A “tough and heroic” little thoroughbred who was bought for £500 but went on to win Badminton and represent his country has died aged 29 after a long and idyllic retirement.

Jenny and the late Claus Waaler’s Inonothing won at every national level from BE100 to advanced and completed eight five-star events, only once finishing outside the top 10, with Paul Tapner. They also represented Australia at the 2010 World Equestrian Games.

The Waalers bought “Mannie” as a weanling and he lived with them throughout his life until his age finally caught up with him.

“Mannie had a heart of gold, was as tough as nails and would try his utmost to do whatever I asked of him,” Paul said. “He was the ultimate event horse who I was honoured to be partnered with.”

Paul told H&H Inonothing was a full thoroughbred but “bred as a slight mistake”, not intended for the racetrack, hence his cheap price as a foal. The Waalers’ intention was for him to be “a lawn mower and potential hunt horse”. But although he may have excelled at the former, he “dramatically and quickly failed at the latter”, picking up his nickname “Spinhead”.

“He was a stereotypical thoroughbred, extremely highly strung and over-excitable, so he found the hunting mentally too much for him and was exceptionally excited by it all,” Paul said. “[Paul’s sister-in-law] Hannah took him for his first day’s hunting and he was so badly behaved, she was sent home.

“Then I went out on him, and I think everybody in the hunt was so entertained by the fact that I managed to stay on through his antics, and managed to not wipe any of them out, they decided to let me stay out. But needless to say, we pretty quickly realised that he was never going to be a hunt horse.

“My mother-in-law shared the Facebook post about him and Chris Kingston, who’s high up in the Old Berks hunt, said: ‘I remember very well a particular day out hunting when Paul was riding Mannie; no one else would have stayed on… I, along with many other experts, announced to the world that that horse will never be used for anything’. Certainly in the Old Berks hunt, there were an awful lot of people who said ‘What a maniac horse, he’s never going to be anything’, and expressed that to Jenny and Claus, but thankfully I was able to get in their ear as well. There were quite a few people in the Old Berks hunt who needed to, and were more than happy to, eat their hat, once he succeeded as an event horse having failed miserably as a hunt horse.”

Paul said on that day, he would probably have agreed with all those who thought Inonothing would not amount to much, but he thought the horse would be happier by himself.

“And Jenny and Claus loved him,” he said. “They’re animal lovers to the nth degree and would never give up on a horse, so they put their faith in me.”

Paul evented Mannie for a couple of seasons, without huge success, and Paul remembers a competition at a venue called Urchinwood Manor, one of the few events to which Jenny and Claus did not go.

“I just didn’t have a great event; I was thinking ‘This horse doesn’t inspire me any more, I don’t think I can ride him any more’” he said. “And I was prepping myself, ready to tell Jenny and Claus that I didn’t think they should persevere with him. But when I spoke to them on the phone something in me, and I don’t know what it was, wouldn’t let me say those words. Even though I’d practised them and was ready to say to Jenny ‘Let’s stop trying to make this horse an event horse’, for whatever reason, I couldn’t get those words out.

“So I kept eventing the horse, and then from then on – he must have known what I was thinking – he just turned a corner. He was amazing, and just started to win everything. You can put whatever slant on it but something on it wouldn’t let me do what I’d planned and hand in my notice on that horse, and from then on he was a very good event horse.”

Paul said Inonothing “epitomised the reason I wanted to be an event rider” rather than compete in other disciplines; he grew up riding former racehorses in Australia and “believed that eventing was a far truer test of horsemanship and the bond developed between horse and rider”.

“The maximum heights are the same, the maximum things we ask horses to do in eventing are the same, so a fairly average horse can still achieve, physically, the things you do in eventing,” he said. “But to excel and be competitive, you need a horse that’s trainable, and that’s where the horsemanship comes into it.

“Mannie learned how to trot for the dressage, and how to stay level-headed, or I learned how to keep him level-headed and not do his spinning. I had to teach him how to gallop; as a pure thoroughbred, you’d think he’d be quite fast, but he just wasn’t, he didn’t quite get the idea. Everybody used to say ‘Why do you always run this horse so fast?’ because I was always winning because we went so fast, and I said ‘I rode this horse slow once, and it terrified both of us’! He got his his braveness from from me and from the way I learned to ride him. He wasn’t naturally brave, he wasn’t naturally fast. He learned how to do those things, or I learned how to bring out the bravery in him.”

What dreams are made of

Once it clicked, Mannie and Paul were unstoppable. And although his Badminton win in 2010 was the ultimate, “the stuff dreams are made of”, the fact he won at every level on the way there was also very special.

“He felt invincible,” Paul said. “It took me days to be able to watch this video – and I still can’t watch it with the sound – and there’s a memorable moment from Badminton when we were racing alongside the camera on the quad bike.

“I knew that spot where the camera was, was where I was going to suddenly put my foot down. I’d learned the moment where I would just go. I cruised back up into the parkland after conserving energy, conserving energy, saw the quad bike, and had this almighty grin and said ‘Right now we can have some fun, come on, we’re going to overtake this quad bike’ – and we very nearly did. I still remember that moment, and that was like most of the cross-country rounds with him, we had an awful lot of fun, and we terrified the life out of the director, and the quad bike!”

Inonothing picked up a serious injury in 2010 and although he came back to the top, with a top-10 finish at Luhmühlen 2012, that was his last season eventing.

The best of care for Inonothing

“That was him all done,” Paul said. “I hadn’t necessarily thought he was going to be a happy horse in the field, but he was, and he had the best of care with the Waalers, from 2012 until just recently.

“It’s lovely that he never really left; not many horses, especially as good as he became, stay with that one venue?, or the one family, their whole life. He spent his retirement just being a horse, in their fields and at their house, getting lots of pets from them all the time, lots of apples and living as a very well kept horse.”

Inonothing enjoyed some more apples and attention on the day it was right for him to go.

Asked to sum him up, Paul said “tough, and heroic”.

“Thank you Mannie for everything,” he said. “Thank you to the Waaler family for allowing us to have Mannie as part of our team.”

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You can guarantee that every equestrian has, at some point during a competition, had that sinking feeling when something hasn’t gone to plan. Poles fall, unexpected run-outs can happen, or not nailing a still square halt can lose valuable marks. If this means missing out on a top placing, or a win, this can result in a long drive home thinking of the “what ifs” and a shattered competitive mindset.

Riders know more than most that things don’t always follow the script – and while one unfortunate result might be put down to an unlucky day and brushed off, when these start to become regular occurrences it can soon become disheartening.

Consultant clinical psychologist with Changing Minds Dr Duncan Law, who has worked with top sports athletes, explains that when people are driven in sport, losing can be emotionally difficult.

“That’s not what you go into the sport to do,” he says. “But it depends on what you define as losing. For some it might not be about whether you’re on the podium or not. It might be your view that you’re competing against yourself rather than against other people. If that’s your drive, then that’s easier to manage.

“However, if you perceive loss as failure, then there will usually be a negative emotional response. At its extremes, the negative emotional response can become intolerable and you become highly avoidant.

“But if you don’t reflect on the loss, then you can’t learn from what you didn’t get right in the competition and maybe the one before that, leading to thinking you’ve had a losing streak, and you can’t improve.”

And Duncan says the other extreme is where people think too much about the loss.

“They do the learning bit, but carry on worrying about it, rather than using the learning to help them perform better,” he says. “We might call those people overthinkers – they can’t leave it behind and it’s there with them when they start the next competition.

“The ones who do well are those who are between these two extremes – they can manage the emotional pain of loss to reflect and learn in order to focus on what they need to do to perform better in the next event.”

Competitive mindset fluctuations “are normal”

Winning in horse sport is rare – take any top rider’s record and you’ll likely see far more losses than victories, and dressage rider Gareth Hughes says runs of bad luck are common at all levels.

“We put our heart and soul into horses, so when it goes wrong, you can sometimes get into a dark hole,” he says. “We all have days where we have a great ride and think ‘That’s it, I’m off to the next Olympics.’

“And the next day you think, ‘I can’t even canter, it’s too difficult and I don’t know why I’m doing this.’ It’s normal to go through these periods.”

“Confidence comes through getting things right; when you have more bad rides than good, it’s very hard to get your confidence back. And with horses, it’s a sport that you as a rider can get everything right and it still goes wrong – that’s where horses are extremely grounding.

“If you find you’re not doing well all the time, there is a point where you just sort of think, why bother?”

When this happens, Gareth believes taking a step back can be necessary to move forward.

“Step back until you find a place where the confidence comes back, then move forward again. Training horses is like a graph that’s going up and down, but you’re hoping through time, you just get that gentle improvement,” he says, adding that it’s helpful to focus on that improvement, rather than the placing.

“In dressage, if your personal best is 65% and you come out and score 66% and place 15th, that’s still your gold medal. If you’ve been averaging 70% but you win the class on 65%, that’s not an improvement,” he says.

Success, controllables and processes

Dr Chris Beaumont, a senior sports psychologist with Changing Minds who has worked with Olympic and Paralympic athletes, asks people what they define as success.

“Sometimes people can go into competitions without being really clear about what they are trying to achieve,” he says. “Having clarity on your goals and expectations is really important to help the performance.

“Sport is about outcomes, but the thing about outcomes is that they’re not controllable. Often, people allow these uncontrollable things to have a huge impact on their emotions, which can be positive and negative.

“If you win, you get a great high, but when you lose you can have great lows, but those emotions are both connected to an uncontrollable factor.”

To combat this, Chris recommends thinking about the factors you are in control of and to focus on the “three Ps”: preparation, planning and processes.

“I will ask people, ‘Are you really clear on your preparation and what do you need to be as successful as possible? That might be in your training. Then, ‘What’s your plan – are you clear in what you are trying to achieve?’

“Then think about processes; the things that you can do that you’re in control of to give the best chance to be successful. That could be focusing on how you start in a competition, to the various phases.

“If you nail your preparation, be clear on your plans and understand your processes, you set yourself up in the best position for success.”

Preparation leads to a confident competitive mindset

Event rider Pippa Funnell, who describes herself as an overthinker and has been open about confidence issues during her career, places a huge emphasis on preparation.

“What gives me the most confidence is trusting my system, and that system is leaving no stone unturned,” she says. “For example, I know my horses all at some stage have experience of running in the wet ground, because I don’t want to go into a big three-day where the going is tough and I think this horse has never experienced this.

“During a competition you don’t want to be going, ‘I wish I’d done that in the preparation.’ If you know that’s covered, then you can go in with so much more confidence.

“But there are also situations where you have to turn things into a positive. I had a fall and had a plaster on my leg for two-and-a-half weeks before the first Badminton that Supreme Rock won. I had completely the wrong preparation, but you have to turn things into a positive rather than dwell, my positive was that I was going into Badminton well rested.”

But Pippa says it’s human nature to lose confidence at some stage.

“You can lose your confidence in many ways. It might not be from a bad result or a fall, it might be that you’ve had an injury and you’re riding in pain, or you’ve had a run of horses with soundness issues, and you lose confidence in the way you ride them,” she explains.

“When I’ve lost confidence, which I have many times, I’ve fallen into the trap of losing belief in my judgement. It can be easy to ask lots of people for advice and you go away from trying to work it out for yourself.

“But I’ve found huge strength in analysing why something’s gone wrong, or it’s consistently going wrong, and very often that links back to somewhere in your training or the basics.”

Australian five-star event rider turned coach, Paul Tapner, enjoyed plenty of highs during his competition career, but he experienced his share of challenges. He believes a common factor among successful riders is having resilience.

“Anybody who is successful has this in bucketloads,” he says. “You might only remember a famous rider for all their successes, but statistically they’ll have been more unsuccessful.

“One example is jockey AP McCoy. He might have been the most winning rider for how ever many years, but if you look at it from the other perspective, he was also the rider of the most losers in as many years. It doesn’t matter how successful you are, you have to have that resilience to be able to look at it positively.”

Paul says being adaptable to different situations is key to overcoming hurdles.

“I would start on plan A, but normally end up at plan Z by the end of every season,” he says. “I have many stories where things haven’t gone to plan, but it can make you stronger, if you’re willing to learn from it.

“There’s a famous saying: ‘The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over but expecting different results.’ You have to be willing to constantly assess and tweak what you’re doing to get a little bit better every time.

“It doesn’t need to be massive changes, but don’t be so stubborn that you get stuck in your way of doing something and think that that should get results.”

“No failure, only feedback”

Sports psychology coach Debbie Hill of Ahead For Life, who works with equestrians across disciplines including Olympic dressage rider Abi Lyle, practises a “no failure, only feedback” approach. And when helping riders, one technique she uses is the “mental strength triangle”.

“This triangle is made up of motivation, focus and emotional balance,” Debbie explains. “Motivation is around your values and beliefs; if you believe you’re going to be rubbish or fall off, that’s what’s going to happen. So believe that you are able to do this, because you’ve done the training for it. And the value is that it makes you happy.

“Then if we consider the focus part, that’s knowing what you want to achieve and the process to do it. For example, knowing how you’re going to ride the course, or test, and visioning linking the fences or movements together.

“The emotional balance is about what went on in the past and what’s going to happen in the future. We need to stay in the present and believe that we can do that today, by focusing on that process.”

When feeling nervous, Debbie recommends focusing on your peripheral vision.

“We tend to focus on what’s in front of us and this kick-starts that fight, flight or freeze mechanism. Try allowing your eyes to slide out to the side and think about everything you can see. This helps the body believe that everything is OK,” she says.

Showjumper Jodie Hall McAteer has been working with mindset coach Poppy Blandford for the past four years.

“It’s made a massive difference to my outlook. When I started competing on the Global Champions Tour, I got exposed to the top level very quickly, and it was a new kind of intensity and pressure,” she says. “Getting mindset help gave me the tools I needed to manage that and not to get fixated on the results.

“You can get a bit despondent when things aren’t going your way and if you’re struggling at any point, it’s so important to get help.”

How to deal with the unique mindset demands of showing

Showing exerts different pressures to the Olympic disciplines. In showjumping, for example, an unlucky pole down might be comprehensible in a rider’s head, but not being placed in showing can feel more personal. Consultant clinical psychologist Dr Krissie Ivings of Aspire Rider Confidence & Hypnotherapy – and author of Tame the Chimp, Shoot the Parrot & Silence the Mouse – says that subjective sports can be more challenging.

