicest temperament and [asked] why was he suddenly exploding. You find horses like this can get pushed from pillar to post and no one actually looks at the horse and asks what’s happening with it.

“I’ve had a few with kissing spines; I rehabbed another one and won the winter championships with him. But with kissing spines, it’s not about the surgery, it’s all about the rehab, and many people don’t have the knowledge or the time or the inclination to do it properly.”

Heather took her time, and after initial box rest for “Fig”, followed by groundwork and a slow build-up with frequent physio treatment, started competing him last summer, and qualified for the 2025 nationals.

“I brought him home and it was a lovely day so I put him out in the field,” she said.

“When I brought him in, he was on three legs.”

Fig had managed to break his splint bone, by “messing about in the field”, as was confirmed when Heather took him straight to the vet.

“Luckily it didn’t need surgery, so it was just time – and rest again,” she said. “He’s quite sharp and likes to keep his brain occupied so box rest is a challenge. He’s such a sweet horse but his brain’s very reactive.”

Heather had also had some health issues so about six months ago, she asked Craig and Dan Watson at Aster Horses to take him on.

Craig told H&H Hawtins Figaro is “very sharp but very lovely”.

“He was strong enough, he’d had enough time, his back was fine, his leg was fine,” Craig said. “He’s always a bit cheeky but within six months,we’ve gone from nothing to medium, and now we’ve qualified for the nationals.”

Fig and Heather also won the grade IV at the Hickstead CDI in May, which Dan and Craig organised.

“He thinks he knows best but he’s a really nice horse with a lovely temperament,” Craig said. “He’s very quick-minded so we can do pirouettes and changes; he’d probably do prix st georges next year. We’re looking forward to the nationals.”

Heather added that she has been unable to travel to Somerford to compete but will be cheering Craig and Fig on.

“I’m not sure I’ll actually be able to watch!” she said. “But at least he’s still going, I’m glad Craig is taking him.

“He’s a character. He loves people, he loves his treats and he’s very vocal when he sees you; he’s a sweetheart and the best pound I’ve spent – plus the interest!”

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Irish working hunter team member Max Mcdonnell landed a standout win in the 153cm section of the inter-country teams competition at the British Show Pony Society summer championships with his own 10-year-old WKD Little Gift (Lola), having almost had to sit the fixture out owing to lorry troubles.

“Our lorry caught fire on the way to Dublin,” said Max’s mother Mary. “But we were lucky we had several offers to borrow one and came here in a neighbour’s lorry.”

The McDonnells have only owned the lightly campaigned mare for 10 weeks.

“He was riding with a friend and fell in love with her. She was for sale and he said, ‘Don’t sell her to anyone else, I’m buying her’,” Mary said.

“He came home and told his dad in the milking parlour that he was buying a horse. He just thought she would be fun to have about on the farm as his other good horse was injured, and she reminded him of a pony we once had for his sister.

“She’d not been in competition before, but we started jumping her and we took her over to the Scottish – she’d never been on a boat before – just to see what she was like and she won and qualified for [Horse of the Year Show] HOYS. She’s so calm and takes everything in her stride.

“Max was under no illusion she would do anything like qualifying for HOYS, but she loves it and she’s just so sweet. It was pure luck.”

The win, along with reigning Dublin champions Evie Kennedy and Little Dromin Phoenix’s win in the 143cm, contributed to Ireland’s historic win in the inter-country teams competition, led by chef d’équipe Stuart Murphy.

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When you say the name Michael Owen in the equestrian world, people are just as likely to think you mean the five-star event rider as the former England and Liverpool star striker.

But the footballing Michael Owen has, in fact, been obsessed with horses since he was a child.

“My mum used to ride horses, and every time I played football on Saturdays, my dad would stop by on the way home at the bookies and have a 50p bet,” Michael explains.

“So we would watch the horses that he bet on on Saturday afternoon, and I just got into it from watching it. The colours, the animals, everything about it.

“So it was obviously in my blood somewhere. That just grew and grew and, by the time I was 18, I was so into it – and I could afford it – that I bought my first racehorse. What followed over the next few years... I was addicted to it, loved it.”

At the age of 23 and at the peak of his playing career, Michael bought Manor House Stables, an old dairy farm in Cheshire where his racing outfit is still based today. It gave him security that when his short footballing era was over, his life would still have the thrill of following a passion.

“I thought I’m going into this business, and when I retire from football it gives me something I’ll have to get up for and enjoy and it couldn’t have gone any better,” he says. “It’s just perfect, it made retiring easy to stomach, it gives me a purpose in life.”

“That was 23 years ago, [starting with] 10 horses and two members of staff; now we’re 135 horses and 50 members of staff, winning races all over the world.”

But Michael’s interest in racing has metamorphosed over the years, sparked by betting and being enriched as he experienced the full prism of the sport. But the horse has always remained central.

“The horse underpins everything: the beauty of the horse, the athlete, the speed, everything about it, underpins it,” he says.

Twenty years ago, if you asked Michael, he’d have had a different focus to now.

“I’d say, ‘oh, I love having a bet’, trying to pick out a winner and work out the puzzle of the distance, the trip, the handicap system, all these different things.”

But as the years have ticked by, Michael has started to apply his own experience of sport science and training to his racehorses.

“This is my background, so I’m listening to all the science and thinking, ‘that will make our horses go faster, that will make our horses recover quicker, that will prepare them better’ – I’d be quizzing the trainer, quizzing the vets.

“And I’m fascinated by the business side: growing a business, surrounding yourself with really bright people in their specialist fields, I love it, Iove it. I love every stage, and could tell you another 10 things I love about the horses.”

One big pivot has been his social life.

“I used to be pretty quiet, pretty focused on football,” he says. “If I went racing I just wanted to sit in a quiet corner of a box and read my Racing Post and watch the racing. I didn’t really want to go into the crowds and mingle, and get beer spilt on me – it just wasn’t me at the time.

“But as I’ve developed, as I’ve got older, I’m the most sociable person there, always last at the bar – well hopefully first at the bar, because that’s more generous!”

One of the many aspects that brings him joy is naming his horses.

“That’s one of the lovely things about owning a horse, you get to choose the colours the jockey wears, you get to name it,” he says.

“I’ve named so many over the years. My first ever horse was Talk To Mojo. My brothers and sister are called Terry, Andrew, Leslie, Karen, so T-A-L-K, my dad’s Terry Owen, I’m Michael Owen and my mum’s Jeanette Owen. I thought I’d combine all the family.

“The second horse I owned was Etienne Lady because I scored my famous goal against Argentina aged 18 in St Etienne.”

He recalls the day he named the foal that would become arguably his greatest horse so far, Brown Panther.

“I owned the mother and when he was foaled, the stud manager phoned me and said ‘you’ve had the baby, it’s a colt, come and see it’. They bring him out the stables, he puts his head down and looks, and the way he walks, he sort of stalks, and I said ‘he’s like a panther, there it is, there’s the name, Brown Panther’.

This prowling foal ran in the Breeders’ Cup, the Melbourne Cup, won at the Dubai World Cup meeting and Royal Ascot as well as the Irish St Leger and Goodwood Cup.

“He went on to be one of the best horses about, the pride of my life, just an exceptional horse. He danced every dance on every corner of the globe. He was just amazing.”

His footballing background is integral. Michael describes himself as the “chairman” of Manor House, with the trainer – Hugo Palmer – the “manager”. The jockeys and horses he likens to his “players”. Everyone has their role. In the same way his managers never told him “how to score a goal”, he leaves the training to the experts.

“I was born to play football, but I wasn’t born to run a business, so I’ve had to learn on the hoof,” he says. “I know my business, I think I know what works, but I don’t train the horses myself, I don’t treat the horses. I don’t tell the riders [how to ride], and I don’t ride the horses myself.

“That’s one thing that I’ve learnt from football, surround yourself with the best people and put round pegs in round holes.”

Michael won golden boots, the FA Cup, and the Premier League in his former career, how far do his ambitions reach now?

“Manor House is in the Premier League, but we’re like a Leicester City, 16th or 17th in the league,” he says. “Ten years ago we were 88th. We’re young, hungry and upwardly mobile.

“Where can we go? I know where I want to go and I’ll not stop – ever – from achieving that. And that’s probably my biggest fault and also my biggest positive, I will live and die by that.