“It’s one person’s opinion on the day – and it is hard, especially if you think that’s unfair or biased. But there’s no reason to assume it’s deliberate bias just because your type of horse isn’t the one the judges are looking for,” says Dr Krissie.

“If you are going to do showing it’s really important that you don’t link your worth to your results. You need to be able to focus on process and let go of outcomes.

“The process is turning your horse out to the best of your ability, showing off his attributes, making sure they are well schooled for the ride judge – focus on all the different elements that make up what makes a good show horse.

“If you put all the pieces together as well as you possibly can, and you ride as well as you can on the day, then whatever happens happens – if people are better than you on the day, they’re better than you. You can still do really well and not place.

“Letting go of outcomes is even more important in disciplines where it’s subjective as the outcome is someone’s opinion. But it’s also useful to be open to feedback, because judges will have a reason for the decision they make.”

Top showing producer and judge Vikki Smith encourages riders not to focus on the placing or qualification.

“My motto is that I’m really happy with my horses in the yard, I know where they are at in their training and experience and I go to a show with the target that as long as my horse goes well on the day, then the result is an added extra,” she says.

“I had a recent result where one of my horses was second, but I think ‘I still only want to take him home’. As long as you’re happy with your horse that’s all you can do. People can become obsessed with chasing a ticket, and sometimes you’ve got to think, ‘Why did I start riding?’ and remember why they enjoy it.”

Horses will be horses, and when those unfortunate moments do happen in the ring, Vikki says it’s important to remember that it’s likely to have happened at some stage to those watching too.

“We all think that because we’re being judged inside the ring, that we’re being judged outside it too. You’ve got to have quite a thick skin to be involved in showing,” she says, adding a rider’s back-up team is just as important in showing as other disciplines.

“I have a dressage trainer, and I have my mum who is good on the ground and a good critic for me. I think everyone needs some help and backup.”

3 tips for dealing with competition nerves

Box breathing: a relaxation technique. Inhale through your nose for a count of four, hold your breath for four, exhale through your mouth for four, hold your breath for four. Then repeat.

Cognitive distraction: using your mind to think about neutral things to keep out negative thoughts at bay. As an example, pick a colour and count how many items of this colour you can see around you.

Progressive muscle relaxation: to help reduce stress and anxiety. Tune into different parts of your body and practise tensing and relaxing your muscles one by one.

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Paul Tapner said getting back riding, over a year after he suffered serious head injuries in a fall, “felt normal” —and he has enjoyed it.

The 2010 Badminton winner has ridden three horses in the last week, including his advanced eventer Bonza King of Rouges.

Paul said last autumn he had no plans to ride again, eight weeks after he suffered brain bleeds and a minor stroke in a hacking fall.

“At that stage, I felt pretty wobbly, and the thought of doing pretty much anything was hard work, so the thought of riding was nowhere near my mind,” he told H&H today (23 November).

“I had physios saying they wanted me to ride as part of my rehab, but I’d seen other riders have injuries and go back not being able to ride anywhere near where they were. I didn’t want to do that, so I refused to get on a horse.”

Paul said he rode a horse simulator at Oaksey House rehabilitation centre at therapists’ request, but “it took me enough concentration to stay on and do rising trot, and I thought if I have to do that, to do what I consider very simple, I don’t ever want to ride again.”

But in the last week, Paul said, he felt physically in control enough that he could ride on a horse and it “be normal”.

“I felt I could just do it, so I did,” he said. “My wife Georgina was very supportive and helpful, although we did have an argument about which horse I’d ride, so I got on and it was good.”

Paul has so far ridden an event horse of his daughter Madison’s, a former racehorse, and King himself.

“The fight with my wife was because she wouldn’t let me ride King first!” he said. “Then she saw I was ok. She did look at me and ask if I wanted her to lead me and I said ‘I’m not a lead-rein rider, get away from the horse!

“When I was a professional rider, I didn’t like riding at home, I liked competing and winning, and I’m still like that so the fact I’ve enjoyed this riding at home surprised me; it felt normal and it felt good.”

Paul said he has “no desire to compete again”.

“I wouldn’t contemplate facing a jump at this point because I don’t feel I’ve got enough control of my body to do what I considered normal for me,” he said. “[Jumping] isn’t high on my priority list so it may or may not happen, and it’s highly likely to not happen.”

Paul said he had been discussing with someone, months ago, whether the fact he has no memory of the fall, or of some time after it, might help as he would be less likely to feel any fear, and he thinks that is the case.

“I’ve never felt any sort of fear,” he said. “That might be a slight blessing but my wife remembers all the hassle, so this has been more difficult for her than for me, she’s been brave. So there was some advantage — but I don’t recommend it!”

And, Paul added, having checked the rules and changed qualification requirements, he realised he and King are still qualified for Badminton 2022.

“I keep joking, every time I get on, about how my preparation for Badminton is going,” he said. “I did say yesterday I was going, to scare the living daylights out of my wife, so watch this space, you never know!”

But he added: “I don’t think that will happen; I think this is one time common sense will take over from what’s in the rules.”

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Eventer Paul Tapner is making good progress as he recovers from a serious head injury — but has no plans to ride again.

The “elite amateur”, who won Badminton in 2010 and has twice represented Australia at the World Equestrian Games but retired as a pro in 2016, suffered two bleeds on the brain and a mild stroke in a hacking fall from his advanced horse Bonza King of Rouges on 5 August.

Paul, who spent three weeks in hospital, told H&H that mentally, he feels “95% back to normal”, eight weeks on from the accident.

“Physically, I’m still getting better,” he said. “I’m still having an enormous amount of medical intervention; my recovery is very much on fast forward, and I want to keep it that way.”

Paul and his wife Georgina were interviewed on Horse & Country TV about the fall.

Georgina said Paul had gone out for a ride on after work — he is now chief operations director of the Event Rider Masters series — and she called him to ask him to cook dinner as she was hungover, but there was no answer.

“Then I had a missed call from my mum; the horses are kept there, to say ‘King’s come back to the gate with Digger, the dog, Digger’s made a hell of a noise and King’s there without Paul, and we don’t know where Paul is.”

Georgina rang Josh, the Tapners’ 16-year-old son, who was able to drive round the tracks on the 500-acre farm to try to find Paul. Josh used the “find my iPhone” app to locate his father.

“Josh said ‘I’m with him, he’s rolling on the floor, not making any sense, but he’s told me he’s hit his head and needs to sleep’,” Georgina said. “I said ‘ring the ambulance now, do whatever they say and keep him talking. I’m on my way’.”

Paul was taken to hospital, where doctors said he had had a small bleed on the brain, and that he would stay in hospital for three to seven days.

Relieved, Georgina went home to bed, but was woken by a call from the hospital, to say a second bleed had been found in the centre of Paul’s brain, which meant he had had a stroke.

The next days were a “rollercoaster”, as Paul would improve, then deteriorate. He spent nearly a week in intensive care as his sodium levels had dropped dramatically, but “he really did get better from that stage”, Georgina said.

Paul said he remembers “bits and pieces” of the day before the fall, but has no memory of the next four to five weeks.

It was confirmed that the stroke was caused by the trauma, rather than being the cause of the fall, and Georgina said the accident has made her think even more about safety.

“You think the major accidents happen at competitions and as the wife of a competitive rider, you brace yourself for the competitions; I did not expect it to happen out hacking, especially on a horse Paul’s had many years; he was out for a nice hack after work.

“It makes me want to hit home to everyone: he was hacking. Not jumping or doing anything we see as dangerous, on a horse he knew. Whatever happened was so fast, it was beyond Paul’s control, or the horse’s.”

Paul said he has been embracing the help of different experts and therapists in his recovery, in the same way he has also used the appropriate experts to help his horses, and one physio suggested riding to help him progress.

But he said: “I haven’t got back on a horse yet — and I have got no plans of getting back on, ever.

“I’d already retired from professional eventing. I was remaining competitive at the top level, but only with that one horse, and I was going to see his career out and finish anyway. I’ve slightly finished earlier than I wanted to but my competitive career is over and I’ve got no desire to go back to it.”

Paul’s daughter Madison has now taken over the ride on King.

He told H&H: “I’m still very much involved with the horses; I’m still a horse person at heart. My wife and daughter are still involved and I still see the horses every day, but I don’t have any desire to sit on one.

“Madison will continue to showjump King and do Pony Club with him; what a fantastic semi-retirement for a horse of his age, and fantastic opportunity for her to have a horse of his previous level.”

In the interview, Paul, who was wearing a safety helmet at the time of his fall as he never rode without one, said he will always sing equestrian sport’s praises, but as an industry, we all need to take more notice of and action on head injuries, as they are so common.

“It’s not hard to stick on a hat and body protector every time you ride or feel you need it,” he said.

Continues below…

Paul Tapner in ‘good spirits’ as he leaves hospital following brain bleed

Paul Tapner is home after spending three weeks in hospital following a fall out hacking

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Georgina also urged others to download the What3words app, which is used to pinpoint people’s exact locations. None of the Tapners had it at the time of the accident but they have now downloaded it, having seen how the ambulance first responder used it to tell the air ambulance where to land.

“If one person downloads it and it helps them, we’ve done what we wanted to do,” she said.

Both Paul and Georgina expressed huge gratitude for all those who sent “heart-warming” messages of support and good wishes, Georgina adding: “It meant a lot and I read them all.”

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Badminton winner Paul Tapner has left hospital following a riding fall that resulted in bleeds on the brain and a minor stroke.

The Australian event rider fell out hacking on 5 August and was taken to hospital, where scans revealed he had two minor brain bleeds, one of which caused a mild stroke.

Paul, who won Badminton in 2010 with Inonothing, is in “good spirits” and will now start his rehabilitation with specialists at the Injured Jockey Fund’s Lambourn base.

“Some great news today Paul has been discharged from hospital,” said his wife, Georgina, yesterday (26 August)

“It’s been a rollercoaster of a three weeks, but he is home!”

She added a “massive thank you” to everyone at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon “for absolutely everything”.

Article continues below…

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Paul Tapner wins Badminton Horse Trials 2010

A delighted Paul Tapner has won his first Badminton Horse Trials on Inonothing for Australia

“From the emergency team, then the team on Falcon ward, to the ICU team and then the team on Neptune ward, every single person has been wonderful,” said Georgina, adding that the family is “so grateful”.

“Paul is generally well, he is in good spirits and looking forward to starting his rehabilitation with Hobbs neuro team via Oaksey House.”

The specialist neurological team provides specialist rehabilitation at the IJF base.

“Thanks once again for everyone’s support,” added Georgina. “It really has pulled me through a nightmare.”

Paul has represented Australia twice at senior championship level, riding for his country at the 2010 and 2014 World Equestrian Games. In recent years he had reduced his string, focusing on his career as chief operations director of the Event Rider Masters series, while continuing to compete as an elite amateur.

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Badminton winner Paul Tapner is “progressing well” after sustaining bleeds on the brain and a mild stroke in a fall a week ago.

The Australian eventer, who won Badminton 2010 on Inonothing, had a fall out hacking on 5 August and scans found he had two small bleeds on his brain, one of which had caused a mild stroke.

In a further update on his condition yesterday (Tuesday, 11 August), Paul’s wife Georgina said “medically he is good, physically he aches, and mentally he is improving”.

“His long-term memory is very good, but his short-term memory from the day of the accident until yesterday is sketchy,” she said.

“Today however he is remembering things like what he has eaten, why he is in hospital and what he needs to do to get better.

“He is likely to remain in hospital for a little longer before he can start his program of rehabilitation.”

She thanked everyone for their messages, adding: “Every single one has meant a lot, as I am sure they will to Paul when he can read and process them.”

“The kids are coping well, Josh is busy helping with the harvest and working in the pub in the evenings,” added Georgina.

“Maddie competed little Rocky at Waverton on Saturday and managed to come second with a double clear! And we sold lovely Minty over the weekend to a wonderful home.

“Next week all things working out. Maddie will compete at West Wilts and I will compete in the BD [Winter] champs at Hartpury. So things at Team Tapner are still moving forward, we are just waiting, but of course being patient for the boss to return!”

Article continues below…

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‘Slow recovery’ expected for former Badminton winner after brain bleeds and a stroke

The top-level event rider suffered a fall out hacking last week and scans have revealed two ‘tiny’ brain bleeds and

Paul Tapner wins Badminton Horse Trials 2010

A delighted Paul Tapner has won his first Badminton Horse Trials on Inonothing for Australia

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Paul represented the Australian team at the 2010 and 2014 World Equestrian Games and in recent years has focused on his career as chief operations director of the Event Rider Masters, continuing to compete as an elite amateur.

He had been back in action since eventing’s post-lockdown restart, including a third place in an open intermediate at Aston-le-Walls last month with his top ride, Bonza King Of Rouges.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

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Eventer Paul Tapner has suffered two bleeds on his brain and a mild stroke.

A press release from his family stated that Paul took a fall out hacking on Wednesday evening (5 August).

“Following scans it has been found that he has two tiny bleeds on his brain,” said the statement. “One of the bleeds has unfortunately caused him to have a very mild stroke. He has remained conscious and is starting to be less distressed and more restful. The consultant says she cannot see why he will not make a full recovery, but that this will be slowly over weeks and possibly months.”

Paul’s wife Georgina, son Joshua and daughter Madison said they have been overwhelmed by the support and offers of help and “would like to thank everybody for being so supportive and of course [we] are so grateful to the medical teams”. They added that they “would appreciate a bit of space at this distressing time”.

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Paul moved to the UK in 1999. He won Badminton 2010 on Inonothing and was on the Australian team at the 2010 and 2014 World Equestrian Games. In recent years, Paul has cut back his string of horses and focused on his career with the Event Rider Masters series, for which he is chief operations director.

Paul has been out competing successfully since eventing re-started after the Covid-19 lockdown, with third places at Aston-le-Walls open intermediate and Bicton Arena advanced intermediate on his top horse Bonza King Of Rouges and second in a BE100 at Dauntsey Park with Mini Ferrari.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

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Paul Tapner is aiming for a record back-to-back third win in Hickstead’s eventers’ challenge on Thursday (25 July).

The 2010 Badminton winner won the 2017 and 2018 MS Amlin Eventers’ Challenge aboard the eye-catching grey Bonza King Of Rouges.

The pair return to the Longines Royal International Horse Show to defend their title.