“Because if you don’t risk, you don’t challenge yourself, then you will just be another one of the 400 yards and I don’t want to be a partaker. Taking part doesn’t count in my eyes, you’ve got to win.”

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Jeanette Stayt and Fado Des Brosses topped a line-up of former racehorses in the SEIB Insurance Brokers racehorse to riding horse (R2R) class held on the hallowed turf of the Defender Burghley main arena on the final day of the event (6 September).

This was the 14th annual running of this R2R Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifying class, and just the top combination earned their HOYS qualification.

“Every-time Fado goes out he is like clockwork; he loves being in the ring and the attention that comes with it,” said an elated Jeanette. “It’s made it even more special as my daughter Alex and granddaughter Jess have both flown from Scotland to groom for me today. Now they’ll have to come back down again for HOYS!”

The winning pair came to Burghley on great form. Jeanette and Fado took the champion former racehorse and champion hunter titles at the Melplash Show the week before Burghley.

Sired by Balko out of Nanou Des Brosses, Fado was bred by Michel Lecoq. Jeanette has had him for around two and a half years.

“He was in training with Fergal O’Brien having cost £280k from the Cheltenham sales. He ran several times and won three chases for Fergal. My boss John King has horses in training with Fergal, and Fado came to stay,” said Jeanette who works as a lorry driver for John’s cattle business PJ King & Son in Gloucester.

“I saw him trot across the field and decided I really wanted him. He was about to have his shoes back on and go to a new owner. I did some hard bargaining – just don’t ask how – and managed to get him.

Fado Des Brosses’ new career

“It’s taken time to get to this stage with Fado. I showed him in hand for the 2024 season and we went to several clinics. We had our first big outing at the Area 7 Show at Aston-le-Walls in 2025, where I managed to miss the novice class and so he had to go straight in and won the open Tattersalls class and went reserve champion! We’ve had to work hard on his canter and building him up.

“Both Fergal and John follow Fado’s new career, they came to watch him yesterday at Moreton show.”

Jeanette competed in SEIB Search for a Star several years ago and qualified for the HOYS final of the series with another former racehorse, Chief Executive.

Judging the qualifier at Burghley were Lucy Killingbeck, who assessed conformation, and ride judges Michaela Bowling and Jill Wormall. The judges commented on how beautifully behaved the horses were and how much they enjoyed the occasion.

SEIB R2R series organiser, Nicolina MacKenzie said: “We are delighted to have been back at Defender Burghley again. It is such a privilege for these fabulous thoroughbreds and their riders to compete at this fantastic event with its unrivalled atmosphere, and we are very grateful to the Defender Burghley team for allowing riders this opportunity.”

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Irish riders across four teams dominated the inter-country working hunter pony teams competition on a day of torrential rain at the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) summer championships (25-29 August).

As well as winning for the first time, Irish riders made up the third and sixth placed teams, led by chef d’équipe Stuart Murphy.

“We were second last year,” said secondary teacher Stuart, whose daughters were competing. “So It was amazing to see the Irish flag flying this time, and to have two or three placed in every section – even four – it all went amazing.”

Evie Kennedy and Little Dromin Phoenix won the 143cm section; Max McDonald and WKD Little Gift claimed the 153cm class ahead of fellow Irish representatives Lucy Donnan and Killaughey Super Sonic, and there was a host of other placings.

Stuart competed at BSPS himself from 1994 to 1996 and “has great memories”, so has encouraged participation in recent years.

“Four or five years ago, we came over and we didn’t even have an inter-country team at that point. It was after Covid and there was a bit of a lull,” Stuart said. “But we started to build… I started to talk to friends, and told them how much the kids would love it.”

By this year, there was no need to encourage participation; candidates had to apply for a space on the team.

“We had to be selective,” Stuart said. “Luckily the BSPS let me bring four teams and four really strong teams.”

BSPS championships: a strong team

In the run-up, Stuart knew that they would be fielding strong contenders.

Evie Kennedy, for example, was recently champion for the second time at Dublin having previously won Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), Nancy Lyons won HOYS on her 133cm Dartans Soda Ban and Burghley on her 143cm Newydd Lady Marmalade, who was also already HOYS-bound.