Hickstead director Lizzie Bunn said they “cannot wait” to see if Paul can set a new record.

“The Thursday of the Longines Royal International Horse Show is always an exciting day as we welcome the event riders to Hickstead,” she said.

“We can’t wait to see if Paul can set a new record, having become the first back-to-back winner of this class already.

“He was a man on a mission last year, and we’re expecting him to be even quicker this year.”

Last year’s runner-up Georgie Strang returns for another crack while Gemma Tattersall, who won the eventers’ class at Bolesworth in June, brings the star mare Chico Bella P.

Other major names on the start list include New Zealand’s Lucy Jackson, Ireland’s Joseph Murphy and Brits Alex Bragg, Jeanette Brakewell, Matthew Wright and Nick Gauntlett.

Article continues below…

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‘Elite amateur’ wins back-to-back Hickstead eventers’ challenge titles

“I knew exactly how fast I went last year and how many fewer strides I needed to take [to win]”

Ellen Whitaker joins Hickstead Nations Cup team for first time in over a decade

Ellen last jumped in the Hickstead Nations Cup in 2007 with her great stallion Locarno

They will take on the 18-fence course, which features several of Hickstead’s famous obstacles including the Devil’s Dyke, the Road Crossing, the less steep side of the Al Shira’aa Bank and the MS Amlin Irish Bank.

The brainchild of Douglas Bunn, Paul Schockemöhle and Robert Lemieux, the class was first held in 1998. It ran until 2014, but was reborn in its current format due to popular demand in 2015.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday

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The Australian 
four-star winner turned ‘elite amateur’ talks to Sarah Jenkins about being in constant pain, having an influence, 
and what would be 
his last Badminton

Paul Tapner jokes about having to go up a notch on his belt at the beginning of this season. A belt he’s worn for decades with a strong groove where it’s always held the buckle. He still looks a darn sight fitter than your average office-bound 40-something, but blames “all that sitting at a desk” for this tweak to his attire.

Paul wound down his string of eventers two years ago to pursue a career as digital technical director with Event Rider Masters (ERM), more of which shortly. He kept one top horse, Bonza King Of Rouges, who won the eventers’ challenge at the Royal International in July. The plan was to contest Burghley, then Badminton, and for that to be Paul’s last four-star. Then he had to withdraw the horse from Burghley with injury.

“I’d like to get an Armada Dish [for a fifth completion] at Badminton. And I fully expect that to be my last one,” he says, sitting with a pillow behind his back in a shady corner of the garden at Wickstead Farm Equestrian Centre, Tapner Eventing’s base. “I don’t enjoy eventing lower than advanced, I don’t have another four-star horse after King and I wouldn’t expect any owner to buy me one when I’m not doing it full time.”

Paul appears a little exhausted — “I’m still trying to cram too much in, that’s just how I am,” he sighs — but good-humoured for a man who did his back in this morning — hence the pillow.

We’re not far from Badminton, a happy hunting ground for Paul in both metaphorical and literal terms. He won in 2010 with Inonothing, a horse belonging to Jenny Waaler, who part owns King with Angela Scott, who got Paul over here in the first place.

That’s why King stayed, that and, as Paul jokes: “He’s already got a bit of a complex having come to me when Matt Ryan retired, he’d have developed an even worse one if I’d moved him on when I retired, too. He’s unique in his brain and way of working and by the time another rider got the hang of that he’d have been ready to retire.”

This is the horse that lies down if he’s not in the right bit. The rest of the horses were retired or moved on.

“I was sad to see every single one go. It was a difficult time, those were difficult conversations,” he recalls, since some owners were less happy about another rider taking on their horse.

He was lucky to keep his sponsors: “They’d have been well within their rights to drop me,” he says. “I’m very grateful.”

Paul admits to looking for an “exit plan” from pro eventing for years.

“My body couldn’t cope any more and I was having to spend as much time in physio as on the back of a horse,” he says. “I’ve competed with broken collarbones and ribs and fingers. You get good at not letting the doctor know how poorly you are. You have to keep going to keep the rides and qualifications and to keep paying the mortgage.

“I was getting out of bed in pain every morning and would have to do all these exercises even to be able to get on the first horse.

“I tweaked my back this morning doing nothing much and I’m walking around like an old man in agony and I remembered this is what I used to feel like every day.”

As he sought that exit strategy, Paul embarked on a few ventures that “never gave me the financial opportunity to make that leap into another career”. He closed one start-up, Horsehub — a digital platform for purchasing training video — this year.

The idea was you could buy training with a top rider for the price of a coffee.

“Our industry is so used to paying out huge amounts for everything else, perhaps I should have stuck a zero on the end of everything in that app,” he says, only half joking. “Perhaps they think if it’s not crazy money it can’t be good enough.”

Eventing is one of our bizarre sports with its one-way flow of cash from philanthropic owners to riders.

“There’s no way of owners making money from it,” points out Paul, who is now playing a major part in what he hopes will become “the best equestrian series in the world” and help address that imbalance.

ERM is a series of three-star events with revived format, record prize-money, superior digital coverage and a focus on entertainment, bankrolled by event horse owners Christopher and Lisa Stone.

“I’ve often said eventing’s stuck in a 1980s timewarp. Someone told me the other day that was kind and it’s more like the 1940s. The way it’s worked for too long is someone from one group of stakeholders will say how unhappy they are about something and that might change. Then the sport stagnates until the next person from another group makes a lot of noise about something else,” says Paul, who, rather than simply kicking up a fuss, joined forces with minds like broadcaster Alice Fox-Pitt, rider Bruce Haskell, and event horse owners Di Brunsden, Pete Cattell, Tara Glen, Terry Miller and Jeremy Skinner to name a few, to come up with something better. ERM was the result and now in its third year they’ve proved the concept, the business model, and just need to “make it work”, as Paul puts it.

“We’ve got the riders’ support, now we need the spectators’ support.” And advertisers’, too.

He takes pride in ERM proving influential.

“We started with digital scoreboards and now they’re almost the norm,” he says. “You see images of champagne being sprayed around at equestrian events everywhere now. We introduced a clock on the screen that counts down to the optimum time instead of up, and again I’m seeing that elsewhere now. We set the bar.”

Paul seems ambivalent about hanging up his advanced eventing boots after Badminton 2019.

“In the past, by this time of the year I’d have ridden hundreds of hours of cross-country and this year I’ve watched hundreds of hours,” says Paul, who has to know every piece of TV footage for his role. “There was a point in 2016 I was struggling to cope with the fact I’d watch riders like Christopher Burton and think bloody hell I should be riding like that. But now I can watch and have admiration for them without beating myself up about it.”

Continued below…

‘Elite amateur’ wins back-to-back Hickstead eventers’ challenge titles

“I knew exactly how fast I went last year and how many fewer strides I needed to take [to win]”

Paul Tapner wins Badminton Horse Trials 2010

A delighted Paul Tapner has won his first Badminton Horse Trials on Inonothing for Australia

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Now the buckle is back on its most well-worn hole, thanks to hours on his push bike and, more enjoyably, out in a canoe with his son Joshua.

I leave him to become reacquainted with the physio and wish him all the best with his latest venture that I hope will have a lasting positive impact on the sport — for all.

This article first appeared in Horse & Hound magazine on 23 August 2018.

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Australia’s Paul Tapner has withdrawn Bonza King Of Rouges from next week’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (30 August-2 September).

“He’s got an injury that means he can’t compete at Burghley,” says Paul, who hopes to be back out on the horse next season with Badminton as the aim in May.

Paul won Badminton in 2010 riding Inonothing and finished 19th at Burghley last year on Bonza King Of Rouges, a 15-year-old who belongs to his rider, Jenny Waaler and Angela Scott.

Britain’s Nicola Wilson has also withdrawn last year’s European individual bronze medallist Bulana, who belongs to James and Jo Lambert. This is not surprising as the mare was also withdrawn from the long-list for the World Equestrian Games (WEG) after sustaining a minor injury.

Tina Cook has today (Monday, 20 August) pulled Elisabeth Murdoch’s Calvino II out of Burghley and is therefore expected to start with Star Witness as her sole ride. She also has Billy The Red entered, but he has been chosen for the British squad for WEG.

Lauren Blades (née Shannon) has also withdrawn Ron Pearson’s home-bred Jesmond Justice today. The horse had previously completed Burghley with Mark Kyle, finishing 27th in 2016, but was set to contest his first four-star with Lauren.

Article continues below…

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The other horses who have been withdrawn from Burghley are: Step Forward (Georgia Bale), Kilroe Hero (Sian Coleman), Pennlands Douglas and Waldo III (Emma Hyslop-Webb), Strike Smartly (Tom McEwen), Carryon Bobby Boy (Julia Norman) and Simply Smart (Hazel Towers).

Oliver Townend, last year’s Burghley winner, still has five horses in the draw and will ride a maximum of three at the event. Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson have three each listed and are expected to ride two horses each.

Buy H&H this Thursday (23 August) for our full Burghley preview, including form guide for every entry and exclusive cross-country course walk with Blyth Tait.

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Paul Tapner claimed back-to-back victories in the MS Amlin eventers’ challenge at the BHS Royal International Horse Show, destroying the opposition as he stormed around the course with Bonza King Of Rouges to win with more than 4sec in hand.

The Australian’s double was the first since the 2015 format change, and shattered his winning time from last year by more than 7sec.

“Elizabeth [Power, 2016 winner with Doonaveeragh O One] has been ribbing me for the past 12 months saying if she was riding last year she would have beaten me as she was 7sec faster,” said Paul. “I’ve had 12 months to prepare myself and I knew exactly how fast I went last year and how many fewer strides between two and three I needed to take, how many extra between five and six and what I needed to do between seven and eight to be ahead of her.”

Before Paul’s round from final draw, there had been a tense battle among the closing competitors, with the lead changing three times in the final four riders.

Earlier in the field, Tom Jackson had set a decent 126.29sec bar with Billy Cuckoo, which had been snatched from his hands 13 horses later by Vittoria Panizzon and her great championship campaigner Borough Penny Z, who crossed the line in 125.19sec.

Elizabeth and her 17-year-old Irish gelding — a bit of a Hickstead legend who has collected two top-12 Derby finishes as well as winning the speed derby in 2013 and this class in 2016 — then overtook the Italian rider to set a 124.49 sec target.

Next in Georgie Strang and Cooley Earl confidently ate up the track, nipping into a .09sec lead in 124.40sec.

A bid from Abigail Walters and Perfick Miss Amber was close, stopping the clock in 124.47 for fourth, before Paul went all-out on the 15-year-old Irish grey.

Despite rattling the last part of the dyke, their luck held — although their impressive finishing time of 120.15 sec would still have left them a fence in hand had they needed it.

“I really enjoyed it,” said Paul. “As everyone knows, I like to play up to a crowd and an arena like this really is my cup of tea.”

Continued below…

Australian rider dominates eventers challenge at RIHS

Plenty of thrills and spills in today's eventers challenge at the Royal International Horse Show

‘I thought, ‘this is going to end in disaster’: Paul Tapner’s bit breaks cross-country

The manufacturer of the broken bit got in touch with Paul soon after the incident

‘Squashed’ Burghley event rider aims for ERM glory at Blenheim

Paul Tapner is currently leading the Event Rider Masters series and doesn’t intend to let a few bruises prevent him

Paul quit full time eventing in 2016 to take up a job with the Event Riders Master Series (ERM) and jokingly describes himself as an “elite amateur”, with Bonza King Of Rouges currently his sole ride.

The gelding, who is co-owned by Jenny Waaler and Angela Scott, had his first run since Badminton at Aston-le-Walls six days ago, finishing second, and is now being aimed at Gatcombe and Burghley.

“It’s been a very good prep run to come here,” he added. “The horse has been very much focussed on his speed and fitness in preparation for Burghley as speed is what has kept us out of the prize money at Burghley and Badminton and we’ve been working on that — hopefully it will work for us at Gatcombe.”

Full report from the BHS Royal International Horse Show in next week’s Horse & Hound, on sale Thursday 2 August

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Riders showed off their fashion sense at the first trot-up at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials yesterday (2 May).

Ben Hobday sports a long Holland Cooper coat and his trademark shades as he trots up Mulrys Error.

Gemma Tattersall trots up Arctic Soul in a side-button short jacket and The Amira boots in navy (with tassels) from Fairfax & Favor.

Badminton final scores

H&H columnist Harry Meade makes a statement with his trousers.

Paul Tapner goes all out with a patterned blue jacket, a red waistcoat and an appropriately-themed shirt.

Alexander Whewall starts his Badminton debut with Chakiris Star in a shirt from The Oxford Shirt Company and a little waistcoat.

A long turquoise coat with double buttons, a scarf, white jeans and boots for Becky Woolven — and they set off Charlton Down Riverdance’s long white socks to perfection.

Tight leather trousers and checks for Dee Kennedy as she presents Chequers Playboy.

Georgie Strang wears a Hicks and Brown fedora and an animal print skirt, plus The Kensington boots by Fairfax & Favor, to trot up Cooley Earl.

Italy’s Giovanni Ugolotti takes the HiHo Silver prize for the best-dresssed male rider as he trots up Cult Rewind in uniform.

William Fox-Pitt dons red trousers to present Fernhill Pimms.

Selena O’Hanlon (Foxwood High) keeps Canada’s end up in a blue and white striped dress.

The Windsor Jacket in navy and red from Holland Cooper — plus matching red detail on her boots — wins the HiHo Silver best-dressed female prize for Louise Harwood, with her ride Mr Potts.

Alex Bragg, in a smart jacket and waistcoat, and Redpath Ransom.

Virginia Thompson, in a skirt with a net upper layer and gold trimmings, with Star Nouveau.

Pictures by Peter Nixon

Read our full Badminton preview in the current issue of Horse & Hound (issue dated 26 April 2018), plus a full form guide for every horse and rider

Our bumper 24-page Badminton report will be in our 10 May issue, including opinion from Oliver Townend, Mark Phillips and Peter Storr.

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Equestrian PR and marketing consultant Rhea Freeman gets the low down on what a rider’s cross-country colours mean — and how they can help them to build a distinctive brand

When you think of a brand, what do you think of? The font they use? The colour of their logo and packaging? There’s a whole world of colour psychology out there to explore and it’s something that brands pay a lot of attention to. But do riders do the same? And what about riders who are very much a brand in their own right? How do they view their cross-country colours and what it says about them?

Brands and colours get linked; in fact some spend a lot of money defending the use of ‘their colour’ as it’s a part of their DNA. Colours generally mean different things to different people, but they also have meanings if you explore colour psychology. So blue can mean calm and yellow optimism, for example. But when deciding what colour to run in, do any of the above factor?

Mary King: green and white

Mary King (pictured, above) is known for the emerald green and white colours she rides in, but these were actually chosen by a sponsor many years ago. “My second ever sponsor was owner of The Classic Horsepower Company, and they asked me if I’d run in their colours, which were green and white,” she says.

“As the company was owned by Gill Robinson’s husband, one of my loyal owners, I said yes. And it stuck. I’d always liked the colour green, so it made sense. I was sponsored by Hiscox for a couple of seasons and ran in their red and black for these seasons, but it didn’t feel like me, so I switched back as soon as I could!”

As any Mary fan will know, green isn’t limited to Mary’s cross country colours — the green has become a big part of her brand with her green being used on her lorry too. In addition, when Mary worked with Joules to create a clothing range, Mary’s green was used on a number of lines.

Paul Tapner: red

Paul Tapner has ridden in red for many years, but only after he forgot to pack his original navy and light blue colours for an event.

“As an avid Aussie Pony Clubber, my zone, zone 23, had red and white as their colours. I was in a lot of zone teams, so I had a lot of red kit,” he says. “When I forgot to take my blue colours to an event, I wore my Pony Club red kit and had lots of comments on how much easier I was to see out on cross-country. When I decided to go pro, I realised the value of having a really recognisable colour.”

Tapner Eventing is a brand that’s known as red, and this is something that although challenging at in the early days, has really helped Paul to attract sponsors latterly.

“Some sponsors want you to ride in their colours, and depending on what the offer is, sometimes it’s the right decision, but for me I was set on red, even when sponsors said it clashed with their branding,” he says.

“It did make it difficult with sponsors when I was relatively unknown, but when you decide to treat yourself as a business, and understand all the marketing and branding that goes along with that, it becomes really important. Any global brand has a colour scheme that is associated with them. Logos change over time, but the main colours stay. It’s important to create a brand image and it’s been valuable for me as a business. It also give sponsors the opportunity to come to me with promotional ideas — they know I’m willing to take things to the extreme and I’m passionate about my brand colours.”

David Doel: red

David Doel, like Paul Tapner, also rides in red, but he started riding in this rather bold shade for different reasons. “I started off riding in red so my Granny knew which one was me going cross country,” he says. “The colour stuck and now most of our things are red, from rugs to buckets, but that’s a good thing. Having such a bold colour has made our team much more recognisable.”

Nicki Strong runs Headstrong Equestrian and has a background in PR and marketing. When she designed her cross-country colours, her brand identity was at the forefront of her mind, and is something she’s maintain through her logo, website and social media. “Everything should be consistent and recognisable as my brand in tone and visually. I use navy, dark red and white on everything. I worked in communications for Macmillan Cancer Support for many years, who are famous for their green; they are a brilliant example of how to us a colour palette as a key feature for a brand.”

Continued below…

Could you be an equestrian brand ambassador?

Find your next set of cross-country colours here

A personal choice

Where do you go to get some customised kit and design your own cross-country colours? And what if you want to stray beyond one colour and incorporate a number into your colours? There are companies set up with this sole goal in mind, one being Super X Country.

“So many people are obsessed with getting the right colour and design,” says Becci Harrold from Super X Country. “The choice of colour(s) and the design is so personal to them and it’s really interesting.

“It’s not so much about building brands for a lot of people, or even building up recognition for people watching, it’s got a lot more to do with good luck and fortune, or just because people like the colour and it’s special to them in some way. Of course, riding in strong colours can be big for building a brand, and keeping that consistency is a big deal and something I think we’ll continue to see more of now that getting personalised cross country colours and accessories is easier.”

Cross-country colours are only one part of your brand, but if it’s something you want to carry through to your website and more, it can be a great way to start to build that brand recognition that you as a business and sponsors want.

For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine out every Thursday

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We pick out the most stunning, outlandish and unusual looks from the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials first horse inspection. Which is your favourite?

Pictures by Peter Nixon

Sophie braved the cold when she matched a short skirt with her hat and her Chelsea Coat from Holland Cooper.

Georgie sported a stylish coat (the City Chelsea Coat from Holland Cooper) and white jeans.

What A Catch's white socks set off Libby's cape (Tweed and Fur Cape by Holland Cooper), white jeans and long boots, which are The Amira style, from Fairfax & Favor.

Piggy joined the cape trend, but hers was of a lighter material than most.

Andrew wore a matching orange hat, tie and loafers.

Sarah showed off the first hat on the runway and it was beautifully matched to her jacket, which carried metallic buttons.

Most riders opted for trousers today, but Emma sported a dress — does it have snaffle bits on it? We think so…

Toddy's chinos and blazer caught the eye of the judges of the Hiho Silver Jewellery fashion prize — and he took the men's award. His shoes are The Mayfair by Fairfax & Favor.

Louisa shows her Scottish roots.

The Irish pair also pleased the fashion police and Clare took the Hiho Silver Jewellery women's outfit prize.

It's a big Union flag for Nana.

Red and black tassels on her boots were the highlight of Lynn's outfit.

Willa trotted up in an unusual green velvet jacket.

This Burghley debutante sported a pink hat and pink tassels to her boots, plus a drop hem coat.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Showjumpers, eventers and show horses aren’t the only equines proving a hit at this year’s Royal International Horse Show (RIHS).

The British Horse Society’s (BHS) hobby horses have been spreading the word about the charity’s Ride Safe Award, which was launched this month.

The hobby horses have been used for demos on the new educational scheme that educates riders on how to protect themselves on the road and elsewhere.

Many riders have been visiting the BHS’s horses, including four-star event rider Paul Tapner, who won the eventers’ challenge at the RIHS on Thursday (27 July).

“The hobby horses are hit!” a BHS spokesman told H&H. “We’ve even had one of them interviewing Paul…”

Paul had a chat with the hobby horse Magic after his win with Bonza King of Rouges (King).

“G’day I’m Tappers,” said Paul. “I’ve had great fun here at Hickstead, have you Magic?”

Magic agreed and told Paul that he had been lucky enough to meet King. “He’s a cool dude horse, he’s grey just like you,” Paul said, to which Magic “replied”: “Well grey’s the best colour!”

And Paul’s ventriloquism skills are top notch…

Continued below…

‘I thought, ‘this is going to end in disaster’: Paul Tapner’s bit breaks cross-country

The manufacturer of the broken bit got in

Australian rider dominates eventers challenge at RIHS

Plenty of thrills and spills in today's eventers

Ride Safe Award launched after 21 horses and one rider die on roads

There has been a 29% increase in accidents

The BHS stand is situated behind the Derby Bank and will be at Hickstead for the duration of the RIHS (25-30 July).

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Paul Tapner took every “calculated” risk as possible to land this year’s MS Amlin Eventers Challenge at the Royal International Horse Show today (Thursday, 27 July).

Partnering his own Bonza King Of Rouges, the Australian rode a brave round, cutting every corner where possible — including the turn to the problematic gate at fence two.

The pair followed eventual third Ireland’s Joseph Murphy, who had set a great time of 128.64 seconds. However, Paul quickly slashed that time by 0.89 of a second, also “going for it” at the last fence — a hedge with white rails.

“I really do enjoy this class,” said Paul. “My horse is so brave and fast, just the type of horse you’d expect to do well in this class.

“He is quite a big horse and he did slip on a few occasions — particularly going behind the bank, which most people didn’t see!

Returning once again for a stab at the top honours, Abi Walters produced a gutsy display aboard Hannah Brown’s “marvellous” Perfick Miss Amber.

The penultimate rider returned home in a time of 128.37 — the pair were foot-perfect throughout, despite a slight tap of the final white rails.

The course tested both horse and riders to the max, over a combination of rails, brush fences, ditches and the renowned Derby and Irish banks — there was no shortage of penalties in this popular class.

The bogey fence turned out to be early on in the 21-fence track. The problematic gate at fence two fell foul of a number of eventers including Vittoria Panizzon, Shane Rose and Alex Bragg who all knocked it — plus Alice Dunsdon, who did well to stay in the plate after being thrown onto Cool Dude’s neck.

“The first fence was a nice slopping fence to get them started and then fence two, the gate, came up pretty quickly and was quite a tight turn back,” added Paul. “I think it was a sudden change in ‘jump style’ that caught horses out.”

There were two fallers from the 21 starters. Pippa Funnell had a mirror fall to that of her unseating in Aachen over the weekend. Billy The Biz had once again been foot-perfect up until the final fence, where he appeared to try and bank the wide hedge fence — pecking on landing and dislodging Pippa.

Ireland’s Austin O’Connor was unseated at the Irish bank but fortunately landed on his feet.

Don’t miss the full report from the Royal International Horse Show in Horse & Hound — on sale Thursday, 3 August.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

When faced with every event rider’s worst nightmare, Paul Tapner had to resort to grabbing his horse’s browband after his bit snapped just before a fence in the advanced cross-country at Aston-le-Walls.

The 2010 Badminton winner was riding Bonza King of Rouges (King) (pictured) in the advanced on Friday (21 July) when the incident took place.

Paul and King had completed a 29.6 dressage, clear showjumping and were reaching the end of the cross-country course.

“I was having a great ride — King puts a lot of effort into his cross-country,” the UK-based Australian rider told H&H.

“It was going really well. We had a great dressage and showjumping. I was planning on winning, as I had already done in an earlier class.

“King was getting very strong towards the end of the course. We went to make a turn to fence 20, a corner, but he didn’t turn and I had nothing in my hand [as the bit had broken].

“We were going at a fair rate of knots so it was rather scary.

“We were totally fine after the initial panic, when I thought, ‘this is going to end in disaster’.

“You never know what will happen or how the horse will react. Some will panic and run blind — I thought he would do that to be honest.

“I managed to relax the horse and held on to the browband and managed to stop.

“He pulled up with a dazzled look on his face and I jumped off as quickly as I could.”

Paul, who is digital technical coordinator of the Event Rider Masters, said both he and King were unhurt.

“The bit came out of his mouth cleanly, there was absolutely no injury,” he said.

“I don’t think it’s made any difference to the horse at all. He was just a bit bewildered.

“I thought it was going to be a win but it wasn’t to be.”

Paul said Myler, the manufacturer of the broken bit, got in touch soon after the incident.

“They have already contacted me with great concern to investigate it and asked me to send back the bit,” he added.

“They are being proactive. In over 20 years of event riding I have never experienced this before, so it’s a bit of a concern.”

Continued below…

Paul Tapner wins Badminton Horse Trials 2010

A delighted Paul Tapner has won his first

Ride round Badminton Horse Trials with Paul Tapner

In this fabulous video Paul Tapner talks us

Four-star eventer calls time on riding career

The rider is taking up a full-time job

Rich Mreen, president of Toklat Originals which manufactures Myler bits, told H&H it was “very sorry that this incident occurred and are truly thankful that neither Paul nor Bonza King of Rouges was injured”.

“Although extremely rare we take this kind of incident very seriously,” Mr Mreen added.

“Our UK representative has been in contact with Paul to arrange the return of the bit for our inspection and evaluation of the breakage.

“The Myler brothers pride themselves on building a reliable, quality product and have been a trusted brand for over 25 years with hundreds of thousands of bits used worldwide.”

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A speedy round by Izzy Taylor in the British Equestrian Trade Association CIC3* at the Equi-Trek Bramham Horse Trials paid dividends today (10 June).

Riding Dr Patricia Turner’s 12 year old, Trevidden, Izzy finished six seconds inside the optimum time of six-minutes 35 seconds, one of only two riders to do so, to finish on her dressage score of 47.4.

“I’m chuffed to bits and delighted to have won,” smiled Izzy. “‘Trevor’ left a leg at the Sun and Moon combination near the end, but that was my fault — I changed my original plan after watching some riders go this morning. Lesson learnt: I won’t do that again!”

Izzy, who took the ride on Trevidden over from Simon Grieve in the autumn of last year, rose from 15th after the dressage and seventh after the showjumping to claim victory.

“He’s a lovely horse to ride and suits me across country as he’s naturally quick,” explained Izzy. “I had a shocker here last year when nothing went to plan, so it’s nice to put that behind me.”

Second went to Paul Tapner and the three-star specialist Yogi Bear VIII, who jumped a double clear, adding 5.2 time-faults across country to finish on 51.2.

“Thankfully Yogi Bear saved the day,” said Paul. “I’ve had a really bad day with my other horses with them not finishing the cross-country. Maybe if I had gone better on them, I would have been more brave to go for the time on this horse.”

Third went to New Zealand’s Tim Price, who had a slick double clear on Cekatinka. They added six time-faults to a dressage score of 45.9.

“This mare is a bit of a dark horse,” said Tim of the 10 year old, originally produced by Ros Canter before Tim’s wife Jonelle took on the ride. Tim then got the ride when Jonelle fell pregnant and he is now reluctant to give her the horse back when she returns to competition.

“She doesn’t give any more than she has to but she delivers when it matter and she has become one of my favourites,” confessed Tim. “She does her best work in the ring and you can’t train a horse to be like that.”

Flora Harris and Monarts Masterpiece led after the showjumping, but 9.2 time-faults dropped them to fourth. Laura Collett, who had been second after the showjumping phase, also added time faults across country which dropped them to eventual eighth.

The only other rider to make the optimum time was the USA’s Tiana Coudray, who stormed round with Under The Clocks to finish fifth, climbing from 23rd after the dressage.

Bramham times and results

Full report of Bramham in this week’s H&H magazine, out 15 June.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Paul Tapner held onto the CIC3* dressage lead at the Equi-Trek Bramham Horse Trials today (9 June).

Riding Prince Mayo, Paul said he “expected” to get a good mark — the pair lead this class on a score of 42.1.

“We came to this event hoping to be competitive and we’ve got it off to a good start,” said Paul. “It was error-free but I didn’t think it was his best test — there’s still more to get out of him in his general way of going and we’re aiming for sub-40s.”

Paul, who is digital and technical director for the Event Rider Masters series, admitted he hasn’t had much time to ride recently.

“I was away in Germany all of last week, working on the Wiesbaden ERM. I got back on a horse on Monday, and came here on Wednesday,” he explained.