Intermediate contender Jessica Murphy had also qualified her intermediate Leestone Conbreaker for the NEC final.

“There was strength and depth in the Irish teams. They were first, third and sixth, but any of the teams could have won,” Stuart said.

“I’m proud of the team and the energy and enthusiasm they brought. They were doing it for fun and entertainment – cheering each other on – but to come away with the win is amazing. I’m proud of them all for how they upped their game in horrific conditions, too.”

The entire Irish plaited working hunter contingent in total included:

133cm contenders Ellie Murphy and Stockham Secret Envoi, Nancy Lyons Teehan Dartans Seoda Ban, Robin Lyons Teehan and Tybroughney Cloud and Nancy Caffrey riding Bowmount Rusty.

143cm combinations Evie Kennedy and Little Dromin Phoenix, Lily Murphy and Dunran Love In The Mist, Holly Logan and Owens Shadow, Aoife Brennan and Captain Bailey, Maggie Caffrey and Illaunurra Bay, and Clara Cully with Colemanstown Fred.

153cm contenders Lucy Donnelly and Tinraher Aggie, Lucy Donnan and Killaughey Super Sonic, Max McDonnell and WKD Little Gift.

158cm combinations Jessica Murphy and Leestone Conbreaker, Kate Horgan and Highview Shakespeare, Emily-Jayne McPolin and Thornleigh Sir Robin.

To compound the victory, the plaited working hunter teams won the premier working hunter teams competition against the UK area associations and the broader Irish representatives won the native teams competition, and stood fourth in the show hunter pony team rankings, with different ponies reaching across the various teams.

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There was a dead heat in the Stoner Jewellers 1.20m championship at the All England September Tour at Hickstead (6 September), as both Ian Foster (Cuba Blue) and Ed Eltham (Ibrina HBC) stopped the clock on 38.65sec.

Ian and his own gelding had held the lead from second of 13 in the jump-off, with a smooth and speedy round showing the 11-year-old’s effortless acceleration. But second-last in was Ed, with Fred Marshall’s 13-year-old, a nippy little mare with a huge jump and a ground-covering stride enough to equal the leading time.

“It’s hard to believe it was exactly the same time; you couldn’t write it!” Ed said, adding that he hadn’t taken a stride out between seven and eight as Ian did, but did manage to to the last, which Ian hadn’t.

Ian said he knew he had to “give it a good go”, with this horse he took on a couple of years ago when he had only jumped 1m classes.

“He’s sharp but he’s come on really nicely and settled,” he said. “He’s got lots of jump, a really nice horse who’s ready to step up.”

This was a first International Arena win for Ian, who runs a construction company, as it was for Ed, who also came third with Uruguay AS Z; both horses are owned by Fred Marshall.

“They’re both really quick mares,” he said. “We’ve had [Ibrina] since she was seven and she’s always been great but never quite had the big win. She was second at the nationals and in the winter silver league final, so I’m really pleased for her, and Fred to win, and to do it here is amazing. She’s such a kind horse, like a Labrador at home and she’s tiny, barely 15.2hh, but when she goes in the ring, she’s a machine.”

Ed heads to Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials next, so will miss the second week of the tour but Ian is coming back, having “gone one better” than his joint win by taking the 1.30m championship with Rosalind Platt’s Sanda Cruz Oseveld.

Ian and the eight-year-old gelding blazed their trail round the arena, accelerating from start to finish, taking a stride out to the central vertical and triumphing by nearly a second.

“It feels amazing, especially after the 1.20m,” he said. “The horse tried his heart out, and it was good to win properly – and go one better!

“I thought just get stuck in and get a gallop that would be hard to beat. He’s a lovely horse; brave, adaptable and rideable, and he loves his job.”

Read the full report from both weeks of the tour in H&H on 10 and 17 September.

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The Burghley crowd gave eventing legend Ballaghmor Class the send-off he deserved, cheering him into his retirement in an emotional ceremony.

The four-time five-star winner and Olympic gold medallist was given a standing ovation in the Defender Burghley main arena yesterday (6 September) as he officially bowed out of the sport after his stellar career.

“We’re going to be honouring a very special horse, who was part of an Olympic gold,” the crowd was told, before a compilation of Ballagmor Class’s career highlights was shown.

“Thomas”, owned by Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan, won Burghley twice, and the CCI5*s at Kentucky and Maryland five-stars once, and finished in the top 10 at that level 10 times, as well as being on the team that won Olympic gold in Tokyo.

Oliver Townend, who rode him throughout his career, brought Thomas into the arena, to huge applause. As the crowd got to its feet, he cantered his final lap of honour, patting and patting his partner of so many years. Thomas, plaited, shiny and turned out to perfection, pricked his ears and looked ready to take on the test he had conquered twice before.

Oliver brought Thomas into the middle of the arena, joining his owners, dismounted and took the saddle off, with a final rub of the neck and kiss on the nose, as a basket of apples and carrots arrived for the star of the show.

“Oliver, this horse means so much to so many people, so many eventing enthusiasts around the world; can you explain to us just a little bit about what this horse means to you?” asked commentator Hugh Lochore.

“No,” Oliver said, to laughter.

“Firstly, well done to everyone who’s looked after him over the years; as you can see, he’s finished extremely sound – and fat!” he added. “He’s just been –” overcome by emotion, Oliver was briefly unable to continue.

“Kids have dreams,” he went on. “And because of him, my dreams came true.”

Ballaghmor Class was led out of the arena to another standing ovation. He will live out his days with Oliver.

“Not only for Oliver but he’s made a nation believe in what we can produce here in Great Britain,” Mr Lochore said. “Thank you very much, Oliver, for sharing him with us.”

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Katie Magee finished runner-up at the 2026 Defender Burghley Horse Trials aboard Treworra, with Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake completing the podium in third – rounding off a week in which Gemma Stevens and Chilli Knight took the title.

“I just can’t believe it,” Katie said. “I’m trying not to be too emotional and embarrass everyone, but it just means the world. What an event!”

It caps a rapid rise for a rider who came to the sport from a non-horsey family, having first become hooked on riding through her cousins and their ponies.

Katie’s first five-star came in 2024, when she and Treworra finished 13th at Pau. Just two years on, the now 12-year-old gelding has become one of the most consistent horses in the sport, not finishing outside the top 10 in any of his eight runs this year.

Treworra added just 4.4 showjumping penalties to his cross-country score to finish on 43 – producing a round Katie was thrilled with despite the atmosphere getting to him early on.

“He was actually quite fresh and a bit lit up by the crowd, so he was a wee bit tight at times, but he tried his absolute heart out – that’s all any of us can ever ask for, isn’t it?”

Her plan going in was simple. “I just wanted to ride as good a round as I could, stay on the tighter lines, and make sure I made his job as easy as possible. I knew he’d try for me, and I just wanted to support him.”

Any thought of expectation had been set aside long before she went in. “I try not to think about expectations – I just wanted to do him justice. I firmly believe he’s one of the best horses in the world, and I’m incredibly lucky to ride him. I just want to savour every second – he’s one in a billion.

“Somebody very wisely once said to me, when you get to this level, if you can keep them sound, they just get better and better, mentally and physically. It’s just about managing them and keeping them healthy and happy – it’s a privilege to have a horse like that to do it with.”

For now, Treworra has earned a proper break. “He’ll have a very well-deserved holiday now – he’s had an amazing season; we couldn't have asked any more of him. He’s got a best friend called Claude, and he’ll be snoozing in the field with Claude by tomorrow.”

2026 Defender Burghley top 10

1. Gemma Stevens (Chilli Knight) – 29.6
2. Katie Magee (Treworra) – 43.0
3. Caroline Pamukcu (HSH Blake) – 44.0
4. Tom Jackson (Hawk Eye) – 46.1
5. Nadja Minder (Toblerone) – 46.7
6. Yasmin Ingham (Goliath du Loir) – 46.7
7. William Coleman (Very Dignified) – 47.2
8. Benjamin Massie (Filao de Perle) – 47.3
9. Jonelle Price (Chilli's Midnight Star) – 47.8
10. Harry Meade (Cavalier Crystal) – 48.4

• To stay up to date with the latest news and reports throughout Defender Burghley Horse Trials, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website and pick up a copy of Horse & Hound magazine, in shops from Thursday 10 September

Caroline Pamukcu had a “bittersweet” podium finish at Defender Burghley Horse Trials this afternoon, finishing third on HSH Blake.