Second place is held by Gemma Tattersall, who also leads the CCI3*. She partnered her new ride Pamero 4 to score 42.6.

“I’m over the moon with him — I’ve only had him four weeks, and I was away at Houghton Horse Trials for one of those, so it’s testament to how well Laura Collett has produced him,” said Gemma, who produced Prince Mayo as a four- and five-year-old. “We now need to learn about each other and which buttons to press. Ian Woodhead has helped us loads with our dressage already so it’s quite exciting.”

Flora Harris is in third riding Monarts Masterpiece on a score of 43.3.

“I’m really pleased with him as he’s only nine,” said Flora who has had the ride for 18 months after the horse was produced to one-star level by Polly Jackson. “He’s only just stepped up to this level — he’s a wonderful talent but very hot. Andrew Fletcher has helped us a lot with teaching him to become more accepting of leg and hand and he will definitely be a ’30s horse’ in the future.”

The CIC3* showjumping action gets underway at 8.30am tomorrow.

Don’t miss the full report from Bramham in next week’s issue of Horse & Hound magazine (out 15 June

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Paul Tapner’s former four-star ride Kilronan was put down on Friday (27 January). His health and soundness had rapidly deteriorated over the winter months due to a condition affecting his spine and central nervous system.

The 16-year-old grey by Ghareeb started his eventing career under Frances Mullan and joined Paul in 2009 when Fred and Penny Barker bought him for the Australian to campaign.

“He was a highly sensitive soul in the stables whose full trust he only ever gave to his long serving grooms Rowan Collins and Georgina Tapner [Paul’s wife], giving them both much joy and pride to care for him,” said the Tapner Eventing Team Facebook page.

“His sensitive nature completely vanished when he launched out of a cross-country start box, transforming into an exceptionally talented and brave cross-country horse, with an ability to make it all seem easy and effortless during his partnership with Paul.”

Kilronan completed six four-stars during his career and finished in the top 25 at all of them, his best result being fourth at Badminton 2014. In 2015, he was 13th at both Badminton and Burghley. He was also 15th individually at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) in France in 2014.

Continued below…

Related articles:

Paul Tapner wins Badminton Horse Trials 2010

Four-star eventer calls time on riding career

Paul Tapner takes early lead at Badminton Horse Trials 2014 [VIDEO]

“Kilronan has given many fond memories to his owners Fred and Penny Barker, but one tale which stands out, is from his cross-country round at WEG in Normandy,” said the Facebook post. “As he effortlessly sprinted over the final few fences on a cross-country course where so many horses had failed or struggled in the dire conditions, in the riders, grooms and owners CCTV tent there was a surge of support from many who were watching him, giving rise to many loud cries echoing around the tent of ‘GO TOMMY GO!’“

Kilronan stepped down from four-star at the end of 2015 and contested CIC3*s and the Event Rider Masters series last year, with four top-12 placings as well as a win in the advanced intermediate at Aldon at the start of the year. The plan had been for him to campaign at two-star level this year with young rider Ben Edwards.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The inaugural Event Rider Masters (ERM) series comes to a head at Blenheim this weekend (10-11 September). Not only is there £16,000 on offer to the winner of this leg, but also a prize-fund of £50,000 for the series, with £30,000 to the winner.

Only four riders are in the running for the series title: Paul Tapner, Gemma Tattersall, Oliver Townend and Jonelle Price.

With riders only able to count points from four events through the season, each competitor has a slightly different situation going into Blenheim — and their final result depends not only on their own performance, but also on that of the others.

Here are the facts you need to know:

• If Paul wins the leg, only Gemma can beat him to the series title (by finishing second)
• If Gemma wins the leg, she will win the series title regardless of everyone else’s performances
• If Oliver wins the leg, only Gemma can beat him to the series title (by finishing second or third). If she finishes third, they will tie for top spot on points, but Gemma will win the series in a tie-break (see below)
• Oliver has to finish better than fifth in the leg to stand any chance of taking the overall title
• If Oliver is sixth and Paul seventh, they will go to a tie-break, but Paul would win
• Jonelle has to finish better than fourth in the leg to stand any chance of taking the overall title
• If Jonelle wins the leg, Paul has to be second or third to win the series (if he is third, they go to a tie-break, which Paul would win)
• If Jonelle wins the leg, Gemma has to be fourth or better to win the series
• If Jonelle wins the leg, Oliver has to be second to win the series — but if Gemma finishes third, she would win the series

So that’s nice and straight-forward then.

Continued below…

Related articles:

Who will win at Blenheim this weekend?

‘Squashed’ Burghley event rider aims for ERM glory at Blenheim

Tie-breaks

If there is a tie for the win or a place in the series, each rider’s placings in his or her best four ERM legs will be added together. The tie will be decided in favour of the rider with the lower total. If a rider has only completed three legs they will receive 40 points (equivalent to a 40th place) for the fourth effort.

Example: if rider x had competed in and won three legs they would have 90 ERM points (3 x 30 = 90). If rider y had competed in four ERM legs, finishing third three times (earning 26 points each time) and 15th once (earning 12 points), they would have also 90 points (26 x 3 + 12 = 90). Under the tie break rules rider x would have 43 points (3 x 1 = 3 + 40 for the assumed 40th place), whereas rider y would have 24 points (3 x 3 = 9 + 15) and therefore would win.

If this still results in a tie there are further provisions, based on FEI rules, but let’s hope it doesn’t get that close!

Phew! There’s a lot at stake here and it’s complicated. Thanks to the boys at EquiRatings for helping work all that out for us.

Full report of the ERM, CCI3* and young horse CIC3* at Blenheim in H&H next week (15 September).

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A rather bruised Paul Tapner is determined to compete at Blenheim this weekend despite his dramatic fall at Burghley.

The Australian event rider and his horse, Up In The Air or Harry as he is known at home (not pictured above), fell during the cross-country on 4 September.

Harry slipped approaching fence 22, Herbert’s Hollow, and hit the jump with both front legs.

“It became very slippery and my horse had lost both his front shoes earlier in the course,” Paul told H&H yesterday (7 September).

“He slipped before he took off [at fence 22] and was too close to jump a fence of that size.”

Having slithered across the top of the oxer, the horse then rolled over Paul before he got to his feet and cantered away.

*Warning: footage of Paul’s dramatic fall – both horse and rider escaped without serious injury*

Paul was taken to hospital for a suspected shoulder injury, but was found to have suffered no broken bones.

“I was just very squashed and bruised,” said Paul. “I feel surprisingly normal today — I didn’t expect to.”

He added that Harry was also unscathed.

“Harry is fine,” Paul said. “He’s feeling a bit sore and sorry for himself, but he has no major injuries whatsoever.”

Continued below…

Related articles:

• The week on Twitter: AP McCoy, a sweltering dressage rider and Paul Tapner’s ’20th’ birthday
• Paul Tapner’s 2010 Badminton Horse Trials winner Inonothing retires
• Paul Tapner co-designs new cross-country saddle

Burghley was Paul’s last ride on Harry.

“It wasn’t quite what I was hoping for,” he added.

A statement on Paul’s Facebook paged thanked Harry’s owners, the Hancoxes, for their support.

“Such a shame it didn’t end the way we all wanted it to, neither horse, rider or owner deserved this … we had a fun week until it went wrong.”

Paul now has his sights set on competing in the final leg of the Event Rider Masters series at Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials (8-11 September) on Yogi Bear VIII. Paul is currently leading the series on 93 points.

The winner of the series will take home £30,000.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Event riders have the chance to compete for a new £50,000 bonus at CIC3* level this year.

The Shearwater Insurance Tri-Star Grand Slam “winner takes all” prize is on offer to anyone who can win three of the following five CIC3* events: Burnham Market (1), Belton, Houghton, Hopetoun and Burgham (2).

Four of the events are run by two of the most prominent organisers in the British sport: Alec Lochore (Musketeer Event Management) and Stuart Buntine (BEDE Events), while the Burgham team is headed up by Martyn Johnson.

“As multiple event organisers and past competitors, Stuart and I are only too aware of the costs involved, both in competing and in ‘running the show’,” said Alec.

“Facilitating opportunities like this, I hope, shows competitors that we are responding to their concerns regarding the level of prize money available in the sport and rewarding them for their skill and dedication.”

Jeremy Lawton, of Shearwater Insurance — which is sponsoring the grand slam — is a long-standing supporter of eventing. He owned Leslie Law’s two championship horses Shear L’Eau and Shear H20.

“The costs involved in owning and entering horses have only increased and we want to ensure that all riders have the potential to cover these costs,” said Jeremy.

“The hope is that by creating a prize pot of £50,000 we can not only support dedicated owners and riders, but also raise the profile of the sport.

“By pitching the prize fund at the three-star level we believe that we have created a real opportunity for aspiring and amateur riders to win a significant amount of money.”

Australian eventer Paul Tapner (pictured, top) welcomed the plans.

“Eventing is a hugely popular, exciting and extreme equestrian sport. It is long overdue a prize fund to match its exhilarating nature and reward the expertise and dedication of the participants, both human and equine,” he said.

“International event riders on the world’s most competitive competition circuit here in the UK will all be hugely excited and motivated by this innovation.”

David Holmes of British Eventing (BE) added: “BE is delighted to be a part of this exciting new grand slam initiative; delivering riders, owners, sponsors and spectators a thrilling competition to follow throughout the season.”

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Four cross-country fences have prompted plenty of discussion among seasoned four-star riders and first-timers alike at Pau horse trials today (23 October).

“It’s a typically French course with forward distances to skinnies and angles, so there are plenty of places to have a silly run-out,” said Mark Todd, who lies 14th overnight on NZB Campino.

There are 29 fences on Pierre Michelet’s course and 10 of these are combinations.

Three are water complexes, which are notoriously tough at Pau.

“All of the water fences will be influential,” said Paul Tapner, eighth overnight with Indian Mill. “I’m on a good horse and he’s up for the challenge. No one fence is concerning me; it’s technical and tough all the way home.”

France’s Astier Nicolas, lying fourth with Piaf De B’neville, concurred:

“It’s not a big course but a lot of thinking is required. I have been scratching my head a lot.”

These are the four fences that have caused the most debate:

8ab Le gue route de Bordeaux/Pau Pyrenees

8cd Le gue route de Bordeaux/Pau Pyrenees

Horses will see water for the first time at fence 8. After clearing an enormous oxer (a) there is a triple brush (b) under the shadow of trees, which takes horses into the water.

Then horses turn right to a slope out, where they are confronted by a large brush (c) and another skinny (d) sited on a diagonal line after.

Emily King, lying third after dressage on Brookleigh, flagged this as a fence to watch.

“If the water wasn’t there it would be straightforward,” she said. “The turn naturally backs them off and having the water there as well could make a few horses a bit looky.”

H&H blogger Simon Grieve, who partners Cornacrew, added: “It walks three and a bit strides [between A and B] so you have to be committed and forward while holding your line.”

19abcd Le gue des pistes

The second water is in the middle of the racecourse after some good galloping stretches.

A curved log pile (a) has a steep drop behind it into the water, where riders must be bang on line to avoid a glance off at the corner (bcd) behind. Horses will then do a U-turn to another narrow corner (20) on the way out.

“The first corner is a bit of a rider frightener because it has a curving outline,” said Tim Price. “It’s on a good distance but if the horse feels the rider doubting it might cause a duck out.”

24a Le gue des poissons — Simon Grieve demonstrates its size

24bc Le gue des poissons

An enormous rolltop (a) into the lake for the final time requires a leap of faith, but any huge jumps or uncomfortable landings risk overshooting the tight turn to a step (b) and fish (c) out. The latter are on a bounce distance.

“The waters are always difficult here and this is no exception. It’s a big effort with a big drop in and a bounce out,” said Mark Todd. “And then, just as you thought you were home, you get to fence 27 (below) — you can’t relax anywhere.”

27 Les pointes de haies

The downhill landing from this brush (a) could make it harder to keep a tiring horse on an exacting line to the corner (b) at the bottom. Not only is it narrow, but Pierre has cleverly positioned it on the edge of a hedge, which could cause horses to waver off their line or misread it.

“Running downhill on a committed line with a tired horse can cause issues,” added Tim. “Some might jump the first and land a bit heavy because they’re tired and won’t be thinking about something being behind it.”

Tom Rowland, another British four-star debutant, said he will be taking the long route here.

“My aim is to complete and I don’t want to risk a problem so late on,” he said. “There’s a similar theme of fences on mounds running down to an angled skinny on a forward stride. We need to be brave, but careful.”

• Get the lowdown on how influentual the cross-country course is on HorseandHound.co.uk tomorrow.
  

Don’t miss the full Pau report in next week’s issue of Horse & Hound magazine, on sale 29 October.

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Not that long ago showjumping was a familiar sight on television screens across the country.

But over the past few years horse sport as a whole has dropped off the public’s radar when it comes to TV, with shows including Hickstead and Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) missing from the schedules.

However, despite this TV decline, this weekend (26-28 June) fans were able to watch three major equestrian events from wherever they were.

The Hickstead Derby, Hopetoun International and the Global Champions Tour (GCT) were all available via livestreaming — a medium which is increasingly popular in horse sport.

As well as branching out to a broader audience — who can watch it for free via the internet — another major benefit of this is to make the sport more commercial to appeal to sponsors and owners. A subscription service FEI TV covers competitions including the FEI Nations Cup series and many dressage competitions.

Showjumping success

Showjumping has been ahead of other equestrian disciplines for some time with regards to livestreaming.

The GCT has had much success with online streaming since its inception in 2008.

More than 35,790 unique viewers watched the GCT in Monaco at the weekend, and organisers told H&H that there has been a 22.34% increase from last year, indicating the steep growth in popularity.

Earlier this year the organisers of Hickstead decided to use Sky Sports for the Royal International only, and to produce and televise the Derby meeting themselves, due to the “production costs involved”.

During the Derby meeting (25-28 June) a total of 56,000 viewers tuned in online — with people from 68 different countries watching.

“The platform allows viewers to access the broadcast on a variety of devices, from connected smart TVs to mobile phones,” said Adam Cromarty from Impact Media, who produced the coverage.

“I think this is a really innovative and exciting time in the television industry. Live streaming to this level could really increase the media coverage for equestrian sports.”

The Hickstead production used eight cameras and six operators.