Like British winner Gemma Stevens, the US rider was eliminated at the eventing World Championships in Aachen last month. In Caroline’s case, she fell at fence 17 on the cross-country, caught out by a short distance and then tipped off in an awkward jump. She then re-routed Blake to the British five-star.

“I’m really happy, but it’s bittersweet, I would say,” said Caroline, 31, of her first Burghley.

“I’m very disappointed that I fell for my team at worlds, but I hope I redeemed myself this weekend.”

Caroline had the first fence down today on Blake, owned by Mollie Hoff, the rider, her mother Sherrie Martin and husband Deniz.

“He’s amazing jumper, isn’t he? He was just unreal through the whole round. He was jumping out of skin. The first rail was my fault,” said Caroline, who said it’s her job to stay cool after that early mistake and she’d hope she can do that with her experience.

The pair moved up from fifth overnight, despite their four faults, and finished third behind Britain’s leading pair, Gemma Stevens, with Chilli Knight, and Katie Magee with Treworra.

Blake is still only 11. A Pan American Games champion at eight, he was a much-discussed and very successful young horse, but his bubble burst a year later when he and Caroline were a little disappointingly average at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Caroline then had a daughter, also called Blake, but her comeback since then has been impressive; this was the horse Blake’s third top-four five-star result in less than a year. He was fourth at Maryland 5 Star last year, second at Kentucky Three-Day Event in April and now third at Burghley.

• To re-live the week from Defender Burghley Horse Trials, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website plus buy this week’s magazine (10 September) for a full report.

Gemma Stevens topped the Defender Burghley Horse Trials 2026 results this afternoon, showjumping clear to win with a 13.4-penalty margin.

Gemma and Chilli Knight, bred by his owners Chris and Lisa Stone, started with three fences in hand after errors from all the pairs placed second to eighth overnight.

The time Chilli Knight had five showjumps down, at Badminton 2025, loomed large in the mind, but actually, that was a bit of an outlier on his record. Out of the four times he had showjumped at five-star before today, he’d had one down twice and jumped clear once – when he won the Bicton Horse Trials one-off five-star in 2021.

He did it again today and again, the result was a five-star victory, validating that Bicton triumph and putting himself in the rare group of horses who have won two different five-stars.

“Honestly to jump a clear round is just so damn cool. I’m so proud of that little horse and proud of myself for holding it together because I was literally shaking down the reins,” said Gemma, who was the only rider to finish on her dressage score.

“He felt amazing over the first two and I thought, ‘Come on boy, we can do this.’

“I did feel horrendous this morning and the waiting around was torture. I said to Dickie [Waygood, British performance manager], ‘I’m just jumping at Hickstead, right’, and he said, ‘Yes, you’re just jumping clear round at Hickstead’ and that’s what we did.”

Husband Gary – who proposed just after Gemma won her first five-star, at Bicton exactly five years ago – said “Alfie” has given Gemma the lift she needed after elimination at the eventing World Championships in Aachen and he couldn’t be more proud of the pair of them.

Gemma says: “Aachen was one of lowest points in my career, the second lowest point in my career.

“The guilt I felt was horrendous. I took a place up and I failed. No matter who says you were still part of the team – and yes, I definitely earned my place – but I felt horrific.

“But you’ve got to show resilience in sport, pick yourself up and get on with it.

“Chilli Knight’s heart’s as big as he is, he’s an amazing little animal. He wants to do it, wants to please, he’s a little tiger out on the cross-country.”

Gemma, 41, has been riding at this level for 19 years. She also rode at five-star on Chilli Knight’s dam Kings Gem, with whom she was under-25 national champion.

“I feel like I’ve been doing this a long time. I can’t tell you how amazing this feels – to win a big B is a dream come true, it really is,” said the 41-year-old.

Chilli Knight’s sire, Chilli Morning, was of course also a five-star winner, courtesy of his Badminton Horse Trials 2015 victory.