“As far as I’m aware this is the biggest livestream of an equestrian event in the UK yet,” added Mr Cromarty, whose company also provides livestream from British Showjumping events including Pony of the Year Show and the Blue Chip Championships.

“Other sports and other countries — including the GCT — have had full production for some time, and now the UK is catching up.”

Edward Bunn of Hickstead said he was “delighted with the success” of Hickstead TV.

“The feedback and take up completely justifies our decision to livestream the meeting to a worldwide audience,” he added.

And fans seemed pleased, although some bemoaned the lack of camera angles available with a full television crew.

“The commentary was insightful and there was great interaction with social media,” said one H&H reader. “It was actually better then when it was covered by Sky as it meant you could watch the whole event. I think it is a really positive way of promoting the sport.”

At the same time as Hickstead announced it was parting ways with Sky for the Derby meeting, it was revealed that HOYS had been dropped by the broadcaster.

However, HOYS has now confirmed that it too will be using livestreaming for a “select number of championship classes” at this year’s event.

More information regarding the streaming timetable, platform and televised classes will be released later this month.

“The growing popularity of streaming seems to be impacting positively on equestrian sport,” a HOYS spokesman told H&H.

“Nothing can compare to the atmosphere of being at a live event, but for those that can’t be there streaming allows viewers to still be involved. Various sporting events have seen success with streaming recently, and this avenue is one we are keen to explore.”

Eventing breaking through

“Livestreaming permits minority sports to be shown in detail,” said Conrad Murray from Equivideo, which is currently working with British Eventing.

The company already produces livestreams from dressage venues including Addington Manor, but eventing — particularly the cross-country element — poses many more challenges for filming.

Equivideo aims to deliver all the major horse trials in the UK, with the exception of Badminton due to BBC rights.

The content comprises live film, which will go out on a big screen at the event, as well as the stream online, free for anyone on any device.

The team was at Hopetoun this weekend (25-28 June), with their next outing at Barbury (9-12 July).

A pilot at West Wilts last month had 30,000 unique views over the two days, with 9,000 consecutive users, while early figures suggest that 18,400 watched Hopetoun.

“Eventing has always been difficult — you can film dressage with only one camera, but you need several for cross-country,” added Mr Murray.

“At Hopetoun we had six cameras covering the majority of the course. It is incredibly expensive to film though, at around £15,000 per event.”

BE chief executive David Holmes said West Wilts was a “successful first pilot”, and that the organisation was looking at several production companies.

“The principle of streaming is fantastic for competitors and their supporters of course, but also for organisers as it gives greater visibility for their sponsors’ branding around the course as well as giving greater exposure to sponsors via adverts on the stream on the big screen,” he said.

However, costs are an issue.

“As yet, we don’t know what the model of making streaming financially sustainable looks like,” Mr Holmes added.

“While it is an opportunity that could potentially increase the visibility of our sport and have financial benefits for organisers, there are several challenges around the logistics and associated costs.”

Australian eventer Paul Tapner said the quality must be better.

“It’s fantastic that eventing is catching up with other sports, and getting to where we should have been 10 years ago,” he said.

“However, I watched some of the West Wilts coverage and got cheesed off in about 10 minutes. It was confusing as the commentary didn’t match the feed as it was taken directly from the event. There also needs to be live scoring [for example via graphics on screen] so you know who you’re watching and what’s happening.

“The benefits are great, but it needs to be done properly.”

President of the International Event Riders Association Bruce Haskell agreed.

“Anything that can be done to increase the commercial aspect of the sport is a positive, but the visual output must also be matched by the content.”

Although being expensive, production costs are more accessible to shows than a TV crew, especially at a showjumping event. Hickstead declined to comment on how much the livestreaming of the Derby meeting cost, but H&H believes it is around a tenth of the cost that it would have been with Sky.

Adam Cromarty added: “Livestreaming also makes advertising more achievable, as in the past costs for slots with Sky Sports might have been prohibitive.”

Bruce Haskell believes this appeal will also reach to owners and sponsors, as they can watch the shows and their horses remotely — as well as seeing their names gain more coverage.

He added: “While it is certainly a step in the right direction, we need to keep moving forward to keep in line with other sports. We need better technology in eventing — 2015 could be the year it takes off.”

Ref: H&H 2 July, 2015

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The drawn order for this year’s Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials (7-10 May) has been released.

Australian 2010 Badminton winner Paul Tapner will be pathfinder with his World Equestrian Games mount Kilronan (pictured). The pair finished fourth at last year’s Gloucestershire event. Paul, who has jumped seven clear rounds around Badminton’s cross-country course from eight attempts, will hope to show fellow competitors how it’s done and continue his exemplary record at the event when Saturday 9 May dawns.

Last year’s winner Sam Griffiths riding Paulank Brockagh carries number 10, while other favourites to take the 2015 title include William Fox-Pitt on Chilli Morning (number 83), Jock Paget on Clifton Promise (number six) and Andrew Nicholson riding Nereo (number 15). Andrew has never won Badminton despite holding the record for the most completions at the event — 33.

Other combinations to look out for include Laura Collett riding Grand Manoeuvre (number 35), last year’s Badminton runners-up Oliver Townend and Armada (number 73) and Andrew Hoy riding Rutherglen (number 90).

Last to go will be Mark Todd riding Oloa (number 95).

Badminton final scores

Horse & Hound’s Badminton first-timer blogger Nana Dalton is number 49. This is likely to mean she will do dressage early on the Friday morning, depending on the final make up of the start list once the wait-list has closed.

So far, horses down to eighth on the wait-list have been accepted, which means there are currently five remaining horse and rider combinations on the list, including Mary King with Kings Temptress.

Britain’s Gary Parsonage and Sligo Luckyvalier are the latest combination to get the call up, following the withdrawal of Tim Price’s 2014 Luhmuhlen winner Wesko. Wesko will be competing at the Rolex Kentucky three-day-event this week (23-26 April) instead. Horses continue to be accepted from the wait list until 2pm on Sunday, 4 May.

View Badminton drawn order

Don’t miss H&H’s Badminton preview issues, out 30 April and 7 May 2015

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Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh (pictured) return to the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials this year (7-10 May) to defend their title.

Eight other riders who have previously won the event are also among the entries released today, but only one, Jock Paget, is riding the horse on which he won (Clifton Promise).

The other past winners entered are Mary King (Kings Temptress), Pippa Funnell (Redesigned and Second Supreme), Andrew Hoy (Rutherglen and Lanfranco), Mark Todd (Leonidas II and Oloa), Paul Tapner (Kilronan and Indian Mill), Oliver Townend (2014 runner-up Armada) and William Fox-Pitt.

William has four horses on the list, but his first choices are Parklane Hawk and Chilli Morning, who many will consider the ante-post favourite.

Parklane Hawk is one of 10 horses entered who have previously won four-stars. The others are Kings Temptress (2011 Kentucky), Clifton Promise (Badminton 2013), Wesko (Luhmühlen 2014), Nereo (Pau 2012), Avebury (Burghley 2012, 2013 and 2014), Cool Mountain (Kentucky 2010), TS Jamaimo (Adelaide 2013) and Paulank Brockagh (Badminton 2014).

Badminton final scores

Six British first-timers have thrown their hat in the ring: Rose Carnegie (Landine), Tom Crisp (Coolys Luxury), Nana Dalton (Absolut Opposition), Matthew Heath (The Lion), Michael Jackson (Kangasong) and Ben Way (Galley Light). Ben competed in the Grassroots Championship at Badminton in 2011.

Reigning Olympic champion Michael Jung — whose plans were up in the air between Kentucky and Badminton — has not entered. But four Germans do appear on the list, headed by Pau winners Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob.

The following horses appear on the Badminton entries list, but are more likely to compete at Kentucky: Bay My Hero (William Fox-Pitt), High Kingdom (Zara Phillips), Wesko (Tim Price), Easy Target (Francis Whittington) and Annie Clover (Nicola Wilson).

Small entry

A total of 104 horses from 12 nationalities were entered for Badminton this year, considerably fewer than the 141 who were originally in the mix last year. This is Badminton’s smallest entry for some years, perhaps because the tough cross-country set last year by new course-designer Giuseppe della Chiesa has made riders consider whether they are really ready for the test.

Fourteen horses are on the wait list. 90 horses have been accepted, but a maximum of 85 will start — the extras take into account that four riders have more than two horses accepted, but they can only start on two.

Horses are accepted into Badminton on the basis of which have won the most FEI points at three- and four-star level in the past two years, so the horses with most points are accepted and then the others are wait listed in points order.

Since this system was brought in in 2008, between 15 (in 2013) and 43 horses (in 2009) have been accepted from the wait list into the competition, so it is likely that this year all those who have entered will be able to compete. Last year 19 horses made it into the event from the wait list.

Curiously, the 2011 Kentucky winner Kings Temptress is 13th on the wait-list initially as she has been out of the competitive fray due to injury. She had her first run since the middle of 2013 at Aldon last weekend, jumping a double clear.

The wait-listed entries will replace horses which are withdrawn up until 2pm on Sunday, 3 May.

View the full list of entries here: www.badminton-horse.co.uk/2015-entries/

Keep up-to-date with all of H&H’s Badminton news here: www.horseandhound/badminton

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Enjoy the H&H team’s top tweets from the equestrian twitterverse this week.

The week on twitter

It’s great to see Paul’s daughter is sporting the famous ‘Tapner red’ away from the eventing scene

Clever Smokey indeed. Francis Whittington deservedly soaking up his victory at Blenheim Horse Trials

It looks like event rider Georgie Strang’s boyfriend has got some shopping to do after she finished 8th Blenheim Horse Trials with Cooley Business Time

Nicky Roncoroni’s dog doing his best to remain inconspicuous

Keeping with the dog theme, Aoife Clark’s dog stages a silent protest at the sight of the lorry being packed for another three-day event

Lara Griffith and her boss Olympic dressage rider Laura Tomlinson’s Rubin Al Asad claim victory at the national dressage championships

The sport gene has obviously rubbed off on the eldest daughter of ex-premiership footballer Michael Owen

And finally, kudos to multi-gold medal-winning para dressage rider Natasha Baker for throwing herself out of a plane all in the name of charity

If you like this, why not follow @horseandhound on twitter today?

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Could modern technology make eventing more engaging for spectators? A German software firm is developing a product “to simplify and enrich the fan experience at equestrian events.”

SAP — which has previously developed similar technology for the America’s Cup sailing series — has created SAP Equestrian Analytics to give fans instant data and bring equestrianism in line with sports such as Formula 1.

The software will allow eventing fans to have immediate information about individual routes, speed data, time gaps and competitor heart-rates. The information will also integrate with an interactive competitor chart and leaderboard in real time.

SAP has enlisted the help of German eventer Ingrid Klimke to create the software, and the prototype was showcased at Aachen (17-19 July).

“I look forward to being able to actively contribute to the development of solutions that enhance the fan experience,” said Ingrid.

“I am excited to use this innovative technology to present and explain specific new aspects of my rides.”

Other riders have also backed the new technology as they believe that making the sport more accessible to fans will increase its commercial viability.

“Eventing is an amazing sport, but it can be hard for spectators to understand the drama happening around them,” 2010 Badminton winner Paul Tapner told H&H.

“The current portrayal of the sport does not do it justice.

“SAP is offering technology which is well overdue. Their involvement in the equestrian world offers amazing potential.”

“It is exciting in terms of being able to open up new avenues for the sport,” added Event Riders Association president Bruce Haskell.

“Anything that brings information forwards is brilliant. But it needs to make money for it to succeed.”

British Eventing (BE) has also welcomed the product.

“This sounds like a very interesting concept,” said BE’s chief executive Mike Etherington-Smith.

“Creating other avenues for riders to improve their training and for spectators to enjoy the sport from another perspective could be a very positive step forward.”

First published in H&H magazine on Thursday 28 August, 2014.

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After a tense cross-country day at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, Australia’s Paul Tapner has moved up into the lead on Kilronan on a score of 56.4pen.

But riders’ predictions that this year’s event would not be a dressage competition were proved correct when Paul was the only one of the top 10 riders after dressage to remain there after the cross-country.

Of the 78 horses that left the start box, only 35 completed, with 22 jumping clear rounds. No one made the optimum time of 11min 21sec. A total of 25 combinations were eliminated, with a further 18 retiring on the course.

Paul said: “I knew this course was going to be influential. We want it to be influential. It wasn’t easy for anyone out there today.”

Badminton final scores

Problems were spread all around the course, with the Outlander Bank, Mirage Pond and Huntsmans Close all proving influential. A number of frangible pins where triggered, with the back rail of the 2nd oxer in the Team GBR Silver Birches being replaced more than once.

Course-designer Giuseppe della Chiesa admitted that he would have liked to have more horses completing. “There were some unexpected mishaps from top riders. The Lake rode very well, but I didn’t expect people to have so much difficulty with the 2 parallels [at fence 6/7]. The keyhole on the bank rode very nicely last year, but it caused a lot of trouble this year, which was not expected.”

In a very international top 10 after cross-country, New Zealand’s Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy have leapt up an incredible 39 places from =41st after dressage into 2nd with a classy round early in the day.

“He felt brilliant in his fitness and the way he travelled. Unlike a lot of horses, he was still galloping to Huntsmans Close. He’s a long-legged, lanky horse, but he is very honest with power and scope.”

France’s Pascal Leroy is in 3rd with Minos De Petra, who was 30th after dressage. Oliver Townend is the highest placed British rider on Armada (up from =34th overnight) while Australia’s Sam Griffiths and Paulank Brockagh are 5th, up from =25th.

The weather conditions deteriorated during the day, with those going in the last quarter having the worst of it. Even cross-country machine Armada found it challenging, as Oliver admitted.

“For the first time ever, I felt we ran out of petrol,” said Oliver. “Normally I finish with a double handful with Armada’s ears pricked. But I gave him a squeeze and a tap after Huntsmans and there was no reaction whatsoever.

“We jumped through the quarry, which wasn’t too comfortable, then he pricked his ears and galloped down the hill like the good old horse he is.”

Oliver was full of praise for the course: “I thought the course was fantastic. Giuseppe has done an exceptional, and exceptionally brave job, of getting Badminton back to where it is. You would have seen different results if it wasn’t for the weather. This was a proper, proper Badminton.”

Overnight leader Clark Montgomery’s dreams were shattered at Huntsmans Close when a tiring Loughan Glen stopped at the first corner taking the long route. Francis Whittington, 3rd after dressage, retired Easy Target at the same fence.