A first five-star podium

One fence down, the World Horse Welfare upright at fence nine, which came off a four-stride distance from the treble, was enough to secure second in the Burghley 2026 results for Katie Magee on Treworra, her first time on a five-star podium.

The USA’s Caroline Pamukcu also had redemption for elimination at the World Championships, where she had a fall from HSH Blake. Today, the pair had the first fence down but still moved up from fifth to third.

Tom Jackson showjumped clear to take fourth on Hawk Eye, up from ninth overnight. Nadja Minder was fifth for Switzerland with Toblerone, hitting the last but still gaining one place.

Yasmin Ingham showjumped clear to move up from 10th to sixth on her Burghley debut, riding Goliath Du Loir.

The pairs placed second and third overnight both had expensive rounds today – Tim Price and Global Quest had three down to finish 11th and 20 jumping faults, plus 0.8 of a time-fault, dropped Holly Richardson with Ballyneety Silver Service to 15th.

Defender Burghley 2026 results

1. Gemma Stevens (GBR) on Chilli Knight
2. Katie Magee (GBR) on Treworra
3. Caroline Pamukcu (USA) on HSH Blake
4. Tom Jackson (GBR) on Hawk Eye
5. Nadja Minder (SUI) on Toblerone
6. Yasmin Ingham (GBR) on Goliath Du Loir
7. Will Coleman (USA) on Very Dignified
8. Benjamin Massie (FRA) on Filao De Perle
9. Jonelle Price (NZL) on Chilli’s Midnight Star
10. Harry Meade (GBR) on Cavalier Crystal

• To re-live all the excitement from Burghley, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website and buy this week’s Horse & Hound magazine (dated 10 September) for full analysis.

Paige Watson, groom to Max Warburton’s Deerpairc Revelry, has won this year’s Spillers groom’s prize at the 2026 Defender Burghley Horse Trials – and a £1,000 cheque to go with it.

“Technically it’s £1,100,” Paige corrects, laughing. “You get an extra £100 if your horse starts cross-country as well.”

Asked how she’ll spend it, she adds: “I’ll probably do something sensible, like pay off a credit card. That’s the adult move, isn’t it? Sorry, boring. I should go on a big spending spree!”

Purple shampoo and no shortcuts

Ask Paige her secret on keeping Deerpairc Revelry’s striking grey coat so clean and there’s no hesitation. “Purple shampoo is my best friend – I have a five-litre drum of it, just for him.

“He gets a bath probably twice a day when he’s here. At home, he’s actually really dirty, but at a show he keeps himself quite clean.

“But as a groom, there are no shortcuts. Don’t ever think there’s an easy way to do something, or that it’d be quicker if you skipped a bit. That’s when you get caught out.

“You just have to be on it all the time and do everything as best you can. That’s all that matters. That and baby oil – I love baby oil.”

She was presented with the award after this morning’s (7 September) pre-showjumping trot-up, for which she had an early start. “I started at about half five this morning – it’s a lot of icing, walking about, making sure they look okay,” she explains.

“The priority is that they’re sound and ready for the trot-up, and then you can start to titivate, get them clean, do all that. Quick bath, plait him, and it’s an hour and a half, maybe – not too bad.”

Deerpairc Revelry – as so often seems to be the case with greys – doesn’t always cooperate once he’s presentable. “He’s already rolled in his rug this morning – covered in shavings. He’ll have to have another bath. I’ve just accepted now that he has a bath in the morning and one at lunchtime.”

A six-year partnership, and a horse with character

Paige has groomed for Max Warburton for six years, part of a grooming career now stretching back around a decade. “Before Max, I worked for Matt Heath and Ben Hobday,” she says. “I worked at a tack shop, and I was a hunt groom for a while too – but nothing non-horsey.”

Horses have been a constant since childhood. “I’ve had them since I was about five. Always horses. Nothing else has ever really interested me.”

Deerpairc Revelry, she says, is full of contradictions. “He’s a funny character – quite quirky, can be a bit of a handful. He gets very lit up by clapping, especially anything behind him, so he’s a bit worried about that.

“But he’s very easy in a lot of senses too. Apart from digging holes in his stable, he’s a really lovely boy. I’m just very lucky to have a horse like him, taking me to cool places like this.”