Lucinda Fredericks pulled up Flying Finish, 4th after dressage, after he cantered away from the Savills Staircase on 3 legs. Lucinda later reported that he had a small cut on his stifle, which had been checked by the vets, but was much more comfortable once back at the stables.

View Badminton results after cross-country

Follow all of Sunday’s SJ action with H&H Live

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H&H’s eventing editor Pippa Roome reviews the first day of action at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials 2014 in a short video:

Report: dressage day one

Follow Friday’s dressage on H&H Live

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Aldon and Norton Disney horse trials this weekend (24-27 October) will wrap up the 2013 eventing season. After months of sleeping in lorries, braving portaloos, waking up at the crack of dawn and going to bed at a similar time, November is a traditional time for eventers to ditch the horses, pick up their passports and take a break.

We asked 5 top riders what their destination of choice is, what happens to the horses while they’re away, if they’d fancy a riding holiday and whether they ever manage to relax…

Georgie Spence, Wiltshire

“November is often the best month to go away. When I’m on holiday the horses are usually just in the field, or they go on the walker. I’m fortunate to either have a groom at home, or my Mum will check them in the fields daily.

“Luckily I find it easy to relax when I’m on holiday — whereas if I have nothing to do at home I can’t relax at all.

“I have had 2 great holidays in Egypt with Laura Collett. And then a few years ago, lots of eventers all went travelling in Thailand for 5 weeks — that was an amazing experience.

“We were backpacking and all managed to cope reasonably well, despite staying in some rooms which were 75p a night and not very nice at all!

“I have never been on a riding holiday, but would love to go on a horseback safari — the only thing that has stopped me is that they are all very expensive.

“A holiday I wouldn’t choose to go on would be a sightseeing or walking holiday. When I’m away I like to have nothing to do, lie on a beach and eat and drink.”

Paul Tapner, Wiltshire

“In November I tend to head to Australia — where I’m from — and my very capable staff makes sure all the horses are kept happy, whether they’re still in work or on a holiday themselves.

“The only way I can relax is if I’m not anywhere near my yard. I’m still very active on holiday though — so my kind of relaxing is not the same as it is for most people.

“I have great memories from most holidays I take. Anything that included natural disaster-type weather or near-death illness would be a nightmare holiday — but apart from that I’m game for most experiences the world has to offer.”

Gemma Tattersall, West Sussex

“I try to have a couple of weeks away somewhere hot in November.

“The horses are either on holiday or my team at home keep them ticking over for me.

“A long time ago I visited Kenya and went on safari which was a pretty spectacular experience. Seeing all the wildlife in their natural environment was incredible.

“I haven’t done a riding holiday before, but I would quite like to go on a horseback safari or maybe a ranching holiday — both of which sound quite fun and different enough from the day job.

“My idea of a nightmare holiday is somewhere that is cold, raining and with bad food. I like the opposite of those things!”

Oliver Townend, Shropshire  

“I try to take a holiday in November when I can and I tend to go somewhere warm and discover different places each time. I’ve been lucky to go to a lot of nice places — including Barbados and the Maldives — but I think my best holiday was when I went to Las Vegas for Geoff Billington’s stag party.

“While I’m away the horses are kept ticking over or they are turned out in the field. I definitely can’t relax straight away — but eventually it happens.

“My worst holiday was definitely when I went to Tenerife with Piggy French a long time ago and we were both seriously ill from the water!”

Jeanette Brakewell, Staffordshire

“It’s great to get away in Novemeber, relax and recharge the batteries.

“At home I have very good staff that I trust to take care of everything and at the end of the day I have my phone with me should there be a disaster.

“Once I’m away I do manage to relax — there is no point worrying about things you have no control of at home and I am a very good sleeper which helps.

“I once had a really good riding holiday in Kenya across the Masai Mara with Tristan Voorspuy who runs Offbeat Safaris. The food was excellent, the company was great and the scenery and wildlife was outstanding.

“On the other hand, my idea of a nightmare holiday would be somewhere busy and full of screaming children!”

In need of a break yourself? Take a look at all our latest riding holiday ideas

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The swelling tide of dissatisfaction with prize-money among eventers has prompted the creation of a Twitter account highlighting riders’ grievances.

@EPrizemoney attracted nearly 500 followers in 36hr.

Sir Mark Todd tweeted, referencing the account: “Off eventing. Just calculated that even if I win on all three horses, skip lunch and pre-diesel, my loss will be £98.31 — crazy!”

Paul Tapner wrote: “Eleven years ago Lucinda Fredericks won £9,000 [for coming first at] Blenheim. Aoife Clark won £8,000. Why’s prize-money going backwards?”

But as three-star rider Tom Rowland pointed out to H&H: “It’s not just about making a stand, it’s about finding a solution. The money has to come from somewhere. Many events barely break even — or run at a loss — so unless the sport can get a huge boost in income [from sponsorship], there remains no obvious answer.”

Paul Tapner added: “I don’t want a rift to be created between the various factions in the sport, but British Eventing [BE] needs to be more proactive. Nowhere in its business plan does it say that it is trying to increase the financial viability of the sport and that worries me.”

However, BE chief executive Mike Etherington-Smith revealed that, over the past 12 months BE has been undertaking a large-scale project that addresses monetary and operational issues, including prize-money.

“There have been some interesting recommendations,” he told H&H. “We expect the outcome to be introduced in 2015.”

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (26 September 2013).

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Ingrid Klimke leads after the first day of dressage at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials.

Riding her Olympic and European team gold medallist FRH Butts Abraxxas, who belongs to Madeleine Winter-Schulze, Andreas Busacker and herself, she was the only rider to break the 40s, scoring 39 (above).

Ingrid’s highlight was her mid-test halt, which scored two 9s and a 10. She is a renowned expert in this phase — she also competes at top level in the pure discipline and her father was multiple eventing and dressage medallist Reiner Klimke.

Despite her vast experience, Ingrid is a first-timer at Burghley.

“Normally we have our young horse championships at home this week and all the breeders want the professional riders there, but this year I said, ‘Braxxy is 16, I mustn’t wait too long’. It’s one of my dreams to be here,” said the rider who was the individual silver medallist at last week’s Europeans in Malmö with her younger horse, FRH Escada JS.

Her gold medal-winning teammate from the Europeans, Andreas Dibowski, is in equal second on FRH Butts Leon, another 16-year-old by Heraldik.

Both horses were bred by Friedrich Butts and spent the first 3 years of their lives in a field together. Friedrich’s breeding programme is based on 2 mares, an A line (including Abraxxas and FRH Butts Avedon, who Andreas rode last week in Malmö) and an L line (including Leon).

“Sometimes he doesn’t like grass, he’s better on sand, but the grass here is very well prepared with water and isn’t hard,” said Andreas. “All his concentration was on me.”

Andreas produced this horse, then he was sold to Thai rider Nina Ligon who rode him at the London Olympics, before Susanne and Holger Heigel bought him back for Andreas. 

Jock Paget also scored 42 to sit in equal second for New Zealand, riding Frances Stead and Lucy Allison’s British Open winner Clifton Lush.

Last year’s winners Andrew Nicholson (New Zealand) and Avebury are 4th, with Kai Rüder 5th for Germany on the stallion Leprince Des Bois and Paul Tapner 6th for Australia riding Kilronan.

Sarah Cohen is best of the British in 7th on 48 with Treason, who belongs to Preci-Spark Ltd and Elizabeth Jones. This pair won the Grantham Cup at Belton last year, but Sarah had her 2nd child in March this year so they have had a quiet season until now.

William Fox-Pitt recorded the 2nd best British result today (49) and sits 9th on the Skinners’ and Halls’ Neuf Des Coeurs.

Overnight leader Ingrid said today that while she was thrilled with her test, this is not a dressage competition. Riders are in agreement that Mark Phillips’ cross-country track is very strong.

“It’s one of the biggest I’ve ever seen and it’s only after I walked it this morning with Christopher Bartle [team trainer] that I felt more confident,” she said.

Relive today’s dressage action with H&H Live and join us tomorrow for the second day.

Buy H&H next week for full 18-page Burghley report, with full analysis, pictures of every cross-country fence and comments from Sally O’Connor, Lucinda Green and course-designer Mark Phillips.

RESULTS AFTER FIRST DAY OF DRESSAGE

1. Ingrid Klimke on FRH Butts Abraxxas (GER) 39

2eq. Andreas Dibowski on FRH Butts Leon (GER) 42

2eq. Jock Paget on Clifton Lush (NZL) 42

4. Andrew Nicholson on Avebury (NZL) 42.3

5. Kai Ruder on Leprince Des Bois (GER) 44.2

6. Paul Tapner on Kilronan (AUS) 47.5

Results and times

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Charlotte Dujardin, Piggy French and Paul Tapner are among the top names showing their support for the third annual International Helmet Awareness Day taking place this Saturday, 22 June.

Campaign group Riders4Helmets is teaming up with leading helmet manufacturers to host the initiative, which aims to highlight the importance of correctly fitted, up-to-standard safety headwear for riders.

On the day, 52 retailers in the UK will be selling helmets at discounted prices. View all retrailers taking part. Riders4Helmets will also be live-streaming educational webinars on fields such as traumatic brain injury and concussion, psychology (why riders choose not to wear a helmet) and helmet testing. Riders will be able to ask a variety of experts real-time questions.

Helmet brands that have pledged involvement are Samshield, Champion, Gatehouse, Uvex, Charles Owen, GPA, Antares-Sellier, Tipperary, Leslie Sutcliffe, One K, Ovation, KEP Italia, Troxel, International Riding Helmets, Dubli and Aegis (Devon-Aire).

The British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) has announced its support for the awareness day.

“The aims and objectives of International Helmet Awareness Day are very much in line with those of BETA,” said BETA’s Claire Williams. “Rider safety is something that BETA regards as crucial and has promoted tirelessly. Education is crucial and events such as [this] play an important role in getting the message across to riders.”

The Riders4helmets campaign group was set up in 2010 by Lyndsey White and Jeri Bryant, after US dressage rider Courtney King-Dye suffered a head injury and coma following a fall when she wasn’t wearing a helmet. The campaign’s aim is to get more riders to wear helmets by raising awareness.

Retailers who wish to participate in the event can register on www.riders4helmets.com/ihad/retailer-information by Thursday 20 June.

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Eventer Inonothing, by Basildon Bond, was retired at this year’s Badminton Horse Trials (6 May 2013). The 16.3hh gelding — born in 1996 — was ridden by Australian Paul Tapner and took the Badminton title in 2010.

Inonothing completed eight CCI**** competitions in total, with six top-10 placings. He represented Australia at the World Equestrian Games in 2010, where he fractured his stifle. He returned to competition in 2012, and finished 10th at Luhmuhlen CCI****.

The 2010 Badminton winner Inonothing has run his last event. The 17-year-old will have an official retirement ceremony at the scene of his big win on Monday 6 May.

Inonothing, by Basildon Bond, was ridden by Australian rider Paul Tapner. He was bought by Jenny Waaler as a weanling foal for just £500, and will spend his retirement in a field on her estate.

His team decided “he was telling us he had had enough”.

“We always said he would tell us and at the end of last season he started to struggle making distances,” said Paul.

“His old body has taken a bit of a battering and the other hindleg was struggling after having to take all his weight during his recovery [from a stifle injury in 2010]. This was his way of telling us, and we feel sad but happy with our decision.”

Inonothing completed eight CCI**** competitions, with six top-10 placings. He represented Australia at the World Equestrian Games in 2010, where he fractured his stifle. He returned to competition in 2012, and finished 10^th at Luhmuhlen CCI****.

“He epitomises the importance of a trusting partnership between a horse and rider,” said Paul, who remembers him being sent home from the hunting field as a young horse for “exceptionally disruptive behaviour”.

“He always gave his all and dug deep when it counted. The team feels privileged to have had him.”

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Craig Barrett won the final four-star of 2012, at Adelaide, Australia, last weekend (22-25 November).

Riding 10-year-old mare Sandhills Brillaire (pictured), Craig — a 42-year-old professional rider from New South Wales — became the first person to simultaneously win a four-star and take the HSBC training bursary for a first completion at the level.

This victory was particularly special for Craig and his wife — Australian performance director Prue Barrett — because they bred both Sandhills Brillaire and both her parents.

Craig bred the mare’s sire, Staccato — by Salute out of a thoroughbred mare by King Of Babylon — and Prue bred her dam, by Galveston. Staccato, now 20, also sired last year’s Adelaide winner Panamera, ridden by Stuart Tinney.

“I don’t know if that has ever been done before”, commented Craig. “I have a paddock full of them; I’m not sure if they are as good as Brillaire, but we have to look at purpose breeding horses.”

Craig’s win places him second in the HSBC FEI Classics standings, behind Burghley winner Andrew Nicholson.

Small field

Just 14 four-star combinations started at Adelaide, after one was lost at the first horse inspection. This was slightly disappointing as while this event has long had smaller entries than the northern hemisphere CCI****s, there were 31 starters in both 2011 and 2009, although 2010 and 2008 were smaller years with 19 combinations apiece. The Horseland CCI** was well supported with 54 starters.

Shane Rose led the CCI**** after dressage on 45.8 with APH Moritz, with Craig Barrett second on his other ride Wendela Jamie and Stuart Tinney third on Pluto Mia.

Wayne Copping’s cross-country track was shortened by about 30sec in deference to the expected high temperatures on cross-country day, while organisers also ordered extra ice and water trucks and installed water-spraying archways and sprinklers for cooling the horses.

Stuart Tinney was the first rider to fall foul of the bogey fence at 13 — a triple brush arrowhead sited in water just a stride after the horses came off a dark island shrouded in shadows from trees.

British technical delegate Alec Lochore explained: “There was definitely something the horses didn’t quite understand. Some horses jumped it beautifully, but it was more than just a coincidence that six horses ran out to the side. It could have been the jump into water, or the light and the shade.”

Craig also had problems here on Wendela Jamie, while Shane retired after two stops elsewhere on course.

Remarkably, just two of the starters managed clear jumping rounds, with Craig’s 0.8 time-faults on Sandhills Brillaire propelling him up the order ahead of Natalie Blundell, who had 5.6 time-penalties on Algebra. Murray Lamperd — one of three to complete with 20 jumping penalties — moved up to third on Under The Clocks.