For all the glamour of a Burghley week, cross-country day itself sounds like something to be endured rather than enjoyed. “Sick. Very sick,” Paige says of how she feels watching Deerpairc Revelry go round – the 12-year-old stallion went clear with 14.8 time-faults.

“It's very non-verbal in the stables on a Saturday morning – not a lot of talking. You want them to do well, but first and foremost, you just want them to come home. You spend day in, day out with these horses, and regardless of the result, you just want them safe and sound.”

Recognition, and advice for the next generation

The prize itself means something beyond the money, Paige says. “It's nicer just for the recognition, I think. We’re behind the scenes most of the time – the horses turn up, the riders are sat on their backs doing all the hard work, and we’re just there in the background.

“I definitely don’t expect £1,000 prizes all the time! I don’t think any groom really goes to a show expecting it. We don’t do it for the money. We do it for the love of the horses we look after.

“If you’re lucky enough to come to places like this, it’s a privilege – you never get bored of it.”

She’s honest about the less romantic side of the job too. “You might think you’re just picking up poo every day – day in, day out. But there comes a point where you think, actually, maybe it was worth all the 2am starts and 10pm finishes. Then you feel quite lucky.”

Despite the long hours and the nerves watching her charges compete, she adds that she wouldn’t choose anything else: “I don't think there’s any other career for me.”

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US-based Australian Ema Klugman arrived at the 2026 Defender Burghley Horse Trials this week for her first British five-star, squeezed in around a demanding legal career.

“I’m only two years in, so I think I’m still working out some of the kinks and trying to figure out exactly how to manage it,” Ema, 28, said.

Her ride this week, the 13-year-old grey Chiraz, was produced in the UK by Nicola Wilson up to two-star level. He finished on 109.3, after a safe but slow round across country that picked up only time-penalties, and two fences down in the showjumping.

“I never really thought I would be a professional, full-time rider,” Ema explains. “I went to university, and then graduate school – I’ve always been pretty academic, so I was hoping I could find a career that I could mesh with horses.”

She’s spent the past two years working for a judge, managing caseloads and deciding cases, before moving into private client work. “I’ve been doing federal civil cases, basically monetary claims for the most part – contracts, things like that.”

For now, the horses are getting the greater share of her attention. “Right now I have a lot of really good horses, so I’m focusing on them a bit, doing a little less work,” Ema said.

“It can be some very early mornings and very late nights, particularly in winter. I usually get up before six, go to work, go to the gym, start working, and then I try to leave work mid-afternoon if I can, and go get on and ride. It’s pretty much pitch-black when I finish at 10 or half-ten, sometimes. And the weekends are obviously very full with competing.”

She isn’t shy about admitting that doubts sometimes creep in. “Sometimes I wonder what I’m doing – I could just be normal, go home and have dinner with my wife, have a nice evening. Instead, I’m riding circles around the indoor arena! It’s worth it, though, to come to something like this.”

But there are practical reasons behind the balancing act too. “In America, you have health insurance with your job, so it’s a bit of a safer career. A lot of riders don’t have health insurance because they’re self-employed.”

She might well have been thankful for that insurance after some drama on cross-country day. “It’s only his second five-star, so it was quite a big ask to bring him here,” Ema said. “But I believed in him, and he believed in me.

“I lost a stirrup at the Leaf Pit – he had a bit of a funny jump down, and I suppose I should have put my heels down more. I tried to get it back on the way to the brush, then thought, screw it, there’s no way I’m getting it back, I’ve just got to ride.

“So I jumped the next three fences without a stirrup, which wasn’t quite according to plan. But he was great – he had no idea, and just stuck to the line.”

With the week now behind them, Chiraz will now have a break. “He’s had a big year doing his first two five-stars,” Ema said. “He’ll do some four-stars this fall, and then probably Kentucky five-star again next year, and just keep improving.

“Now that he’s jumped around here, I believe in him even more than I did before.”

For Ema, the return to reality is rather more immediate. “I’ve got to get my horse home, get myself home and organised, probably do a bit of paperwork. And then back to the office.”

• To stay up to date with the latest news and reports throughout Defender Burghley Horse Trials, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website and enjoy our Burghley live news service throughout the event