Eight horses completed the cross-country, with one failing to make it through the final trot-up. None of the remaining seven showjumped clear, but the leading three all held their positions, with Craig’s one fence down and three time-faults the best performance.

20,000 spectators

A number of British-based riders were at Adelaide offering course-walks and masterclasses, including William Fox-Pitt, Andrew Hoy, Sam Griffiths, Christopher Burton, Clayton Fredericks and Paul Tapner.

Event director Gillian Rolton declared the event an outstanding success, with nearly 20,000 people attending across the four days.

“The Australian International 3-Day Event has continued to prove itself as one of the world’s greatest equestrian events, with spectators treated to world-class riding over three, action-packed days,” she said.

Gillian added that the local South Australian Government and Adelaide City Council are both now fully behind the event, which takes place in parks in the centre of the city.

“Running this event is a huge commitment, but we need an event of this stature in this country,” she said.

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Andrew Nicholson (pictured) has topped British Eventing’s year-end points list for the 14th time in total and the third consecutive season. The New Zealander collected 2135 points.

William Fox-Pitt has racked up 1608 points, earning second place and the honour of being best British rider.

These two riders have held a stranglehold on the top spot in the listings since 2000, the one exception being in 2009 when Oliver Townend headed the rankings.

Before this, the last person apart from Andrew or William to lead the points table at the end of the year was Mark Todd in 1999.

With Oliver taking third place in 2012, this is the sixth year in a row that Andrew, William, and Oliver — although not necessarily in that order — have held the top three spots.

Australia’s Paul Tapner holds fourth place, with Gemma Tattersall fifth and best female rider. New Zealanders fill the next three spots (Mark Todd, Caroline Powell, Jock Paget), with Piggy French and Christopher Burton filling out the top 10.

Nereo leads horse rankings

Andrew Nicholson’s ride Nereo takes first spot in the horse listings, having earned 427 points. The chestnut by Fines, who belongs to Deborah Sellar, led the Kiwis to team bronze at the London Olympics and won Pau CCI**** at the end of the year.

Luhmühlen runner-up and Australian team horse Flying Finish, co-owned by Richard Ames and his rider Lucinda Fredericks, is second with 393 points.

Jock Paget’s ride Clifton Promise, owned by himself and Frances Stead, takes third.

William Fox-Pitt rides are fourth (Parklane Hawk), fifth (Bay My Hero) and seventh (Chilli Morning), with Andrew Nicholson’s Burghley winner Avebury (owned by Rosemary Barlow) in sixth.

Andrew Hoy’s London ride Rutherglen is eighth, British team silver medallist Miners Frolic (ridden by Tina Cook) is ninth and Armada, the ex-Andrew Nicholson ride who has been competed by Oliver Townend this year, is 10th.

Foundation points rankings

British Eventing has also published tables of the horses and riders who have earned the most foundation points, awarded at BE90 and BE100 level.

Up-and-coming four-star rider Simon Grieve tops the rider list, with Ginnie Turnbull’s ride Freckleton Mythago — owned by Katie Davenport — named as leading horse.

Hertfordshire-based Clare Fielding takes the honours in the table of grass roots riders (those who are eligible to ride at the Badminton Mitsubishi Motors Grassroots Championships).

Quinte Z topped the rankings of horses ridden by a grass roots rider — a rewarding result for his 14-year-old rider-owner Amelia Walker, who has persisted with him after being advised to put another rider on board at the end of last season after cross-country problems.

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A new cross-country saddle, designed for riders with long thighs or for those who jump with longer stirrups, has been launched.

Australian eventer Paul Tapner co-designed the “WOW XC Saddle with Long Blocks” with manufacturer First Thought Equine.

The fixed long blocks aim to give increased support for the rider’s leg across country.

“I helped design this saddle with a faster pace of cross-country riding in mind,” said Paul.

“The leg blocks, saddle flaps and seat type are all designed with the rider’s balance as a priority.”

The saddles are modular meaning they are constructed to fit the rider and then the horse.

“The result is a bespoke saddle that fits the horse and rider, whatever the horse’s shape, or your own build and height,” Paul added.

Each saddle has a “Flair” air-flocking system [rather than traditional wool or foam flocking], which helps to evenly distribute pressure across the horse’s back.

Paul co-designed the havannah and military (brown and maroon) colour-way, but the saddle – that retails at £2,082 – is available in other colours.

For more information visit www.wowsaddles.com

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Highpoint – the horse who catapulted Australian Paul Tapner into the limelight – has been put to sleep at the age of 22.

The Polish warmblood fell ill suddenly at his owner Sarah Smith’s home in Gloucestershire on 5 March.

Highpoint – or “Joey” – was bought by Sarah as a four-year-old when she was a teenager. He took her from Pony Club eventing to advanced before Paul took over the ride.

Paul and Joey won Bramham CCI*** in 2000 on only their seventh run together.

Sarah told H&H: “He really was one of those fairy tale horses. He took me all the way and taught me a lot.

“He was a huge character. Since he was a four-year-old it’s been in his system to stand on his hind legs – when I say hind legs, it was vertical!

“But one he got out of the start box [on the cross-country] he was fine.”

Paul – who went on to complete Badminton and Burghley with Highpoint – described him as “the horse that put me on the northern hemisphere map”.

“Winning Bramham prompted me to remain in the UK in my quest to event at the top of the sport.

“RIP and thank you for being such a great horse,” he added.

Paul reached the pinnacle of eventing in 2010 when he won Badminton on Inonothing.

Joey returned to Sarah in 2005. She evented him for a further season before he went to a series of riders as a dressage schoolmaster.

He was competing at advanced dressage with Emily Carmichael until last summer, when the decision was taken to retire him.

“Quite a few people learnt a lot from him,” said Sarah.

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Paul Tapner has confirmed that advanced event horse Kilfinnie II was put down at the start of November last year, aged 12.

“There were various complications that contributed to the very hard decision,” said a message on the rider’s Tapner Eventing Team facebook page.

“He is and will be very much missed for a long time, he had a heart of gold and we were very lucky to have had him to campaign as part of our team.”

Owned by Paul and Sue White, the 17.1hh black gelding by Tullibards Shakespeare completed four four-stars with Paul, including finishing 15th at Burghley in 2009. He accumulated 644 British Eventing points in his career.

Prior to joining Paul’s team in 2008, Kilfinnie II was competed by Frances Mullan and Jay Halim.

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Watch Paul Tapner’s head-cam video of his ride round the four-star cross-country course at Pau International Horse Trials on Kilfinnie II. Unfortunately the horse did not come forward for the final horse inspection as he was sore after the cross-country.

The event was won by William Fox-Pitt riding Oslo, while Mary King finished 4th to claim the HSBC FEI Classics series.

In this fabulous video Paul Tapner talks us through his Badminton cross-country round, fence-by-fence, featuring fantastic footage taken from his helmet camera.

This video offers amazing insight for cross-country riders competing at every level, including the importance of riding the correct line, interferring with the horse as little as possible and how to save time when taking the long route.

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Are you fit to ride? Find out at a lecture demo with performance coach Jon Pitts and 2010 Badminton-winning eventer Paul Tapner.

Fit To Ride “blows the cover” on methods used by Jon with top riders like William Fox-Pitt, Tina Cook, Mary King and Lucinda and Clayton Fredericks.

It works by allowing riders to discover what happens to their bodies when they get on a horse and gain insight into how to improve their skills, safety and confidence in the saddle.

The Fit to Ride night takes place at Littleton Manor Equestrian Centre, Reigate, Surrey, on Thursday, 21 June, from 6-10pm.

Tickets are £20 for adults and £15 for Pony Club members.

Special guest Paul will work with Jon and present helmet cam footage from his winning Badminton round.

Attendees will also take part in Fit to Ride practise with Littleton’s Kate Lucas and enjoy a hog roast and wine tasting. Equessentials mobile tack shop will also be on hand.

For further information and to buy tickets, email fittoride@lmeq.com or text 07774 118000.

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William Fox-Pitt and Paul Tapner will lead fund-raising course walks at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials in aid of Cancer Research UK.

Last year’s champion Paul Tapner will lead a walk on Friday 22 April, and William Fox-Pitt, who won in 2004, will do the same the following day.

Participants on the walks, which last about two hours and include discussions about the course and event, are encouraged to raise at least £100.

Supporting the course walk is BE-accredited coach and Armada dish winner William Miflin who is currently battling cancer.

William had planned to lead a course-walk for the second year running however his on-going treatment meant that he asked his namesake William Fox-Pitt to step in.

Badminton final scores

Badminton director Hugh Thomas said: “I am delighted two of our top riders have agreed to find the time during a really busy week to support our charity partner for 2011.

“John Hills, our chief cross-country steward and committee member, originally suggested Cancer Research UK as our Charity of the Year before he was diagnosed with cancer himself.

“John died in April 2009, just before Badminton, so this year’s choice of charity is very much as a tribute to him.”

Places on the walk are limited and walkers are urged to pre-register (at http://supportus.cancerresearchuk.org/events) as soon as possible.

Maria Gomez of Cancer Research UK said: “We hope to raise at least £5000 from both events which would have a significant impact on our work.

“People willing to support the course walks will receive a fundraising pack with hints and tips on how to raise £100.”

Cancer Research UK will also be running a raffle at Badminton, stand number 102, with prizes including an exclusive members package for Badminton 2012, with a tour of the stables, and a Gatehouse HS1 Jockey Skull signed by top riders including Mark Todd, Zara Phillips and Carl Hester.

For further information about the course walks e-mail Maria on maria.gomez@cancer.org.uk or telephone 07918 196031.

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Three of Paul Tapner’s horses had a lucky escape when an articulated lorry collided with one of his horseboxes yesterday morning (27 February).

The lorry had broken down en route for showjumping at Summerhouse Equestrian Centre.

It was awaiting assistance on the hard shoulder of the A419 dual carriageway near Daglingworth, Gloucestershire when the accident took place at 9am.

A Polish articulated lorry collided with the stationary truck.

The impact ripped the box open and threw the horse on the end out on to the road.

Paul was in another lorry and was driving back to help his head-girl, Zoe Wilkinson, who was driving the stricken horsebox.

He was 100m away, on the other side of the dual carriageway, and witnessed the accident.

“The horse on the rear got thrown out, span a circle in mid-air and landed splat on the road — I don’t know how it’s still alive,” said Paul.

“He then got up and trotted towards the oncoming traffic, but luckily everyone stopped and he was caught.”

“My colours are red, so what with the horsebox and the horse’s rugs being red, it looked like there was a lot of blood [on the horse] from where I was, but in fact it’s just cuts and bruises,” Paul added.

The middle horse of the three on board sustained the worst injuries, and has had extensive stitches to his head.

But all three horses and Zoe, who watched the crash play out in her rear-view mirror, escaped serious injury.

Paul confirmed last year’s Badminton winner, Inonothing, was not in the box, nor any of his other four-star rides.

But he did not want to name the horses involved.

“They were all young thoroughbreds — four and five-year-olds,” he said.

“They unloaded off the mangled truck and reloaded to the other truck perfectly. They’ve been checked by vets and at this stage they all seem ok.”

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Badminton winner Inonothing, who was injured at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, is expected to be back eventing by the end of next season.

Jenny Waaler’s 14-year-old hit the jump going into the first water, the Salato Wildlife Centre. Rider Paul Tapner realised he did not feel right and pulled him up at fence 13. X-rays found a chip of bone had come off his stifle.

Inonothing flew back to Belgium from Cincinnati with the other British-based horses on Tuesday last week. He was then driven back to England and straight to Newmarket, where he had an operation to remove the chip.

“The operation was a success and the bone chip was removed,” Paul told H&H. “They found some extra damage to his cartilage which may make his recovery a little longer, but he’s well and will hopefully come home on Monday [18 October].

“He won’t be at Badminton to defend his title, but plan A is that he will be at Burghley or Pau next year.”

Reports on showjumping, paradressage, driving and vaulting from WEG in H&H out today, 14 October.

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The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games press office has issued updates on the horses and rider who were injured during yesterday’s cross-country competition.

Paul Tapner pulled up Badminton winner Inonothing (pictured) at fence 13, the Fort Boonesboro, and he looked lame behind. X-rays at the on-site clinic showed a fracture of the horse’s left-hind patella (knee cap). The horse is currently resting in his own stable and the prognosis is described as “favourable”.

Italy’s Iman Du Golfe and Juan Carlos Garcia — team silver medallists at last year’s European Championships — had a fall at fence 20, Abraham Lincoln’s Birthplace, which resulted in a hold on course of around 30min. Iman Du Golfe was transported to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital where he was treated for a deep laceration and small bone chip near his left elbow. The horse is now described as “resting comfortably and attending vets are optimistic he will make a full recovery”.

Juan Carlos was released from hospital after being examined and treated for minor injuries.

Ireland’s Fernhill Clover Mist, ridden by Patricia Ryan, suffered an injury to his left hock while he was galloping between fences. He was transported to the on-site veterinary clinic, where he was medicated and examined before being returned to his own stable. The attending vet expects the horse to continue to improve.

Report on cross-country action

More updates on the eventing from WEG online today, full report in H&H, out 7 October.

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The Australian eventing selectors have included two British-based riders on their team for the FEi Alltech World Equestrian Games (WEG).

The selected combinations are:

• Christopher Burton and Holstein Park Leilani, owned by Jean and Jade Findlay
• Sam Griffiths and Happy Times, owned by Dinah Posford and Juliet Donald
• Sonja Johnson and Ringwould Jaguar, owned by Jim and Augusta Saunders, Dan and Phoebe Johnson
• Megan Jones and Kirby Park Irish Jester, owned by Margaret and Peter Jones
• Paul Tapner and Inonothing (pictured right), owned by Jenny and Claus Waaler
• Stuart Tinney and either Vettori, owned by Peter O’Connell and Kathy Ward; or Panamera, owned by Tim Game

The British-based riders are Sam Griffiths — who was third at Badminton and Burghley with Happy Times in 2009, and this year’s Badminton winners Paul Tapner and Inonothing.

Wayne Roycroft, Australian eventing head coach, said: “I think we have the makings of a very strong team for WEG.

“We have a good mix of riders, and some experienced riders and hopefully we can come back with a really good medal and make sure we qualify for the London Olympics.”

The horses depart Sydney airport on 13 September or the eventing competition that begins on 27 September.

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